Stories about Politics from January, 2012
Cuba: Human Rights Double Standard
Lilianne Ruíz, blogging at Translating Cuba, compares a television spot “that shows a series of watercolors of butterflies from one of the five officials of the Interior Ministry imprisoned in...
Russia, Syria: Anti- and Pro-Assad Facebook Comment Attack
Facebook pages of some Russian media outlets (e.g., Afisha, Bolshoi Gorod, Esquire Russia, Channel 1, MTV Russia) were deluged with copy-pasted comments [ru, ar] from users who appeared to be...
Puerto Rico: Waste of Money
Dondequiera says of a US $20 million ad campaign to promote tourism: “If we could only use 1/4 of that money to police and clean our beaches, maintain the bathrooms…....
Cuba: Upwardly Mobile?
The latest Cuban media campaign “is directed against the [expensive] mobile vendors, those sellers of fruits and vegetables who transport their goods on a tricycle or other wheeled device” –...
Bermuda: “Constant Circus”
“The Premier is saying that she will pass more good governance laws. That’s positive,” says Vexed Bermoothes. But he still can't help but wonder: “You need laws to control the...
Panama: President Receives Draft for New Constitution
“President Martinelli received [es] a draft of a new constitution from a special commission working on the subject,” reports Bloggings by boz. Boz looks at two of the biggest issues...
Bolivia: Pro-Road March Reaches La Paz
Marchers in favor of a project to build a road that would go through the TIPNIS indigenous territory reached La Paz. Mario R. Duran from the blog Palabras Libres [es]...
China: The legacy of Wukan
David Bandurski from China Media Project blogs about the discussion among Chinese public intellectuals on the political implications of Wukan struggle against land acquisition in Guangdong.
Moldova: Anti-Government Protests Receive Little Endorsement From Netizens
For the past two weeks Moldovans have been out in the streets, protesting. These protests, however, have received very little endorsement from Moldova's online community. Diana Lungu explains why.
Macedonia: “Conformism, Hypocrisy and Opportunism”
Human rights activist, journalist and artist Xhabir M. Deralla candidly expressed his view on the role of the civic sector in contemporary Macedonia: “The choir of indolent subjects stands mute....
Cuba: Pope's Visit & Human Rights
In the wake of more repression against Las Damas de Blanco, Uncommon Sense thinks “that the pope should postpone his visit until human rights conditions improve in Cuba.”
South Africa: Student Anti-Racism Poster Causes a Stir
South Africa's Democratic Alliance Students Organisation recently released a controversial poster as part of their anti-racism campaign, which shows a naked mixed-race couple embracing. The poster has caused a huge stir on Facebook, Twitter and blogs and even generated viral spoof posters.
Trinidad & Tobago: Reviving Capital Punishment?
Plain Talk comments on the issue of capital punishment: “The sad reality is that this pantomime only continues because the people are starved for choice, so every now and then...
Iran: Asylum seeker committed suicide
Several bloggers reported [fa] that Mohammad Rahsepar committed suicide in a refugee camp in Germany. The blogger says that “rich Iranians, politicians in exile,…should help these asylum seekers who live...
Cuba: No Political Reforms
Cuban bloggers discuss the national Communist Party conference, which took place this past weekend.
Jamaica: Types of Racism
“Racists in Jamaica come in at least two varieties: upfront and down-low”: Jamaica Woman Tongue explains.
Peru: Terrorism, Youth and Social Networks
One of the strongest repercussions of the MOVADEF's decision to apply to register as a political party is the amount of young activists and supporters the group has attracted and how they are using social networks to spread their message.
Malaysia: Temiar Blockade and Indigenous Rights
Eight indigenous peoples were arrested in Malaysia for attempting to set up a blockade and prevent loggers from entering their village. The villagers are against the agricultural project of the government which would require the cutting down of forest trees in their ancestral land. Human rights lawyers, activists and netizens react .
Hungary: “We Voted For Orbán, Not For Goldman Sachs”
Last Saturday, after several protests against the government's policies, Hungarians supporting those in power decided to hold a rally of their own, too. Marietta Le reports.
Slovakia: Protesting Corruption, Protesting “Gorilla”
The Economist's Eastern Approaches blog writes about Slovakia's corruption scandal caused by the leaked info from the 2005-06 wiretapping operation codenamed “Gorilla” (more – here). On Friday, Jan. 27, an...
South Sudan: Urgent Steps Needed to Counter Inter-Communal Violence
Urgent steps are needed to counter inter-communal violence in South Sudan: “Inter-communal violence in Jonglei and throughout South Sudan, while traditionally cyclical in nature, is not inevitable. The causes of...
