Stories about Politics from March, 2011
Russia: Tribute to SOVA's Galina Kozhevnikova
At OpenDemocracy.net, Andreas Umland pays tribute to Galina Kozhevnikova, the deputy director of the “SOVA” NGO and a prominent researcher of Russia's extreme right-wing movements, who died earlier this month: “She will be irreplaceable in future academic and public debates on the increase of ultra-nationalism in Russia.”
Côte d'Ivoire: Where Are the African Personalities When They Are Needed?
A few months ago, Marième Jamme asked Bono and Bob Geldof to take less prominent roles as speakers for Africa in the media and leave space for Africans to speak for themselves. Today on the Africa Rising blog, bloggers wonder where have the African personalities gone when they are actually needed to get the world's...
Why Bangladesh?
Jyoti Rahman at Kafila discusses the idea, nationalism and the events that led to the independence of Bangladesh 40 years ago.
Ukraine: Reasons for Targeting Ex-President Kuchma
LEvko of Foreign Notes explains possible reasons – here and here – for targeting Ukraine's ex-president Leonid Kuchma, against whom a criminal investigation has recently been opened on suspicion of his involvement in the 2000 murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze.
Russia: Voina Art Collective
At OpenDemocracy.net, writes about the Voina art collective (RUS: @free_voina; ENG: @free_voina_en) and “explains how their controversial methods have made it difficult to mobilise support.” Kevin Rothrock (@agoodtreaty) re-posts a video of Voina‘s recent prank action (1,178,969 views, 3,023 likes, 658 dislikes): “unwelcomely, without warning kiss female cops on candid...
Ukraine: Lukyanivka Pre-Trial Detention Facility
Journalist Kristina Berdinskikh writes (RUS) at her Korrespondent.net blog about Kyiv's pre-trial detention facility SIZO #13/Lukyanivka: the conditions (general capacity is 2,800 detainees, the actual number is around 4,000; cells for 40 people house 60-80, inmates take turns sleeping; “60 people sometimes smoke all at once, if a non-smoker ends...
Jordan: One Death and Some Loss of Hope
Friday night marked the violent defeat of protests that began on March 24 (#March24) in Amman, Jordan. By the end of Friday, one man had died, Khairi Jameel AlSaad, 55, and more than 100 were injured.
India: All About Tamil Nadu Politics
Harini Calamur introduces podcasts of Puram the Body Politic, which describe all you wanted to know about Tamil Nadu politics.
Pakistan: License To Kill
Talkhaba interviews Robert Anderson, an ex-undercover CIA operative, who opines that “the release of Davis in my opinion is just a green light for more killings and assassinations by the US government and the CIA in your country.”
Syria: Egyptian-American Tweep Accused of Spying
Egyptian-American Twitter user Muhammed Radwan (@battuta) was arrested in Syria and paraded on Syrian Television as a spy who is accused of allegedly visiting "Israel in secret and confessed to receiving money from abroad in exchange for sending photos and videos about Syria." His arrest is expected to unleash the wrath of the Egyptian cyberspace against the Assad regime.
Iran: Syrians Protest “Neither Iran Nor Hezbollah!”
Several Iranian bloggers react to the slogan of Syrian protesters during Wednesday's march where people chanted “Neither Iran, nor Hezbollah!” Syria is an ally of Iran and is also friendly with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Sudan: “Because I am a free Sudanese, I will go out and say no”
On March 21, 2011 Sudan's Youth Moment day was born. Youths from universities across Sudan linked and shared information on Facebook and Twitter as a way of setting up a new stage for a new round of protests against the government of Omar al-Bashir.
Kenya: Zingua Kingozi: Political Search Engine
Zindua Kiongozi is a political search engine in Kenya: “Aspiring politicians-young and old- now have a platform from which they can shape their message to an online audience of supporters. Kenyan citizens in turn have a location to which they can turn their curiosity and inquisition.”
Libya: Where is Eman Al Obeidy?
"Where is Eman Al Obeidy?" has become a pressing question, after a distraught Libyan woman burst into a Tripoli hotel full of foreign journalists, telling then that scars and bruises on her face and body has been inflicted by 15 Muammar Gaddafi's militia, who arrested her at a checkpoint for two days, where they gang raped her.
Uganda: State House Website Hacked
The website of the State House in Uganda has been hacked, Lisa reports.
Syria: Protesters Demolish Symbols of Regime
In Syria, the faces of President Bashar al-Assad and his father, former President Hafez al-Assad, are regularly seen on billboards, buildings, and in the form of statues. Visitors to the country are often surprised by the prevalence of such images, while Syrians have grown used to them as a daily feature of life. Yesterday, a number of videos surfaced in which protesters tear down the symbols of the regime: posters and statues of the ruling family.
Libya: Gaddafi's Crimes Mount in Misrata
Amid the stories of destruction and the mounting death toll, Libyan netizens are waking up this morning to news of a liberated Zintan and the pushing back of Gaddafi's forces from Ajdabiya. Meanwhile, the world continues to watch as more evidence of horror and atrocities come out from Misrata, which was continuously pounded throughout the night by Gaddafi's forces.
Libya: Is Khamis Gaddafi Really Dead?
Rumours have been circulating online and in mainstream media for about two weeks that Khamis Al Gaddafi, son of Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed. Tonight, the rumours are making the rounds again, with a new twist. They say the 27-year-old militia leader, who runs a brigade which carries his name, was killed during an air raid on Bab Al Aziziya Compound, where the Gaddafis reside in Tripoli. Unconfirmed reports add that his brother Muattasim was killed by Gaddafi for 'refusing to follow' orders.
Egypt: The Constitutional Amendments
About one month after the fall of Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians went to vote on constitutional amendments, on Saturday, March 19. The referendum is on a group of articles in the constitution that discuss the Presidency and Parliamentary elections and the requirements for candidates. Here, new and old voters alike share their stories.
Syria: ‘Friday of Dignity’ Protests Erupt Countrywide
Massive protests broke in several cities in Syria today in response to calls for a “Friday of Dignity” after a brutal governmental crackdown left dozens of protesters dead in the Southern city of Daraa and nearby villages. Videos emerging from across Syria show enormous protests in multiple cities.
South Korea: Controversial Memoir Mixes Art, Sex and Politics
An art curator who shocked South Korea with her fake Yale diploma and government connections released a memoir on March 22, 2011, rocking the nation once again with her revelations. Called the 'art world Cinderella', Shin Jeong-ah's alleged relationships with high-profile political and social figures have made her something of a celebrity.