Stories about Protest from August, 2008
Egypt: A protest for Turkish TV series Nour
Egyptian Blogger Zeinobia, wrote her reactions regarding the recent news stating that a group of high class Egyptian ladies led a protest all over Marina against the Imam of Marina’s mosque after his attack on the Turkish TV series “Nour”.
Russia: New LJ Ads
LJ user tema is one of the many Cyrillic bloggers who are unhappy with how the new LJ ads interrupt the flow of their posts; he shares a screenshot (RUS) of his blog to illustrate his point. Others are sharing a way to get rid of LJ ads in their...
Thailand: People’s coup or putsch?
Since Tuesday, anti-government protesters have invaded Thailand’s Government House demanding the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The rallyists, estimated to be as low as 3,000 to as high as 25,000, are members of the People's Alliance for Democracy
Appeal of Singapore-based Burmese patriots
Jacob's Weblog uploads a petition letter by supporters of the six Burmese activists who were denied of visa extension by Singapore's immigration authorities.
Singapore: Blogger-dissident still in jail
Gopalan Nair gives an update about his case. The US-based Singapore activist was jailed by Singapore authorities last May for insulting a judge and other officials.
Audio slide of Bangkok rallies
Newley Purnell has uploaded an audio slide about huge anti-government rallies in Bangkok. The protesters are demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.
Armenia: Opposition Truce
Unzipped commends the opposition in Armenia for deciding to postpone planned street protests and other political actions ahead of next week's historic football match with Turkey in Yerevan. The move is meant to contribute to the possibility for Armenian-Turkish reconcilliation.
Venezuela: Yukpa Indians, Chávez and land disputes
Citizen media videos have been uploaded informing of the situation arising in Venezuela between the Yukpa Indians of the Perijá Mountains, landowners and President Chávez. This dispute over land limits is 30 years in the making, when military forces displaced the Indigenous communities of the Yukpa by force and established landowners who have cattle ranches and have been working the lands ever since.
Haiti: Hurricane Gustav
“Tensions are running really high right now”: Pwoje Espwa describes the conditions as Hurricane Gustav passes over Haiti.
Twitter users and Bangkok rallies
Thai Twitter users are commenting about the huge rallies led by anti-government groups in Thailand. One user, bodychan, writes: “I don't want Samak say this word ‘No one died in Government House’.”
Anti-government rallies in Bangkok
A teacher who is based in a province in Thailand is surprised that people are not talking much about the huge rallies in Bangkok which forced the Prime Minister to seek protection in a military compound.
Middle-aged Bangkok protesters?
MrPavee notes that Bangkok protesters who stormed the government house were mostly 45 year-old middle class individuals. He also writes that the rallies “showed the government is really losing its grip and is actually really weak.”
Georgia: Pepsikolka's Dispatches From Poti
OpenDemocracy.net posts translations of posts by LJ user pepsikolka (Samira Kuznetsova), a blogger living in Poti, Georgia: here, here, and here. (Earlier GV translations of pepsikolka‘s posts are here and here.)
Singapore: Harassment against Burmese immigrants
A Burmese activist applying for visa renewal was asked by Singapore immigration authorities about his political activities: “They asked me: ‘Who is the leader of the OBP? How many members do you have? Who are they? What are their names? Where do you usually gather for meetings?’ And they also...
Russia: Rally at Red Square
Photos and video of seven activists holding a rally at Red Square in Moscow on Aug. 24 – “For your and our freedom” – in commemoration of the protest against the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (posted by LJ user moscow_river_25 in the legal_team LJ community).
Egypt: Blogger Detained
Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt, draws our attention to yet another blogger detained. “Mohammed Refaat, a student and a blogger, was detained on July 21 on charges of ‘threatening public security’ by using the Internet to call for a strike on July 23… I took a quick look at Refaat’s blog...
Georgia: Ukrainian Bloggers Action
Peace in Georgia points its readers to an action staged by Ukrainian bloggers. Following reports that Russian troops and South Ossetian irregulars engaged in looting, the bloggers have set up an online shop for looted Georgian goods.
Palestine: Boats break siege of Gaza
The latest news on the two boats attempting to sail to the Gaza Strip as an act of solidarity is that they have reached Gaza, despite earlier warnings that they might not be permitted to do so. Bloggers have reacted to the action with both excitement and concern.
Georgia, Russia: Aug. 20 Rally in Poti
Photos from the Aug. 20 “Russia Go Home!” rally in Poti, Georgia – by LJ user pepsikolka.
China: Re-education through labor sentence for two elderly protesters
The closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics draws near, and while Chinese media are unable to report on scandals such as this that have dominated foreign media headlines, it is those foreign media reports which have given Chinese netizens plenty to chew over.
Senegal: Students take to the streets over missing stipends
University students in Dakar, Senegal are protesting the government's failure to pay their stipends. Seneblog writes [Fr]: “While athletes from all over the world are vying to break world records in Beijing, the students at Cheikh Anta Diop University are trying to break the record in stone-throwing.”
