Stories about Weblog from March, 2009
South Africa: Uproar over visa refusal for Dalai Lama
The South African government has denied the Dalai Lama a visa to attend a Peace Conference that will be held in South Africa. The government decision has sparked an uproar online on Twitter, Facebook and blogs.
Brazil: A Private Nature Reserve – Is It Possible?
Society demands green action and Brazil’s policy that motivates land onwers to join the National Conservation Units Systems is having a great impact on society. Under the program known as RPPN, land onwers receive investments and credit too. Land use is restricted to research, environmental education and ecotourism. Blogs are one of the tools used to report experiences and document the work being carried out to keep Brazil green.
Maldives: Free Speech Under Threat
In early March Mohamed Nasheed, the new President of the Maldives, met with Frank La Rue, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression. In the meeting Nasheed expressed his government’s commitment to free speech and announced that Maldives will be made a haven for dissident writers from...
Fiji: ‘It was stones, now it's molotov cocktails’
At least six people in Fiji who could be termed “public opponents” of the country’s military-backed government have been targeted by unidentified individuals who late at night have thrown large stones at their houses and severally damaged their cars. During the stonings, much of Fiji’s political blogosphere have claimed the rock attacks were perpetrated by members of the country’s military.
Is Egypt on the verge of a cultural revolution?
Between Bahaa Taher's first Arabic Language Booker Prize, bloggers' books, Youssef Zidan's Azazeel's Booker prize, writing competitions on Facebook, the Sawiris Foundation Competitions, and new creative initiatives to nurture new blood, Egypt's literary scene has been revived over the past few years. Marwa Rakha digs up even more projects being discussed on the blogs.
Ecuador: Barcamp and Sunday Morning in Quito
The Ecuadorian digital community has been organizing and participating in various events in the capital city of Quito. On March 21, the first BarCamp took place, which followed a web entrepreneurial meeting called Sunday Morning held in February. Participants and organizers alike comment on the events and reflect on what they took away from meeting with like-minded people.
Egypt: Women turn to the Internet to fight taboos
Young middle and upper class Egyptian women resort to the internet to fight their battles against taboos. The BBC interviewed some of them and Mohamed Hamdy of Bloggers Times comments on the article.
Cuba: Interview with Blogger Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo
Claudia Cadelo interviews blogger Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo about his participation in the Cuban blogging community, which came to his side when his book "Boring Home" had originally been accepted by the state publishing house, but later rejected. He believes that the decision was made partly by his blogging activity. Many of the island's bloggers supported him during this difficult time and even organized an alternate book launch.
Cambodia: Rice politics
Rice is more than a staple of the Cambodian diet. It also implicates land rights, trade and international relations. Some Cambodians are frustrated over land leases to neighboring Vietnam. They are concerned the leases will evolve into ownership changes, resulting in a reduction of Cambodian territory.
Thailand: Summary from the academic forum on Lese Majeste
Lese Majeste is still a hot issue in Thailand. Foreigners, academics and activists have been charged with Lese Majeste in recent months. A two-day academic forum was held at Thammasart University in Bangkok where scholars discussed the controversial law.
Iran: Dr. Hesam Firouzi, Another Jailed Blogger
It was jailed physician and blogger, Dr. Hesam Firouzi, who recently got the word out through his lawyer about the death of blogger Omid Reza Mir Sayafi in Tehran's Evin Prison. He said he urged prison authorities to send the dying prisoner to a hospital, but they refused.
Ukraine: Ternopil Regional Council Election
Regional council election in the western Ukrainian region of Ternopil took place on March 15, following much political drama and resulting in the victory of an ultra-nationalist party and poor performance of the prime minister's bloc. Below are views of several Ukrainian bloggers on the possible reasons for such an outcome.
India's First Digital Elections
The world's largest democracy, India, goes to elections starting April 16, 2009. The month long general elections to the 15th Lok Sabha will be held in five phases on April 16, April 22, April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 13, and the results will be announced on May 16. In the first post of Global Voices special coverage on the Indian Elections 2009 we highlight the use of internet and mobile technologies in the election campaign.
Angola: Pope is greeted by the largest crowd of his African tour
The climax of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Angola was an open-air mass this Sunday, when nearly million people from various Angolan provinces and other African countries came to Luanda to hear the mass in Cimangola, on the outskirts of Luanda. Bloggers report on the Pope's remarks during his first pilgrimage to Africa, and also on the facelift Angola was given to receive Benedict XVI.
Egypt: Arab Youth on a Presidential Mission
Egypt's first online radio - Radio Horytna - invites youth to apply for the position of President for any Arab country of their choice. Egyptian bloggers comment on the initiative in this post.
Malaysia unveils its second stimulus plan
Malaysia’s first stimulus plan last year was inadequate. So the government unveiled a second stimulus program this month. What are the reactions of Malaysian bloggers?
Hong Kong: Vindication of June 4 in Question
2009 is the 20th anniversary of June 4 Tiananmen Massacre. If there were reincarnation, people who had been killed then would be twenty years old this year. Some of them would probably become university students, who are usually regarded as conscience of the society. Sadly this year, at least two...
Korea: Two American Journalists are detained in North Korea.
Two American Journalists – a Korean American and Chinese American – are detained in North Korea after they tried to report on North Korean issues (It is known that they were interested in female North Korean defectors). Three days behind, the South Korean media started talking about this incident in...
India: Gujarat Diamond Workers Suicide in the Face of Crisis
On the following videos we can see and hear about the situation the Gujarat diamond polishers in India are facing. As the world recession and economic crisis affects their industry, thousands are laid off. Unable to feed their families, pay bills or send their children to school, they have to adjust to living hand to mouth, many are turning to suicide as their last resort.
Azerbaijan: Novruz
Prohibited but celebrated discreetly during its years as a Soviet republic, Novruz is now one of the most anticipated holidays to be openly marked in Azerbaijan. Local and expat bloggers comment on the festival.
Taiwan: Diplomatic Officer's Blogposts Ignite Ethnic Controversy
Bloggers and netizens in Taiwan found that Kuo Kuan-ying, an information officer in the Taiwan diplomatic service in Toronto, who blogs under his pen name Fan Lan-chin, publishes insulting posts which has provoked more controversy and debate of Taiwan's long unsolved ethnic hatred.
