Stories about Weblog from June, 2011
Myanmar: Bomb Blasts in Three Cities
Three bomb blasts hit three major cities in Myanmar today. No casualties have been reported. Global Voices author Tan translates a few Burmese online reports which give first hand accounts of the bomb disaster
Macedonia: .mk Twitter Republic
Protests continue in Macedonia, as the authorities keep silent about the people's demands of accountability, political responsibility and an end to police brutality. On Sunday, a new symbol was displayed by some protesters: the Macedonian flag with a Twitter logo on it, homage to the role of the Twitter community.
Colombia: Video Mapping the City to Hip Hop
In just four days, a creative cast of characters got together in the city of Medellin, Colombia, where they set out to produce videos and place them on a map of the city to reflect topics that affect their communities: militarization, poverty, forced displacement, crimes of state, resistance movements and more.
Belarus: Police Crack Down on Minsk Protest
A non-violent rally in Minsk, organized via a social network, ended up with more than 450 people detained. Arrests, trials and numerous detentions, however, do not appear to have stopped the protesters.
Croatia: EU Membership Approval
On June 10, 2011, Croatia was cleared to become the newest member state of the European Union. There is still a long road before Croatians are officially a part of the EU, and the timing at the moment is, at best, precarious, creating many skeptics. Miquel Hudin reports.
Syria: “It Feels as if Syria is Two Countries – With Two Different Realities”
CNN has officially been granted access to Syria and Arwa Damon is tweeting from Damascus, three months after protests calling for the overthrow of the Assad regime started. Syria has shut its borders to international and Arab media since the unrest. Here are some of Damon's first impressions.
Peru: Beyond Politics: ‘Chelita’, Chicharrón and Chess
There is a lot more going on in Peru besides elections. The death of a beloved actress, and the country's gastronomy and achievements in sports have also been noted in the Peruvian blogosphere.
Slut Walk is Besharmi Morcha in India
Slut Walk, a fresh feminist movement that originated from Toronto Canada, and had been taking rounds of various western cities, is now coming to New Delhi, the Indian capital. Amidst criticism of the use of the word slut, which is uncommon in India, the event organizers attempted to contextualize the movement by renaming it 'Slut Walk Delhi Besharmi Morcha'.
Syria: “We Support Bashar and Want the World to Leave us Alone”
Do all Syrians hate Bashar Al Assad and his regime? An accusation that our coverage of the Syrian "revolution" at Global Voices Online has been one-sided, has sent us on a fascinating journey on the look out for supporters and their sentiments to developments in their country. Here are some of their reactions.
Zambia: Chiluba Funeral Donation Call Raises Eyebrows
Zambian netizens have received an appeal by their government to donate money towards an estimated US$1 million of funeral costs for the late former president Frederick Chiluba with incredulity, considering that barely two and half years ago there was massive abusive of resources for the funeral of the then incumbent president Levy Mwanawasa.
Egypt: A Decade of Street Activism Discussed at Tweet Nadwa
In what is set to become a weekly event, Egyptian Twitter users gathered once again for a second round of their twitter-simulating discussions known as Tweet Nadwa [ar] (forum) to discuss a decade of street activism leading up to the Egyptian revolution.
Mexico: Blogosphere Analyzes the State of Mexico's Electoral Process
Mexican bloggers analyze the local electoral process in the State of Mexico looking towards the presidential succession of 2012. There are reflections about the candidates, their campaigns and proposals, but there is also a consensus in the national relevance that the election for the next Mexican governor has acquired.
Global Voices Co-Founder to Head MIT's Center for Civic Media
Global Voices co-founder and and long time fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Ethan Zuckerman, has been named director of MIT's Civic Media Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Congratulations Ethan!
Bangladesh: Rumana Manzur – A Grim Reminder of Domestic Violence
On 5 June, 2011, Rumana Manzur, an Assistant Professor at the Dhaka University, became the victim of a horrific case of domestic violence when she was brutally attacked by her husband Hassan Syed. This incident has shocked the Bangladeshi society and bloggers too have lent their voice in this demand for justice, expressing anger, outrage and shock.
Bahrain: Opposition Leaders Sentenced to Jail
Opposition movements in Bahrain suffered a blow today after the military court, or National Security Court as it is called in Bahrain, sentenced 21 opposition figures to jail. Eight of them received life sentences. The sentences provoked criticism towards the regime of Bahrain because they came following calls for a national dialogue.
Zambia: Violence at Chiluba's Funeral Gathering
Zambia’s second President, Frederick Chiluba is every bit as controversial in death as he was alive. Chiluba’s funeral wake, a tradition in Zambia where mourners gather from the day a person dies up to the time of burial, has been marked with violence and political manoeuvrings.
Argentina: The Flag Day Ceremony and Cristina Fernández's Bid for Re-Election
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was the only speaker during the Flag Day ceremony in Argentina, an event celebrated every June 20; a patriotic holiday full of Argentine and political party flags. Argentines are beginning to find out who will run for president in this year's elections.
Slovakia, Poland: (Mis)Understanding the Euro Experience
According to a recent poll, the majority of Poles are against joining the Eurozone. One of the reasons may be their (mis)understanding of the Slovak experience.
Iran: Paris Flashmob Marks Two Years Since Election
On June 12, 2011, to mark two years since Iran's disputed election, United4Iran and Move4Iran coordinated a flash mob in a Paris metro station to draw attention to ongoing human rights abuses in Iran.
Bangladesh: Energy Politics and Selling Out National Interest
Last week police brutally cracked down on the members of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports who were rallying against a recent production sharing contract between the Bangladesh government and US energy giant ConocoPhillips for deep sea gas exploration. Netizens react.
Thailand: Pub Peab and Planking Craze
First there was planking or the lying down game which became an instant hit in Thailand. But cultural authorities are not happy with it. Then the Pub Peab craze which involves sitting in a kneeling position seems to be more popular now among Thai netizens.
