Stories about Sub-Saharan Africa from March, 2009
Liberia: Unfair Labor Practices at Guthrie Rubber Plantations
Nat blogs about unfair labor practices at the Guthrie Rubber Plantations in Liberia.
Liberia: Tribal politics at the senate
In his post titled, Legislative Politics or Tribal Fuel, Kontiamon discusses tribal politics at the Liberian senate .
Nigeria: Watch Cassava Republic Press
Nigeria's Cassava Republic Press is one of the top 10 brands to watch in 2009.
Liberia: University of Liberia Receives US$ 20,000
Syracuse University has donated US$20,000 to University of Liberia mass communication department US$ 20.000 worth of equipment which includes digital cameras, lenses, batteries memory cards and two lap tops, Liberian blogger Emmanuel reports.
Water: One Take International Video Contest
“Is access to clean, safe water for drinking a basic human right? Why? or Why not?”. That is the question One Take is asking for you to answer in your own language, recording it on a video no more than 2 minutes long, uploading it on their site and on DotSub and having it subtitled in at least 1 other language. Just this month, world leaders met in Istambul, Turkey at the World Water Forum to have this discussion, and although they aren't sure what the result will be, it is our chance to show what we believe about this issue, and make our voices heard.
France, Americas, Africa: The “Y'a Bon” Awards
On March 17th 2009, a group called les Indivisibles [Fr] launched the “Y'a Bon Awards”, a dubious honour bestowed upon politicians, journalists, or any public officials who have contributed to the spreading of racism in France. The Awards have sprung from reactions to a century-long advertising campaign that has not sat well with most black people in France.
Africa: African Bloggers at G20 Summit
Nigerian blogger, Sokari Ekine is one of African bloggers who will cover G20 summit: “My plan of action is to try to cover both the G20 summit and the Alternative G20 along with the mass direct action organized by G20 meltdown in the City. I am doing this because I...
Liberia: Liberia's Natural Born Bloggers
David Sasaki writes about Liberia's natural born bloggers: It is hard to imagine a place more difficult to keep a blog than a country that just barely has an electric grid. But a few ambitious, aspiring Liberian journalists are working hard to join their colleagues from the DR of Congo,...
Zimbabwe: My Blog is Blocked!
On Friday March 20, 2009 the Zimbabwean blog, Peace, love & happiness unto the whole world, was blocked. The author of the blog, Eusebia, wrote a short post about it saying, "I have not idea why my blog is being blocked...I refuse to be censored or cowered into silence by anyone because I know my human right of freedom of expression..."
Sudan: Chilling Account of the Arrest of an Online Activist
Sudanese Internet activist and lawyer Abdel Hakim Abdel Rahman Nasr was arrested in a raid on his house on the night of March 5 - and released March 11. Nasr was detained only a few hours after he expressed his support for the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on the online International Forum for Nubia, where he is a moderator. In this chilling post [Ar], on the forum which is now open to members only, Nasr details his arrest.
Tunisia: Dismissed Student Activists on Hunger Strike for the Right to Education
A total of 158 Tunisians and their friends from around the world went on hunger strike for a day today (March 26) in solidarity with five students who have been on hunger strike since February 11 in Tunisia. The initiative has been orchestrated on a Facebook group [Fr] as a symbolic form of support to the students, who are members of Tunisian Students' Union (UGET), and who have been suspended from university for their activism on campus.
Pakistan: Persecution of Religious Minorities
Rumbold at Pickled Politics comments: “Before the latest round of violence, the situation was already bad for minorities in Pakistan. But now increased numbers are fleeing as more of them are targeted by religious extremists.”
Uganda: Linking rural farmers with export markets
Learn how solar drying business links Uganda rural farmers with export markets.
South Africa: China Shouts, South Africa Jumps
China has told the South African government to deny the Dalai Lama a visa. South Africa complies. I wonder if Zuma is going to carry on in this weak-willed manner? What a sharp contrast with Nigeria, which invited the Dalai Lama without any fuss, writes Jeremy on Naijablog.
Uganda: Can short-term development projects bring change?
Eliza Anyangwe wonders whether short-term development projects such as the The Katine project in Uganda can deliver lasting change.
Madagascar: Roots of the Turmoil
Stephen Ellis, co-author (with Solofo Randrianja) of Madagascar: A Short History, explains that Ravalomanana's removal can be attributed to two main factors: his use of presidential power to further business interests and his alienation of the provincial political class and the armed forces.
Nigeria: Blogsville Initiatives
Blogsville Initiatives is a post about various initiatives started by Nigerian bloggers, which include Naija Bloggers Award and Blogsville Idol 2007.
Liberia: Liberian tailor wins US$10,000
Samuel T. Bowin is a Liberian tailor who lost everything except a pair of trousers and a shirt. How did he win US$10,000?
Kenya: Turning shipping containers into offices
Afromusing writes about a project using shipping containers as pre-fab offices in rural Kenya.
Liberia: Obama is not the first African-American president
In his post titled, Everything you ever wanted to know about Liberia (And more), David Sasaki points out that the first African-American president of any country was the Liberian president J.J Roberts who was born in Norfolk, Virginia.
Zimbabwe: Bloggers not happy with the Coalition Government
Zimbabwean bloggers are unhappy with the way things are turning out within the coalition government between Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai. The reactions are a mixture of distrust of Mugabe ad disappointment in the policy approaches of the MDC.
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