· May, 2006

Stories about Western Europe from May, 2006

France & Francophonia Commemorate Slavery Amidst Curriculum Controversy

  14 May 2006

Image courtesy of oliviermr2 A Day of Remembrance France commemorated slavery for the first time on May 10, reports Haiti's Alterpresse: Le président francais qualifie d’infamie, la traite négrière et invite les Français à « regarder tout notre passé en face », « sans concession ». Abdou Diouf, Secrétaire général...

Vegetarian or Carnivorian, it is up to you!

  14 May 2006

#1: Apuntes de Cocina desde Venezuela on Salmon Gravalax!Learn to prepare it the easy way and enjoy it for the rest of your life! Head over to her blog to get the step by step recipes and great photos. #2: Directo al Paladar from Spain, visits the famous Restaurante Escuela...

Francophonia: Remembering Bob Marley

  12 May 2006

“May 11, 1981 – May 11, 2006: It's been 25 years since Bob Marley left us”, says (Fr) Martiniquan blog Bondamanjak. France-based Forum Realisance posts lyrics to Redemption Song and commemorates the Jamaican legend (Fr): “I had the incredible fortune of meeting him in Brussels in a private club; I...

Africa: Trans Atlantic Slave Trade

  11 May 2006

Rethabile posts from Mzansi Afrika on the day France remembers its role in the Atlantic slave trade. ..“France was Europe's fourth largest slave trader after Portugal, England and Spain and transported about 1.25 million slaves. France abolished slavery in 1794, after a successful revolt by slaves in the island colony...

DRC Diaspora: Questions for UDPS

  10 May 2006

According to UDPS Liege, during a May 1 forum organized by UDPS in Belgium, several questions (Fr) sprang from the audience: “What political mistakes has UDPS made that might explain its inability to take power in the Congo in 26 years? Why does Etienne Tshisekedi lead UDPS in a dictatorial...

Venezuela: Chavez's Meeting With Ken Livingstone

  10 May 2006

Venezuela's opposition bloggers continue their foray into the mainstream media. Daniel Duquenal (who recently had a letter to the editor published in the Boston Globe) and Guillermo Parra both mention Aleksander Boyd's article in The Times as Chavez prepares his trip to London where he will meet with Mayor Ken...

Martinique: Friend of Yesterday, Lesbian of Today

  10 May 2006

The about section of Le Blog de [Moi] (FR) reads: “Friend of yesterday … Lesbian of today. To live one's homosexuality in Martinique on the day to day is possible. The proof: [Me].” Recent posts include a critique of French feminist group 143 Rebels and a lukewarm review of a...

We Media 2006: In London and Reflecting

  9 May 2006

The WeMedia Conference in London on the 3rd and 4th of May 2006, saw quite a few authors from Global Voices making sure they were heard. Authors from GVO included Eduardo, Kamla, Lisa, Rachel, Rebecca, Salam and Neha (me). We had our hopes high given some of the items on...

African Diaspora: Hard times for Africans in France and Belgium

Several francophone blogs have tackled African immigrants’ latest tribulations in France and Belgium. Choosing Immigrants Le Pangolin criticizes French interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy’s latest round of immigration policies. The blogger sees Sarkozy’s approach as a diversion from the real social issues raised by protestors of the CPE [Youth Employment Law]....

The Spice of Life

  7 May 2006

#1: From Argentina, Pomelo Pleasures presents: The Spice of Life: She wants it in her jam, me too!!! :) I am an absolute nut about mulled wine, and perhaps with good reason. I remember France during the holidays, going to a bazaar full of baked goods and steaming vats of...

Kiskeya: Conference on Haitiano-Dominican Relations

  5 May 2006

A conference on Haitiano-Dominican relations held in Santo-Domingo ends today, reports (FR) Haitian newsfeed Radio Kiskeya. The conference was sponsored by Norway in partnership with Dominican churches and, in addition to Haitian and Dominican delegations, featured Brazilian and Chilean ones. The conference's goal was “to incite political, religious and international...

Barbados: Newsletter for UK Bajans

  5 May 2006

Barbados Free Press sings the praises of “Ping Yark”, a quarterly newsletter published in London which is a lifeline for many UK-based Barbadian expats. “Just make sure you have a rum in de other hand…,” writes BFP “'cause you sure will need it!”

DRC: Political Prisoner on the Verge of Death

  5 May 2006

Claude Ramazani Mwenyewe, an official of opposition party UDPS, was arrested and held without trial since May 18, 2005 by Joseph Kabila's “pretorian guard”, says (FR) a UDPS statement posted on Le Blog du Congolais. UDPS calls for his release adding: “He is not given a right to family, medical...

China: Catholics, coal, chemicals

  3 May 2006

China Confidential‘s Confidential Reporter gives a second look at rapidly-deteriorating relations between the Communists in Beijing and the Catholics in the Vatican, preceded with one long dire post: at least twenty-four dead in a coal mine collapse in the Northwestern province of Shaanxi this past weekend, and toxic dumping in...

Argentina, Spain, USA: Humanity over Nationality

  2 May 2006

Martin Varsavsky, himself an Argentine immigrant living in Spain envisions “political parties made of immigrants joined by native citizens who felt that to them humanity was a stronger concept than nationalism.” In fact, he says it's already happening: “As the May 1st walkout is proving, America would suffer very badly...

What is the world cooking?

  1 May 2006

#1: From Malaysia & UK, Yang-May Ooi's Lit BlogCurious Legacies: My GrandMother's recipe for Soy Sauce Chicken Grandma left us many recipes for dishes that have been in the family for years. They are old-fashioned and labor intensive, involving a lot of chopping and slicing and marinading to get just...