Stories from 19 April 2006
Kyrgyzstan: Student Attitudes
The Golden Road to Samarqand has an informal survey of student attitudes on political issues in Kyrgyzstan.
Mongolia: Sad Protest News
Luke Distelhorst has an update on the protests in Mongolia including the very sad news that a protester lit himself on fire.
Colombia: The DAS Scandals
Adam Isacson breaks down the DAS scandals.
Kazakhstan: Currency Appreciation
Ben Paarmann describes how Kazakhstan carefully manages its currency to avoid appreciation as oil prices rise.
Rep. of Congo: Campaign to Release Two Political Prisoners
At Le Pangolin , Musi Kanda calls (FR) for a letter faxing drive to President Denis Sassou N'Guesso to demand the release of Christian Mounzéo and Brice Mackosso, two human rights activists he says are being detained on fake charges. Mr. Kanda is outraged by the lack of activism on...
Tajikistan: Mosques & Computers
James of neweurasia writes about a foreign donor-funded computer training program to be run by a mosque in Tajikistan and says that if this is not an explicit strategy to bolster moderate Islam, perhaps it should be.
El Salvador: Easter in Juayúa
Ethel, who describes herself as a tourist in her own country, posts some pictures of Semana Santa from the town of Juayúa.
Guatemala: Semana Santa
Chapinadas describes Semana Santa, or Holy Week in Guatemala. Guate360 has a similar post (ES), but in Spanish.
China's growth model a challenge to US influence
Many developing countries are now looking at China's model of state guided growth favourably compared to the US one of minimum intervention. Indonesian blogger Martin Manurang asks if the success of Chinese economic policies will help reduce American influence in the world.
Honduras: Discovering Local Blogs
Rafael Janania discovers (ES) that he's not the only blogger in Honduras.
DRC: Upcoming UDPS Forum in Belgium
Opposition party UDPS will hold a forum entitled “Political Crisis in the DRC and UDPS’ Refusal to Participate in the Electoral Process” on May 1 in Liege-Outremeuse, Belgium, writes (FR) UDPS Liege. ( Time and address provided in the post.)
Caribbean, US: Deportees and crime
The US Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean “says there is no factual basis on which to suggest that criminal deportees from the United States are contributing to the escalating crime situation in the Caribbean”. Francis Wade isn't convinced.
India: Sex and the Internet
Asian Sex Gazette on rape in India, the notion of friendship and a crucial question – “Women in the city question why men often interpret friendly gestures as a sign of promiscuity. “
India: Animals and their rights
Trivial Matters has photographs from an anmial shelter in Mumbai. Stories of dogs and a camel follow.
India: The last of the line
The last Mughal Emperor in India and the final legacy that remains leglected - at Indian Muslims.
Sri Lanka: Violence in the University
Moju on University politics and the violence on campus in Colombo. “At the same time, the sort of violence in which students engage is becoming more and more harmful and has spawned a new culture of violence among youth everywhere.”
Pakistan: Baisakhi
Baisakhi celebrations in Pakistan via Metroblogging Islamabad – “Thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the world, including India, Britain, Canada, Afghanistan, Germany and Switzerland, arrived early in the morning to participate in the three-day celebrations.”
Unbuilding bridges
There's no bridge, and a lot of troubled water in Malaysia. It's all about the cancellation of Malaysia's plan to build a bridge to Singapore. Jeff Ooi has been following the fallout and also wondering whether the Malaysian press was gagged over the story.
Jedi elections. In Singapore?
mrbrown emphasises that his most recent podcast does not contain “explicit political content” because that is prohibited during the election period under the Singapore's Election Advertising Regulations. Instead it is about “a galaxy far far away” which happens to contain a complex civilisation holding elections.
Don't pay for that orange juice!
Le Bao Tuan at Sticky Rice tells us about his English class, and going for a drink, Vietnamese style.
Thailand's Senate criticised
Does Thailand need a Senate? a particularly well-timed question, given that it's being chosen right now, aired on the Senate Elections post at Bangkok Pundit. One of the country's political scientists thinks the Senate is a farce.
