Stories from 10 August 2008
Bolivia: Covering the Recall Referendum
Mario Durán writes about his day covering the Recall Referendum in El Alto, Bolivia [es] for his citizen's newspaper Al Minuto where he took photos in 3 voting places, “I moved around on foot, bicycle, automobile, tricycle, what an odyssey.”
Blogger of the Week: Gilad Lotan
An artist, programmer and technology explorer, Gilad Lotan has been giving Global Voices Online's readers routine insights into the Hebrew blogosphere since May 2007, covering Israel, where arguments get heated and emotions over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict run high. How does this 30 year old manage? How does he select the conversations he wants to cover and why? Also, what are his other interests? Learn more about Gilad Lotan in this week's Blogger of the Week interview.
Georgia, Russia: Blogger From Poti Recounts the Bombing
Here is LJ user pepsikolka's account of what it felt like when the Russian planes were bombing Poti, her native city: "[...] Around midnight I heard some roaring, ran up to the window and saw shaft of fire, explosions at the port and heard a deafening noise. I didn't even have the time to get scared, I just knew that if a cistern with oil at the terminal gets hit, there'll be fire and an explosion, so I grabbed the phone, called Tengo, Vika answered, screaming [...]"
Georgia: Kutaisi Protest
Regional Reporters [RU] says that despite an air raid on Kutaisi which has meant local residents no longer gather in the city center, parks and markets of Georgia's second largest city, thousands turned out to attend a protest action against Russia's military action.
Georgia: Peace Corps Evacuation
With the evacuation of foreign citizens in Georgia now underway, B & C Go To Georgia reports that Peace Corps Volunteers are being moved and might be evacuated to Armenia [Note: Some PCVs are already being evacuated]. Meanwhile, Sound and Fury says that it is concerned about the local girlfriend...
South Ossetia: Appeal to Russian Officers and Soldiers
Dnevnik Slavyanina [Russian] makes a pacifist appeal to Russian officers and soldiers to disobey orders and abandon the war in South Ossetia in order not to be forced into committing war crimes: “Let the Caucasian peoples solve their own problems!”
South Ossetia: History Russian Style
LJ user gklimov [Russian] interviewes Russian historian Gennady Klimov about the history of the Ossetians and Georgians, receiving some interesting answers.
South Ossetia: Who Supplies Georgia With Arms?
LJ user dizainer [Russian] reposts a list – from the Russian Defence Ministry – of which countries are supplying Georgia with military materiel and what these are. A comment asks that if there is no military embargo on Georgia, why is not a list of car suppliers posted as well?
Ukraine: Illegal Eavesdropping Continues
Taras Kuzio writes about the continuing use of eavesdropping by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) and how illegally obtained information is used in politics and business.
South Ossetia: Western Media Fakes?
LJ user exzzzorcist summarizes a discussion in the Russian blogosphere, claiming that the widely circulated photos by Reuters are fakes or staged, as part of a Western information campaign against Russia.
Georgia: Armenian Economic Concerns
The Armenian Economist comments on the military confrontation between Georgia and Russia noting that 96 percent of Armenia's trade goes via its northern neighbor. The blog says that Armenia will suffer as a result and concludes that it is now effectively blockaded on all sides.
Georgia: Stop Russian Aggression
Writing on the newly renamed Peace in Georgia, Diana Chachua calls for immediate action from the international community. The blogger says that if the European Union and NATO tolerates Russian military action in Georgia “your country can be next.”
South Ossetia: Alternative Russian view
LJ user maxdz [Russian] presents an alternative Russian view of how the Russian-Georgian conflict over South Ossetia erupted. Needless to say, most commentators disagree.
South Ossetia: Journalists Killed in Georgia-Russia Conflict
Julia – Malenkoe fotoagentstvo [Russian] relays a report by Lenta.ru about two Russian journalists being killed during the fighting in South Ossetia. Remetalk's Journal [Russian] has more information on the story.
Georgia: Foreign Ministry Joins the Blogosphere
Osteuropablog [German] reports that the Georgian Foreign Ministry appears to have joined the blogosphere with its MFA Georgia blog in English, since the Ministry website has gone down due to cyberattacks.
Belarus: Roma still excluded from education
Roma Gypsy Romany Gypsy reposted an article describing how Roma in Belarus are still discriminated from access to education, with a mere 2% Romani finishing secondary school.
South Ossetia: Information blackout of Russian views?
Remetalk's Journal [Russian] writes about the information blackout Russian officials feel they are experiencing when trying to get their message through in Western media. As one Foreign Ministry official said: “We would like it if Western TV-screens showed not only Russian tanks, not only reports on how Russia brought troops...
Georgia: Impression from Tbilisi
Gedanken über Estland [German] posted a translation of impressions by a Georgian blogger on the situation in the Georgian capital Tbilisi.
South Ossetia: What's next, Nagorno-Karabach or Nakhchivan?
Michael J. Totten draws a parallel between the Russian-Georgian conflict in South Ossetia and Abchazia with the potential for resumed Azeri-Armenian conflicts over Nagorno-Karabach or Nakchivan.
Georgia: Russian Roulette
With the Georgian government reporting that Tbilisi International Airport has been bombed and that 6,000 Russian troops have entered its territory along with a further 4,000 landing in Abkhazia, A Fistful of Euros says that Moscow was well prepared for a conflict over South Ossetia. Indeed, the blog asks, was...
Kosovo: No improvement in Roma situation
Romano Them informs about the situation of Roma in Kosovska Mitrovica and links to their recent report about the situation.
