Stories from 20 March 2011
Iran:Obama's Nowruz message
President Obama sent a Nowruz (Iranian New Year) message and said “though times may seem dark, I want you to know that I am with you.” Several Iranians write in social networking Balatarin, that Obama named several political prisoners.
Guinea: Miss Guinea France 2011 Speaks Out against Excision
Interviewed by Mrs Nenette Baldé on the blog nenehawa.com, Binta Diallo, the winner of Miss Guinea France 2011, thinks [Fr] that: “The worst is that little Guinean girls associate excision with purity and believe that this is what will make them honorable, exceptional women. That's why I evoked the risks...
Togo: The Regime facing the Media
Bernard Bokodjin wrote [Fr] on his blog pambazuka.org: “In a country where the opposition is not strong enough [yet] nor well structured to counterweigh a repressive regime that violates the principles of democracy and good governance, the press remains one of the spaces where freedom of expression can counter the...
Haiti: Aristide’s return, the word “house” and today’s election
To say the twice exiled President Aristide is a mythic figure in the Haitian imagination is an understatement. To say he evokes strong emotions from Haitians, even less so. So what effect might his return have on today's elections? Bloggers discuss the possibilities.
Morocco: Peaceful Marches Across the Kingdom
Inspired by the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings, Moroccans have been taking to the streets since last February 2011, demonstrating week in, week out, calling for a reform of the constitution and for the establishment of a democratic parliamentary system. Peaceful marches were held on Sunday, March 20th, across the kingdom. Minutes of the marches were followed on the Internet via Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.
Palestine: Ongoing Protests for Unity
March 15th marked the beginning of protests for unity between Palestinians and an elimination of the political divisions in Palestinian society; however, on that day, protesters were violently dispersed both in Ramallah and in Gaza. Here are some reactions from Palestinian netizens.
Pakistan: Protesting Against The Release Of Raymond Davis
Fatima Saleem narrates why Pakistanis are rallying behind protests against the release of the American security official Raymond Davis.
Pakistan: Investigating Loan Write-offs A Bad Idea
Feisal Naqvi at Monsoon Frog explains why the investigation into loan write-offs was a bad idea.
Sri Lanka: A Citizen Journalism App For iPhone
Groundviews introduces the Groundviews app, Sri Lanka’s as well as South Asia’s first citizen journalism app for Apple’s iOS platform.
Bangladesh: Seeking Constitutional Recognition Of “Indigenous” Population
Bangladesh Watchdog reports that thousands of ethnic minorities in Bangladesh are demanding constitutional recognition of their existence as “indigenous” population.
Pakistan: Blood Money Sets Raymond Davis Free
Raymond Davis, an American security official, was charged for two counts of murder in Pakistan and citing him as a diplomatic official the US State Department demanded his release under Vienna convention. Davis was released after relatives of the dead received "blood money" under Islamic shariah law. Netizens raise questions.
Haiti: The Entertainer, or The Professor?
According to the reports on Twitter regarding today's presidential election runoff in Haiti, the lines at polling stations are long, and voters at certain pollin were unable to find their names on voter lists. But many are also speculating on the outcome.
Bahrain: A Video Timeline of Police Brutality
As international media focus shifts toward Libya and the rapidly unfolding events there, Bahrain government is unleashing a violent assault on pro-democracy protesters. Amid the media blackout, citizens are taking their cameras out and capturing the violence the state-run media is carefully concealing.
Côte d’Ivoire : Terror in Abidjan
Abidjan a connu avant le début de la guérilla qui sévit depuis quelques jours une série de violences inédites, des attaques contre les domiciles privés des adversaires politiques de Laurent Gbagbo. De plus des actes de lynchage ont été pris en vidéo dans la commune de Youpogon. Ces actes de violence publiés sur le web ont provoqué de vives réactions.
Japan: How dangerous is low-level radiation?
Jake Adelstein reprinted parts of the scientific article entitled “The Uranium Widows: Why Would A Community Want To Return To Milling A Radioactive Element?” by Peter Hessler, hoping to give some perspective on the radiation fear spreading in Japan.
Malaysia: ‘Offensive’ Novel Creates Controversy
A recent controversy that has arisen in Malaysia is the issue of a novel used as a textbook for literature in secondary schools. Critics claim the book, which discussed the caste system, has racist content. The Indian community in Malaysia is demanding the removal of the book in the school syllabus
Japan: Manga artists draw comics to support Japan
A post at the Italian independent news website Linkiesta shows [it] the comics that several Japanese manga artists drew to express solidarity to their country.
Singapore: Reactions to Japan Earthquake Disaster
In this post, read the first hand account of Singapore students during the earthquake in Japan. Find out why a media giant in Singapore apologized for sending a marketing email about the quake. And bloggers react to the statement of the Senior Minister who compared the ‘noisy’ Singaporeans with the ‘stoic’ Japanese in times of disasters.
Lebanon: Anti-Sectarian March on Mother's Day
Trella posts (Ar) the call for the Anti-Sectarian March taking place today, March 20, 2011, and considers it as a gift to all mothers. Mother's Day in Lebanon is celebrated on March 21st, which is also the first day of the Spring Season.
Lebanon: Anti-Sectarian Movement
Isqat Al Nizam (Bringing Down the System) is a blog (Ar) dedicated to the rallies and demonstrations aiming at dismantling the Lebanese sectarian laws and system.
Lebanon: Alliance Controlling Libya's Oil
“Let no one be fooled, these people know no humanity, nor should we want their selective humaneness.” Writes Rami Zurayk in a post criticizing the Western intervention in Libya.
