Stories from 20 June 2011
Somalia: Prime Minister Forced To Resign
Terror Free Somalia Foundation analyses the resignation of Somalia’s Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo: “Farmajo was an unknown quantity when he was appointed in October last year, taking over from Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, who resigned after a long-running spat with Sheikh Sharif. However, analysts say since he took over...
Ghana: 1975 Work Song From Ghana postal workers
Listen to a unique 1975 song from Ghana: “The song in question which is accompanied by melodic whistling is simply called “the work song”. It was created by postal workers at the University of Ghana in 1975.”
Indonesia: Prostitution in a cemetery
EngageMedia uploads a video by Ucu Agustin who features the lives of women workers living near Mount Bolo in East Java, Indonesia. Many of them are also working as sex workers in the evening.
Thailand: Animal election posters
Election posters depicting politicians as wild beasts have sprouted in Thailand. Catherine translates the meaning of the posters. Thais will go to the polls next month.
South Korea: Actress-Activist Spearheads Protests with Social Media
In South Korea, entertainers are changing the political landscape by spearheading protests in social media. Among several influential comedians and actors, actress-activist Kim Yeo-jin, has been the most controversial figures for several weeks now for her active on and offline political engagement.
Rwanda: Through the Eyes of Hope
Yolande interviews Linda Smith, a photojournalist based in Rwanda, who is the founder of the “Through the Eyes of Hope” (TEOH) Project: “In a tiny, dimly lit room in Mayange, Linda is instructing five students on the “Cards of Hope” postcard project. The students are all boys who have been...
Georgia: Government 2.0
With 621,640 Facebook users in the country, Georgia boasts the largest penetration for the social networking site in the region. Naturally, government agencies and officials are now starting to reach out to citizens online.
Russia: The Origins of Anti-Clericalism in the Blogosphere
T.Chumakova at portal-credo.ru writes [ru] about anti-clericalism in the LiveJournal communities. She distinguishes 5 types of anti-clerical users and lists the origins of the phenomenon: 1. “Influence of neo-pagans, Old Style Believers, Protestants, and other ‘external agents’,” 2. Lack of religious education, 3. Transformation of the Orthodox church into the ritual...
Argentina: Demonstrations in the Borda Psychiatric Hospital
Medical staff and associations rallied in the beginning of June to protest against the deterioration of housing conditions in the Hospital Borda, one the most notable psychiatric hospitals in Argentina, which has had no gas since mid April of this year. The hospital's existence had been questioned by a 2008 plan launched by Buenos Aires' mayor, Mauricio Macri.
“Russia For All” Exhibition Sparks Off Discussions On Russian Identity
Bloggers actively discuss [ru] “Russia For All” [ru, .pdf] exhibition. Viktor Bondarenko and Dmitri Gutov, the authors, aim to combat the nationalist slogan “Russia for Russians.” Each painting contains a name of a well-known historical person and his/her ethnic origin. In the numerous discussions around the blogosphere, netizens ask a question,...
Russia: Video Reports From Anti-Seliger, Opposition Summer Camp
Oleg Kozyrev publishes a series of video reports [ru] from Anti-Seliger, a summer camp situated in the endangered Khimki city forest park. “The bloggers’ Woodstock” united digital activists, environmentalists, and opposition politicians.