Stories from 3 April 2012
Russia, Ukraine: “Obligatory Media Post-Mortems”
Natalia Antonova's texts in the Moscow News, on the “disappearance” and death of 9-month-old Anya Shkaptsova and on other recent deaths of children in Bryansk, Russia, and a text in the Guardian's Comment is Free on the rape and murder of Oksana Makar in Mykolayiv, Ukraine. And a note on...
Mali : Freedom of Press also Under Threat
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that several journalists covering the aftermath of March 22 coup in Mali were attacked and threatened by the junta. The media adviser for the junta denied that any journalist had been assaulted, but acknowledged the detention of some journalists.
Videos: Female Gendercide and Infanticide in India and China
Between India and China, 200 million girls have gone "missing" as parents abort female fetuses or kill and abandon baby girls. Several documentaries and reports cover this phenomenon, trying to explain the causes for this deadly gender discrimination and figure out what can be done about it.
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Remembering Wayne Brown
“Writers are easily thought of as selfish people. But the writers I know—and Wayne Brown in particular—practice what I find to be a particularly beautiful form of generosity: a commitment to telling the truth”: Rachel Kadish reflects on her friendship and correspondence with the late Trinidadian writer Wayne Brown.
Honduras: Celebrating Growth, Because “Blogging is Hard”
Blogger Edwin Francisco Herrera Paz from the blog La Honduras Valiente [es] (“The Brave Honduras”) celebrates 23,000 visits in 30 days and admits that blogging is hard. Edwin originally created La Honduras Valiente to record his thoughts on the June 2009 coup against Manuel Zelaya; now he also discusses other...
Haiti: Women & the Spoken Word (Part 1)
Francesca Andre is a Haitian photographer who has directed a new video about spoken-word Haitian-American artist Melissa Beauvery. Andre talks to Global Voices about her work, how this video fits in to the bigger picture of amplifying the voices of Haitian women and the significance of Haitian art and culture.
Portugal: Prayers on Twitter for April Fools’ Day “Coup d'Etat”
A false rumour of a coup d'etat became a trending topic – and a worlwide joke – on Twitter with the hashtag #PrayforPortugal. The Spanish newspaper El País and The Associated Press released the news that “the Portuguese President dissolved Parliament and called for calm”; netizens replied with funny messages...
Syria: Ali Mahmoud Othman, the “Eyes of Baba Amr”, Detained
Video activist Ali Mahmoud Othman, head of the Media Office of Baba Amr, has been siezed by the Syrian goverment. Friends and colleagues believe he is being subjected to severe torture. His detention is a huge blow to citizen journalism in the country.
Ghana: Tourism Sector Urged to Speak Against Violence
MadinGhana urges Ghanaian tourism sector to speak out against election violence. Ghanaians will go to the polls this year: “It is time business leaders in the private sector speak out, especially those in the tourism/export services sector which would be one of the most devastated if election violence erupts.This sector...
Tanzania: Community Mapping and Open Development
Learn about community mapping and open development in Tanzania: “With facilitation from Ground Truth, the creators of Map Kibera, students from Ardhi University’s School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) and residents of Tandale spent much of August using GPS units to collect a wide range of public data points,...
Afghanistan: Investigation into Uruzgan incident complete
Nick Fielding writes that investigation into the February 2010 tragedy, when 23 Afghans travelling in three vehicles in Uruzgan province were attacked and killed by US helicopters, is over.
Kyrgyzstan: Tensions with Russia elaborate further
Joshua Foust says that Russian-Kyrgyz relations are deteriorating as president Atambaev is threatening to shut down foreign military bases on Kyrgyz territory – not only American, but also Russian ones.
Uzbekistan: Presidential elections postponed until 2015
Nathan Hamm writes that Uzbekistan’s parliament decided to delay the next presidential election from December 2014 to March 2015, a move that experts see as president Karimov's preparation for a future in which he is no longer the President of Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan: President rejuvenated on photos
Nathan Hamm takes a critical view on recent pictures of Uzbekistan president Islam Karimov, who has been rumored to be on the verge of death from cancer for about the last decade. The latest photographs show a shiny happy person, “but it is somewhat striking how obviously fake these photos...
Turkmenistan: Peace Coprs forced to leave Turkmenistan
Joshua Foust reports that Turkmenistan unceremoniously lets the Peace Corps know that they are no longer welcome in this Central Asian republic.
Afghanistan: RAWA, a Female Taliban
Mohammad Amin Wahidi writes about a women group called RAWA in Afghanistan that is reportedly miusing the funds of international donors, while operating as the Taliban's aide in promotion of fundamentalism and ethnic discrimination.
Colombia: 10 ‘Last’ Armed Forces Hostages Released by FARC
On Monday April 2, four soldiers and six policemen kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were released. In February the group had announced that they would abandon kidnappings and release the remaining hostages.
Philippines: Students Prevented from Graduating Over Facebook Bikini Photos
An exclusive all-girls Catholic school managed by nuns in the Central Philippine island of Cebu sparked public outrage when it barred five high school students from joining the graduation ceremony because of photos posted on their Facebook accounts showing them wearing bikinis.
Uruguay: Photos of the Autumn Parade in Malvín
Julio F. posts a photo essay of the Autumn candombe parade in Malvín, a neighborhood in Montevideo, Uruguay.
Myanmar: Reflections on Election Results
Myanmar voters celebrated in the streets while netizens on Facebook are expressing their elation over the by-election results which saw an unprecedented landslide victory for the opposition.The world rejoiced over the victory of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi but for many young voters in Myanmar, another reason for celebration is the election victory of one of the country's hip-hop music pioneers.
Taiwan: Protect Homeowners Against Forced Demolition
About 400 people gathered to protect one Taipei family against eviction by the police. A controversial urban renewal project has made the Wang's house part of the government sanctioned renewal zone, which allows the government to forcibly expel citizens from their own house when 75% of their neighbors agree to sell their land to the developer.
