My name is Alice Backer. I am founder and former team leader of GV Lingua, which amplifies Global Voices in languages other than English. I used to be Francophonia Editor. I was once an editor of New York University School of Law's Review of Law & Social Change. I have been blogging about Haiti, Haitian-Americans and the Caribbean for 5 years at kiskeácity and I tweet from @kiskeacity. I am also a lawyer and campaign consultant.
Latest posts by Alice Backer from September, 2006
Guyane: Cruelty to Iguanas
Cafe Creole is upset (Fr) that people are eating iguana stews in French Guiana and posts a picture of live iguanas destined to end on someone's plate. The author goes on to explain that while consumption of wild animals was understandable in the past, modern access to alternative sources of...
Senegal, Chad, Belgium: Where Will Hissene Habre be Judged?
Generation Consciente, Un Autre Afrique explains that (Fr) after a 5-year negotiation between Senegal, Belgium and the African Union on which of the two countries should host the trial of former Chadian leader Hissene Habre, “Abdoulaye Wade has decided at the African Union summit in Banjul that former Chadian leader...
DRC: Tshisekedi Should Save the Nation by Supporting Mbemba
On UDPS Liege, Florent Mukonkole writes(Fr): “Any Congolese with any sense of nationalism should rally around Mbemba [in the upcoming runoff against Kabila]to save the nation.” He then asks Etienne Tshisekedi, leader of opposition party UDPS, to do the same and implies that a recent press release by the leader...
Senegal, France: Police State
France-based Senegal Diaw wonders (Fr) why France still feels like a police state despite the riots from last summer when youth protested the treatment of young people of color by police. He tells of an instance when he was searched by the cops in a subway station.
Martinique/Guadeloupe: Segolene Royal to Visit
Bondamanjak announces (Fr) that French presidential candidate Segolene Royal will visit Martinique and Guadeloupe at the end of October and that former mayor of Fort-de-France and local literary legend Aime Cesaire is scheduled to speak alongside her.
Martinique: Looking Out for the Tomboy
Le Blog de [Moi] (Fr) tells of eyeing a teenage schoolgirl dressed like a tomboy at the same spot every morning on her way to work and seeing her young self in this lesbian to be. A conversation ensues with a young commentator about the ways in which lesbians meet...
Reunion: Tsunami Predictions
Dijoux.Re writes (Fr): “Scientific experts gathered on our island for a seminar on natural disasters. According to them, Reunion is not immune to the possibility of a devastating tsunami with gigantic 100 meter waves. After chikungunya, let's hope that this theory will not scare even more tourists away.”
New Caledonia: Miss Caledonia Dethroned for Nude Photos
Sebastien from 5 Minutes en Nouvelle Caledonie deplores (Fr) that Miss Caledonia was recently stripped of her crown and prevented from participating in the Miss France contest because of artistic nude pictures.
New Caledonia: Surfer Video
Sebastien from 5 Minutes en Nouvelle Caledonie posts (Fr) a video of surfers on the beaches of Meridien and Anse-Vata.
Guyane: Lunar Eclipse
Cafe Creole posts (Fr) pictures of Friday's lunar eclipse as seen from French Guiana as well as shots of the eclipse watchers who flooded the beaches.
Senegal: Immigration Agreement with France
Semett writes (Fr): “Dakar signed the despicable “agreement” whose main point is the (inhumane) expulsion of Senegalese (and probably other Africans) from France to Senegal. In the court if History, we are witnesses to those House Negroes (i.e. African leaders) who, faced with the problems of the continent's youth, have...
Senegal: I Have an (Energy) Dream
In the middle of a blackout, Senegal-based Chroniques de Ndoumbelane dreams up (Fr) all sorts of innovative ways to solve the country's energy crisis including government-provided solar panels and monthly electricity bills for investment in the country's solar power infrastructure rather than for consumed electricity.
Reunion: Urban Health
Blogger and public official for the town of Saint-Andre Eric Fruteau posts an interview regarding the proposal that Reunion join “Ville en Sante”, a WHO urban health project. Stephanie Longeras, the interviewee, explained to the blogger that (Fr): “We want to foster the sanitary development of all of La Reunion's...
Reunion: Ambroise Vollard in Slate.com
Reunion-USA2 is excited about coverage of La Reunion celebrity Ambroise Vollard by Slate.com (Fr): “Ambroise Vollard was born in La Reunion in 1866. He is one of our celebrities. A museum took his name in St Denis. Slate features a photo report about him this week. (This patron of the...
Reunion: On Bisexuality
About the topic of bisexuality, Resh4Ever writes (Fr):”Today bisexuality is talked about as if it was still a taboo of Western society, but in 10 years I'm pretty sure that everyone will want to talk about their first bisexual experience.”
Togolese Hip Hop's Significance
France-based Togolese blogger Kangni Alem ponders (Fr) the significance of Togolese hip hop: “Hip hop really is the pot in which different Togolese traditions melt and interpenetrate.” l
Togo: The EU's Wait-and-See
Flag of Togo, World Cup 2006. By Currybet. Occasionally, daily links do not do important posts justice. Togo's blogosphere is not crowded enough to feature intense debate between bloggers but this well-articulated post (Fr) on the EU's latest set of conditions for Togo by Togolese blogger Don Ray is worth...
Reunion: Mosquito Eradication
Pierrot Dupuy wonders (Fr) why mosquito eradication to help fight the Chikungunya epidemic in La Reunion is not done like in Camargue on mainland France, i.e. by air. It would beat the current manual by-land model which he adds, is an onerous “sweating exercise” for the heavily costumed workers who...
Madagascar: Local Products
At the request of a reader, Madagascar Croissance provides (Fr) an illustrated list of Malagasy signature exports including coffee, vanilla, clove, seafood and specialty fabrics.
Rwanda: Motorcycle Taxis ctd.
A while back, ex-pat blogger Guillaume lamented the recent scarcity of motorcycle taxis in Kigali. Today he follows up with good news (Fr): “Officially, motos were reauthorized since last monday. In truth 3 different papers were needed from 3 different administrations. (…) Since last Thursday, you could see motos in...
Martinique: Expensive Tomatos
Le Blog de [Moi] and all of Martinique are up in arms about the prohibitive price of local tomatos. She writes (Fr): “If I invite you to have dinner at my place these days and all I feed you is a tomato salad with a glass of water (because you...
