Global Voices Online

After a long period of debate on donor cuts to Mozambican State Budget, Joe Hanlon, a British scholar joins the debate to comment on the Mozambican government positions. In his article tittled “Government stand up to donors-but is corruption the best place to stand and fight?“, Hanlon examines the whole issue of corruption and different sensitivities over its fight. Basically Hanlon agrees that in Mozambique, corruption is not being tackled and regrets the government’s slow pace in response to constant donor appeals for the need of urgent measures in the fight of corruption.

Jest nas Wielu [pt] is helping to spread the news about a petition demanding an immediate ceasefire and the removal of Russian troops off Georgian territories.

Paulo Granjo [pt] criticizes a redundant local campaign in Mozambique to motivate woman to breast-feed, already a popular habit, which can have disastrous consequences in a country plaged by AIDS. “The most basic common sense is to detect HIV in pregnant women as early as possible, to provide them with caesarean section and provide them with the conditions not to breast-feed, because the vast majority of them will not have money for milk powder or knowledge about needs and sterilizing feeding bottles.”

Elísio Macamo [pt], a sociologist from Mozambique, writes up an article to try to answer a question put by a reader: “How do we re-introduce quality debate about politics in our society?”

Custódio Duma [pt] comments on the news that Mozambique's Defence Minister Filipe Nyussi was evacuated to South Africa after having his arm injured in a traffic accident. “Last week I heard the Health Minister say at the RDP Africa that Maputo Central Hospital has now world-class wards… So: Why is that our leaders almost never use this Hospital?”

O Silêncio de Kianda [pt] brings a good piece of news that shows people's creativity in face of food crises: bread made of cassava instead of wheat. “Nampula [a province of Mozambique] produces three million tons of cassava per year, which has proved to be enough to sustain the bakery business and consumption of the population”

“Ultimately, we have not yet reached the time when the South African government will acknowledged, unequivocally, its responsibility for this whole issue. With empty thoughts and a huge incapacity for self-criticism (as a first step), the South African regime, apparently, carries on burying their head in the sand.” Agry [pt] comments on the news of the return of the victims of xenophobia to Mozambique.

“With the increase in the price of petrol, it is very clever to begin thinking about getting the old bike out of bottom of the garage. There are only advantages. It does not pollute, and it also saves you a lot on gym (fees)”. Go to Toix [pt] blog to see the amusing picture he used to illustrate this post.

Elísio Macamo [pt] reacts to the Japanese pledge to help Africa double rice production within 10 years, during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) held in Yokohama. “After 10 years the rice production in Africa is twice as much. Will the population remain the same? Will our tastes be the same? Our lifestyle, will it be the same?”.