Archive for
June 23rd, 2006


Stories

Russia: Butovo Land Dispute 

a small portrait of this author Veronica Khokhlova · 16:46
lingua → zhs · zht

The recent land dispute between Moscow city authorities and residents of Butovo, a suburb just outside the capital's beltway (MKAD), included such dramatic elements as a tent camp, bulldozers and riot police. Ilya Yashin (LJ user yashin), leader of the youth wing of the Russian social-liberal party Yabloko, writes about the incident and shares his thoughts on how the standoff could've been avoided. The post (RUS) generates a discussion of the local officials' ways.

Butovo

Moscow authorities have decided to replace a village outside MKAD with high-rise apartment blocks. People living in the small village houses were offered to move to the city concrete buildings. They refused because they were being moved to tiny, one-room apartments, and, in addition to this, they were being deprived of the chance to work on the land (for some, it's the only way to make a living). The officials are filing lawsuits, winning them and sending eviction officers with riot police - breaking the fences and doors, twist hands, operate with rubber sticks.

There's one thing I don't get. Obviously, profits to be received after the village has been razed are incredible. To use some of these superprofits to deal with the village locals - is that such a big problem? Why can't they be offered not a tiny one-room cage, but a normal three-room apartment, and some additional cash?

Yes, it's always hard to part with money, even when there's much of it. But when will these jerks from the mayor's office start using a rational approach - by spending money, the regime basically buys insurance against social problems: protest rallies, the critical media, fights with riot police. People are being forced out of their houses, and it's natural that they are going to resist, even if you show them a dozen of court decisions. And they'll hate the regime. And the society will sympathize with them, not the mayor's office.

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To Be or Not to Be a Martyrdom Seeker 

This author has no photo Farid Pouya · 07:53

In Iran some people call themselves martyrdom seekers and demonstrate in cities to show their readiness to die for Islamic Republic. A couple of weeks ago Mohammad Masih, blogger and martyrdom seeker invited several bloggers with different points of views share their ideas about martyrdom seekers. Let's look at briefly to some of these discussions in Blogestan!

Harry Potter was not my idol!

Mohammad Masih shares with us why he became a martyrdom seeker. We learn he was born at the final days of the Iran-Iraq war, his father was injured by chemical weapons in the war and he spent a good part of his childhood in mosques. Mohammad Masih says my main hobby was to go to cinema with my uncle and watch war movies (Persian). The blogger adds:

If Harry Potter is an idol for our kids today, for me a member of the Basij forces who became martyr at the end of the film was an idol. My drawings were about war, martyrs or related subjects.

Die or live for ideals

Jadi has a different point of view. The blogger says I am not a martyrdom seeker because it is easy thing to die for our principles and ideals but it is a hard thing to live them (Persian). The blogger says he wants to make the world a better place to live and he says he took part in the Make poverty history project. Jadi adds :

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Indonesia Growing Good Blogs, Hatemails and Asia Blog Awards 

a small portrait of this author A. Fatih Syuhud · 02:46

Indonesia blogosphere this last two years has witnessed the growing and heartening development of good blogging and quality bloggers to cheer about. This, for most reason, due to the emergence of some Indonesian intellectuals, writers and journalists who start showing their interests to blog. I have some of good bloggers featured in the Indonesian Blogger of the Week.

Some other reasons as to why they are interested to blog are (a) the full-fledge democracy with freedom of expression attached to it and at the same time (b) the space-limit and tendentious and sometimes bias decision on the part of mainstream media in publishing an op-ed article are seen as factors which are contributing to their growing interest to blog. The infuence of globalization, of course, cannot be ignored.

Despite the full freedom we enjoy, however, another kind of “repression of freedom” comes not from the government. Instead, it comes from individual(s) or militant organisation who feel “annoyed” by critical postings of some bloggers.

Yosef Ardi , for example, who is blogging regularly on Indonesian riches and VIPs, once commented in Enda's blog that he had received “complains” from three conglomerates regarding his posts.

While Indonesia Anonymus, also a journalist like Yosef Ardi, told us that he just received 127 hatemails with different addresses and different contents but he believes it came from the same individual or organisation, apparently from a militant organisation member. He reposts the hatemails after he translate it into English. Many comments of sympathy and supports in his “hatemails post”. Here are some of those.
An anonymous commenter said:

Keep on blogging, never mind those hatemails. We need to show the world that we ‘Indonesians' are not just a bunch of fanatics. We're once known as an open minded people. So, let's prove that to the world. For that person(s) who sent those hatemails, shame on you for trying to force your own opinion upon others. Instead of putting to much energy into non essential matters, why don't we put our minds together to fight the rising poverties in Indonesia ?

Andry said:

Well, from the way I see it you already knew how risky blog is at the first place. Despite of your “dancing words” I love to learn one or two things from this blog because you have a gut. Writing for popular demand –pleasing everyone—wouldn’t take us nowhere but writing our opinion (with true intention, I trust you) draws controversy but in time build a credibility.

Is Indonesia politics going more to Right?

Martin Manurung, one of new emerging insightful blogger highlight the current tendency of Indonesia's politics which he thinks is going more to right (read, religious conservatism). He supports his analytical view with a table on 2004 Election Result Based on Political Parties' Ideologies which will give his readers more clear picture on current trend on Indonesia's politics. He's, and all of us, understandably worried if the current Indonesia political trend is increasing, especially in the context of freedom of expression safety in case Indonesian people vote for the right wing parties in mass-scale in the coming general and provincial election.

Asia Blog Awards: Indonesia
Well, with the growing good and quality blogs, I think Jakartass, who is been busy nowadays as the judge for Asia Blog Awards Indonesia category will be excited in seeing the growing quality blog and at the same time confused to pick one.

1 comment · »»
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