Global Voices Online

Sean Roberts has an update on the fallout from the arrest of Omurbek Tekebaev, a Kyrgyz opposition politician, on drug charges in Poland. Edil Baisalov, meanwhile, has video (RU) and photos (RU) that suggest Tekebaev was set up.

Onnik Krikorian reports on a visit to the Yezidi village of Ferik in Armenia.

Elizabeth writes about how Tajiks avoid jinxing their newborns and how what she is about to do in the US would mortify her mother-in-law.

Geoffrey Philip publishes the second in his “Five Questions with. . . ” series on Caribbean writers. This week he interviews Ghana-born, Jamaica-bred poet Kwame Dawes.

Jamaican writer Geoffrey Philp pays homage to a writers' retreat in Seaside, Florida where he once spent a month living “what is every writer’s dream: waking up in a windswept villa by the sea, writing, having breakfast while watching whitecaps, then writing some more after lunch. . . . “

Thai-Laotian blogger Manivan Larprom puts up a video on her blog that shows us how to make Coconut Custard, a popular dessert in Thailand and Laos.

“It is my belief that our people should be included in all discussions pertaining to the environment and the well being of our country,” writes Cristo Adonis, shaman of the Arima Carib community in Trinidad, in a letter gently protesting the continued exclusion of the country's “First Nation People” from national discussions. “This is a land we understand. We understand the rivers, the sea, the mountains, the trees, the plants and the animals.“

Thailand has a good number of foreigners who decide to settle down in the country. One such expat asks “So where is home? Can I, as an expat call this home? Does that make me an expert on Thai Culture? No.. infact the longer I’m here the less I seem to understand it… But Chiang Mai is home. Unfortunately I will always, always be the farang and sometimes that really annoys me.”. Farang is the word Thais use to describe foreigners.

Karen Walrond offers a personal history of air travel, which has changed, she notes, “not just because of planes flying into skyscrapers. . . it's just that societal customs have also changed so much in the last 4 decades, we all view something as illogical as air flight with a rather startling sense of nonchalance . . .“

The Details are Sketchy blog takes on the appeal by Asian Human Rights Commission to free an arrested professor Tieng Narith in Cambodia. The blogger feels that the commission is not aware of the actual facts surrounding the arrest. “Let’s be clear. Tieng Narith was teaching racism and hate from an unauthorized, self-published, profanity-lace textbook with portraits of Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler on the cover. For the Asian Human Rights Commission to suggest that the school dismissed Tieng Narith unfairly really is remarkable.”

An newspaper interview with an pseudonymous drug leader outlining the deficiencies of the authorities in charge of securing Bermuda's ports and borders leaves Sean disheartened: “What would be interesting would be for a spot test. Hire a consultant (secretively) to bring in contraband and see exactly how secure the airports or docks really are.“

The Limey in Bermuda's latest “open mike” topic is tabled by a former Corporal in the Bermudian Regiment, who draws on his experiences working the hurricane relief detail and calls for “a parallel force based on the ideals of grassroots democracy rather than military hierarchies, to assist with hurricanes.“

The Cuban ambassador to the Bahamas has been promoting the Non-Aligned Movement Summit which takes place in Havana from September 11, says Rick Lowe, but “we wonder if he will pay as much attention to the plight of the wives of the Cuban political prisoners asking for the release of their husbands as he pays to the plight of the so-called Cuban Five?“

Lee Vanderwalker reminds us that September is the month Belizeans celebrate their country's independence from Great Britain and offers a “quick, bad-memory recap of historical events,” which begins: “On September 10, 1798, the English Baymen who were loggers, farmers and pirates, along with their slaves beat the crap out of the Spanish armada. . . .”

In the past week, the beatroot has covered these subjects: a Polish goalkeeper in “the wonderful world of Scottish sectarian football”; 26 years later, something's wrong with the Polish Solidarnosc; a missile defense competition between Polish and Czech governments that both “would rather lose”; Elton John meets Lech Walesa at Sopot Festival; 9/11 and Poland's involvement in Iraq.

Further Ramblings of a N.Irish Magyar writes on the free movement of labor and the backlash against East European migrant workers in Western Europe.

Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa writes about Estonia's Russian community and the differing interpretations of history: “Under the premise of spooky Stalinist history, everything the USSR did up until the very moment that Nazi Germany invaded the USSR in 1941 was just fine, including the partionining of Europe. Because how can you condemn the actions of your enemy when you yourself abetted that enemy, shook hands with him, signed territorial agreements with him, and worked together to destroy both foreign governments and people?”

Kangni Alem writes (Fr):”There is no virtue in politics, let alone in business. The case of the toxic waste from a Greek (or was it Russian?) ship dumped in Abidjan illustrates the violence of this maxim and reminds me that since the 80s, political leaders and economic elites of Africa have regularly been tempted by easy profits linked to the illegal commerce of toxic waste.”

Mohammad Ali Abtahi, blogger and reformist politician says there is a problem that old officials do not retire. He reports about old Ayatollah Meshkini's,the head of the Assembly of Experts, last talk in the Assembly of Experts which is the most supreme governmental institution.Meshkini talked about the preference of lunar calendar over solar calendar and that human being is superior to animal since animals take their heads toward their food but human being takes the food toward his mouth. Abtahi adds If Mr. Mehskini who is badly sick and we hope he recovers soon had been retired, neither his religious and scientific background would be harmed nor the religious principles and thoughts of the young people.

Tout Haiti ponders (Fr) Haitian telecom Haitel's recent 70 million dollar investment into CDMA technology: “Why didn't the Haitel investors invest those 70 million dollars in the agricultural sector where there is much more stability compared to Port-au-Prince.”

Syria is witnessing a thriving cultural and tourism activity during this time of the year. There will be the Heritage &Culture Festival which will take place from 15 th to 22 nd of September and will include many concerts and cultural activities through out Damascus, Yaser said.

Miguel Octavio describes a campaign rally by opposition candidate Manuel Rosales, who according to Octavio, “attacked with rocks, bottles and bullets by a bunch of intolerant people wearing red t-shirts and distributing pamphlets with a picture of Rosales at the Miraflores Palace on April 11th. 2002, asking that the law (??) be enforced in that case.” Oil Wars says I told you so and opposition blogger Francisco adds another item to his self-declared “Rosales-bashing spree.”

From Uruguay describes (and offers photographic evidence) of the uniquely Uruguayan phenomenon of La Noche de la Nostalgia. The idea surely needs to spread.

Writing from Oaxaca, Nancy Davies says the Popular Assembly of the People of Oaxaca (APPO) “declared the governor Ulises Ruiz Ortíz (URO) ‘proscrito – banned, exiled, unwelcome – in the state of Oaxaca.” Rodrigo Javier has eye-opening photos (ES) of APPO storming the government offices. Concluding the post, he writes, “I don't know which stirs more anger: the actual event or that the national papers like El Universal trie to justify it (ES).”

Ricardo Carreón, a Mexican businessman living in Brazil, has a fascinating comparison between elections in the two countries.

Miguel Buitrago wonders where is the rule of law and Miguel Centallas asks if Bolivia is “on the brink” of collapse. Meanwhile, inspired by Harper's Magazine Jim Shultz serves up the his own Bolivia Index: “Number of comments accusing The Democracy Center of being either: communists; stupid; getting rich in Bolivia; MAS lackeys; or some mix of all: Oh, we stopped keeping track of that a long time ago.”

It's Friday … time to leave the office at 3 and time for Boz's weekly poll numbers. Here's a good look ahead at upcoming elections in Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.

The immersion of the idols of Ganesha in Mumbai speaks volumes about the way people treat the city, its environs and how the remains of the day are scattered all over the city. More at Ultrabrown.

More history at Metroblogging Lahore. “Entrance to the Maktab Khana (Clerk's House). It is a small cloistered court surrounded by arcades in which clerks use to sit, recording the names of visitors. The inscription outside tells that King Jahangir built Maktab Khana in 1618.”

Drishtipat discusses the difference between police brutality and the maintenance of law and order, reflecting on some recent events. “The daily newspapers of today are flooded with news of how the police force had been abusive to the people attempting to siege the EC Secretariat”

Annie Zaidi reflects on the Blank Noise Project - an online initiative to address sexual harassment on the streets, by hoping to demarcate what is harassment and what isn't.

Picking up the discussion concerning Meng Guangmei and Toiletgate in DANWEI , Sun bin carries on the discussion to the phenomenon of “Feeling the China elephant” in China-related internet forum and blogs written in English:

China is an enormous country, both geographically and demographically. Everyone watching China, including this blogger, is trying to feel his elephant with a partial view.It is also very easy to reach an absurd conclusion if one is not careful.

Robert Kaplan, a visiting Professor in National Security at the United States Naval Academy, wrote an article at the Alantic Monthly titled as “When North Korea falls”, and pointed out the likely winner is China. The articles has stirred up some discussion among some bloggers.

Richardson from the Korea Liberator has some problem with the analysis and has very detailed comments on the article.

Joshua also feels that Kaplan has misjudged the desire of China or Russia to have their own troops in North Korea. He further discusses the preparation needed for the reconstruction.

GI Korea pointed out that the recent reaction on history debate between China and South Korea might be related to the Kaplan's article. The speculation is: China is pursuing the so-called Northeast Project to co-opt Korean history with an eye on claiming North Korean territory when the regime there collapses.

Coming anarchy has some very long discussions in the comment session.

Dram_man in The Marmot's Hole writes a round-up of pro and anti UK KOR FTA talks.

According to (Fr) the Martiniquan site Bondamanjak: “Cuba just ended direct flights from Fort-de-France and Pointe-a-Pitre to Habana. That news will hinder those who have established commercial and other contacts with the biggest Caribbean island. By going through Miami, the exchanges will remain possible but everything will take longer and cost more.”

Malaysian politician and blogger Lim Kit Siang congratulates the new Inspector General of Police and wonders if the new appointment would improve the deteriorating law and order situation in the country. “But the question uppermost for Malaysians is whether Musa’s promotion would make any difference in the law-and-order situation in the country – whether they can look forward to a safe and low-crime Malaysia, which must be regarded as the most fundamental of all human rights of Malaysians but which will also affect Malaysia as an investment centre, tourist destination and international educational hub for foreign students.”

The Blogcamp in India is scheduled for this weekend. Kiran on what might be on the cards.

Govindraj on how more India based wiki projects are needed. For example, one on bribes! “For instance, a Wiki project on government departments that accept or demand bribes with details of who, when and in what circumstances.”

In Nepal, United We Blog! on how the Maoists seem pretty bent on breaking the rules of the existing ceasefire. “As Nepal is going through the tumultuous peace process, Maoists are winning in the competition to violate the code of conduct of the cease fire.”

Chong at interlocals.net gives the readers more background about the reconciliation between FoxConn and the 1st Financial Daily: FoxConn's party committee secretrary said, “Party's task is to serve company's production and business.” Last year, the company allocated RMB 8 million to its party committee.

As part of the package to be the first grade international university, Peking University has been proposing to build a golf court. According the Xue yong, the proposal has been banned. But the blogger continues to explain what is the relation between 1st grade university and golf court:

“the mission of ‘the world's first grade university' is to cultivate leaders for the society. Beida's mission would be the same. For a person to become society's leader, they have to distinguish themselves from ordinary people, they have to play something not afforable to ordinary people, for example using public money to play golf. Since Beida cultivates the upper class, students need to have upper class habitus… (zh)”

ESWN translates Next weekly's article on Doubts about Ching Cheong Verdict.

Drishtipat on the treasures inside Google News Archives, and on reading of Bangladesh's independence in the 70s.