Global Voices Online

Alexander Sadikov says that Tajikistan's president is emulating Uzbekistan's by not only creating loyal political parties, but also by reforming existing ones to create an impression of multiparty democracy.

At neweurasia, Neil rounds up news on press freedom from all over the Caucasus and Central Asia.

James of neweurasia posts an update on Tajikistan's presidential election.

“Before a patrol the South Africans in Sector 6 do an organised and structured final inspection before going. Sector 6 is currently still the most dangerous sector in Darfur,” writes Werner Klokow, a South African soldier with the African Union peacekeeping force in Darfur, Sudan, who keeps a photoblog.

Yulia reports that a Kyrgyz politician has proposed moving the country's capital to the southern city of Osh, and she pronounces the idea utterly foolish.

Peace Corps Volunteer Trent Milan reports on working with a mullah to organize a rodeo on Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan. Working with him to put on the event is Vista 360 (background here), a Wyoming NGO that helps facilitate exchange between cowboy cultures around the world.

“Putto” offers an interesting photo tour of Caracas on Flickr.

Nancy Davies says that a law student and possibly two others were reportedly “snatched from the streets by plainclothes thugs.

Ben Djangle continues his telling and descriptive chronicles from a country in chaos: Bolivia.

Fernando Casale has posted two tracks from the release album by Argentine band Bicicletas.

Having already bicycled through all of Central America and a good portion of South America, David of A Ride for the Climate explains the concept of horse-assisted bike touring as he crossed Peru’s highest mountain range.

Mark in Mexico has four posts in as many days about the continued political and social strife in Oaxaca. The post titles are telling: Father of 3 decapitated at APPO roadblock. President Fox and his cabinet draw the line. Guerrillas raising their ugly heads. The striking teachers and APPO refuse to negotiate.

Miguel Octavio reviews the book “Venezuela in Debt” by Jose Guerra, which according to Octavio, “draws parallels to the Presidency of Carlos Andres Perez (CAP) to that of Hugo Chavez, exploring the contradictions and similarities between the two periods.”

Warsaw Station reports on how Polish foreign ministry welcomed the Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov with a Czech flag.

Csikszereda Musings writes about this year's small potatoes and other happenings in the Romanian town of Csikszereda.

Sean's Russia Blog marks the 13th anniversary of “Boris Yeltsin’s military suppression of the Supreme Soviet”: “Despite what anyone says about Putin, even poor Russians prefer Russia now than what it was when Yeltsin was lobbing shells at the White House. Plus Putin has made it acceptable to appreciate the good things that came out of the Soviet system without being shamed and without it meaning you necessarily want the USSR’s return.”

Dictionary of the Serbian Mess translates some pretty hilarious political statements. Here's one: “This government unites the nation. Everybody is against it. - Zoran Stanojevic.”

Belgrade Blog writes about “the new constitution draft being accepted by Serbian assembly” tonight - something “that even the citizens of Serbia know about it yet.”

The Glory of Carniola posts a note with a funny exchange on some Slovenians' parking habits.

Dan McMinn of Orange Ukraine sums up the news of the past ten days.

Gaurav Bhatnagar on the case of Mohammed Afzal - “But it is beyond my comprehension that we are witnessing widespread protests in Kashmir supporting Afzal. How can any case be made for defending a terrorist?”

The Mosquitoe menace in India continues, posing greater risk to public health says Sepia Mutiny. “In recent weeks, what is fast looking like an epidemic of dengue fever has been spreading in different parts of India. Delhi is over 600 reported cases, with 16 fatalities; Kerala has over 700 cases; Gujarat, 200; West Bengal, 300.”

Karnataka, which saw a statewide strike recently might benefit from a regional party. Argumentation Crisis has more. “What Karnataka needs is a strong regional party. A party that is based on strong regional sentiments. Since the dravida ethnicity isn't too popular here, perhaps language is the trump card.”

Metroblogging Islamabad on why the city has much to offer to hikers. “. Although many of the residents take advantage of this opportunity and regularly hike up and down trail-3 or at the most go bush walking, yet most of the youth are reluctant to explore more of it. There are many other tracks distributed in the Margalla hills waiting to be pitched.”

Nepali Netbook on the dynamics of affairs between Nepal and India, on extradition and Maoist motives. “Deferring to Maoist wishes, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has called off his visit to India. All those non-Nepali-speaking Muslims we are told the country is rife with may now loosen up a bit.”

In a further sign of the progress Morocco is making in gender reform, for the first time ever since Morocco's independence in 1956, a woman has been nominated governor of a district. Samir has the details.

While the elections fever is getting high in Bahrain, Mahmood is promoting anti-sectarianism online. He created some logos and calls everyone to display them. He said: “It doesn’t matter if you are a Bahraini, Indian, Sudanese, Saudi, Kuwaiti or Plutonian. Show your support for us Bahrainis who want to live as a SINGLE nation away from sectarianism.”

As a Jordanian who claims to love his country and wish all success for its citizens in their hopes and aspirations, I felt angry by Qatar's refusal to vote for prince Zeid as a potential successor for Mr Kofi Annan as Secretary General of the UN. I thought this attitude was both unhonorable and a stab in the back. However, I think the Jordanian propaganda that followed the event was pathetic and shameful. More from Batir Wardam.

I've often said that those who are protesting in Gaza, the ones we read about in the paper and see on tv, are not protesting bcause they are hungry-they are Fatah shabeeba hooligans and other members of security forces loyal to Dahalan and co., dispatched as part of “organized anachry”, and protesting under the guise of desperation for their own political ends; And rest assured, mr. slimy shells out an handesome sum to anyone willing to take part in a protest “against the government”. They want a return to the days of payoffs and patronage, Laila El-Haddad said.

Defending the use of Sheng among the youth in Kenya, Greamhouze notes,
“Through Sheng we accurately express our thoughts and ideas.The conception that the youth must speak in English or pure Swahili to get anywhere is colonial/political old guard inherent aptitude. Its true Kenyan youths do not read and if we are to adopt a reading culture through Sheng, so be it. Write about Che Guevara to the youth in sheng and there will be more of his T-shirts in the streets. My point is, knowledge gained in whatever language is not inferior.

At Forum Realisance (Fr), Congolese blogger Musengeshi Katata takes France, Colin Powell, Henry Kissinger, Christianity, radical Islam and the black African elite to task for the conflict in Darfur: “Darfur is not only a new battlefield between Christianity and Islam; it is also offers a poignant indictment of the black race, unaware of how dangerous weakness in the face of these two predatory cultures and religions can be. The conflict shows black Africa how stagnation and traditionalism without economic, social and scientific development leads to misery and serves all the world's crooks and bandits.” On the international dimension of the conflict: “They say that when two mice fight in the proverbial milk, another reaps the cheese.”

Han at the legal janitor links to a new group blog run by Singapore members of parliament. The blog is called P65 blogs and it features reflection by 12 MPs who were born after the year 1965.