Archive for
June 1st, 2007
Stories
China: Liveblogging from ground zero
As much as it was a precedent for publicly-organized, nationally-observed mass demonstrations in China ending peacefully, the protest held in southeast China's seaside city of Xiamen—borne out of widespread public anger at the planned construction of a toxic chemical plant dangerously close to the city core—early June 1 was also a landmark for China's leading independent blogger's collective Bullog.
With a media blackout on news of the demonstration, the time, location and target turnout of one million people were spread almost exclusively by SMS, bbs postings and on blogs. The government was able to stop the SMS from spreading for several days and nearly all bbs webmasters and blog service providers were swift to delete any related discussion, leaving Bullog members free to go on to post several in-depth posts this past week looking at various angles of the situation, including one of of the key public figures lobbying against the PX plant, Southern Metropolis Daily columnist and Xiamen resident Lian Yue.
Several other Bullogers took it a step further by attending the demonstration in person, leaving one at home to post their SMS live updates straight onto Bullog, giving it a national exclusive as to what was happening minute-by-minute down on the ground which, by the afternoon of the 1st, had attracted enough readers that Bullog's host server was left unable to keep up. With Bullog inaccessible, the live SMScast was temporarily moved here, from where many of the below discussions mixed in with the live reporting were taken.
Disclaimer: this blogger was there SMS-blogging the tail end of the procession.
In addition, a video of the march has been uploaded to YouTube. Flickr users Miao Ben Zhou, Aaron Roy, hellhell007 and shgbird have also been following it very closely.
Protest theme: wear a yellow ribbon.
cloudswander says:
08：52：31
三七：武警围住500以上人。老太太们在高呼：”拒绝污染，保护厦门！”政府门口有大批人要进去，有一个大红横幅刚刚拿出来。
北风：有人在市政府门口高举抵制PX，保护鹭岛的横幅，警察试图抢夺。
北风：第二条大标语：抵制px项目，保市民健康，保厦门环境。
Beifeng: someone at the municipal government gate is holding up a banner which reads: resist PX, protect Egret Island, police are trying to grab it away from him.
Beifeng: A second banner reads: “resist the PX project, protect city residents' health, protect Xiamen's environment.
08：58：28
现场人数大致超过3000人。
08：59：49
警察很克制，市府院内大批武警待命。
群众举着横幅，涌向市府大门，暂算克制。
The crowd is raising banners, surging towards the main city government gate, self-restrained overall.
Close to the government headquarters
09：02：05
群众推进了5米。
现人群聚集在市府门口右侧十米处，警察三道人墙，僵持中。
09：05：18
开来要开始XX了，正往返方向走。
——市府的右侧反方向，沿湖滨北路向西，此举相信出乎当局预料。
09：12：16
现场人数过万，XX之势已成！
沿途群众纷纷加入，XX队伍越拉越长。
手上绑着黄丝带的人也多了起来。
People keep joining in along the way, the procession keeps getting longer.
More and more people can be seen wearing yellow ribbons.
09：19：08
因事先没有规划XX路线，现场有点乱，现队伍掉头沿建业路往湖滨南路行进。”要停建，不要缓建！”的口号最响亮。带头者身穿保钓服装，好玩！
09：23：59
补充：警方的动态？
北风：不见警察，看上去他们来不及调度。
Beifeng: don't see any. Seems they weren't able to recoordinate in time.
09：24：25
移动的网络确认被关闭。（补充注：此前来信询问过网络是否通畅，北风用联通，我移动，均广州用户）
09：32：55
沿途很多人派发打印好的标语和丝带，我的包上也绑了一根。口号：民生民主民权和谐。有警察朝我拍照，我连忙变换姿势摆了不少POSE。
现场有七十多岁的老人说：为了下一代，不怕秋后算账，说值得！
有群人帮着与众不同的橙红色字条，公司统一以个人的名义参加。
There's seventy senior citizens here saying: ‘for the next generation, we don't mind settling accounts this late in life, it's worth it!'
A group of people are holding up a red banner different from the rest. A whole company came out to take part in their own name.
09：40：52
XX队伍进入白鹭洲路，人数维持在一万左右。
XX队伍前往湖滨前集中，据了解，不少是公司全体出来参加，算出勤。
XX队伍中尚无过激和煽动性言辞，警方沿途交管，XX和平理性。
The procession is moving down Hubin Rd. From what I understand, more than a few companies have come out in full with their bosses' approval.
The procession has yet to get sounding excited or agitated. Traffic police are following along, the procession is calm.
09：48：18
队伍马上进入湖滨南，口号：爱护厦门人人有责！
警方根本不知道队伍的走向，只好一个个路口等着。（补充注：这是行政成本，居高不下也要破产）
队伍左转进入湖滨南向西前进，领头的那位头戴一个防毒面具。
The police have no idea where the procession is going. They're just keeping up, road-by-road, waiting. (SMS dispatcher Buchong notes: this is the administrative cost. If the higher-ups don't come down they're going to go bankrupt)
The procession has turned left heading west on Hubinnan Rd. The person at the front is wearing a gas mask.
09：54：18
游行队伍人数过万，沿途汽车长鸣呼应。经过建筑设计院，声势浩大！
（补充回应网友图片问题：因我和北风手机都比较老款，发不了彩信，图片只能晚上才有了，抱歉！）
游行队伍人口构成：多以青年为主，貌似家庭主妇的人也不少。
（补充注：这是典型的北风视角：他在自己家楼下和家庭主妇们常打麻将，常常赢人家钱，现在亲切感油然而生）
(Dispatcher Buchong responds to a reader's question regarding photos: Beifeng and I are using old cellphone models, cannot send images. They'll be coming tonight, sorry!)
The procession is comprised mainly of young people, but it seems there are many housewives here too.
(Buchong notes: this is classic Beifeng: he often plays Mah Jong downstairs from his building, usually wins people's money, he must be filled with appreciation now).
10：01：18
现场唱起了一首与鼓浪屿有关的歌。队伍已经到了后滨路口。
市民买了水放在路边，给游行的人解渴，场面感人。
队伍走完湖滨北路口。
Locals are buying water and placing it on the side of the street, handing it out to marchers to quench their thirst. Very moving sight.
The procession has moved beyond the Hubinbei intersection.
10：09：40
貌似政府的工作人员要求队伍去大会堂，但队伍行进的目标可能是火车站。
10：17：27
过了后埭西路，队伍情绪亢奋。
厦门天气很热，队伍在骄阳暴晒之中，沿途不断有人送水进来。
It's very hot in Xiamen today, the procession is burning in the scorching sun, all along people keep passing out water.
10：21：03
游行已经两个小时，大家都有点累了。
10：24：43
经过金榜路，目标确定是火车站。
10：25；55
现在游行人数增加到两万，新加入的人群原在火车站附近等候
10：27：17
警方只是远远管制交通，貌似便衣的人试图影响行走路线
10：31：11
现场一个警察在与同伴的对讲中称不知道游行队伍的行进路线，出租司机也拿出手机在拍摄现场照片。
10：33：46
必须停建喊声云，现场再度亢奋
10：35：59
仍在湖滨南路，临近富山路口。
10：37：40
现场开始响起高喊何立峰下台的口号。
Then reader cloudswander says:
另外有一支游行队伍正从主干道嘉禾路经过莲坂,人很多,上班的人们的情绪也都被调动起来了,很多人从公交车上的士上冲下来加入游行队伍.
More updates copied and pasted from SMS dispatcher Buchong's Bullog page:
cloudswander says:
10：46：11
队伍在新世界百货前，没有再往火车站方向走。
10：47：05
队伍沿嘉禾路往北行进。
队伍长约300米，人数不详。
The procession is at least 300 meters long, people count unclear.
10：51：19
队伍在转盘处发生分歧，后队换了方向，前队停着没动。
10：53：09
后队改变主意，跟了上来，仍往北走。
10：55：48
北风有中暑迹象，昨晚从广州到厦门一夜未睡好。
cloudswander says:
///失去前方的联系近一个小时，55555///
现在全部的人都对着市府大门高喊为人民服务
游行队伍冲破了警察如抗洪般的人墙，唱这国歌正与广场静坐人群汇合。
从市政府里有约一百多武警跑步向游行队伍的方向。有六辆空军用卡车从那边开回来停在市府门口。
一部警车停在路边放广播，说”天气越来越热，请大家尽快撤离”。在场有人说市内的朋友讲游行有一万来人。
cloudswander says:
www.56.com/u56/v_MTQyNDE1MjU.html
一小段视频
luanyu says:
也补充牛博北风的直播：
10：59：47
捡废气瓶子的拾荒者跟在队伍后面，他们也收获颇丰。
现在队伍看来是要回到政府门口和那边的市民汇合。
Seems the procession is going to head back to the government building and join up with residents there.
11：01：52
现队伍转入莲岳路，可惜连岳不在。
有几位打工者，凑钱买了两箱水送给游行的市民，他们说身上只剩下10元钱了。
Two workers have put their money together and bought two boxes of water for the marchers. They say they've only got ten RMB left on them now.
11：08：44
听到一个警察正在打出的电话，他们已经知道市民的路线，正在作部署。路旁的市民拍着手给游行市民鼓劲。
路旁有大帮小朋友呼吁：”加油！加油！！”（三七）
On the side of the road is a large group of children yelling, “keep going! keep going!”
11：10：39
队伍转往湖滨西。员当街道办门口几车警察在车里待命。市民情绪高涨。
奔跑前后拍照，要抽筋了。
Running back and forth taking pictures, I'm about to cramp up.
11：20：50
一批警车经过，有人发信息说队伍前面有点紧张（三七）
11：28：42
大批警员在市政府四周，游行队伍已经回到政府附近。
大批武警也出动了。
市民唱起团结就是力量，距离武警只有100米左右。
消防水龙也在待命。
A large number of police are moving now.
People are singing 'solidarity is strength', armed military police are standing just about 100 meters away.
A firehose is standing ready.
11：32：19
游行被警车阻止了（三七）
现场发生冲撞，武警被冲散
There's a struggle, people are charging the military police.
11：33：59
武警第二道防线被冲散。
人们高喊反对暴力
武警群众都在集结形势危急
People are screaming ‘oppose any violence'
The military police are gathering into a defence formation
11：37
湖滨北路，发生推搡，有些人受小伤，高喊”反对暴力”（三七）
冲散处在湖东桥头，队伍继续前进。
队伍已经过了七星路口，目标是市政府。
The second half of the procession has broken through at Hudong Bridge, the procession is moving forward again
Moved past Qixing Rd. now, heading for the city government.
You better e-mail me a copy of that.
原帖地址：http://www.bullog.cn/blogs/buchong/archives/66717.aspx
cloudswander says:
///太感谢啦啦啦啦啦啦！！///
非常整齐响亮。
何立峰，出来！何立峰，下台！
现在的口号是不要缓建！必须停建！
‘He Lifang [the mayor], get out here! He Lifang, step down!'
The slogan now is: ‘no postponement! It must be stopped!'
Here cloudswander posts a link to the to a 163.com news story on the PX plant from noon on June 1[news.163.com/07/0601/11/3FTB7B9M0001124J.html] which he praises but mentions nothing of the march currently underway.
Back to Beifeng's live updates from the ground:
cloudswander says:
11：40：22
附近好像有武警调动。
队伍喊出明天八点不见不散的口号。
特贸路口有警力，有群众捡石头被旁人制止。
The procession is yelling ‘be back here tomorrow at 8am or be square'
Police stationed at Temao Rd., a group of rock collectors have been
11：45：00
群众亢奋，局面难以预料。
武警再筑人墙，双方步步紧逼。
现场高唱国歌。
武警人墙再度被冲破。
Armed police have barricaded people again, stepping forward forcing them back.
People are singing the national anthem.
The military police barricade has been broken through again.
11：52：07
双方现在处于僵持中。
在湖滨北路，又被强行阻止了（三七）
武警的防线已经被冲散。
成功冲了100多军人两次，马上有第三次，人人在叫”反对暴力！反对暴力！”（三七回顾冲防线）
At Hubinbei, being forcefully held back again.
The military police line has been broken through again
The second time the procession has broken through the army barricade, third time coming soon, people are chanting ‘oppose and violence! oppose any violence!'
11：57：13
市民成功抵达市政府门口，高喊”何立峰，下台！”的口号。
警力死守政府大门，防止冲入。
The police are clinging to the front gate, holding back the charges.
现在回到市政府，军警特别多，人们在疯叫市长”下台”，听不清名字，又向军警叫”为人民服务！”"保卫厦门！”"PX必须停止”（三七）
“何立峰，出来！”（三七）
唱国歌了！市政大楼上面挂了个很大的红色”为人民服务”牌。
12：11
双方在市政府门口僵持，北风三七在这里遇到了几个牛博网网友，他们正在聊天喘息之中。厦门天气很热。稍息片刻。
Aether Woo Pro User says:
im watching you.
plz continue
MingDami says:
支持厦门市民的周五集体散步行动！
reverdie says:
上面那个实况报道的bullblog网页，我亲眼看着被封
reverdie says:
整个牛博都上不去了
to reverdie
这是为什么要使用伟大的flickr的原因
flickr的作者肯定没有想到flickr还能够这样用
Flickr's creators probably never thought it would ever be used like this.
Aether Woo Pro User says:
www.bullog.cn
应该已经被拔掉服务器电源了
cloudswander says:
我本人坚决反对冲击市政府的行为，授人以柄啊。坐坐就可以，冲击不解决任何问题。
Cloudswander continues copying live SMS updates from Bullog:
cloudswander says:
12：46：31
不少上班族中午休息时间赶了过来，人越来越多，市政府发了个新闻稿，说环评要半年，希望大家以正常渠道反映情况。
cloudswander says:
本站已经突破1万的点击了，在短短的几个小时之内
13：02：06
有不足一千人在市政府门口唱歌，其他的人在对面人行道围观。
北风三七现在去午餐。
Beifeng and Feng37 have gone for lunch.
13:20
现在人没有早上的多
部队比较多
现场在喊何立峰下场
一些警察还主动说,闹吧,还是有效果的.只是起围拦作用并不怎么阻碍民众
Quite a few soldiers here
People are calling for [mayor] He Lifeng to come down and meet them
Some police are telling people to make a racket if they choose, it's working. They're just surrounding people now, not blocking them.
13：35：22
北风等刚刚吃了点东西，现正买水和几位牛博网网友一起赶往现场。
13：43：32
游行队伍主力离开了市政府门口，准备沿中山路去厦门大学。
Dong Yan says:
cloudswander says:
具网友说
厦门大学这两天再考试……
Xiamen University is having finals today…
13：52：21
离开市政府了。游行队伍到了市政府门口就很兴奋，便衣警察和武警很紧张。制服警告我们几个老外，说再不离开就抓我们。两个被查了护照的老外被登记了护照号码，被要求删除相机中的全部照片。他们看到警方手上有我的护照复印件。离开市政府时军警比参与游行的人还多。（三七）
cloudswander says:
有网友称收到一条短信
曰：通过正常渠道向市政府反映，我们一定将你们的意见和建议转达给环保专家。。。
来源：09599移动之声
政府用心良苦啊
If you go through normal channels to give the government feedback, we guarantee we'll share your opinions and suggestions with environmental experts…
Source: 09599 Voice of China Mobile
The government cares…so sweet.
Back to the Bullog live updates:
13：58：59
队伍约两千人从湖滨南路一路向西行进。
队伍到了环保局门口高喊口号：”保卫厦门，拒绝污染！”
一个带红领巾的小朋友说她也想参加游行，但学校不放假。
The procession arrived at the Environmental Bureau yelling: ‘protect Xiamen, reject pollution!'
One boy wearing a red Young Pioneers neckscarf says he'd like to join in but his school has no day off.
Then cloudswander says:
再也找不到任何信息的来源了，所以地方都被封锁了。仿佛落入黑洞。前方的朋友们，千万不要发生任何意外啊。
今天进行到这个程度已经是极好的，政府临时让大家游行，可算开18年来未有之局面了，如果因冲动而失去双方妥协之可能，所剩只能是后悔。
本站已经超过40000view了
That it's gone this far today is extraordinary. The government has permitted the demonstration, something that hasn't happened in 18 years. If you rush in you might lose the compromise both sides have come to and you'll regret it.
Bullog has already gotten over 40,000 views now.
cloudswander says:
人群刚才到了轮渡,引起交通堵塞近20分钟…
14：45：12
游行队伍高喊”保卫厦门，加入我们！”动员市民参与，人数有所增加。
回观整个游行，觉得队伍是无组织有纪律，气氛和天气都超热，与队伍中的积极分子有接触，但上午的几个骨干，有些现在已经没有走在队伍前面了。
刚刚听警察说，要全力防堵队伍进入厦大。
Looking back at the whole procession, it seems there's been an unorganized amount of discipline. The mood and the weather are both super hot, there have been some extremists in with the procession. The main ones from the morning, however, are no longer moving at the front.
Just heard a police officer say: we have to use all our power to stop them from getting into Xiamen University.
15：13：55
队伍经过海军医院时，为避免打扰病人，队伍自动停止呼喊口号。非常理性。
队伍左传到了政海路，即将右转去厦大。
The procession is turning left onto Zhenghai Rd. One more turn to the right and we'll be at Xiamen University.
15：18：19
北风感到身体疲劳，喝了一听功能饮料，又觉得身体能坚持，但手机的电量能否坚持是个问题。
15：28：58
队伍现在行进在大生里，离厦大约两站路，幸好是下坡，否则这支疲惫的文明之师要遭遇大自然的严峻考验了。
口号现在是：保卫厦门，拒绝劈叉!（PX）
15:43:11
游行队伍现在走到理工大学思明校区。未见有警力部署。
学校大门紧闭，听到一个貌似学校领导的人在打电话，要求看住每一个学生。
有学生要出来，但校领导在力阻。队伍在校门口高呼口号。
没有效果。门全关了。理工大学生基本被关在校内了。
The school gate is locked tight. Inside what seems to be a school administrator is making a phone call, telling someone to watch over every single student.
Some students want to come out but the administrator blocks them. The procession starts shouting slogans at the campus gate.
No use, the gate is still shut. The students are all essentially being locked up inside the school.
15：58：18
马上就要到厦大的校门口了。有学生迎出来加入游行队伍。
队伍抵达校门口，学校封门了。大家准备就地静坐。
人们高喊开门，保安护门，未见警察。
The procession arrives at the gate, it's locked shut. Everyone prepares to sit silently.
Some people start shouting for them to open the gate. The security guard protects the door, no police to be seen.
16：03：19
市民在游说学生参加，看来可能性不大。。。
16：22：17
现场有人通知明天早上八点市政府门口集中。
16：26：50
厦大门口人群渐渐散去，估计今天到此告一段落了。
厦大的老师进不了校门，意见很大。
University professors are unable to enter the school, making a big noise about it. People start drifting away from the Xiamen University gate. It seems today's events are over.
University professors are unable to enter the school, making a big noise about it.
Chile: Issues of Broadband Access and Net Neutrality
This week Chilean bloggers had a heated reaction about the broadband and net neutrality. Senator Fernando Flores declared that we were far along the way as a country, and that this was not an issue for Chileans. Pepe Huerta, who attended a private discussion about broadband and net neutrality, discovered that the general managers of big companies just don’t care about it, and are protecting their investment. The brave act was a posting about this meeting on his blog.
This all started through a meeting called together by País Digital (ES) a foundation that promotes Information Technologies in Chile. The goal of the meeting was to discuss the law proposal concerning broadband and neutrality on the net. The audience was comprised of generalmanagers of the large telecommunications companies and some governmental officials, Senators, and Deputies. As Pepe Huerta (ES) explains, he was able to attend the meeting because he is the assistant of deputy Gonzalo Arenas, who is the sponsor of this two law proposals. Pepe described the conversations of the meeting on his blog. One of the issues exposed was that companies can not use the commercial name broad band in connections lower that 1.5 Mbps, which is the standard of the International Communications Union and is used by most of the developing countries. He explains the reaction of the General Manager of Telefonica Company, the biggest communication company in Chile:
(…) las empresas proveedoras de acceso a Internet no estarían dispuestas a invertir el dinero necesario para lograr otorgar el servicio que la ley exige y que, según el, no puede acotarse el nombre Banda Ancha solo a las velocidades superiores, debido a que históricamente se le denomina Banda Ancha a todas las conexiones no conmutadas (aquellas realizadas por líneas telefónicas comunes).(…)”
Pepe continues explaining his personal view :
Sobre esto, solo puedo comentar que mientras las plataformas físicas que sostienen “los cables” que se utilizan para generar la conexión a Internet sigan siendo de propiedad de un par de grandes empresas, los costos asociados para generar conectividad seguirán siendo elevados, por lo que tampoco existirá competencia ya que es imposible competir con el “dueño de la pelota“. En Chile finalmente, pagamos lo mismo que paga un ciudadano europeo por una conexión diez veces más rápida que las nuestras. ¿Parece coherente?.”
Regarding the neutrality issue, Pepe explains that the one of the members of VTR, the other main telecommunications company argues that they use filters to protect the users from attacks of hackers and virus on the net.
There are more concerns about these issues, but the main discussion does not center on broadband or net neutrality. There are many blogger reactions about the declarations by Senator Fernando Flores, who led the discussion. Pepe writes:
Creo que la discusión sobre neutralidad en la red debemos dejársela a los Estados Unidos y Europa, Chile no es potencia en desarrollo tecnológico, por lo que no tenemos pa’ que discutirlo
In regards to blogger reactions to this issue, Flores posts (ES) that he is concerned about the issue of broadband and he has been working a lot on the issue for quite a while, even though there are a lot of people who do not know about the issue. He wrote that Chileans are too immature to be able to participate in the discussion and that we have to wait to see how this issue goes on in Europe and EEUU.
The blog, neutralidadsi (ES), (Pepe's blog) promotes free internet in Chile and asks for support for the new law proposal regarding neutrality on the web. They declared that the Chilean discussion is similar to discussion in the United States: “the internet provider should restrict their themselves only to provide the access and not to allowing privilege or to hinder the access to some content”. He also posts the text of the law proposals.
This is the beginning of a discussion and bloggers will continue to post about for years to come. Atina Chile, one of the biggest and most well-organized online social movements founded by Fernando Flores has promoted the campaign of broadband for all and lately has been meeting with the Chilean Economy Ministry to support OLPC (One Laptop Per Child), here you cand find the news about this issue.
Uganda: political heroes and the challenges of development work
“What benchmark do Ugandans use to determine their heroes?”
Dennis Matanda has long been the devil's advocate of the Ugandan blogosphere, calling for a return to colonialism and raising the possibility of a “violent end” to the current regime. Recently he published the first half of a two-part series on why Idi Amin is the “Greatest Ugandan who ever lived.” In his quest for a Ugandan hero, Dennis rejects current president Yoweri Museveni and former leader Milton Obote in favor of Amin based on the following reasoning:
i) He was able to build the International Conference Center from Government Resources
ii) He had the balls to make unpopular decisions in terms of the Indians in 1972
iii) He gave Uganda a bad name in the International Press
iv) He went against Israel and lost [French Jet - Hijacked Passengers]
v) He made the Scottish Skirt Look Good!
vi) He did not eat any of his kids
vii) He took French TV around his country on a tourism drive
viii) Yoweri Museveni, about 20 years later, did exactly the same thing
ix) He did not actually kill over 500,000 Ugandans in those 8 years
x) He was the star of the film: The Last King of Scotland
Similarly inspired by The Last King of Scotland, the fictional story of Amin's personal doctor, Joshi is also seized with Amin fever:
I still think of Idi Amin as a merciless brute (or is that what the West wants me to think?), but he has had me since before the movie saluting around the house. I do mini marches in the corridors and in the kitchen. And best believe it isn't the slick cut salute of the American Marines, or the Royal Marines, it the one used by the gallant forces of the UPDF and Uganda Police.
Though Dennis and Joshi are presumably joking about their affection for the brutal dictator, other Ugandan bloggers are seriously battling with the recent trend towards positive reevaluation of past political figures.
The May 1 death of Brigadier Nobel Mayombo, the former Ugandan Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI), sparked a number of conspiracy theories and an intense argument over his legacy. As CMI, Mayombo was responsible for establishing “safe houses” around Kampala. Ostensibly intended to detain terror suspects, the safe houses have become infamous as torture centers for political prisoners. Despite accusations of personal involvement in the torture and interrogation of a number of prisoners, Mayombo has been venerated by most Ugandans after his death.
Moses Odokonyero portraying its late board chairman as an impeccably white angel. Not so with Andrew Mwenda and Timothy Kalyegira, two of Uganda’s most controversial journalists, both of the Daily Monitor.
“History will make its statement on Noble, and I hope it will show that he was a good man, who served a bad regime,” wrote Mwenda, currently a Knight Fellow at Stanford University, a childhood friend of Mayombo. “As I reflected on the death of this icon of our times, a disturbing question hangs over my conscience: how did this intelligent and charming guy get drawn into service of a regime that is increasingly repressive, corrupt, nepotistic and violent?”
For his part, Timothy Kalyegira could not understand why everybody was praising the late Mayombo as a brilliant and intelligent man. Did he get a first-class degree at university? Did he develop a new doctrine that is being used to train young army officers? What benchmark do Ugandans use to determine their heroes?“
Minega fears this benchmark may be too forgiving. Using Mao and Amin as worrying examples, he rejects the idea that the actions of political figures should be reassessed after their deaths and wonders:
So how far will this 'subjective' evaluation of history's brutes take us? Will Hitler be rehabilitated as a guy who just got ‘a little carried away'? Will Pol Pot become a pop icon and be used to advertise coca-cola?
The hazards of development work
Two bloggers in Uganda are wrestling with the harder aspects of their jobs in the aid and development field. Attacks on World Food Programme staff in Karamoja and Pader have left Be Silent wondering how to give help:
How does God want his people to be helped? Do they need the help? Yes they do. Do they know they need it? That I do not know especially if they are treating the people who give them help in such a way.
Probably next month I will be going to these places to carry out some work. Before today I was so excited about the whole experience not forgetting the allowances but now am thinking of going to Mbarara, Tororo and making sure all the other places are taken care of by my colleague.
In Hoima, a Peace Corps Volunteer struggles with being an outsider in a Ugandan community, what he calls the lion in the cage effect:
It is almost as if we're here for the amusement of the adult and children both. Is the white man eating, sleeping, reading, or crying? Let's look in his bared windows and find out. I must be more entertaining than the local drunkards because even they stop whatever it is that they do to watch me walk past.
Malawian bloggers mourn First Lady
Malawian bloggers join the rest of the nation in sending sincere condolences to the State President on the loss of First Lady Madamme Ethel Mutharika, who passed away Monday 28 May, 2007. Her death is a big blow to Malawi as a nation. The burial is scheduled for Saturday 9 June at the president's Ndatha Farm in Thyolo, Southern Malawi.
Mlauzi, who blogs on Afrika Aphukira, says the First Lady was charitable and will be greatly missed:
Mrs. Mutharika founded the Ethel Mutharika Foundation that was helping poor Malawians and orphaned children, an important intervention at a critical time for Malawi just recovering from severe food shortages, and still reeling from HIV/AIDS. She will be sorely missed. May your soul rest in peace, Mde First Lady.
Kondwani Munthali, who covered the state president's functions several times and was once a master of ceremonies, describes his personal encounters with the First Couple:
I knew Madame Ethel Mutharika just like many ordinary Malawians did. … Though she never directly participated in politics. Later, we saw her in Area 18 at her relations and funerals and various church events. Just like her husband Bingu, Malawi's First Lady was a dedicated Christian. She was a woman of faith, strong one for that matter. In her pain and suffering, she smiled, reached out to her women empowerment projects, did her farming…
Yet she smiled and her family opted to spare Malawians that pain and remained strong in discharging their duties. President Bingu wa Mutharika has carried his own family burden and that of the State without affecting the other. In many cases he sacrificed the love of his life for the burderns of the State.
As I became privileged to cover the President, the more I realised how the President relied on the first lady.
One day at a public event, as a Master of Ceremony, I stood up to stop a particular group dancing, the President nodded in agreement, the First Lady disagreed as the crowds were cheering…
In a post titled Malawi in a state of mourning, another Malawian blogger, Clement Nthambazale, prays for the president:
I wish the president divine strength and that the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard his heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
While Cryton Chikoko in UK goes a bit controversial in his prayers as he offers his sympathies to the president:
As the saying goes, “behind any successful man there is a woman” I wish Mutharika the divine strength not only to bear the loss of his longtime wife but also not to slacken from his good agenda of developing the country.
Zikomo Friday also extends condolences to the president Bingu wa Mutharika. And a senior journalist Joe Mlenga visited the home district of the president this week on an assignment. In a post describing the impressive district hospital there, he devotes some space to imagining the pain in the president's life at the loss of his wife.
I can only imagine how President Bingu wa Mutharika is feeling at this hour, having lost his wife of over 40 years, Ethel. I feel for the man, for I have lost family members, relations and very close friends. At that hour the world seems upside down and it sometimes takes years for one to heal inside. Ethel Mutharika was a dignified lady, quiet and really fit the mould of First Lady. I pray that Bingu will face the loss with courage and not feel all is lost. Otherwise he may withdraw from normal life and Malawi will as a nation be affected gravely. God is on your side Bingu, carry on, and may the Lord Jehovah grant you peace.
Peter Jere, a Malawian theologian based in South Africa, commends several opposition politicians for being available and supporting Mutharika at this trying time. He further contends that the death of Mrs Mutharika has united Malawians and expresses the wish that this could be genuine and permananent change:
Some have suggested that this whole unity prevailing in our country now is temporal (God forbid!). They are saying that these politicians are behaving like this now because they too are married men and know that it’s not a game or zamasewera when mkazi (wife) dies pakhomo (in the home). They know that mawa (tomorrow) it may be themselves going through the same painful experience hence a need for them to behave now. They probably have realized that maliro (death) sees no tribe, colour, status, richness but just invade your home and leaves you heart broken.
And finally Ndagha wishes that there is calm and peace as this is first time in Malawi to have a funeral for a First Lady.
AIDS in Japan: Blame it on gays?
Since the first case of AIDS in Japan was officially reported in March, 1985, official figures have indicated that the number of cases of HIV/AIDS among Japanese has been steadily increasing over the years (this despite the difficulty of making assessments due to the low rate of HIV testing among the general population). The Japanese government has been dealing with the problem of AIDS through various campaigns and activities, the results of which, judging by their own figures, have not shown much success.
In fact, the latest results show that Japan is well behind other developed nations in combating the spread of HIV. On May 22, the AIDS Surveillance Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that the number of people diagnosed with HIV, combined with the number who developed AIDS in 2006, altogether hit a record high. According to the survey, 1358 new cases of HIV/AIDS were reported (952 people were diagnosed with HIV, while 406 people developed AIDS), adding up to a cumulative total of 12,394 cases reported since data started being collected (see links to reports in English and Japanese). Men reportedly represented more than four out of every five new cases of AIDS, and in a significant majority of cases, the patients were homosexual.
Government-sponsored ad promoting AIDS testing performed by the popular comedian Puppet Muppet
Although this announcement was only briefly covered by the mainstream media, many bloggers linked to or cited the news and added many comments. Among many entries about the recent release of the statistics, blogger Ishimaru provides an example of comments that blame gays for the spread of the disease in Japan:
まあ、迷惑な話ですな。
ここまできたら、ホモには税金をかけてもいいと思うのですが。
個人の嗜好として男が好きというのは別にかまいませんが、妙な病気を流行らして、医療費を圧迫するのは勘弁願いたいと思います。
I think we should start taxing fags.
I don't really have any problem with the personal preference of one man liking another man, but I don't want these men to put pressure on medical costs by spreading a weird disease.
Another blogger shares a similar view.
これはちょっと深刻な状況ですね。エイズは「死なずに済む」病気にはなったけれど、単に治るわけではないし、投薬も副作用があって、結構きついらしいし。
今時、ゲイの間で流行っているのは、ひょっとしてゲイ・コミュニティに末法思想のようなものでも蔓延しているのか、と勘ぐりたくもなる。
単純に医療コストを上げてしまうわけで、回避できるものは回避して欲しいですよね。
On the other hand, Upappi, a gay blogger, expresses his concern about the discussions on blog sites:
一方，僕らゲイにとって気になるのが「男性の同性との性的接触による感染が増加」という文言．
Yahoo!ニュースの関連ブログやmixiの記事引用日記などでも盛んに取り上げられており，ノンケ（と思われる方々）のHIVに対する知識のなさと「何でそんなに男がいいのかね？」に代表されるゲイという存在への無理解には苦笑させられますが，この文言は「印象操作」しだいではゲイバッシングにつながりかねませんし，HIV感染に対し誤った知識を植え付けることにもなりかねません．
Blogs associated with Yahoo! news and diaries on mixi that refer to the news articles are talking extensively about this. The lack of knowledge about AIDS of straight people (or so they seem to be), and their ignorance about gays — summed up in expressions like: “Why do they like men so much?” — it all makes me laugh. However, this phrase could lead to gay bashing, and it could possibly introduce false ideas about the way HIV is contracted, if they use it for “impression management”.
Finally, an HIV positive blogger provides yet another perspective on the issue:
厚生労働省のエイズ動向委員会の発表は統計として一部は意味のあるものだろう
けれど、数字だけでHIV対策を計るとしたら大きな誤りだと思う。
セックスの時にはコンドームをすれば予防できるなんて、簡単に考えられていては
どうにもならない。HIVが服薬によって簡単にコントロールできるなどと思っていては
どうにもならない。HIVは予防しにくいものだし、服薬によるコントロールは決して楽
ではなく不便で辛いものだ。
日本のHIV/エイズ対策は未熟でお粗末なものだと思う。
これから先、日本の中でエイズ/HIVに対して、どのようにすれば本当の意味で知識
が普及して偏見をなくせるのか。それを考えて実施していくことが新たなHIVの予防
や意味のある統計へつながっていくのだろうと思う。
In the future, how, in a real sense, can we spread knowledge about, and eliminate discrimination against, HIV/AIDS? I believe that taking this into account in action can lead to new ways to prevent HIV and make statistics meaningful.
Philippines: Interesting election results
As expected, the Opposition continues to dominate the Senate race. It’s a stinging defeat for President Gloria Arroyo’s party. However, most of the winners in the local elections belong to the Administration’s coalition.
Election results yielded interesting surprises: A rebel soldier is poised to become a senator, many showbiz candidates lost in the elections, a world boxing champion was knocked-out in the polls, a priest defeated wealthy and powerful opponents and leftwing groups are able to maintain their seats in Congress despite the active campaigning of the military against them.
Atheista is impressed over Father Ed Panlilio’s victory as governor in the home province of the president. Panlilio is the first priest to win in the elections in modern Philippine history.
“I am absolutely in awe of his courage. I admire his intellectual prowess. Most importantly, I appreciate his conscious effort to keep his interviews as secular as possible.”
But Out of my mind cautions the public over the implications of the priest’s success:
“I have nothing against Panlilio personally. I just do not think that electing a priest is a sign of maturity in our political processes and systems. When we have to resort to extreme measures, when our alternatives become so limited that we have to turn to our religious leaders for secular needs, then we are seriously in trouble.”
The Third Opinion believes Isabela (northeastern part of the Philippines) Governor Grace Padaca, a former radio broadcaster who ran and won as governor in 2004, will never resort to cheating just to defeat again a powerful family in her province:
“How can an ordinary woman with no logistics and power compared to the much powerful opponent, with a “disability” at that, can do to cheat. It just doesn’t makes sense at all for me.”
Scattered Dots compares the electoral victory of both Panlilio and Padaca:
“There are many similarities between the two victories. First, both are highly competent yet selfless leaders on a moral crusade against corruption. Second, both faced powerful political clans with firmly entrenched political machinery and unlimited resources. Third, both ran a quixotic campaign that mobilized support of the upper and middle class. Fourth, their supporters were vigilant in guarding the votes which prevented cheating from taking away their victory. Their success should inspire other provinces to break away from patronage politics, to destroy political dynasties and to encourage more qualified individuals to run for public office.”
The Bystander is amazed over the victory of a detained soldier who led a failed mutiny in 2003:
“The biggest surprise of the season is detained Navy Captain Antonio Trillanes IV who might yet get a Senate seat if the votes in his favor continue to pour in. His possible victory is seen as a surprise because he practically was not able to conduct a campaign sortie, banking heavily on paid TV advertisements which are few and far between.”
But Phoenix’ Eyrie is not happy over this development:
“But more than a million people still voted for a clear-as-day rebel. I told them, so now we're telling our kids its ok to resort to such extreme measures just to air our grievances? That one can break the law and not only get away with it but be rewarded handsomely as well? If it was a statement against Gloria, then there were better ways to make one than legitimize rebellion, lawlessness, violence and a disdain for our Constitution.”
Manny Pacquiao News Tracker has this to say on the defeat of boxing hero Manny Pacquiao in the elections:
“From a lessons learned aspect, this experience have given the PacMan a glimpse on how dirty politics is and the people you supposedly trust will be the ones to betray you. May this make the Pacquiao wiser in the years to come.”
Election results are not yet final since canvassing is yet to be finished in some provinces of Mindanao, located in southern Philippines. Manila Bay Watch uploads a letter written by a Muslim professor in response to news reports that cheating is rampant in the Muslim region of the country:
“Once again, the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao or ARMM is in the headlines as it reasserts its notoriety as the number one “cheating field” in the Philippine electoral terrain. So what else is new? As repeatedly observed and reported, cheating is done before, during and after election proper. Our most creative and entrepreneurial spirit comes to the fore during election. As a Muslim, I am shamed by all these.”
Crooning the Night Away observes how elections were conducted in the province of Maguindanao, a bailiwick of the administration. Blog @awbholdings.com notes how a good election officer was eaten by the system in the recent elections.
Janette Toral pens her ideas on how blogging was maximized in the 2007 elections. She also has proposals on how to prepare for the 2010 elections. In retrospect does not expect too much that winning politicians will perform better.
Midlife Mysteries blogs about the conduct of elections in Quezon City:
“Over-all, at least in our small part of the Philippines, people seem to have voted wisely and really given thought to picking their candidates this time around.”
Goodbye Blue Monday gives a verdict on the state of Philippine elections:
“Truly, much like the democracy that it represents, this year's elections is another freakshow, with schools being burned down leaving a teacher dead, mayors being shot, showbiz celebrities and boxing heroes running for public posts, towns with less than 10,000 residents turning up 20,000 voters… the list goes on.”
Links for Fri, 2007-06
tirami su reports that a protest for the right to organize a “rock for freedom” concert.