Global Voices Online » 2007 » September

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China: Traffic cops get machine guns

John Kennedy · 20:11

lingua → bn · es

Do Chinese street cops need more weapons? On the same day earlier this month that it was reported urban riot police in one southern city were undergoing training to use crossbows, a new program began in south-central China's Chongqing Municipality which, in addition to handguns and bulletproof vests, would see traffic police there equipped with machine guns every night after nine for the purpose of carrying out drunk driving and traffic violation spot checks.

Sina blogger Zhou Pengan who made the two-city connection above points out that current police firearm regulations make it illegal for machine guns to be used in routine traffic control work. The People's Police—quite different in nature from the People's Armed Police—Wikipedia entry puts the usage limit for lethal weapons at [to] “be used if necessary to stop violent riots, to lessen the overall loss of life, or to subdue surrounded but still resisting criminals. The regulations even governed use of sirens, police lights, and whistles.”

Zhou opines:

作为特警，为了应付各种突发事件，多装备一两样武器也是很有必要的，但将老祖宗们使用过的弓弩升级一下用于防暴，我不知道它具有什么优势？如果希望不置人于死地的话，催泪弹、催泪瓦斯显然效果更好；如果是希望击毙对方，则枪支的效果则更为明显。

As a riot cop, dealing with all sorts of outburst incidents, being equipped with a weapon or two is going to be very necessary for you, but what advantage comes with using upgraded versions of the crossbows our ancestors had in controlling riots? If you hoped to avoid killing people, you'd use tear gas, and it'd be much more effective; if you do plan on shooting people dead, then yeah, guns would obviously be more effective.

The latter news received quite a bit of coverage, and no shortage of discussion. Sina, via Kaysky.cn, did a poll [photos included] on support for gun-toting traffic police, the response choices for which read:

1) I don't support this. Driving and walking at gunpoint is just too terrifying.
2) I support this. It's in accordance with the law and at the same time establishes police authority and deters crime, adding to citizens' sense of security.
3) Whatever.

Readers of one post on this at the WHXF bbs left the following select comments:

我真的被震慑住了！以后再也不敢酒后驾车、不带证驾车。。。鸟。。。保住小命要紧啊！

I'm really deterred! Won't be drinking and driving from now on; if I forget my license? Aiyee, gotta stay alive.

直接戒严算了，反正满大街都是敌人。

Just declare martial law and be done with it; the streets must be full of the enemy anyway, right?

建议用迫击炮，市民更放心。

I suggest they start using mortar fire; citizens will be more reassured.

恐怖中求河谐

Forcing harmony through terror

一人发把枪，怪河蟹的

A gun for everyone, that'll be some good “river crab“

除了武警,还有武装交警

Besides the Armed Police, now we have Armed Traffic Police?

Writes one reader of the report at the NewsSSC bbs:

枪杆子里面出和谐，吼吼。

Harmony comes from the barrel of the the gun…hehe.

And the top comments left at Netease's report:

哈哈,谁违章毙了谁.好恐怖的JC

Haha, anyone in violation of regulations gets shot. Those are some scary cops.

重庆有那么乱吗? 查个车还要持冲锋枪!!!晕!!!!

Is Chongqing so messed up? They need machine guns just to check cars?!? Faint!!!!

知道现在社会治安咋样了吧!连个交警都配枪,你以为是在老美啊,每个人都有枪.

Now you know what crime's like these days. Even traffic cops get guns. This isn't America yo, where everyone does have a gun.

最好每人再配个手榴弹，这样更威风！

They should give each of them a hand grenade too, now that would be some real power!

发现违章当场击毙

Anyone who breaks the rules gets shot on the spot

5 comments · »»

Environment: The UN Conference on Climate Change Part II

Juliana Rotich · 20:01

Live from the UN
- Thematic Plenary- Adaptation. Facilitator is Dr. Asha-Rose migiro Deputy Secretary General
Co chaired by HE Jan Peter Balkenende, Prime Minister of the Netherlands and H.E Mr. Fakhruddin Ahmed the Honourable Chief Advisor of the Non-Party Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

I will be doing short form blogging in the form of tweets in the newly created channel for Global voices: http://twitter.com/GlobalVoicesEnv Short summaries of what the leaders are saying in the 2nd plenary session “The challenge of Adaptation” (Note:session began at 3pm, I will tweet it from 4pm onwards).

Note that Part I is posted here.

0 comments · »»

Ramadaning in Kuwait

Abdullatif AlOmar · 18:19

lingua → bn · pt

Ramadan, food and shopping were top priorities among Kuwaiti bloggers last week.

To start off, Amer at Hilaliya provides a picture of inside a mosque (masjid) before prayers.

“That's a wonderful photo, Amer, for those of us who never see the inside during prayer,” comments Intlxpatr, an expatriate in Kuwait.

Erzulie talks about a typical Ramadan day for her.

“So Ramadan funks up the metabolism. That’s nice. One of the things that I do love about Ramadan though is the aroma of familiar foods you smell just before you enter the house. That has never changed and I hope it never will.”

EXzombie , one of the upcoming young Kuwaiti directors, announces plans about his new project over at exzombiesm.

“Some of you might know already that I'm working on a project about the Kuwaiti blogosphere, and bloggers, I'm finishing my research soon, and would like to start shooting some interviews,” he explains.

Frankom , meanwhile, talks about his trip to Sultan Center (a hyper market in Kuwait) and how he felt.

كنت بالقرب من مركز سلطان … كنت أريد فقط معجون أسنان بعض الحلويات والكاكاو ، بماذا خرجت ؟

I was near Sultan Center, I just wanted toothpaste, some candy and chocolate but what did I leave with?

الكيك والكعك والخبز والعصائر … حتى الصوص بجميع أنواعه !! الموظفون هنا وهناك … العملاء منتشرون … البعض يقف عند الالبان والبعض الاخر عند اللحوم ! كل شيئ طازج .. الريحة الزكية القادمة من المخبز … كل شيئ مرتب ومنظم

Cake, bread, juice .. even different kinds of sauce!! There were employees here and there and customers everywhere -
some at dairy products counters and others at the meat produce counters. Every thing is fresh and a nice aroma was coming from the bakery. Also, everything was organized.

حتى الشامبو كان منظره مشوق !! انها جريمة بحق ذاتها أن تذهب الى مركز سلطان وانت في رمضان … لوهلة أعتقدت أنني سأفطر هناك

Even the shampoo looked interesting!! It's a crime to go to Sultan Center in Ramadan. For a while I thought I would break my fast there.

Anafilibini also talks about what she likes in Ramadan in Kuwait and lists a couple of points.

Some of The Things I Love About Ramadan In Kuwait:
1. The scene of people giving away food and money from their cars to less fortunate people on the streets.
2. 2 hour less working time..

Intlxpatr also writes about breaking the code and finding the right time to shop in Ramadan.

Finally, this morning, I was able to do some shopping. We are talking desperate, here, no eggs left in the house, no onions and we are getting low on milk.
I shopped on Thursday, the first day of Ramadan, with no problems. Since then, I have tried to shop Friday after church, and Saturday around two in the afternoon - both times, just the crunch in the parking lot convinced me not to even venture into the store. This was true both at the Sultan Center and at the co-op.

And last but not least, Qais, over at io81, talks about how a shop redefined Konafa (type of Arabic delicacy).

i started thinking about how such a simple arabic sweet become advertised on satellite TV. Why did other Konafa places did not come up with the same idea, how come a product like Konafa generate such hype?

1 comment · »»

Environment: The UN Conference on Climate Change Part I

Juliana Rotich · 14:21

lingua → hi

- Thematic Plenary I - Adaptation - From Vulnerability to Resilience.
Facilitator is Dr. Asha-Rose migiro Deputy Secretary General

Co chaired by H.E Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark,

and HE Owen Arthur, Prime minister of Barbados.

Tweets here, and this post will be added to as the conference continues.
During the meeting, presidents and prime ministers addressed the panel; speaking about their individual countries. Some of them mentioned how they were adapting (Netherlands, Mauritius and others) to climate change while others highlighted their major challenges. By and large most of the leaders acknowledged that climate change poses a serious threat to the planet. However, there was one exception. The delegate of the Czech republic said that he did not believe the Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was balanced noting that there is no scientific consensus on climate change and that the UN should set up a panel to investigate the corollary arguments and conclusions made by the IPCC. He clearly does not believe that global warming is a problem. There was a light moment with applause when he joked that people need to save more energy and cool the room.

The delegates from African countries all gave examples of the effects on climate change in their respective countries. The following statement by the president of Ghana in large part mirrors observations by the other African leaders about what the current situation is.

In Africa and other poor developing countries, climate change is already making it difficult to guarantee the necessities fo life. These countries, including my own Ghana, are already feeling the impact of change resulting from our oft misinformed handlign of our environments and also from the effluence caused by the industrialized nations. Erratic rainfall patterns, droughts and desertification, floods and other weather related disasters are directly endangering human life and affecting agricultural productivity, food and water security.

There were a few examples of how countries have been able to adapt to climate change. The PM of Netherlands pointed out that his country has been adapting to severe environmental effects for a long time, by developing and implementing innovative solutions such as advanced water management, building of dykes and floating houses.
Other examples of what can be done to adapt to climate change: Re-forestation, use of renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass (mentioned by representatives from Mauritius and madagascar). Island states are also very vulnerable to the effects of climate change, and the PM of Barbados mentioned during his closing remarks that it is a matter of survival to deal with Climate change.
Tweets of Part II are here

Note: Earlier this year, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report that mentioned that climate change will likely have a ‘graver effect' on Africa.
Please stay tuned for more Live from the UN.

3 comments · »»

Myanmar: Tens of Thousands Join Protest led by Monks

Preetam Rai · 14:21

lingua → bn · pt · zht · zhs · es

Myanmar bloggers are posting videos and pictures of the large protest that took place earlier today in Yangon, the former capital and the largest city in Myanmar. The protest was led by Buddhist monks. It is the latest in a series of month long demonstrations against the military government and was initially fueled by price rises.

via Burmadigest.info

Following blogs have pictures of the day's happening. (via Blog of Nyein Chan Yar)

Niknayman blog
Justice and Injustice
Soneseayar Blog (A video clip from the streets of Yangon)
Myanmar Media, Education & Development Watch

Sa -nare-nar comments on the above blog.

I would lidke to request all our friend gp doctors to take care of our monks. I hope they are doing the right thing. Please inform your nearest Dr about sick monks in order to visit them for treatment. Medical professionals include doctors, indigenous practitioners and nurses

12 comments · »»

Environment: UN Conference on Climate Change

Juliana Rotich · 12:48

lingua → hi · zht · zhs

I am blogging live from the United Nations building in NY. I will tweet part of the conference and blog it as it progresses. A Short Intro and the sessions I will attend at the conference is available here.

0 comments · »»

One Million Voices for Peace

Amira Al Hussaini · 10:57

lingua → es

What is the One Million Voices campaign all about and could peace in the Middle East be a reality? Also, what role is the internet and blogging playing in this mass movement, which over 500,000 Israelis and Palestinians have signed up for so far?

Global Voices Online caught up with campaign Communications Coordinator Erin Pineda who discusses with us the ambitious project, which aims to amplify the voices of the ‘moderate silent majority' caught up in the conflict.

Q - What is the One Million Voices campaign about? How and why was it launched? Who is responsible for it?

A - The One Million Voices Campaign really consists of two parts – the People’s Summit on October 18, 2007, and the year-long campaign that will follow it.

The People’s Summit is a parallel event held simultaneously in Tel Aviv and Jericho, internationally-linked to solidarity events held worldwide, to give a platform to the moderate majority of Israelis and Palestinians who wish for an end to the conflict, as they propel their elected representatives to sit down and negotiate a two-state solution. The Summit will be free and open to the public; the only “cost” of admission is signing on to the OneVoice Mandate – which calls upon the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to initiate ongoing, immediate, and uninterrupted negotiations, to reach a two-state solution on or before October 18, 2008. There are currently well over 500,000 Israeli and Palestinian signatories to the mandate (in roughly equal numbers on each side), and over 10,000 International supporters – a more detailed and complete breakdown of the numbers is available here.

Thus begins the One Million Voices year-long campaign to make it happen. The process is a two-pronged approach that involves: 1) continuing and intensifying our recruitment process on the ground – we are aiming to get one million Israelis and Palestinians on board through the process – in addition to strengthening the network of youth leaders and activists already in place; and 2) relaying this momentum to the leadership, so that when they sit down to negotiate, they do so knowing that they have a groundswell of support from their constituency – hundreds of thousands of people who are demanding progress and results from them. In the weeks after October 18, 2007, the signed mandates will be physically delivered en masse to the steps of the PLC and the Knesset by delegations of OneVoice volunteers and activists.

One Million Voices is an initiative of the OneVoice Movement, a mainstream nationalist grassroots movement with over half a million signatories in roughly equal numbers both in Israel and in Palestine, and 3,000 highly-trained youth leaders. It aims to amplify the voice of the overwhelming but heretofore silent majority of moderates who wish for peace and prosperity, empowering them to demand accountability from elected representatives and work toward a two-state solution. For One Million Voices, we have been working in conjunction with a world-class Production Team (including Michael Lang of Woodstock and Chris Wangro of Concerts in Central Park) and a host of dignitaries and luminaries who have agreed to be Honorary Co-Chairs and Board Members – such as Klaus Schwab, Founder of the World Economic Forum; Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland; and Stuart Eizenstat, Former Under-Secretary of State.

Q - What do you aim to achieve and are such goals possible?

A - What we aim for is no less than: 1) the broadest, largest simultaneous mass mobilization of citizens in both Israel and Palestine for the sake of ending the conflict; and 2) a two-state solution agreed upon no later than October 18, 2008.

It is an enormously ambitious goal – some might say unrealistic. But the truth of the matter is, we have no other choice but to work for it. The alternative of continued, escalating cycles of violence, terror, occupation, and war is no alternative at all. If the past 40 years of stalemated negotiations have taught us anything, it is that it is not enough for the leaders to be ready to sit down; it is not enough for international diplomats to push for negotiations. For there to be results, the will of both peoples for resolution – both Israelis and Palestinians – has to align, and has to be made manifest. The leaders need to know their people support them and demand results from them; Palestinians need to know Israelis want to end the conflict; Israelis need to know the same of Palestinians. One Million Voices aims to create a shared reality in which Israelis, Palestinians, international supporters, and their leaders clearly see the reality of the moderate majority on both sides, taking an active stand for a two state solution.

Q - Why are you holding a bloggers meet up in New York today (September 24)? What role do you anticipate the bloggers will play? Have you witnessed any positive reconciliation attempts between Palestinian and Israeli bloggers and how vital is building such bridges between bloggers and citizen journalists to your peace initiative?

A - Internet technology and alternative media are making the world an increasingly accessible and interconnected place – allowing international interaction between people on different sides of the globe, or on different sides of a regional conflict. Alternative media like blogs not only create a way for ordinary people to interact, but also to become an active part of ‘making the news’ – as Blogs and the “blogosphere” gains prominence and popularity, it is also changing the way that we think of media, news, and reporting. Now the people can really take part in that process – in determining what is ‘newsworthy’.

Unfortunately, the old adage “if it bleeds, it leads” usually proves true in terms of gaining media attention for positive, non-violent efforts to change the way things are. Blogs are both a compliment and an alternative to traditional media coverage – one that is participatory and user-defined. We hope that bloggers who believe in what we do will use their blogs and their networks to help spread the word – to use their blogs to reach out to other communities and to keep in touch with what we are doing.

Q - How successful has your online campaign been and how much impact is your online activism having on the ground?

A - Well over 500,000 Israelis and Palestinians have signed on. The vast majority of these sign-ups have been on the ground in Israel and Palestine – but with the launch of www.OneMillionVoices.org at the beginning of August, we are beginning to gear up towards a big online push to get people to sign up online. As I mentioned above, the internet provides an incredible opportunity for collaboration between those separated by distance or conflict. A great deal of our International Supporters have come to us through one of our online platforms – which is vital to our programming on the ground. It is critical to demonstrate to Israelis and Palestinians that the international community is with them, is behind them supporting their efforts. And one of the best ways to highlight this is online.

3 comments · »»

World Reaction to the UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights

Jennifer Brea · 07:57

lingua → es · mg

In every society in which they find themselves, the world's 370 million indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable and marginalized.

After over 22 years of negotiations and consultations, the United Nations approved the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples earlier this month, a broad, non-binding agreement articulating basic individual and communal rights to cultural self-preservation, self-determination and natural resources.

The Declaration sparked conversations in blogospheres around the world about the situation of indigenous people today, the Declaration's value and limits, as well as harsh condemnation of the four member countries that voted against: Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
(more…)

4 comments · »»

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