Archive for
October 8th, 2007


Stories

Russia: Anna Politkovskaya's Memorial Rally 

a small portrait of this author Veronica Khokhlova · 21:02
lingua → fr · jp
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On the first anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's death, a few hundred people gathered in Moscow to pay tribute to her - and to talk politics.

LJ user mr_forester posted photos from the Oct. 7 memorial rally and wrote (RUS):

The rally marking the first anniversary of Anna Politkovskaya's death turned into the opposition's full-scale campaign event. Of those who spoke at the rally, the only person who didn't talk about politics was Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta [the newspaper that Politkovskaya wrote for]. In particular, ex-premier [Mikhail Kasyanov] called to his supporters to boycott the upcoming [State Duma] election. [Boris Nemtsov], in his turn, called to those who were at the meeting to fight against the “bureaucratic [sovereign democracy] for a free Russia.” Under the banners of SPS [the Union of Right Forces], apparently. Aleksandr Averin represented the [National Bolsheviks] at the rally; he said that the opposition no longer had “the time for mourning, becuase it's time to be proactive.” Pyotr Miloserdov called those at the meeting to attend the Russian March, planned by the radical right-wing groups… […]

Photos from a year ago by mr_forester are here.

LJ user afrikane3 has more photos from this year's rally.

LJ user olga_beshley attended the rally, too, and wrote this (RUS):

And there's nothing surprising about the fact that, as recently as yesterday [Oct. 6], the Internet was [silent], and today [Oct. 7], after 1 PM, the web was practically bursting with all the reports about the rally. But yesterday, I couldn't find any info on the upcoming event on any of the popular news sources. Where? What? Where to? What time? But hey, why should the people know… what if they show up there, God forbid. First, there's a rally, then, there's an orange revolution, you know.

[…]

L. and I bought two red roses each. They had run out of carnations in the underground pass.

When we walked out into the square, we had to open our umbrellas. The sky was gloomy, and was throwing down an occasional drop, and it appeared opposed to something, too. To whom? Well, to [Nashi, a pro-Kremlin youth movement], for instance: they were celebrating something today [about 10,000 Nashi members celebrated Vladimir Putin's 55th birthday with slogans such as “Putin is our everything!”]…

But the cops made us happy: there were very few of them.

As for the rally, it left a bitter aftertaste. On the one hand, it was nice to see a square full of people, banners, leaflets, photographs of Politkovskaya.

On the other… Again, it seemed as if there were more journalists than there should have been. I don't have a TV set, but I can imagine that there's solidarity with [Nashi members] on the TV today - they must be congratulating VVP [Putin]. Honestly, I haven't seen logos of the federal [Russian] channels at the [Politkovskaya] rally. So here's a question: Who are all these people? Are there really so many foreigners out there? Hmmm.

[…]

I didn't like any of those who spoke at the rally. The people around were quietly talking among themselves, not really listening to Kasyanov and Co. Because their speeches were not inspired, lacked a spark, didn't burn. There was something like a feeling of being doomed in the air. The [so-called] “elections” are almost here, but the opposition is nothing but a damaged mosaics […].

[Eduard Limonov] once said that the Dissenters [the opposition to the Kremlin] had gained a tiny victory by regaining their right [to voice their opinion publicly]. But is it a victory? Five hundred - or even 700 - people at Novopushkinskiy Square [in Moscow] - is that victory? Maybe it's the other way around - the regime hasn't come to terms, but is no longer afraid?

A foreign journalist wearing a foreign hat did a mini-interview with us on Lesnaya St. [where Politkovskaya lived and was shot to death]. We had come there long before the rest of the marchers did and had already laid the flowers by then.

- Why are there so few people?
“Because no one gives a damn.”
- Hmm, because the mass media didn't really advertise this event, and people need to be constantly reminded…

[…]

LJ user peresedov wrote (RUS):

First, I went to Anna Politkovskaya's memorial rally that was taking place at Novopushkinskiy Square. It (the rally) turned out to be a [Dissenters' March], too - the first one this season. I didn't notice any marching, but the rally was well-organized and went smoothly enough. OMON [riot police] were hiding in buses around the perimeter, the square was surrounded by soldiers in waterproof capes, there were many people, but the majority knew each other.

I […] didn't like it that a memorial was turned into a podium to show off political ambitions. The intensity of it pushed back the mourning nature of the event. But Vladimir Korsunskiy, for example, didn't think there was anything bad about it: he explained that this was, above all, a political rally - tied to a sorrowful day.

The equipment worked well and loudly, big screens on both side were showing faces of those who were speaking and banners of those who came to the rally.

There were lots of speeches: I liked those by Kasyanov, by the [Nord-Ost] victims, and by the journalists, Politkovskaya's colleagues.

[…]

I liked the initiative to declare October 7 the day of civil dignity.

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DRC: Kinshasa Plane Crash “Will Not Be the Last” 

a small portrait of this author Jennifer Brea · 19:26
lingua → fr · mg · pt · zht · zhs · bn

Du Cabiau à Kinshasa, a Belgian living in Congo, writes (Fr) about last week's plane crash in Kimbanseke, a poor and densely-populated neighborhood in Kinshasa.

At least 50 were killed in the crash and dozens more injured. The transport minister has since been dismissed for “his inability to reform the aviation sector.”

Du Cabiau à Kinshasa thinks the accident was all but inevitable:

Cet accident était mille fois prévisible. Étant donné l'absence quasi totale d'infrastructures terrestres (route, rail…), l'essentiel des échanges à l'intérieur de la RDC se fait par avions. Pour un pays très pauvres, le trafic aérien est très intense. Il y a des dizaines de petites compagnies privées et donc des centaines de tombeaux dans les airs. Chaque jour, nous voyons des ancêtres surchargés décoller à l'horizontale au dessus des habitations. Ce crash n'est pas le premier… il ne sera pas le dernier

This accident could be seen coming from a mile away. Given the almost total absence of infrastructure on the ground (roads, rail…), most of the movement through the interior of the DRC is by airplane. For a very poor country, air traffic is intensely busy. There are dozens of small, private companies, and thus hundreds of flying coffins. Everyday, we see overloaded relics taking off just above people's houses. This crash was not the first…it will not be the last.

Congolese blogger Alex Engwete observes it can take a disaster to turn the world's attention to the DRC:

CNN montre des images de l'avion carbonisé à Kinshasa. Des images sensationnelles catastrophiques dont raffolent les géants médiatiques… et qui les tirent de leur indifférence systématique de la RDC.

CNN shows images of a burnt airplane in Kinshasa. Sensational, catastrophic images the media giants go crazy for…and that pulls them out of their systematic indifference toward the DRC.
6 comments · »»

Korea: High School Student and Religious Freedom 

a small portrait of this author Hyejin Kim · 14:16

A teenager’s struggle for religious freedom over three years achieved victory this month. He was a student at a Christian high school and had to attend chapel regularly. He requested not to take the classes, but his request was turned down by the school. His fight against the school has taken three years to complete.

Gemengi summarizes the event and discusses how religion should be treated.

내가 강의석 군의 1인 시위를 처음 접한 것은 ‘시사 투나잇’에서였다. 키가 크고 바싹 마른 고등학생이 특정 종교를 강요하지 말라는 피켓을 들고 아주 분명하게 자신의 의견을 피력하는 모습을 보면서 ‘용기’와 ‘신념’이란 것에 대해 생각했었다.
‘시사 투나잇’에서는 그의 모습을 꾸준히 취재해 방영하였다. 하지만 학교측은 그의 의견을 수렴하지 않았다. 그러자 그는 단식을 시작했다.
‘배고프면 포기하겠지!’
이게 일반 사람들의 생각이었다. 그러나 그는 목숨을 건 듯했다.
그리곤 3일간 행방불명까지 되었었다. 피골상접한 그의 모습은 차마 바라보기 힘들 정도로 망가져 있었다. 그는 자신의 주장을 접지 않았다. 강의석 군의 생명이 위태로워지자 이윽고 목사인 선생님들까지도 학교측에 신앙의 자유를 보장하라고 요구했다. 사람부터 살리고 보자는 것이다. 방송을 타고 강의석 군의 사연이 전해지자 학교에 대한 비난 여론이 들끓었고, 결국 학교는 강의석 군의 요구를 들어주는 듯했다. 그러나 그는 퇴학처분을 당했다. 그는 학교측에 퇴학 무효 소송을 걸어 승소했다. 그리곤 누구나 가고 싶어하는 서울대에 입학했다. (수시인가?)
그 후 종교 행사 강요로 헌법에 보장된 종교ㆍ양심의 자유, 행복추구권, 평등권을 침해당했다며 대광 고등학교를 상대로 소송를 내어 요번에 승소한 것이다.
이번 판결은 종교의 자유가 있는 대한민국에서 당연한 것이었다. 우리가 사랑하는 이에게서 진실을 원하듯 신도 진실한 신앙을 원할 것이다. 스스로 깨우쳐 그분의 말씀을 실천할 수 있는 참된 사람을 원할 것이다. 집단의 분위기나 개인적 이익에 휩쓸려 종교를 믿는 것은 거짓 신앙이다.

I first got to know about Kang Eui-seok’s one person strike in ‘Sisa Tonight’ (a TV program). A tall and skinny high school student held a paper saying not to force a specific religion on him. Through him, I thought about ‘courage’ and ‘faith.’ The program continued to show him, but the school didn’t take his opinion. Then he started fasting.
‘He’ll give up when he can’t put up with hunger.’ That was how we thought at that time. But it seemed that he was risking his life. Then he disappeared for three days. His figure was getting worse due to hunger. …
He didn’t give up. When his life became at risk, teachers who were pastors at the school asked the school to give him religious freedom. It was for saving his life first. They were full of criticism toward the school and finally the school accepted his demand. But later the school kicked him out. He sued the school raising a suit against the school’s decision and he won. After that, he went to Seoul National University.
This time he raised a suit against the school for infringing on freedom of religion and consciousness, the right to pursue happiness, and equal rights, and he won.
This judgement is natural in a country which has freedom of religion. Like we would like to get sincerity from people we love, I am sure that God wants to have truthful belief. Recognizing oneself and following what God said would be what truthful believers do. It would be fake belief if we choose the religion due to individual profits and grouping atmosphere.

Not a few bloggers would like to share their own experiences.

소위 미션스쿨이라는 종교사학에 배정 받아 3년을 보냈다. 전통종교와 정서가 더 맞는 상황에서 기독교라는 사상은 처음 접해 본 것이다. 학교는 온통 선교위주로 짜여져 있었다. 예배. 기도, 성경시간으로 빡빡하게 짜여져 있어서 수업보다는 선교에 더 목적이 있는 것처럼 느껴졌다. 이런 분위기 속에서 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않은 학생들은 예배시간이 무척 고역이었다. 꼼짝도 할 수 없는 상황에서 고개 숙이라면 고개 숙이고 일어나라면 일어나는 소극적인 행동을 보일 수 밖에 없었다. 찬송시간에 찬송가는 따라 부르지 않고 듣기만 하였다. 그러나 이런 소극적인 학생들을 학교는 내버려 두지 않았다. 성경시간에 한 사람 씩 앞으로 나와서 기도 하게 한 것 이다. 그 기도는 번호 1번부터 시작 되었다. 일주일에 한번 하기 때문에 내 차례가 될려면 한참 있어야 하는 것이다. 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않은 사람에게는 마치 도살장에 끌려 가는 소처럼 고역이 아닐 수 없었다. 그런데 그 기도 시간에 사건이 벌어 진 것이다. 약간 껄렁하고 반항적인 기질의 한 친구의 기도 시간이 되었다. 그 친구의 종교가 무었이었는지는 모르나 분명한 것은 기독교와는 정서가 맞지 않은 사람임에는 틀림 없었다. 그 친구는 교단 앞으로 나가서 많이 보고 들은 대로 ‘다 같이 기도 합시다’하고 눈을 감았다. 그런데 그 다음 말이 나와야 하는데 말은 나오지 않고 말없는 침묵 시간이 길어졌다. 그리고 그 학생은 그냥 ‘아멘’ 하고 내려와 버렸다. 갑작스런 사태에 교실은 긴장감이 감돌았다. 다들 교목의 얼굴을 쳐다 보았다. 분명히 그 학생은 교목으로부터 혼이 나고 어떻게 처벌 받을 까 하는 생각을 가진 것이다. 약간 반항끼가 있는 학생과 교목간의 일촉즉발의 상황이 몇초간 흘렀다. 그러나 교목은 더 이상 문제 삼지 않고 없던 일로 처리 하고 그 사건은 끝이 났다. 이런 영향이어서 인지 모르나 그 후에는 교단 앞으로 나와서 순번으로 하는 기도 시간은 유야무야 되었다. 과연 기도 시간에 무슨 말을 해야 하고 어떻게 해야 하는지 고민 아닌 고민을 해오고 있던 필자는 그 고통에서 해방 된 것이다…. 마치 군대3년 보내 듯이 어서 시간이 지나 가기를 바랄 뿐 이다. 기독교와 정서가 맞지 않는 학생에게는 청소년기가 악몽과 같은 불행한 시간이 되어 버린 것이다.

I spent three years in a mission school. The school curriculum was focused on the mission. Service, praying, and bible time gave me the impression the school was for missions rather than teaching. Under this atmosphere, students who don’t follow the Christianity had a hard time. In compulsory moments, we had to bow if the school orders and stand up if the school orders. Those students didn’t sing hymns and just listened. But the school didn’t let these passive students go. In bible time, each student had to go in front of other students and pray. This praying time started from student number 1. My turn was still not so close because it happened every week. To non-Christians, it was like a cow that is dragged to a slaughter house. Finally something happened. A friend who has a defiant tendency had his turn to pray. I don’t know what reliegion he had at that time. What I know was that he couldn’t share his feeling with Christianity. He walked toward the platform. Standing there, he started like other people commonly began, “Let’s pray” and closed his eyes. But there was nothing following. It was complete silence. And he just said, “Amen” and went back to his place. Due to the sudden event, the classroom was full of nervousness. All classmates looked at each other. We must all have thought how he would be punished. But nothing happened. Maybe because of that, the praying time by number stopped. For me who struggled over how I had to pray in front of other people, I got freedom… I hoped that the time would pass fast like three years of military service. For students who have a hard time to become Christian believers, school could be a horrible nighmare.

A blogger shared his experience of how he became a Christian at a Christian school, but not because of school chapel.

…물론 학교 측에서 적절한 해결책을 찾기가 쉽지는 않았을 것이다. 하지만 최선은 아니더라도 최악의 방법을 택해야 할 필요는 없었다. 그런데 학교 측에서는 오히려 학생에게 자퇴를 권고하고, 채플 강제를 유보하겠다는 약속을 저버리는 최악을 택했다. 종교와 교육을 가장한 폭력이 얼마나 무서운지 새삼 느끼게 하는 사건이었다. 우리나라에는 자천타천 존경받는다고 하는 종교 지도자가 유독 많다. 전 세계에서 가장 크다고 하는 교회도 우리나라에는 부지기로 많다. 그런데 그 많은 교회 지도자 중에 이 문제를 해결하기 위해 선뜻 나선 사람이 하나도 없었다는 사실이 나를 더 슬프게 했었다. 강의석 군이 제기한 소송에서 결국 법원은 강의석 군의 손을 들어주었다. ‘종교를 전할 자유보다 종교를 선택하거나 강요받지 않을 자유가 더 크고 중요하다'는 법원의 판단이었다. 지극히 상식적이고 당연한 법원의 판결이 왜 이제서야 이루어졌는지 그것이 더 답답할 뿐이다.

기독교 재단을 둔 고등학교와 대학교를 거치면서, 나는 10학기 동안 채플 수업을 받았다. 당시로서는 개인적으로 채플 수업에 대해 크게 불만이 없었지만, 채플 수업을 모든 학생에게 강요하는 것은 옳지 않다는 생각을 나 역시 해보았었다. 내가 처음 고등학교에 입학 했을 때 나는 기독교 신자가 아니었다. 1학년 때의 담당 전도사님은 수업에 들어와서 불교 신자들은 손을 들어보라고 하였다. 나는 불교 신자는 아니었지만 어머니가 불교 신자이셨기 때문에 별 느낌 없이 손을 들었다. 그러자 그 분은 대뜸 나에게 ‘일 년에 절에 몇 번 가냐’고 물었다. 물론 나는 절에는 가지 않기 때문에 아무 말도 할 수 없었다. 전도사님은 ‘그것 봐라. 일 년에 한 번도 절에 안 가면서 무슨 불교 신자냐’고 했다. 그것으로 끝이었다. 불교 신자들이 절에 가지 않는다고 해서 불교 신자가 아니라는 논리의 근거는 무엇이며, 그것이 왜 하나님을 믿어야 하는 이유인가에 대한 그 어떤 설명도 없었다.

담당 전도사님의 그런 일방적인 종교적 우월주의와 무미건조한 종교학 강의는 내게 아무런 감흥도 주지 못했다. 채플 수업을 듣는 1년 동안에도 기독교에 대한 관심보다는 반감만 커져 갔다. 그 이듬해에 나는 결국 기독교 신자가 되었지만, 그 믿음 중에 고교 1학년 때의 전도사님이나 채플 수업에 빚진 부분은 없을 것이다. 기독교 신앙을 전파하는 가장 강력한 수단은 다른 종교와 마찬가지로 종교 정신을 올바르게 실천하는 데 있다. 내가 기독교에 대해 조금씩 관심을 기울이고 믿음을 갖게 된 것도 자기의 신앙을 생활을 통해 구체화하는 사람들을 목격하면서 부터였다. 예수 그리스도를 믿으라고 입으로만 외치는, 믿지 않으면 지옥에 간다고 겁을 주는 사람들의 외침은 믿음을 전할 수 없다. 성실하게 자신의 일에 최선을 다하면서도 항상 웃음을 잃지 않고, 타인을 위해 희생하려는 이웃들을 통해 나는 신의 사랑을 알게 되었다.

…대학교의 경우와 달리 고등학교는 학생이 학교를 선택할 수 없기 때문이다. 대학의 경우 자신이 선택해서 진학하는 것이고 학생은 자신이 진학하는 학교가 미션 스쿨이라는 점을 스스로 인지하고 선택하기 때문에, 신앙의 유무를 떠나서라도 채플 수업을 감내해야 한다. 하지만 우리의 현재 교육 제도 내에서 고등학교 선택권은 주어지지 않는다. 그러므로 고등학생들이 종교 수업을 감내해야 할 의무 또한 없다고 봐야 한다. 기독 교리의 입장에서 보면 아니랄 수도 있겠지만, 현실 세계에서는 종교를 전파할 자유보다 더 중요한 것이 종교를 선택할 자유라는 점을 잊지 말아야 하는 것이다.

Of course it must not have been easy for the school to find a solution. But they should not have chosen the worst method. The school encouraged him to quit and didn’t keep the promise that they would not force chapel. It was an event showing how scary violence based on religion and education is. There are a lot of religious leaders in Korea. We have one of the biggest churches in the world. But among those religious leaders, none of them said that they would solve this problem. It made me sad. Finally the court raised their hands toward Kang Eui-seock. The court judged ‘the freedom to choose religion and not to be forced to choose it is bigger and more important than the freedom to deliver religion.’ I hoped that this logical judgement should have been decided much earlier….

…I went through high school and university based on Christianity and had to take chapel classes for 10 semesters. During that time, I was not so miserable about taking the classes, but I also thought it was not right to force the classes on all students. When I entered a high school, I was not a Christian. In the first grade, the form missionary came to the classroom and asked the Buddhists to raise hands. I was not a Buddhist, but my mom was. So I raised my hand without any serious thought. He asked me ‘How many times do you go to the Buddhist temple?’ I couldn’t answer because I didn’t go. So he said, ‘See. Even though you don’t go to the temple, how could you say you’re a Buddhist?’ That was it. Where did he get the idea that if Buddhist believers don’t go to temple, they are not believers? Why is that the reason people should believe in Jesus Christ?

His classes and his religious chauvinism didn’t make any impression on me. While I took the classes for one year, I learned to be antipathetic rather than interested in Christianity. The next year, I became a Christian, but the belief didn’t come from the missionary and his classes. The strongest method to deliver Christianity is to practice its spirit righteously like other religious should do. The reason why I got to be interested in Christianity and started having the belief was from people who lived up to the spirit. People who cry out to believe in Jesus Christ and threaten others to go to the hell can’t deliever the belief. I got to know about God’s love through looking at Christians who do their own best without smiling and are willing to sacrifice themselves for other people….

… Compared to colleges, students can’t choose high school….high school students don’t have any choice. Therefore, high school students don’t have to put up with religious classes. Maybe it doesn’t match with Christian theory, but the more important thing than delivering religion in the real world is the freedom to choose religion. It shouldn’t be forgotten.

There are bloggers who debate the problem from theperspective of the education system.

학생의 진학권과 학교의 학생선발권이 둘다 존재치 않는 평준화 지역에서 일어난 일이다. 미션스쿨에 보낸 교육부의 책임이 존재하는 만큼 반씩부담하는 것이 옳을 듯 하다. 말로만 교육개혁 하자고 하지 말고 작은 것도 해결하지 못하는 바보들이 그 동안 교육을 말아 먹었다. 불교나 무교 혹은 유교인 학생에게 기독계열 학교로 배정해 놓은 것은 교육부의 잘못이다. 강의석군 사건은 기독교 계열 학교에서 벌어진 일이지만 불교계열 학교에서도 마찬가지 일이 일어난다. 기독계열 학교에 학생들을 배정을 할려면 기독교를 믿는 학생들을 배정을 하고 불교계열 학교에 학생들을 배정을 할려면 불교를 믿는 학생들을 배정을 하라. 종교계열 학교들이 문제가 되는 것은 학교의 학생선발권과 학생의 진학권이 없기 때문에 일어나는 일이다….

This event happened in a place with no rights for students to choose schools or for schools to choose students. The Ministry of Education should be in charge of this event. Don’t have education revolution with your mouth. Those fools who even don’t solve small matters screw education up. It is the mistake of the Ministry of Education, which sends students who believe in Buddhism, don’t have any religion, or believe in Confucianism to Chiristian schools. Kang Eui-seock’s scandal happened to a Christian school, but it could happen to Buddhist schools. They should send Christian students to Christian schools and Buddhist students to Buddhist schools. The reason why this kind of problem happens is because there are no rights for students and schools.

No matter what result and influence this event generates, his brevity is regarded respectful.

강의석군의 의지에 경의를 보냅니다.강요하는 종교에 굴하지 않고 이루어낸 결과입니다. 종교가 인간의 기본권을 앞설수 없슴을 잘 보여준 판례 입니다.

I show my respect to Kang Eui-seok. It generated from accomplishing to be against forceful religio. It is the new precedent that religion can’t be more important than humans’ fundamental rights.
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China: Today's Myanmar, yesterday's China? 

This author has no photo Jacky · 13:11
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In John's round-up of Chinese bloggers' responses to the Saffron Revolution, he mentioned that some Chinese bloggers used "this incident as an opportunity to reflect on the state of China's own democratic movement."

Some of them even link the Saffron Revolution to the political disturbance of Beijing in the 1989's summer.

Here is an example. A post Myanmar's Today on TianYa.cn reads,

你们吃人民给你们的食物。你们却杀戮人民、杀害僧人！

曾经，有些人吃人民的乳汁，当人民的子弟兵，却杀戮xuesheng。

You are eating food given to you by the people. Yet you kill people and you kill the monks!

At one time, some men ate the people's milk, became the people's army, yet they killed xuesheng (Students).

To avoid censorship, the author used PinYin for the word Student instead of Chinese characters.

It is not easy to find similar posts on the Chinese internet now. As the 17th Party Congress is approaching, most of the Chinese web sites have tightened up their filters.

However, Chinese are good at expressing themselves implicitly.

A netizen, personating the Myanmar Daily Editorial, wrote a post A Clear-cut Stand Against The Myanmar Unrest, imitating the tones and styles of the People's Daily Editorial.

…

全国僧侣、全国人民必须清醒地认识到，不坚决地制止这场动乱，将国无宁日。这场斗争事关缅甸振兴和国家建设的成败，事关国家民族的前途。

…

All the monks and the people shall realize that if we do not stop the unrest resolutely, there will be no peace in the country. This battle is concerned with the revitalization of Myanmar and the success of nation-building. It is vital to the future of the nation.

Replacing the words Myanmar and Monks with China and Students, you get the message.

Many Chinese readers found this article interesting and cross-posted it on different BBSs and Blogs. But the intention of this article is too obvious to the web sites' moderators. It disappeared from most of the big BBSs and blog sites. Still, readers can find pieces of this article hidden scatteredly in some comments of BBSs or Blog posts.

Some netizens took more complicated routes to get their voices across.

A post on KDNet.net, The Iron Evidence of America Interfering Myanmar Internal Affairs – Let's Protest Together!, has generated many responses from the readers.

The author called on the readers to protest against the US.

想干涉下美国内政的就跟贴干涉好了，我搂主大大的欢迎！

Those who want to interfere the internal affairs of America please post your follow-ups here. I greatly welcome.

It looks like a post from the Anger Youth, buried in some other nationalistic posts. But if you read carefully, you will find something interesting. Responding to Bush's statement on the situation in Burma, the author wrote,

我呼吁秉持砖制和奴才价值观的人们颠覆美国布什政府的狰荡要求。

I call on those who embrace the values of autocratic and flunkeyism to overthrow the Bush Administration's hideous request.

Many readers applauded the author in their comments.

From this cat and mouse game, we can see that the monks' protest in Myanmar is not only a foreign issue but also an internal issue to the Chinese government.

32 comments · »»

Kenyan Bloggers on Safaricom mystery 

This author has no photo Bankele · 11:19
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The Nairobi Stock Exchange, where Kenyan companies are traded has been on a downward trend in the second half of the year.

Blogger Odegle Nyang narrates Real Lean Times after observing his stockbroker whose “expansion (was) informed by the huge volume of business and euphoria witnessed last year. But now most of their 14 teller booths are empty and those occupying them are visibly bored and yawning.” The brokers blame the downturn on the feeling that an opposition leader, Raila Odinga, could win the elections expected in December 2007 as voters “are ignoring the noise about economic growth, creation of jobs etc.” by the incumbent president.

He observes:

the situation really is grim in the stock brokers front. my favorite standard investment bank had expanded and moved into a new large office in the center of the town. the expansion informed by the huge volume of business and euphoria witnessed last year. but now most of their 14 teller booths are empty and those occupying them are visibly bored and yawning. but standard investment bank still is a good broker and their orders are still executed within 3 working days.

Another Blogger Riba Capital adds that multiple factors are causing the slump with foreign investors are being spooked by the elections and retail investors simply waiting for the initial public offer (IPO) of Safaricom, the country’s largest mobile phone company, which is excepted before the end of the year:

My take, is that multiple factors are coming into play at the same time.
There is the factor of institutional players (fund managers) crystallizing profits for the third quarter reporting period.
Then there is the heightened political situation as various political heavy weights take to the campaign trail making promises and hitting on their competitors from all angles, this factor affects more on foreign participants and retail investors who do not have any major links or contacts with the various political players.
The third factor but of which is not fully fledged is some investors liquidating their positions in preparation for the Safaricom IPO later in the year if all goes as planned.

The market has taken a bit of a knock, with a significant reduction in trading volumes and market prices after it had appeared to be recovering fully from the prolonged drop in share prices earlier in the year.
But this is likely to improve as fund managers mop up shares at discount prices and consolidate their portfolios. My take is that we should also be taking advantage of this time to buy into the stable and sound companies with a sound dividend payment policy.

Mobile phone company Safaricom has risen to become Kenya's largest company with profits of 17 billion shillings (about $250 million in 2006). However, it has been plagued by a mysterious shareholding matter – as the company which was officially declared and to be a partnership between the national landline operator Telkom Kenya (with 60%) and Vodafone - UK (with 40%) has now been found to have a third shareholder – through an unregistered company known as Mobitelea, which owns 5% of the shares.

Here’s a rundown on Safaricom:

Bankelele had earlier opined that the Safaricom IPO could be a crucial vote getter in an election year if it was well managed:

(Premium) Story in the Nation about the Cabinet being presented with a paper to approve the sale of 25% of Safaricom to the public.

This is a winning card this election year that will be foremost in the minds of investors and voters. A well managed Safaricom IPO before December could deliver more votes than needless voter expenditure or rhetoric from any leader.

John Maina places that mysterious shareholder issue on par with other Kenyan mega scandals like Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing:

Many questions are flying around on Whom, How, What, Why, When this mysterious company Mobitelea acquired the 5% which was previously 10%.

A quick background check on Mobitelea reveals that it is registered in Guernsey under 2 nominee companies. Talk about identity protection. Just wonder whether a travel down to this tax haven would reveal much more?

My concern is that having pulled through the Goldenberg and Anglo-leasing scandals, this may be another one in the making.

Coldtusker argues that 10% was stolen and not 5% of Safaricom by the mysterious company:

The crescendo over the, mobitelea stolen indirect 5% ownership in Safaricom, is rising. What many commentators are missing is that it was 10% (not 5%) that was stolen from every Kenyan Man, Woman & Child.

mobitelea - often referred to as moi biwott telecoms of east africa - had stolen 10% but sold 5% in 2002 to its partners in bribery, vodafone, when moi's proxy was going to lose the elections.

The way I figure it out is that Vodafone bought 40% of Safaricom from GOK but had to cough up 10% to mobitelea as “grease” money. A pity but vivendi had to cut a deal with naushad merali (the ty”con”) for the 2nd license.

Mars Group Kenya, an anti-corruption watchdog group, gives a rundown of findings by the Kenyan parliament who looked into the shareholding issue:

10% of Telkom (K) Ltd shares in Safaricom were irregularly transferred to Mobitelea Ventures without the consent of Treasury and that of the parent ministry according to the Fifteenth Report of the Public Investments Committee on the accounts of State Corporations 2007. The explosive Parliamentary Committee Report on Public Investments wants the Director of KACC to immediately institute investigations on the circumstances and manner in which the shares were transferred to Mobitelea with a view to taking appropriate action against any persons found culpable. The PIC also wants the Director of KACC, to include a progress report on the investigation in the Commissions quarterly report to the House for the next immediate period.

Wikileaks publication of a report from Kroll Associates sheds some light on who the shareholders may be.

However, Pesa Tu argues that the mystery shareholder is a non issue as far as Kenyan IPO investors are concerned, since Vodafone (UK) is the only aggrieved party to a private dispute with Mobitelea. He explains why the IPO must go on:

Why the IPO must go on
The Safaricom IPO will ignite significant foreign interest that will grow our markets and put Kenya in focus of all the top markets.The market Growth will create more jobs for everyone and grow the economy.

If we stop the IPO we can get back Mobitelea's stake
Ha, Not a chance the Mobitelea stake is parked in a private company Vodafone(K) Ltd.Government cant interfere with private property that is unconstitutional
Let me put the point across using a story:
There was once an old mzee who had 10 acres of land.He sold 4 acres to his Best Friend.The Best Friend then sold 1 Acre to a stranger the Mzee didn't like.The Mzee wanted that particular 1 Acre(that was sold to the stranger back).Do you think he got it ?

This is unfair Mobitelea's owners are getting away with free money
Life is unfair that why some people have first class degrees and are clerks while others have Certificates and are millionaires.Thats the case whether in USA or Kenya.

0 comments · »»

Colombia: Humorous Business Blog Given Top Prize 

a small portrait of this author Juliana Rincón Parra · 01:57
lingua → mg · zht · zhs · es
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The Cámara Colombiana de Informática y Telecomunicaciones CCIT (Colombian Chamber of Telecommunications and Information Technology) gave the Best Blog in 2007 Award to Se nos cayó el sistema [ES] , a blog which talks about productivity and business matters in a tongue-in-cheek fashion. The name of the blog is the most common phrase you will hear from any type of employee to excuse themselves and their company for any mistakes: we had a system failure.

Se nos cayó el sistema es el libro de negocios [en curso] sobre los temas empresariales y de negocios en el entorno de negocios del tercer mundo. Es una mirada divertida a las historias y los componentes de estrategia, organización, tecnología, procesos y gente que hacen a las economías en desarrollo

The System´s down is a business book [in process] about businesses and enterprise topics related to doing business in the third world. It is a fun look at the stories and the components of strategy, organization, technology, processes and people who make part of the developing economies.

This blog is also nominated for the The BoBs, The Deutsche Welle International Weblog Awards.

Blogger Víctor Solano [ES] mentions:

El blog ganador ha mostrado una suficiente coherencia conceptual y un enfoque disciplinado en el horizonte que se trazó. Con la mirada de un consultor que ausculta cada uno de los rincones del entramado organizacional, Andrés Naranjo deja ver un gran pragmatismo y no por ello descuida el humor y la dimensión social de cada uno de los momentos agrios y festivos de una empresa que se disculpa en la caída del sistema para evadir sus responsabilidades.

The winning blog has demonstrated conceptual coherence and a disciplined focus on the horizon it drew for itself. With the perspective of a consultant who studies each and every one of the nooks and crannies in the organizational network, Andrés Naranjo lets his great pragmatism show through, but doesn't forget humour and a social dimension to the different sour and festive moments of a company who places the blame on a system failure to avoid responsibilities.

At Se nos cayó el sistema, the author Andrés Naranjo writes about the award ceremony with the same style Mr. Solano previously mentioned:

No obstante, me parece interesante que este blog y su contenido - enfocado a temas de negocios, productividad, etc… - coincide con el zeitgeist del momento - (competitividad, productividad, etc…). Estoy seguro que eso tuvo que ver… y eso deja una lección de ventas (todo en este post es de negocios)… la lección es que es mas importante lo que estén comprando [el jurado] que lo que usted esté vendiendo!

Nevertheless, it is interesting to me that this blog and its content - focused on topics of business, productivity, etc…- coincides with the moment's zeitgeist - (competitivity, productivity, etc…) I'm sure that this had something to do…and this is a sales lesson (everything in this post has to do with business)… the lesson is that whatever they [the jury] is buying is more important than whatever you are selling!

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