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Egypt: Boycott the World

Amira Al Hussaini · 21:33 · Middle East & North Africa

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People around the world are using economic pressure in protest against political decisions by calling for boycotting products from certain countries. With more countries being constantly added to the boycott list, Egyptian blogger Tarek shares the following novel idea. Boycott the world, pleads the blogger.
Tarek writes:

قاطعوا المنتجات الدنماركية بسبب الرسوم المسيئة
و المنتجات الهولندية بسبب الأفلام التي تسخر من الدين
و المنتجات الأمريكية بسبب معاملتهم الغير إنسانية للعرب
و المنتجات البريطانية بسبب تفتيشهم للبابا شنودة في المطار
و المنتجات الصينية بسبب عدم إيمانهم بأي من الديانات السماوية
و المنتجات المصرية لأن بعض الناس يسبون الدين لبعض حين يتشاجرون
لذلك و إيمانا بدور هذه المدونة في حماية الأديان السماوية و الأخلاق الحميدة
فإننا ندعوكم أن تقاطعوا العالم
قاطعوا العالم يا عالم

Boycott Danish products because of the offensive cartoons
And Dutch products because of films which ridicule religion
And American products because of the inhumane way in which they treat Arabs
And British products because they searched Pope Shenuda at the airport
And Chinese products because they don't believe in any of the monotheistic religions
And Egyptian products because some people swear at the religions of others when they get into fights
This is why, stemming from the belief of this blog, to protect monotheistic religions and good manners,
I call upon you to boycott the world!
Boycott the entire world.

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Egypt: Anti-Strike Facebook Group Formed

Amira Al Hussaini · 18:31, April 17th, 2008 · Middle East & North Africa

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To circumnavigate censorship, activists in the Arab world are strongly leaning on online tools to get their messages across and expose what they describe as state brutality against civilians. Word about last week's April 6 strike in Egypt was spread on a Facebook group, which has so far attracted more than 71,200 members. Now Egyptian blogger GEMYHOoOD (Ar) tells us about an anti-strike Facebook group, which has around 1,000 followers.

GEMYHOoOD is obviously not pleased that President Hosni Mubarak's supporters have found their way to Facebook and says:

الواضح ان ماسحى الجوخ و كلاب مبارك عرفوا ان الفيس بوك حلو و جميل و تقدر من خلاله تجمع الشباب الفاضى و مش لاقى حاجة يعملها و زى ما اتجمع 70 الف مع الاضراب يقدروا يجمعوا 70 الف ضده

It is obvious that hypocrites and Mubarak's dogs have discovered that Facebook is nice and through it, you are able to bring together idle youth, who have nothing else to do, and just like 70,000 people were gathered for the strike, they can bring together 70,000 against it.

فجأة الاقى اعلان مدفوع الاجر على يسار موقع الفيس بوك تشجب و تندد بالشغب و العبث بالامن القومى المصرى و تدعو للاشتراك بمجموعة على الفيس بوك ضد فكرة الاضراب و ما حدث خلاله من عبث فى أمن مصر القومى

Suddenly you find a paid advertisement on the left of the Facebook site, which condemns rioting and disturbing Egypt's national security and calls for participating in a Facebook group against the idea of the strike and what happened during it of disturbance to Egypt's national security.

وصف المجموعة وفقا لما كتبوه فى الفيس بوك

من الفيس بوك خرجت دعوة اضراب 6 ابريل ومن فيس بوك ايضا يجب ان تخرج حملة ادانة لتخريب ممتلكات الناس و قطع الطرق وترويع الامنين - ان ما حدث فى المحلة حطر على الجميع وخطر على الأمن القومى المصري ويتحمل مسئوليته بشكل مباشر القوى السياسية التى سخنت الاوضاع بدون ان تكون لديها اى قدرة على السيطرة على الوضع كما يتحمل نتيجتها ايضا الأمن الذى قام بالبطش بالناس بلا هوادة فاستفز الجميع

The group describes itself on Facebook saying:
From Facebook the call for the April 6 strike came, and from Facebook the campaign to condemn the destruction of people's property and terrorising peaceful people should come. What happened in Al Mahalla is a danger to everyone and to Egypt's national security. Political powers in particular bear the responsibility for the situation getting out of hand without being able to control it. The security forces too are to blame after being brutal to people without discrimination.

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Kazakhstan: Political Players Reshuffled

Adil Nurmakov · 07:24 · Central Asia & Caucasus

Kazakhstani political field may only seem still and silent against the background of a one-party parliament and a long-ruling president. But in its depth it is very lively - passions and intrigues are brewing both within the state apparatus and in the opposition's camp. The competition between groupings is not transparent for public and, certainly, not too democratic. Most likely, despite the country's looming OSCE chairmanship in 2010, this kind of political system will remain until then and long after:

“OSCE officials can forget about all Kazakhstan’s promises concerning democratization. All promises, in exchange of which we obtained your votes for our chairmanship. For those of you having problems with understanding, the Kazakhstan’s president plainly explained in his interview with Reuters: “We were elected as full-fledged member of the Organization, and we have no commitments whatsoever”, writes Arseny of neweurasia.

(more…)

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Kazakhstan: People Get Poorer Amid Economy Boom and Corruption

Adil Nurmakov · 07:20 · Central Asia & Caucasus

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As the Kazakhstani economy continues to grow - although much slower now - thanks to petrodollars inflow, the resource nationalism and state expansion tendencies get stronger. Private business has to fight against the credit crunch consequences themselves, but both sectors suffer from flagrant and endemic corruption. (more…)

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