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Lusosphera: Remembering the Carnation Revolution

Paula Góes · 22:03

lingua → pt · es

It was a beautiful party
I was very pleased
I've still kept stubbornly
an old carnation for me
They have wilted your party
But they must have forgotten a seed
in some corner of the garden
(Song by Chico Buarque, to whom I beg forgiveness for my translation)

On April 25 1974, 34 years today, Portugal's 40-year fascist dictatorship, the longest in the history of Western Europe, came to an end with the Carnation Revolution, a leftist, military-led coup d'état. On that morning people went out to the streets despite the advice to stay at home, but instead of blood shed, bullets were swapped for flowers. There was a surprisingly peaceful overthrow of the dictatorship of Antônio de Oliveira Salazar and his successor, Marcelo Caetano, in which the population held red carnations and tucked them into the soldiers' rifle barrels. The second aim of the revolution was the cessation of the war in Africa.

With the too rapid independence for its African colonies, a violent civil war shook Angola, Mozambique was made independent the year after but only found peace in 1992 and East Timor was seized by force by Indonesia a year later. Other colonies, like Cape Verde, were left poor to despair. Despite the decolonization process being considered a shambles, the revolution enjoys popular support today and many Portuguese speaking bloggers, from these countries and around the world, dedicated a post to it.

Lusofolia [pt] publishes the video above, ‘Tanto Mar' is a song-homage composed by Brazilian Chico Buarque, which was later censored as Brazil was enduring its own dictatorship. The blogger says:

… tão distante já, é comovente relembrar daqui de longe o dia em que foram as mulheres que ofereceram flores aos homens. Um abraço a todos e a todas.

… it is so distant now, it is moving to remember from here, so far away, the day on which it was the women who offered flowers to men. A hug to all ladies and gentlemen.

CBugarim [pt], who was born under the Portuguese rule in Angola, says:

Festejo a Paz e o Progresso em Angola e o facto de a distância não me ter separado da minha Família e amigos mais queridos. Presto a minha homenagem a todos aqueles que pagaram com as suas vidas a factura da Liberdade e da Paz.

I'm cheering for the Peace and Progress in Angola and the fact that the distance has not separated me from my dearest family and friends. I pay my homage to all those who paid the bill of Freedom and Peace with their lives

From Maputo, Mozambique, Marta [pt] has been publishing April 25 inspired posts all day with poems, links to video and images, such as the one above.

From Macau, Leocardo [pt] explains the relationship society has with the historic day:

Em Macau o Dia de Cravos bateu com pouca força. É uma sociedade muito conservadora que se pela pelos santinhos, missas e procissões. Talvez seja por isso que alguma da beatada da metrópole se deu tão bem com os ares de cá. Talvez por isso não compreendam que afinal é o povo quem mais ordenha (ordena, bolas!). As actividades do 25/4 resumem-se ao feriado no Consulado, da Escola Portuguesa, e ao protocolo da praxe. Sempre presentes estão os habituais papa-eventos, que vão lá seja qual for o orador.

In Macau, the Carnations Day hit with little impact. It is a very conservative society which goes after little saint images, masses and processions. Perhaps it is why some of the church-blissful ones from the metropolis did so well with the airs over here. Perhaps that is why they don't understand that it actually is the people who do most milking (I mean who order!). The activities of the 25/4 holiday are held in the consulate, in the Portuguese School, and follow the usual protocol. There will be the usual party-goes, who will be there whoever the speaker is.

[Note: the blogger makes a very difficult to translate wordplay with ordenha/ordena, which sound very similar in Portuguese but the first means to milk an animal, and the second to order, to be in charge. The word Ordena was used in a then banned song by José Afonso, Grândola Vila Morena, broadcast on a radio station as a kind of password on the morning of April 25 to signalize to the troops that the day had come, as Brazilian blogger Elisabete Cunha [pt] quotes in a very elaborated post].

From East Timor, Frederico Duarte Carvalho [pt] suggests a book by Nuno Simas which shows how the US knew exactly what was going on in Portugal, unlike the popular belief:

Podem encontrar aqui os originais dos arquivos norte-americanos. O Nuno Simas, contudo, começa o livro com a defesa da versão oficial de que os EUA estavam a “leste” em relação ao golpe que preparava para o dia 25 de Abril de 1974 e, mais à frente, cita Henry Kissinger a queixar-se de que os EUA não tinham de andar a prever golpes pelo mundo fora. Dito assim, parece mesmo que nada se sabia…

You can find the original US archives here. Nuno Simas, however, starts the book defending the official version that the U.S. were “east” when time came to the coup that was being prepared for April 25, 1974, and later, cites Henry Kissinger complaining that the U.S. did not have to to anticipate coups by the outside world. Putting it like this, it seems that they knew nothing…

From Portugal, Alder Pinoca [pt] publishes the image above, says that he remembers little of the sheer happiness around from the day in his childhood and asks when the promised ‘Freedom Day' will actually come:

E diziam que a liberdade estava a passar por ali e que tinha vindo para ficar porque a defenderiam.
Era o 25 de Abril de 1974. Tantas palavras promissoras eu ouvi, a tantas alegrias eu assisti.
E agora, hoje, neste momento, onde estará a liberdade e a alegria que guardei no cofre das minhas memórias de criança?
É isto a liberdade? É isto a democracia? A justiça?
O 25 de Abril, sempre! É isto?

And they said that freedom was coming through and that it was there to stay because they would defend it.
It was April 25, 1974. So many promising words I heard, I watched so much joy.
And now, today, today, where is the freedom and joy that I kept safe in my childhood memories?
Is this freedom? Is this democracy? Justice?
April 25, always! Is that all?

On the other hand, also from Portugal, Tiago R Cardoso [pt] laments that the young generation of today do not appreciate April 25 and do not know how to protest when they need to do so:

A actual juventude está afastada do 25 de Abril, dá-lhe pouca importância, acha que a liberdade e todos estes direitos que tem caíram do céu, quando são fruto de anos de lutas, de acumular de frustrações e injustiça, que culminou na a revolta contra “o estado a que chegamos” […] “O 25 de Abril não é monopólio de uma geração nem de uma força política”, quem me dera que muitos ouvissem e entendessem..

The youth of today is far away from April 25, they give it little attention, they believe that freedom and all the rights that they have have dropped from the sky, whereas they are the result of years of struggles, accumulated frustration and injustice, which culminated in the revolt against “the state we have reached” […] “April 25 is not the monopoly of a generation or a political force,” I wish many people would hear and understand this.

You can read an article by Mozambican author Mia Couto about the revolution here.

1 comment · »»

Lost Brazilian ballooning priest carried into the blogosphere

Jose Murilo Junior · 21:18

lingua → pt

Brazil is an unusual place. The country is full of unconventional people, capable of performing extraordinary feats, which nowadays can get reported in peculiar ways by an ever-growing crowd of unique bloggers. This time the story is rather sad, but the blogosphere is exploding with humorous takes on the tragedy of a Brazilian Roman Catholic priest who is missing after drifting out to sea while trying to set a record for a flight using helium-filled party balloons.

The goal of Father Adelir Antonio de Carli was to break the 19-hour record for remaining aloft using only party balloons, in order to raise funds for the rest stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil’s second-largest port for agricultural products. Brazilian truckers often spend days waiting to unload in the port, especially during the busy soy export season now under way.

Planes, helicopters and boats from Brazilian rescue forces have been out along the coast of Santa Catarina state looking for the balloon-flying priest all week. Surely, a religious person gone missing during a charity stunt deserves the highest respect, but the lack of elementary safety features in Father de Carli's plan to accomplish his endeavor has unleashed an unstoppable stream of humorous lines, although not without some guilty thoughts about them.

Seria cômico se não fosse trágico? Pois acho que pode ser trágico e cômico. Estão aí as “tragicomédias” que não me deixam mentir. Por favor, concorde comigo antes que eu continue!: é cômico! (súplica gratuita, desinteressada e “afoita!” por dividir o peso na consciência por ter visto tanta graça nisso tudo)
Padre Peter Pan - Fossas do Ofício

Would it be comic if it were not tragic? I say that it can be tragic and comic. Here we have the ‘tragi-comedies' that won't let me lie. Please, agree with me before I go on! — IT IS COMIC! (so here is a bold and gratuitous appeal to share the heavy weight in my consciousness for having seen so much comedy in all this).
Peter Pan Priest - Fossas do Ofício

então, o que tá rolando de piada em cima desse padre que resolveu voar amarrado a balões contendo gás hélio não está nas escrituras sagradas… aliás, a peripécia derradeira do padre aviador é o assunto do dia com um amigo, estudante de jornalismo, que mora no rj. a imprudência do sacerdote, de tão bizarra, chega a ser cômica. como alguém pretende voar de balão com uma condição climática completamente desfavorável, sem ao menos saber operar um gps, minha gente?
Como usar um gps? - de tudo um pouco

So, the amount of jokes over this priest who decided to fly tied to balloons filled with helium is not contained in the sacred scriptures…. Moreover, the flying priest's last feat was the topic-of-the-day in a debate I had with a friend who studies journalism and lives in Rio. The father's imprudence, from being so bizarre, ends up as risible. How does someone wanting to fly with party balloons in completely unfavorable weather, without knowing at least how to operate a gps — really folks?
How to use a gps?Como usar um gps? - de tudo um pouco

Indeed, the last contact made by the priest through a satellite cell phone was a request for someone who could teach him how to operate the GPS he had taken with him, so that he could give his actual coordinates. Even the uber-geek folks at Gizmodo could not keep from gaily commenting the tech aspect in the case.

Sadly, nobody was able to explain to him how to do it correctly and, around 9PM—the time of his last contact—he disappeared. I see this sad event, which has ended in the tragedy of a missing person—obviously he's a bit crazy and this is all his fault—as an example of all that is wrong with the design of machines today. Not because technology itself was the cause of him getting lost—it wasn't. It was more bad luck and bad planning than anything else. After all, his first flight was a success without GPS, and men have been wandering through Earth without any help for thousands of years. The problem here is that I can imagine his frustration, trying to make sense of an infernal device so he could tell people his exact location, all the while knowing that he was going to get lost forever in the immensity of the sea.
Priest Takes Off Using Party Balloons, GPS to Find God (Literally) - Gizmodo

Searchers have already found many of the balloons stretched over an area 50 km away from the coast of Santa Catarina state, but no signs of the cleric, who was wearing a helmet, aluminum thermal flight suit, water-proof overalls and a parachute. Friends and relatives still believe that the priest was well prepared for unexpected events, and that there is big chance that he is still alive. Yet, other accounts tell about the priest's daring and exhibitionist personality, that would disregard safety measures and trample upon any obstacle standing on his way to broad recognition.

O padre Adelir De Carli, de 41 anos, foi expulso da escola de vôo livre Vento Norte, em Curitiba, há cerca de três anos por indisciplina e exibicionismo. É o que conta Márcio André Lichtnow, instrutor responsável pelo curso de parapente que teve o padre como aluno… “Ele era indisciplinado e não participava das aulas teóricas, que são fundamentais para se compreender as questões meteorológicas. Ele não tinha nada de humilde, se acha o bom, o que conhecia tudo, o que sabia tudo. Parecia um playboy”, diz Lichtnow. O instrutor afirma que o padre fez dez horas de aulas práticas e quatro horas de aulas teóricas. Para completar o curso precisaria de 40 horas de prática e 30 horas de teoria. Lichtnow conta ainda que o padre o procurou para falar dos planos de voar a partir de Paranaguá (PR). “Falei para ele que decolando dali o único lugar que ele poderia pousar era na África do Sul, porque é para lá que os ventos levam. Mas ele disse que já havia estudado tudo e eu achei que era brincadeira”, lembra. “Fiquei bem menos católico depois de conhecer o padre”, finaliza o instrutor, que faz questão de dissociar a figura de Adelir De Carli da escola de vôo. “Ele tentou ser meu aluno, mas não foi aceito”.
Mais um brasileiro em ‘Lost' - Dona Didi

Father Adelir de Carli (41) was expelled from the free flight course Vento Norte [North Wind] 3 years ago, in Curitiba [Parana State], for his exhibitionism and lack of discipline. This is what Marcio Andre Lichtnow — the instructor of the para-glider course attended by the priest — tells us… “He was undisciplined and would not attend the theory classes, which are basic for the comprehension of the meteorological issues. He was not humble at all, having an inflated view of himself, the know-it-all guy. He looked like a playboy”, says Lichtnow. The instructor says the Father attended 10 hours of practical lessons and 4 hours of theory. In order to complete the course, he would need 40 hours of practice and 30 hours of theory. Lichtnow tells also that the priest sought him to talk about his plans to fly from Paranagua. “I told him that if he flew from there, the only place he could land it would be South Africa, because there is where the winds blow to. But he said he had already figured out everything, and I thought he was joking”, he remembers. “I became much less Catholic after meeting this priest”, sums up the flight instructor, who is very clear in dissociating the priest from his flight school. “He tried to be my student, but he was not accepted”.
Another Brazilian in ‘Lost' - Dona Didi

There is a possibility that the priest's careless attitude for his own safety gave license to or even triggered the strong flow of comic responses seen in the Brazilian blogosphere concerning the unusual circumstances contributing to his disappearance. Last time we checked, Father Adelir had even acquired a fake blog called ‘Imaginary Diary of a Flying Priest‘, and Julio Vedovatto plays with the possible media headlines around the world reporting about the priest's stunt:

- The New York Times: Padre sobe, bolsas caem.
- O Globo: Caos aéreo: Piloto confirma ‘quase colisão’ com padre.
- Diário de Bogotá: Padre desaparecido pode estar em poder das FARC.
- Gazeta de Madrid: Zapatero avisa: Se padre entrar na Espanha, será deportado.
- Diário de La Paz: Evo Morales recebe padre e pede reajuste para encher os balões de gás.
- Diarinho: Padre maluco se escafedeu com balões de festinha.
- Corrieri de la cera: Vaticano apóia balão, mas condena camisinha.
- Washington Post: Hillary vs. Obama: Padre irá desempatar a disputa.
- Beijing News: Governo Chinês confisca as imagens da queda do balão do padre no Tibet e afirma que não houve violência.
- Beijing News (edição extra): Governo chinês diz que padre já está treinando para a cerimônia de abertura dos jogos olímpicos.
- Israel: Resbolah diz que ‘padre voador’ é um deboche à Maomé e promete novos ataques terroristas.
- Correio Braziliense: Oposição diz ter provas de que os balões foram comprados com cartão corporativo.
- Diário do Equador: Governo confirma que balão foi abatido pelo exército Colombiano e exige explicações.
Enquanto isso nos jornais do mundo, sobre o Padre do Balão - Julio Vedovatto

- The New York Times: Priest goes up, the market goes down.
- O Globo: Aerial Chaos: Pilot confirms ‘near collision' with priest.
- Bogotá Daily: Missing priest maybe a FARC prisoner now.
- Madrid Gazette: Zapatero Declares: If priest tries to enter Spain, he will be deported.
- La Paz Diary: Evo Morales talks with Priest, seeks adjustment on gas prices to refill balloons.
- Little Diary: Crazy Priest Gets away with the Balloons of Kids' Party.
- Corrieri de la Cera: Vatican supports ballons, but keeps condemning preservatives.
- Washington Post: Hillary vs. Obama: Priest will decide the contest.
- Beijing News: Chinese government seizes images of the priest's balloon landing in Tibet and affirms there was no violence.
- Beijing News (Extra Edition): Chinese government announces that the priest is already rehearsing for the opening of the Olympic Games.
- Israel: Hezbolah declares that the “flying priest” is a Moaomé mockery and promises new terrorist attacks.
- Correio Braziliense: Opposition talks about evidence that the balloons were bought with governement credit cards.
- Ecuador Daily: Government confirms that ballons were shot down by Colombian forces and demands explanations.

Newspapers around the world, about the balloon priest - Julio Vedovatto

$Spoof\'s Bin Laden$ In fact, the story of the Brazilian priest and his balloons has really echoed abroad, and the tragicomic results among bloggers seems to be the same. The event is already listed as a candidate for the ‘Darwin Awards‘, an initiative to ‘reward people who remove themselves from the gene pool voluntarily by accidentally killing themselves in stupid ways', and ‘The spoof‘ has a headline that says: “Al Qaeda accepts responsibility for missing balloon priest“.

Almost a week after the disappearance the priest's family still believes that he will be found, as the seat was lined with air-tight pockets that can be pumped up and there are several islands in the region that he could have washed up on. Indeed, one of the most circulated satires of the case toys with the fact that the priest might have landed on a very well-known island, where others are already Lost.

Another Brazilian in Lost
[Rodrigo Santoro, a Brazilian actor, joined Lost's cast during it's third season]

We hope and pray still for the success of the continuing search efforts and that we may have the opportunity to share stories about the viral media phenomenon triggered by his exploits and good laughs with the Father himself. Meanwhile, the blogosphere continues to balloon with the story.

Padre Perdido Reloaded
Where is the priest?

Locais que o Padre louco dos balões “avuo”!
Places the crazy balloon priest has visited

Father Adelir makes appearence on Google Maps

8 comments · »»

Armenia: April 24 — Genocide Memorial Day

Onnik Krikorian · 06:30

lingua → es

Armenian Genocide Memorial

Yesterday marked the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and the deaths of approximately 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Often described as the first Genocide of the 20th Century, the Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin invented the term in the 1940s with the Armenian and Jewish Holocausts in mind.

Every year on 24 April, a date marking the roundup of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in what is now Istanbul, Armenians commemorate the massacres and deportations worldwide. In Yerevan, this is particularly the case with hundreds of thousands marching up to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial overlooking the capital to lay flowers and pay their respects.

This year was no different, but as my Caucasus Knot describes, the event started the night before with a candlelight procession by youth affiliated to the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D).

[T]housands of young Armenians affiliated with the Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) assembled in Yerevan’s Liberty Square before embarking on a now traditional candlelight procession to the memorial overlooking the capital. Of course, this being the most nationalist of commemorative events, the Turkish flag was doused in petrol and set alight first. Interestingly, but not convincingly at all, Armenian Public Radio reports that the organizers deny such an act is ever planned.

ARF-D Demonstration

Blogian provides a comprehensive post accompanied by photos from the day itself as remembered throughout the world. The blog notes that even if Turkey held its own event to instead remember the First World War battle of Gallipoli, the day was very different elsewhere. It also examines the larger context of the Armenian Genocide and continuing attempts to have the tragedy recognized internationally as well as in Turkey itself.

Ninety-three years after the Armenian Genocide started Armenians still remember their unforgettable tragedy. Ninety-three years after the extermination of western Armenia started Turkey denies it ever happened. Ninety-three years after the Genocide started it continues for many Armenians. It continues in denial, hatred and continuous oppression of Armenian culture in Turkey.

For Armenians, April 24 is a day of sorrow, reflection and pride. Sorrow for the uncountable lives lost and an ancient culture reduced to dust; reflection on how to deal with the past in the present for a better future; and a pride for surviving the worst crime in this world.

For Turks, it is a story rather to remain untold. Challenging Turkey’s very right to exist, the Genocide is seen a threat to national pride and legitimacy by many Turks. But for others, it is also a fundamental question of human rights with universal and apolitical applications.

Yet, despite the fact that the day should be one where Armenians of all political and religious persuasions should come together, the commemoration took on a more political tone in Armenia itself. Following the recent and disputed 19 February presidential election, the radical opposition led by former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian, held their own march where rather than remember those that died, slogans from the several thousand which attended instead supported his bid to return to power.

Opposition March

Thankfully, the march was held without incident as my Caucasus Knot explains. Given tensions in Armenia since the presidential election, there was the potential for clashes.

Although there were many police escorting the protesters, they were unarmed and not decked out in riot gear. Moreover, and setting quite a precedented compared to any other opposition rally in close proximity to the government buildings on the road, the police outside the presidential palace were also wearing normal uniform. There were no red berets or riot police although I’m sure there were probably some hidden away on an adjoining street in case the situation got out of hand. As it was, apart from whistles and the near-constant shouts of “Levon, President,” there were no incidents.

The situation remained the same until approaching Tsitsernakaberd with senior police officers even communicating with senior members of Ter-Petrossian’s team about the route. And all this despite the perhaps inappropriate slogans and emotions from some among Ter-Petrossian’s supporters.

Seetizen, the blog of a local youth activist, was dismayed with the opposition's use of the day for political purposes.

Some Armenians went to an opposition rally today, against i don't understand what…. They were shouting I dont understand what and why… and I really dont get how could an rmenian person go to an opposition (oBOZition better to say!!!) rally on this day??????! Hey dears, common, go rest a while, think, and then do whatever you are doing!

Such a shame to be an Armenian when I see what other Armenians are doing here! I hope those rally-dudes never get what they wanted! I am pretty sure they anyway will not get anything good after all…:) shame

Supporters of the radical opposition, however, also used the day to attack the government. Even though their leader, Levon Ter-Petrossian, is noted for his conciliatory position on relations between Armenia and Turkey, Nazarian criticizes the present government for also taking a more moderate position — or what the blog considers a “defeatist path.”

The “foreign minister” Eduard Nalbandian has said “It is impossible to imagine the future of the Armenians and Turks without reconciliation”.

He said this on April 24! This is serious.

This kind of policies in the past have been labeled as defeatist by the pseudo-president. Why has he decided to embark on this kind of foreign policy now? Does he hope that the Turks will come to his aid when he is about to be kicked out of Armenia?

In fact, the Genocide is one of the most contentious and defining aspects of the present-day identity of most Armenians, especially in the Diaspora. Nevertheless, remembers Hrag Vartanian, who posts a photograph of Armenian-American artist, Kardash Onnig, holding up a sign reading “Un-Hate a Turk This Day,” there are some who believe in the importance of recognizing the Genocide, but also consider that blind hatred towards Turkey is unfortunate.

Always unconventional, Armenian American artist Onnig Kardash, staged a protest/performance on April 24, 1969 in front of the St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in Manhattan’s Murray Hill neighborhood. The action seemed to underscore the need for love in the face of hate.

April 24 is the traditional day to commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide, Kardash’s protest shocked many Armenian Americans who were angry and confused at the radical protest on such a solemn day.

Like most ethnic Armenians in the Diaspora, Vartanian has his own tale to tell. Indeed, the blogger posts the story of his own family who experienced the Genocide first hand.

My paternal grandmother was born in Marash and was betrothed to a man from Zeitoun where they moved after their marriage. They had a home and children in Zeitoun but then soon the massacres and deportations began. Forced to leave their village, her husband and children were butchered, no one seems to remember the details and perhaps she never told anyone the truth. My grandmother did remember running through the village with an in-law. As they ran hand in hand to escape the terror of soldiers she felt something heavy pulling down her hand and it had been the arm of her relative which had been hacked off by a soldier’s blade. She escaped to the mountains and was discovered by some Muslims who forced her into their home as a servant. […] Alone, my grandmother fled into the mountains where for months she lived on her own and was forced to eat grass to survive.

During her months alone she came across a group of Armenian refugees from her town. She joined the group and they traveled together until Mosul in present-day Iraq. Many members of the group had died but the others arrived on the outskirts of the city naked and destitute. On seeing the group, the city’s government officials could not believe that they were human, months of wandering had taken its toll.

Martinis for Milk also examines the legacy of the Armenian Genocide although its debatable whether such a view represents anything other than that of a minority of Armenians in the Republic and the Diaspora.

All I will say about the Armenian Genocide is this: We have to learn to forgive in order to have a future. We’re never going to get back our lost relatives. Most of them would be dead by now anyway. We’re never going to repair the lives that were severed (on both sides) because of this horrible black spot in history. It's never going to hurt less that an entire government thought that we should be exterminated, or that the world was too busy to do anything about it. But maybe, just maybe, if we could find a way to release the hurt and the anger, we could start over again.

Meanwhile, Blogian says that some soul-searching and openness is materializing in the modern-day Republic of Turkey. However, it also notes that such approaches are fraught with dangers for the ethnic Armenian, Kurdish and Turkish writers and journalists who attempt to do so.

[A] Turkish newspaper, Taraf, devoted its front page to the Armenian Genocide yet was careful not to use the word genocide. […] It published the names of the Armenian intelligentsia members who were arrested and eventually killed on April 24, 1915. Taraf’s article was nothing close to recognition or acknowledgment, but given the high degree of ultra-nationalism in Turkey it was indeed a progress. In fact, a dangerous one too. A Kurdish newspaper, for example, was closed down after publishing photographs from a possible Armenian mass grave in 2006 (later cleaned up by the Turkish army and presented by the Turkish historical society as a Roman cave).

But, whatever the politics, the day is most of all for Armenians everywhere. Actually, others would argue that it is for anyone concerned with remembering man's inhumanity towards man, and preventing such tragedies from ever happening again.

Genocide Memorial

Photos: Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008

11 comments · »»

Venezuela: Kusturica's Visit Becomes Political

Laura Vidal · 05:30

Acclaimed film director Emir Kusturica visited Caracas to close out the week of celebrations for the city with a concert by his No Smoking Orchestra. After seven years from his last visit, Kusturica's fans (myself included) gathered for the free concert that took place at one of the biggest parks in Caracas. In the end, Kusturica's visit became a political visit, which was especially demonstrated, when he attended conference at the Center for Latin American Studies (CELARG in Spanish) and congratulated the rebel spirit of Venezuelans who struggle against the Empire. In addition, he spoke in favor of the president and criticized the manipulating media. He made it sound as he was someone who seemed to know the country very well… even though he only stayed for a couple of days.

Photo by Luis Carlos Díaz and used under a Creative Commons license.

All the activities that surrounded the Serbian artist's visit had a very kusturican atmosphere. After hours of waiting, disorganization, chaos and the belief from people that the political discourse had no place at the concert, the evening began controversy, ideaologies, political bands and a humiliated politician, but in the end, all the magic and music brought by the No Smoking Orchestra was what was important. Before and after the big event bloggers showed their views on the artists, who no doubt, left a mark on those who participated.

In his blog Lejos del Mundo y de Los Hombres Vanos [es], Gustavo remembers part of the concert and about the crowd's reaction to the town's mayor:

Luego (…) llegó el turno a El Pacto. (…) Esta gente, aunque suenan bien, bajaron un poco el ánimo del público. Sus letras anti imperialistas cargadas de política no calaron bien en la gente. Ojo, varios de los que estaban a mí alrededor se sabían las canciones, eso me dijo que esta gente tiene sus seguidores (…) Suenan bien y suenan duro. Particularmente no me gustó escuchar el discurso del presidente cantado en Rock. (…) Ya eran las doce de la noche (…) el Alcalde (…) se montó en la tarima (…) Apenas tomó el micrófono, comenzó el abucheo. No fueron todos los presentes, pero fueron suficientes para que se escuchara con claridad. Le gritaban a coro “fuera” “fuera” y le tiraban botellas de plástico (pocas pero lo hicieron) (…) el niño grande se molestó y dijo (no son sus palabras exactas): “la Alcaldía les trajo a Kusturica, ¿Quieren que me vaya? Porque si me voy, Kusturica no toca”.

After (…) it was the turn of the band El Pacto to play. These people sound good. Nevertheless their lyrics are full of political ideas and anti-imperialism, which didn't really fit in the public's mood. But, hey… many people around me knew the songs, which tells me that the band has fans. They sound good and hard, but I didn't really liked the President's speech sung backed by rock music (…) It was already midnight (…) and the Mayor appeared on stage (…) As soon as he grabbed the mic, the public started to boo. Not everybody did it, but the booers were enough to make themselves heard. The shouted “get out!” and threw plastic bottles (not very many, but they did) (…) The big boy got mad and said (I don't remember his exact words) “The Mayor's office brought Kusturica, do you want me to leave? ‘Cause if I go, Kusturica won't play!”

HAL 9000 of Reflexiones de Robot [es] provides more on the concert's incident and the double-edge sword of “free” culture:

En realidad la comunicación del evento fue bastante desastrosa… Un grupo importante de gente creía que comenzaba a las 2, otros que a las 4 y otros que a las 5… En realidad lo importante es que a las 7 y media de la noche todavía no habían comenzado… Un par de ¿animadores? Se subieron a la tarima a explicar que todo se debía a “problemas técnicos (…) La masa respondió con pitas, pero los animadores, tratando de hablar con un lenguaje callejero que les salía tan natural como una novela de RCTV o una película de Carlos Azpúrua, esgrimieron un argumento que les pareció genial para justificar la falta de organización… “Recuerden que es gratis”. ¿Gratis significa chaborreo y desorganización? ¿Gratis significa que puedo pautar a la gente a una hora y después comenzar el espectáculo cuando a mí me dé la gana? Y peor aún, ¿gratis significa que te la tienes que calar y no puedes protestar?”

To be honest, the logistics in the event was disastrous. Many people thought it started at 2 pm, others that it started at 4 pm and some others that it would be at 5 pm. What is important is that at half past 7 they had not yet started. A couple of hosts(?) appeared on stage and explained they were having some “technical problems.” The public responded with boos, but the hosts tried to reply with wit, and in a very unnatural slang, saying that the public should remember the concert was for free. Does “free” mean disorganization and mediocrity? Does “free” mean that I can tell people that they should come at one time and then start the show when I feel like it? Or even worse, does “free” mean that you have to swallow your words and keep the protest to yourself?”

Titus remarked some of Kusturica's ideas in Selva [es]

El cineasta y músico, agradeció la oportunidad de poder venir a Venezuela nuevamente y presentarse con su banda, y señaló que la visión de Caracas esta vez es distinta, que es una gran ciudad con edificios altos y hamburguesas pero que detrás de eso está la lucha de un pueblo (…) Para él aún existen los mismos problemas, tanto en Sarajevo como en Caracas, pero muchas veces los medios de comunicación masivos reflejan otra cosa. (…) muchas de las informaciones sobre la situación de Kosovo, fueron creadas por los Estados Unidos y repetidas constantemente alrededor del mundo para crear una falsa matriz de opinión.

“La gente empieza a creerlo, porque los medios hacen la verdad y la verdad es muy débil si no se sustenta en los medios. Una vez que has sido marcado como una persona mala es muy difícil luchar contra los medios. Cuando los medios te aprietan, no crees en nada más y al final de la historia, la gente que no conoce qué pasó en Kosovo, cree lo que ve en los medios. Y si no conoces el alma y corazón de Kosovo… pero ¿quién se interesa hoy por la cultura y la historia? Nosotros tenemos que encargarnos de eso, porque sin identidad sin nuestra cultura, no sobreviviremos.”

The movie maker and musician thanked the opportunity he was given to visit Caracas again and to be able to perform with his band. He noted that his vision of Caracas is different this time, that it's a city with high buildings and hamburgers but that behind everything there was the struggle of its people (…) In his opinion there are still the same problems, just as there are Sarajevo as in Caracas, but the media shows something else. Much news and information on Kosovo were created by the United States and repeated constantly around the world in order to create a false sense of opinion.

“The people start to believe, because the media tells the truth and truth is very weak if it is not supported by media. Once you've been marked as a bad person it is difficult to fight against the media. When the media tightens its screws, it is difficult to believe in anything else and at the end of the story; people that do not know what happened in Kosovo believe what they see in the media, even more if you don't know the soul and the heart of Kosovo. But who is interested in culture and history nowadays? We need to get on that, because without our identity, without our culture, we won't survive.”

Noticias 24 reports that in the concert that had taken place the day before, a shooting left two people dedad. Nevertheless, the show went on and the Mayor's office did not cancel the festival. It seems that the deceased had charges against him and that others that were also wounded in the shooting went away when the confusion arose. In addition, blogger and Global Voices author Luis Carlos Díaz comments on Noticias 24 regarding the Mayor's incident and publishes a video and photos he took and at the concert.

Cuando el alcalde apareció para decir quién firmó los cheques la gente no paró de abuchearlo. ¿Lo impresionante? Que Barreto intentara chantajear al público diciendo que si no lo querían a él, entonces Kusturica no se montaba en el escenario. Y luego dijo “váyanse, pues, váyanse”. Las pitas no dejaron de aumentar y hasta botellas plásticas y papeles tiraron a la tarima, hasta que se fue. Y sí, el público era mayoritariamente pro-revolucionario. Pero con Barreto se gritó “fuera la política”, entre otras cosas.

When the Mayor appeared to say who paid the money (to bring Kustruica to Caracas) people did not stop booing him. What was impressive was that Barreto (Caracas mayor) tried to blackmail the public saying that if they did not want him, Kusturica wouldn't play. The he said: “go, go now…”. The boos kept growing and plastic bottles were even thrown to the stage, until he left. And yes, the public was mainly revolutionary. But with Barreto people started to yell “no politics!” among other things.

At the end, Kusturica's art triumphed over politics, contradictions or even disorder. People danced with the musical genius of the Non Smoking Orchestra, and Kumasi of Miniplug TV [es] sums it up:

Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra dieron el mejor show del año, dejaron montar a un gentío (…) y repitieron dos canciones al final, son lo máximo. - Todo terminó tranquilo y no hubo tiros ni nada fuera de lo normal.

Kusturica & The No Smoking Orchestra gave the show of the year! They let a lot of people get on stage (…) and they repeated two songs at the end. They're the best! - Everything ended quite normally. There were no shootings.

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Aussies and Kiwis Celebrate ANZAC Day

May Hnin Phyu · 02:46

lingua → es

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

Anzac Day is commemorated by Australia and New Zealand on 25 April every year to remember members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who landed at Gallipoli in Turkey during World War I. A significant number of fatalities were suffered: 2721 New Zealanders, 8709 Australians.

Hobart Daily is proud to serve his nation as a formar member of the Australian Army and celebrates the special day.

They shall grow not old,
As we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them,
Nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun,
And in the morning
We will remember them. Lest we Forget

Photo By: heritagefutures

Kiwi blogger Sakiwi posted a photo of Spitfire replica from Hamilton Memorial Park and reminisces the past events.

Although Anzac Day, the anniversary of the first day of conflict, does not mark a military triumph, it does remind us of a very important episode in New Zealand's history. Great suffering was caused to a small country by the loss of so many of its young men.

Anzac Day now promotes a sense of unity, perhaps more effectively than any other day on the national calendar. People whose politics, beliefs and aspirations are widely different can nevertheless share a genuine sorrow at the loss of so many lives in war, and a real respect for those who have endured warfare on behalf of the country we live in.

Wilsonsalmanac explains “In Australia, it is generally commemorated with more reverence and enthusiasm than practically any public holiday, including Australia Day and Easter.” while Planetirf writes about ANZAC Day reflections.

Ravi Tandukar watches the an interview program about an elderly soldier on ANZAC eve.”His casual but humble and honest expressions matched his watery, sad looking eyes.”

While others are relaxing on the day, a Burmese Blogger Soe Htet of Melbourne is busy helping friends and posted some photos from “Shrine of Remembrance” a place where they celebrate ANZAC Day in Melbourne.

Photo By: Sammis

Meanwhile, In a Strange Land posts a very interesting intake of AZNAC Day celebration on this “ANZAC Day Atheist” post and expresses his strong will against celebrating ANZAC Day.

I have no problem with commemorating the dead. For the most part, my response to religious ceremonies is irony. How could these people believe such things? But irony is exactly wrong for ANZAC day.

I especially mind the way in which people who get up to attend the dawn ceremonies seem to think that they have done something noble. Relatives of men who died in the wars, and of veterans who have since died, have taken to marching in the ANZAC Day parades, ostensibly to represent their fallen and dead forbears. In practice however, they puff out their chests, sigh mightily, and adopt an air of portentous nobility, as if they themselves had struggled to take Chanuk Bair, or fought on the Kokoda Trail. Get this, poseurs - you did not fight! You did not risk your life. You are no hero. And marching in the ANZAC Day parades will not make you one.

Here are some videos on 2008 ANZAC Day

Peter Dunne on Anzac Day 2008
talks about the significance of Anzac Day in the development of New Zealand's national identity.
ANZAC DAY Dawn Service - Auckland War Museum
watch the Dawn service (6am) to remember those who gave the ultimate service.
Anzac Day 2008 Ahmad Sabra interviews soldier Roy Edwards
anzac day war veteran roy edwards who stood in the line of fire to batttle the enemy an protect our lovely nation for what it is today
ANZAC DAY 2008 with Spiritchannel

No matter what the different views on ANZAC Day are, Wellington Hive reminded again that the aussies and kiwis around the world are celebrating this memorable day. “for the rest of today and the start of tomorrow, don't forget that the commemorations are going on all around the world. On ANZAC Day at least, around the world, the ANZAC spirit lives on”.

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