Global Voices Online

Alice Backer

Stories

May 8th, 2007

Sub-Saharan Africa

Mali-based French expat Mali Café deplores [Fr] that the French election eclipsed the Malian one: ” Malians went to the polls a week day for day after the first round of the French presidential election … Amadou Toumani Touré, the incumbent was elected since the first round with more than 68.5% of the vote for a participation of about 30% … Weird things happened here! Such as electoral cards delivery… One thing for sure, France inspired the Malian model… To make a longs story short, for some in the country, the election was rigged … “

Middle East & North Africa

France/Maroc à VTT posts [fr] vibrant pictures of the Souk of Lalla Mimouna and writes of the market: “When I was 15, the Souk of Lalla Mimouna took place on Fridays. Today in Morocco, souks are no longer held on Fridays. The Lalla Mimouna market takes place Saturday and is still as colorful and authentic. Except I couldn't find the tooth puller or the jar seller … “

May 4th, 2007

Americas

Regarding an upcoming May 9 Préval visit to the White House, Collectif Haiti de Provence writes [Fr]: ”More than a week after a beneficial tour hand in hand with President Hugo Chavez … this meeting with the most powerful man on earth … could look like a call to order or caution to those who think that it is impossible to lead Haiti without having in mind the desires of our powerful neighbors.”

Sub-Saharan Africa

UDPS Liège posts an interview with Rachel Kabua Atwele, a Belgium-based UDPS sympathizer. She says [Fr]: “Let's not kid ourselves, dictatorship is alive and well. Those who believed in the good faith of Kabila the imposter are already having a hard time: Thérèse Nlandu, Pasteur Kuthino, the coup d'état on the majority through high-level corruption in the pro- Bemba provinces are sure signs of the stifling of the opposition by the AMP camp.”

May 3rd, 2007

Americas , East Asia

Says French Caribbean site New Media [Fr]: “Taiwan, through the hand of its Foreign Affairs minister James Huang and his St. Lucian counterpart Rufus Bouquet, has officially signed Wednesday in Castries a treaty reestablishing diplomatic ties between the two countries. China has already stated it feels ‘offended' by the document.”

Americas

En Guyane posts [Fr] pictures of a mangosteen, a local fruit originating from Asia. She calls the fruit “sweet and strange”.

May 1st, 2007

Americas

For French Labor Day, celebrated on May 1st, Convention pour une Nouvelle Guadeloupe writes [Fr]: “We … denounce the social model imposed by French authorities of the left and of the right and we … want a new model rooted in Guadeloupean values and founded mostly on the end of welfare, on responsibility, on the participation of workers in management… on union representation in all enterprises regardless of size.”

Americas

About the upcoming French presidential second round elections, Guadeloupe Attitude writes [Fr]: “Vote Saturday! Vote well! And let's roll up our sleeves Monday for the challenges that await us!”

Americas

At Notedor.com, Nancy Chapoteau writes [Fr]: “After a couple of days away, I have just returned home. I received a warm welcome … I think the walls sang to celebrate my return. Where else can one be better off than home? … I refuse to believe that it is normal to surround oneself with ugliness and mediocrity under the pretext of poor luck. “

April 10th, 2007

Americas

Le Blog de [Moi] had a fit of anguish [Fr] at the news that a 20 year same-sex relationship recently ended. Says the blogger: “I have a hard time with lesbian breakups … As if we owed ourselves to make it against all odd … And I can't help but think of my own couple… Can't help but look for signs.”