By: Alexander Narodetsky, RFE, April 27, 2009
The eighth-annual Eurasian Media Forum recently concluded in the Kazakh capital, Almaty. That might look like a paradox, unless you knew that the April 23-24 forum was organized by Dariga Nazarbaeva, the daughter of Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbaev. The preparations, the opening ceremony, the two-day discussions were all designed to make it look like a typical big international event, no less than the film festival in Nice or the Academy Awards.
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EUROPE
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev makes moves on human rights
By: Telegraph, APril 27, 2009 President Dmitry Medvedev’s willingness and eagerness to listen to the views of society was evident at a recent meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council for Promotion of Civil Society and Human Rights. The president heard from activists and ordered that a full transcripts of their unflattering remarks should be posted on the Kremlin site. Read full article… Georgia: Cell protest in Tbilisi Belarus: “Lukashenka’s message to Europe – I was a dictator and I’ll be a dictator” “European Belarus” activist arrested for action “No to new Chernobyl” Belarus: Attempt to break work of Charter’97 website Russia rights activist must be on guard Georgia: Political opposition confronts credibility gap
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MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA
Saudis clamp down on women’s gyms
By: BBC News, April 27, 2009 Many women-only sports clubs and gyms in Saudi Arabia face closure under a government clampdown on unlicensed premises, Saudi media have reported. Women’s gyms have become popular in the ultra-conservative Muslim country where the sexes are heavily segregated. But only clubs linked to medical groups can get licenses and others will be closed, the Arab News newspaper said. Read full article… West Bank: Violence is futile in Bil’in Nonviolent protests against West Bank barrier turn increasingly dangerous US journalist jailed in Iran ‘very weak’ U.S. journalist goes on hunger strike in Iran prison Israel/Palestine: This headline is nonviolent West Bank: One week after the murder of Bassem Abu Rahmah, 25 injured in Bil’in demonstration to build his memorial Iran: Hunger strike by hundreds of students in Bou Ali Sina University in Hamedan Iran: Esmail Salmanpour’s condition is critical inside medical unit of Evin Prison Egypt’s first free trade union to have ‘ripple effect’ in civil society? Egypt: Yes, it is bread we fight for, but we fight for Facebook too Israeli journalist: ‘[Palestinian] nonviolent struggle never made Israel even think about abandoning the land it conquered’ Democracy in Iran: Change begins at the ballot box Saberi case roils US-Iran relations, Iranian politics
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OCEANIA
Australia: Hundreds of Tamils protest in Sydney
By: The Age, April 26, 2009 Hundreds of noisy Tamil protesters have rallied in Sydney’s CBD, calling on Australians to boycott Sri Lankan products. About 800 protesters marched up George St, stopping traffic and Sunday afternoon shoppers in their tracks. Many waved red flags and carried banners which read: “Australia call for a permanent ceasefire in Sri Lanka” and “250,000 Tamils displaced”. Read full article…
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Creating an online strategy
By: DigiActive, April 23, 2009 Today I “attended” a webinar on online strategy hosted by the New Organizing Institute. The presenter was Michael Silberman, a partner and co-founder of EchoDitto, a communications firm founded by the techies of the Howard Dean campaign. Below are Michael’s steps to building an online strategy. I’ve presented his ideas, which are aimed at American non-profits, and then given commentary on how the steps relate to grassroots activists in other countries. I’ve also added examples from international digital activism. Read full article… World Digital Library aims to promote global understanding
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Mauritania: Jusqu’où ira Abdelaziz?
By: Marianne Meunier, Jeune Afrique, April 27, 2009 Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz démissionne de l’armée et quitte la tête de la junte au pouvoir pour s’ouvrir les portes de la présidentielle du 6 juin. Si les plus démunis, qu’il a pris soin de choyer, s’en félicitent, une partie de la classe politique craint une élection « sur mesure ». Read full article… Durban II: Les acteurs d’un succès inattendu
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‘Building Peace Practical Reflections From the Field’
By: Craig Zelizer, Robert Rubinstein, April 24, 2009 Even though international peacebuilding has rapidly expanded in the last two decades to respond to more multi-faceted and complex conflicts, the field has lagged behind in documenting the impact and success of projects. To help address this gap, the Alliance for Peacebuilding, one of the leading networks in the field, has brought together 13 stories of innovative peacebuilding practices from around the world in Building Peace. For more information…
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Call for applications, Women PeaceMakers Program, University of San Diego, US
By: Peace and Collaborative Development Network, April 26, 2009
Made possible through a generous grant from the Fred J. Hansen Foundation, the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice’s (IPJ) Women PeaceMakers Program invites four women from around the world who have been locally involved in human rights and peacemaking efforts. Women accepted into this program are seeking ways to further their peacemaking efforts in their home countries.
For more information… Launch of the Peace Media Clearinghouse A new resource for peacemakers Find documentaries, films, shows, podcasts, songs, video games, and other multimedia about peace and conflict management; Use them in your work as educators, trainers, practitioners, policy makers, or students; Explore a wide range of topics, such as conflict prevention, nonviolence, post-conflict reconstruction, refugees, child soldiers, rule of law, religion, climate change, terrorism, and much more; Search for multimedia by region, country, media type, and issue area. For more information… Peace and Collaborative Development Network Call for application, Atkin Fellowship
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The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict is pleased to circulate this daily selective digest of world news related to past, present and potential nonviolent conflicts, including active civilian-based struggles against oppressive regimes, nonviolent resistance, political and social dissidence, and the use of nonviolent tactics in a variety of causes. We also include stories that help readers glimpse the larger context of a conflict and that reflect on past historical struggles.
If you have specific items that you would like us to include in the daily digest, please send them to us. If there is a news or information source that you believe we may not be accessing, for purposes of selecting items, please bring that to our attention. Thank you.