By: Ron Synovitz, Eurasianet, May 24, 2009
“Godfather-In-Law,” a book about Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, has struck a raw nerve with authorities in that country. Written by Nazarbaev’s exiled former son-in-law, Rakhat Aliev, the book is full of insider stories, allegations, and documentation about the man who has been Kazakhstan’s president since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Kazakh authorities are now attempting to stop everyone in the country from reading or even discussing the book.
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Uzbekistan: Tashkent’s job-creation plans may stoke rural discontent
By: Eurasianet, May 22, 2009
Amid a worsening financial picture in Uzbekistan, President Islam Karimov is pulling out his old Soviet playbook and trying to give new meaning to the concept of a command economy. But there appears to be a sizeable chance that the Uzbek government’s policy prescriptions could end up exacerbating social tension in the Central Asian nation. Uzbekistan, like other Central Asian states, has relied in recent years on remittances sent home by migrant laborers to help prop up the local economy.
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EUROPE
Croatia: Students suspend blockade of Zagreb school of philosophy
By: One World See, May 26, 2009 After 34 days of blockade, the Plenum of Students of Zagreb School of Philosophy decided to suspend the blockade of the school and restart the educational process. Students say that it doesn’t mean their struggle is over and that the Plenum will continue with regular meetings and actions. Students from 20 university schools and faculties in eight cities in Croatia participated in the past activities. The very magnitude of the action leaves the legacy of activism and network of contacts, and above all a platform of common demands and values. Read full article… UK: Cameron in ‘people power’ pledge By: BBC News, May 26, 2009 David Cameron has pledged to bring “big change” to politics, including looking at introducing fixed-term Parliaments. A Tory government would restore “real people power” through a “radical” redistribution of power from Westminster, he said in a speech. But he ruled out a switch from the current first-past-the-post electoral system to proportional representation. Minister Jack Straw welcomed the speech but said a lot had been done, the Lib Dems said it did not go far enough. Read full article… Armenia: Journalists defiant after new attacks By: Gayane Mktchian, Institute for War and Peace Reporting, May 22, 2009 Armenian rights activists fear two attacks on prominent journalists in the last three weeks could be a sign of new attempts to restrict freedom of information in their country. Argishti Kivirian, editor-in-chief of the news agencies Armenia Today and Bagin.info, was attacked in the stairwell of his house on April 30, only just managing to force his assailants’ gun into the air before three shots were fired. Just a week later, Nver Mnatsakanian, a political commentator from the Shant television channel, was also beaten as he walked into the block of flats were he lived. Read full article…
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MIDDLE EAST/NORTH AFRICA
Why Palestinians are calling for a boycott of Israeli universities
By: Amjad Barham, Guardian UK, May 26, 2009 Palestinian academics have been heartened by the outpouring of solidarity with our people on the part of British academics and students – the latter attested to by the creative “student occupation movement” in the wake of the brutal Israeli war against the Palestinian people in Gaza last December and January. What does the Palestinian academic community expect from international colleagues? Read full article… Two French activists cycle to Palestine By: Saed Bannoura, International Middle East Media Center, May 26, 2009 Two French peace activists arrived in the Palestinian territories riding their bicycles after cycling from France to Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Palestine. The aim of their trip is to have a field tour in Palestine and to visit its historic sites. They visited Bethlehem before cycling to Jericho and meeting its mayor, attorney Hasan Saleh who welcomed them and stated that such trips reveals the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people as the activists and visitors can observe these violations. Read full article… Egypt quashes Saad Eddin Ibrahim jail term By: BBC News, May 25, 2009 A court in Egypt has overturned a two-year jail sentence imposed on Saad Eddin Ibrahim, a prominent critic of President Hosni Mubarak’s government. Mr Ibrahim, an Egyptian-American academic living in exile in the US, was convicted last August of damaging Egypt’s reputation. He had said US aid should depend on political reform in Egypt. He said he was happy the conviction had been overturned, but that there were still other cases against him. Read full article… Israel sends soldiers to try to shut down literature festival By: Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive, May 25, 2009 The Israeli government sent in troops on May 23 to try to break up the opening of the second annual Palestine Festival of Literature in East Jerusalem. Stephanie Saldana, an American writer living in Jerusalem, went to the Palestinian National Theater for what she thought was going to be the opening of the festival. “We arrived and the place was swarming with the Israeli army, with trucks and huge guns,” she wrote in an e-mail to a friend. “I am still in shock. To ban literature? To ban reading? How is this possible?” Read full article… Jordan: Tears of grief, tears of joy By: Kevin Cullen, The Boston Globe, May 25, 2009 When the phone rang at his Chelmsford home, Mohamed Eljahmi knew it wasn’t good news. It was a man in Amman, Jordan, and Mohamed Eljahmi didn’t know him. All he said was that Mohamed’s 68-year-old brother, Fathi, was dead. “They killed him,” Mohamed Eljahmi said. “They let him out of prison so he could die in a hospital.” In Libya, Fathi Eljahmi built a successful business and became the most dangerous revolutionary who never lifted a weapon. He believed that people in Libya, that people all over the Arab world, deserved the same rights that people in the Western world take for granted. Read full article… Iran blocks Facebook, outlet for opposition Moderate Iranian candidate criticizes Facebook ban
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Local women celebrate international disarmament successes
By: Relief Web, May 24, 2009 The Peace Studies Group and the Observatory on Gender and Armed Violence (OGVA) are joining with others around the world to celebrate International Women’s Day for Peace and Disarmament, which took place on Sunday 24 May, 2009, and acknowledge some of our achievements and activism from the past 12 months. Read full article… Facebook is the message inside humanity’s envelope By: Luis de Miranda, openDemocracy, May 22, 2009 We can avoid using Facebook as a tool of narcissism or power if we recognise the bursting forth of possibility that characterisies human existence. Facebook could help transform humanity or could join ranks with other homogenising forces of fixed identities. The live-stream experience of Facebook is tragic, beautiful and painful. Read full article…
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Veinte países celebrarán día mundial de apoyo a campaña “Con la misma moneda”
By: FLAMUR Cuba, May 25, 2009 Veinte países celebrarán el próximo martes el día mundial de apoyo a la campaña “Con la misma moneda” que tiene como objetivo exigir al Gobierno de Cuba el pago en moneda nacional en todos los establecimientos de la isla caribeña. Read full article… Madagascar: Le pouvoir à durée indéterminée By: Jean-Dominique Geslin, Jeune Afrique, May 25, 2009 Partira? Partira pas? Au-delà du cas Mamadou Tandja, plusieurs dirigeants africains en délicatesse avec la communauté internationale ou, tout simplement, en désaccord avec le politiquement correct tentent de donner des signes de bonne volonté. Read full article… Birmanie: Sauvons Aung San Suu Kyi By: Courrier International, May 20, 2009 Tandis que le procès contre l’opposante birmane se prolonge, la mobilisation s’organise dans le monde pour obtenir sa libération. C’est le sens de l’appel lancé par Bo Hla Tint, membre de la Ligue nationale pour la démocratie, qui vit en exil aux Etats-Unis. Read full article…
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Ethiopia: United Actions workshop
By: Kayo Hansen, United Actions Global Network, Addis Ababa, August 8, 2009, 10am – 3pm If you had the chance to shape the future of Ethiopia…would you do it? The UA Workshop is an open forum where participants brainstorm, discuss and share ideas on how to create social change, practical solutions and sustainable development in Ethiopia. This session will cover the Millennium Development Goals, strategies and exploit new opportunities to break new ground and shape the future of Ethiopia. Read full article…
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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.
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