North Korea

North Korea 31 March 2009Two American journalists face up to 10 years in labour camps
Reporters Without Borders urges the North Korean authorities not to go ahead with their announced intention to try two American journalists of Asian origin, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, on charges of entering the country illegally and carrying out “hostile” activities.
The two journalists, who work for San Francisco-based online television station Current TV, were arrested by the North Korean authorities on 17 March after travelling through northern China to the North Korean border to do a story on trafficking in North Korean women. According to an email which one of them sent to a Reporters Without Borders contact, they wanted to investigate the networks organising the smuggling of women out of North Korea and their sale in China.
The state-owned North Korean news agency KCNA announced on 30 March that they have been charged with “illegal” entry. “The illegal entry of US reporters into the DPRK [North Korea] and their suspected hostile acts have been confirmed by evidence and their statements,” the news agency said. If convicted, they could be sentenced to between five and 10 years of forced labour.
A Swedish diplomat has been allowed to visit them in Pyongyang.
It is by no means clear that Ling and Lee were arrested on North Korean territory. Several sources on the Chinese side of the frontier told Reporters Without Borders that the North Korean border guards probably crossed the Tumen (the river that forms the border) while Ling and Lee were filming on the Chinese bank. In a documentary made by South Korean journalists called “On the border,” North Korean border guards can be seen crossing the river and landing on the Chinese side without running into any problems.

North Korean border guards on the Chinese bank
“There is an urgent need for North Korea’s neighbours, especially China, to apply diplomatic pressure to obtain the release of Ling and Lee as soon as possible,” Reporters Without Borders said. “It would be unacceptable if North Korea used the two journalists for diplomatic blackmail at a time when it has stepped up tension in the peninsula by announcing a missile launch.”
The press freedom organisation added: “South Korean journalists and foreign journalists have been briefly arrested in the past while doing reports in North Korea, but this is the first time that foreign journalists have been held for any length of time since Japanese reporter Takashi Sugishima’s detention from December 1999 to February 2002.”
North Korea is one of the hardest countries in the world for the foreign media to cover. The North Korean authorities occasionally issue press visas for cultural or sports events or for visits by foreign officials. Once inside North Korea, journalists are closely watched by the North Korean authorities, who prevent them from interviewing members of the public. Entire regions of the country are completely closed to the international media.
It is also very difficult for the foreign press to operate freely in the Chinese provinces adjoining the North Korean border. South Korean and North Korean journalists who often work in the border region say trying to cover refugees and trafficking there is still very risky. “Chinese police raids and the presence of many undercover North Korean agents make working on the border very complicated,” Reporters Without Borders was told by a journalist working for an independent North Korean radio station based in Seoul.
North Koreans take an enormous risk if they provide information to the news media. Reporters Without Borders has documented the case of Kim Sung Chul, a member of the armed forces who has been held since October 2006 after the Kukka Anjon Bowibu (state security) identified him as the person who clandestinely filmed the video of a public execution that was broadcast on the Japanese television station Asahi TV. He is now in a concentration camp.
A North Korean TV journalist, Song Keum Chul, has been detained in a camp since 1996 for questioning the official version of certain historic events.
International human rights organisations estimate that at least 200,000 people are detained in North Korea’s concentration camps and reeducation camps.
Reporters Without Borders and the International Women’s Media Foundation (www.iwmf.org) have launched a petition for the immediate release of Ling and Lee. Their guide, an ethnic Korean with Chinese citizenship, is reportedly being held by the Chinese authorities. A third American journalist, cameraman Mitch Koss, was deported after being held by the Chinese police. Sign the petition.
We urge Koss to lose no time in clarifying the circumstances in which Ling and Lee were arrested.

http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=30720

Worst of the worst: News from March 2009

SUMMARY:

According Freedom House, the "Worst of the Worst Report" was released in 2009 in Geneva.

The report--which chronicles countries that are the "worst human rights abusers"--includes Burma, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Chechnya, South Ossetia, and Tibet (which are territories) were also included.

Four territories and 17 countries are profiled in the report.

The countries that were examined were drawn from the 42 countries and nine territories that are currently ranked Not Free in the Freedom in the World 2009--Freedom House's annual survey of political rights and civil liberties.

Freedom House Director of Advocacy Paula Schriefer told Freedom House that the countries in the report have "regimes [that] control the daily lives of citizens by denying them basic human rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of belief."

SOURCES:

Freedom House

China blocks YouTube: News from Mar. 25, 2009

According to Reporters Without Borders the Chinese government has blocked the video-sharing Web site YouTube since Mar. 23 because of content critical of the Communist Party.

Internet users have reported the site is inaccessible in most Chinese provinces.

Basically, a message pops up when trying to access the site that reads: “This page is not available. The Internet page corresponding to the address http://www.youtube.com is not accessible. The site may have changed its address.”

Google — which owns YouTube — said they are looking to restore access as soon as possible.

One of the main reasons for blocking the site portray videos showing the repression of the Tibetan population.

Another, which is called "Cao Ni Ma" (Grass Mud Horse), exploited the possibilities of defying government censorship.

A foreign ministry's spokesperson released a statement shortly after the site was blocked, saying that the Chinese government does not "fear the Internet."

But RWB is skeptical because they believe that the Chinese government would not block all websites — including YouTube — that are critical of the Communist Party if they didn't fear the Web.

RWB added that China currently has the world's largest number of Internet users, so to block a Web site is sending a negative message regarding free online expression in China.

YouTube has been blocked multiple times already in 2007 — Mar. 5-7 and all October.

The Communist Pary has a lot of control over audio and video-content on the Internet. New rules took effect in January 2008, which require permission to post video and audio files.

This isn't the first Google-owned service to be blocked by the government — Google’s Chinese-language search engine, Google.cn, has been censored since 2004.

SOURCES:

RSF

Public Image Domain

North Korea has reporters in captivity: News from Mar. 21, 2009

SUMMARY:

The report that two American journalists were detained in North Korea was confirmed Saturday.

According to a New York Times article, North Korea apprehended the journalists on charges of "illegally intruding" to their state through the Chinese border.

Journalists Laura Ling (a Chinese-American) and Euna Lee (a Korean-American) working for Current TV, were on a trip along the border when the were captured by North Korean border guards.

Their colleague Mitch Koss and their Chinese guide reportedly were detained, too. But according to The Chosun Ilbo--South Korea's leading newspaper--the two men later escaped.

On Friday, the U.S. government said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was trying to get the reporters released--according to Chun Ki-won, a Christian clergyman in Seoul who helped arrange her trip.

This incident has not helped the relationship between the U.S. and North Korea.

Recently, it was discovered that the North will be launching a satellite--the U.S. thinks the launch is a cover for ballistic missile testing.

Also, according to the Japanese and South Korean governments, Saturday the North Koreans told international aviation authorities it is closing two international air routes through its airspace from April 4 through April 8 for the satellite launch.

The Chosun Ilbo, reported Saturday that the Current TV camera crew appeared to have crossed the Tumen river border while trying to get a closer shot of North Korea.

According to the The Chosun, most of the river bed is dry and the river's shallow water is frozen this time of year. It is hard to tell where the border lies and North Korean guards often hide in bunker-like guard posts in the area.

SOURCES:

New York Times

News editor acquitted of charges:News from Mar. 18, 2009

SUMMARY:

A news website editor was acquitted of defamation charges today after six months in pre-trial detention.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB), a Bujumbura court released Jean-Claude Kavumbagu — editor of the Net Press news Web site — who was being held on claims of defamation against President Pierre Nkurnziza.

Kavumbagu was first brought in pre-trial detention on Sept. 11, 2008. He was being held in Mpimba central prison as a result of a "complaint" brought by the government secretary-general.

The complaint was regarding an article written by Kavumbagu in which he wrote that
President Nkurnziza spent $100 million Burundian francs (about $94,125 U.S. dollars) during his visit to the Olympic Games' opening ceremony in Beijing.

The Burundian government secretary-general insisted the president was only given $50 million for the trip.

Reports of Kavambagu's arrest were made public on the RWB Web site on Sept. 11, 2008.

Kavumbagu was arrested multiple times under the previous government in 2001 and 2003. His site was suspended by the media regulatory body in 2005.

MY OPINION:

Maybe it is just a bias because I am a journalism student. Or maybe it is because I believe that many governments--if not all--around the world are corrupt and that the Bujumbura government lied to the public.

But I sincerely feel that the reporter was truthful in the information he reported.

It is good to see he has been released, but I'm sure he will have a "target on his back" for the rest of his journalistic career.

SOURCES:

RSF.org

Internet control: News from Mar. 12, 2009

RWB issued a report today — "Enemies of the Internet" — examining internet censorship and threats to online free expression in 22 countries.

According to RWB, the considered "12 'Enemies of the Internet'" — Burma, China, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, North Korea, Saudia Arabia, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam — are censoring internet access in their respective country.

They have done this by transforming the citizens' access of the internet to an intranet, which will help keep their population from accessing certain undesired information.

In addition to the 12 Enemies of the Internet, RWB is monitoring 10 other governments including Australia and South Korea — both countries have democratic systems in place.

RWB makes it known that new forms of online censorship are emerging such as "orchestrating the posting of comments on popular websites" or "organizing hacker attacks" to scramble content.

According to the article, 70 people are detained because of, what the government views as, dissenting online postings. China currently has the most people imprisoned for cyber-dissidents.

MY OPINION:

For some reason, I feel like this type of censorship is worse than censoring a journalist. I know this is probably an irrational feeling because I know most, if not all, censorship is wrong.

But to disallow and dictate what someone can post on the internet from the privacy of their home is ludicrous.

I leave comments on websites such as ESPN.com and could never imagine having my comment deleted (unless it had profanity) if it was solely because of my opinion.

And I know this example is on a lesser scale than saying something about the government, but I believe it is a way to truly grasp the magnitude of the situation in these countries.

It is just another form of government control and it's disgusting.

Sources:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

CIA videotape destruction: News from Mar. 5, 2009

SUMMARY:

The American credibility of human rights is hanging in the balance.

Or at least that's what Reporters Without Borders (RWB) believes after confirmation that federal authorities, including the CIA, destroyed 92 videotapes in 2005 containing interrogations of detainees at a secret prison in Thailand.

A letter from Acting U.S. Attorney Lev Dassin on Mar. 2, 2009 confirmed the report.

The CIA — which has admitted to destroying some of the tapes — has not said exactly what was on the videos.

But one news organization has reported on what the tapes supposedly contain.

According to the New York Times, the videos show “waterboarding” — a method used, but not invented, by the Bush administration where interrogators essentially torture the prisoners by making them feel like they are drowning.

Basically, what happens is interrogators strap the prisoner down and pour gallons and gallons of water on the face of the inmate.

And like most torture techniques, this is to get the prisoner to divulge information.

This method has been used by the U.S. government on suspected al-Qaeda member Abu Zubaydah and on Abdel Rahim al-Nashiri — who is believed to been involved in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen.

Also, according to the New York Times, former CIA head of undercover operations José A. Rodríguez Jr. ordered the videos to be destroyed.

This has led RWB to push for the Obama administration to start an investigation on the issue.

RWB believes these actions are an "infringement of the American people's constitutional rights" and that Obama's administration should "punish those who are responsible."

The American Civil Liberties Union is bringing the CIA to trial. New York Judge Alvin Hellerstein will hear the case.

The CIA has until Mar. 6 to prepare records on the destroyed tapes and to compile a list of possible witnesses of the tape destruction.

Existence of the videotapes was made known at the end of 2007 — just before the announcement of reformation of the Freedom of Information Act — when former CIA chief Michael Hayden said they destroyed them to protect the identity of agency operatives.

The Obama regime has vowed that it will not use torture during prisoner interrogation.

One reporter who was released in May 2008, Sudanese journalist Sami al-Haj, was being held in Guantanamo without any charges against him.

He was victim to more than 200 interrogations, some involving waterboarding.

MY OPINION:

Initially, this waterboarding idea did not sound too cruel to me. But after thinking about it more and more, I understand why people are upset at what happened to these prisoners.

To make someone feel like they are drowning to get them to talk is kind of appalling. The prisoners probably have emotional problems for a while after because of the actions they are subjected to.

I guess these methods somewhat bother me but at the same time they are criminals. There are worse methods that could be enacted.

But what really upsets me that the CIA destroyed the videotapes because it just goes to show how the government will never be fully transparent.

Barack Obama has vowed to make the government transparent, but I will remain skeptical for some time because of the secretive actions American officials have performed in the past.


SOURCES:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

Reporter freed, waiting on release of another: News from Mar. 3, 2009

SUMMARY:

Imagine working hard at a profession to make a living. Now, imagine getting arrested for that work even though everything being done was legal.

That is exactly what is happening to many journalists throughout the world.

According to a Reporters Without Borders (RWB) article, a journalist and human rights activist was released by the Zimbabwean government.

The journalist, Jestina Mukoko, was being held on charges of creating a "terrorist plot" against President Robert Mugabe and recruiting volunteers to engage in military training to overthrow the government.

Mukoko was freed on $600 (U.S.) bail.

And though Mukoko is free the government still has charges posed against her — which RWB is advocating be dropped. In addition, she is required to report routinely to the police.

According to the article, Mukoko was kidnapped from her home on Dec. 3, 2008 by 15 plainly-clothed men.

She reportedly was not allowed to speak until her first meeting with a Zimbabwean judge 21 days later.

Mukoko was allegedly placed in solitary confinement in the Chikurubi high-security prison, where she was tortured and mistreated by guards.

These guards allegedly punched and hit her repeatedly with sharp objects. And they made her kneel naked on the gravel.

RWB is, however, waiting on the release of another reporter in custody — freelance photographer Shadreck Manyere.

Manyere is being held because he supposedly has involvement in the bombings at various locations — the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Harare, the Manyame Bridge, and the Harare Central Police Station.

Manyere, he was kidnapped by government agents on Dec. 13, 2008. He was brought before a Harare court on Jan. 7, 2009 on charges of banditry, terrorism, and sabotage.

He faces a prison sentence ranging from 20 years to life.

MY OPINION:

I am getting so sick of seeing these journalists imprisoned for being involved in things that are simply "speculation."

I highly doubt that either journalist had a hand in any of the charges that are being brought against them.

To be honest, I do not really have too much to say about this because to me this situation is similar to the other postings I have recently made about injustices against journalists: ridiculous, saddening, and terrifying.

SOURCES:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

Newspaper editor arrested: News from Feb. 26, 2009

SUMMARY:

It seems like if a journalist isn't being killed, a journalist is being arrested.

According to a Reporters Without Borders article, N Vithyatharan — editor of Sudar Oli, which is a member of the Uthayan press group — was forcibly detained while attending a funeral in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The editor of the Colombo-based Tamil daily is still imprisoned but is being "treated well" by police.

RWB is shocked at this arrest because it was executed without a warrant — which is violation of the law.

The organization is calling for the release of Vithyatharan immediately.

According to the article, three uniformed officers and three men in casual clothes arrested Vithyatharan at the funeral of Uthayan press group chairman M. Saravanapavan's relative.

Anyone who tried to intervene in the arrest was hit.

Saravanapavan told RWB that he remains upset at what happened.

Vithyatharan is being held by the Colombo Crimes Divison (CCD) to be questioned. RWB has requested that Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake guarantee his safety.

Relatives do have visiting access to see Vithyatharan.

The Sudar Oli and Uthayan have been targets of violent attacks recently. Six employees of the group have been killed since 2005.

Similarly, Uthayan press group senior members have received threatening calls telling them they will be arrested too if they do not leave the country.

Both its offices in Jaffna and Colombo have been attacked multiple times.

MY OPINION:

I am amazed at how many journalists are being threatened or imprisoned outside of America.

Because the U.S. is hardly ever exposed to "real news," I honestly would have never known about any of these reporters being killed or arrested.

Granted these people are in other parts of the world, so there is not really a direct impact to many Americans because of the distance between the countries.

However, I do think that there needs to be some mention of it in the news.

We all live in a self-centered society where the only news involves things happening in our personal lives.

But this stuff is important. I hope this blog has helped reveal some insight to happenings of journalists so far and that you--the reader of the blog--will realize that this is major news.

This is impacting so many journalists, which is probably leading to much self-censorship. How will we ever get an accurate portrait of things occurring if there is not an object journalist reporting all of the facts.

SOURCES:

Reporters Without Borders

Three men acquitted of murder charges: News from Feb. 19, 2009

SUMMARY:

Another case of arguable injustice has occurred against a journalist, this time, in Russia.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB), a military court jury in Moscow found three men not guilty of organizing the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya.

The jury stated that the trial, which started in November 2008, reached the verdict based on the fact that prosecution failed to prove the involvement of any of the suspects.

Two brothers — Dzhabrail and Ibragim Makhmudov — former police officer — Sergei Khadzhikurbanov — could have been sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

The prosecutors office is expected to make an appeal.

RWB believes that the result of the trial is due to an "incomplete investigation" and that the trial investigation was brought about too early.

It proceeded to state that the trial had many "irregularities, inconsistencies and lack of transparency."

Also, the organization believes the public was not well-informed with both sides of the issue and that everything will remain in question until the triggerman and the masterminds behind the murder are identified.

Before jury panel reached a verdict, judge Evgeni Zubov reminded those on the panel of the important position they are in.

Zubov proceeded to advocate that the jury members address a list of 17 questions concerning everything from the authority abuse that Khadzhikurbanov had been charged for to different questions pertaining to the actual murder.

Politkovskaya's family, though, said it was "satisfied with the verdict" but "dissatisfied with the trial."

But the prosecutors maintained their view that the witness statements and telephone records set up the defendants guilt.

Politkovskaya, who was an outspoken critic of then President Vladimir Putin and worked for the independent biweekly Novaya Gazeta, was found dead in October 2006.

She was best known for her coverage of the Russian Caucuses.

The journalist was killed in the lift of her apartment building and was a critic of then Russian President Vladimir Putin.

She was 48 at the time and had two children.

The trial was held in military courts because one of the defendants was a member of Russian security forces.

Since March 2000, there have been 20 journalists killed in Russia.

MY OPINION:

This is a complete travesty. Although I do not know exactly what the arguments were for both sides, my feeling is that the three men murdered Politkovskaya.

Just this past week alone there were a couple of journalist deaths—including the one in Pakistan as a reporter was murdered for covering a peace march in Swat Valley.

To me, this is scary. Honestly, I am already terrified of talking negatively about people because they will not be open and willing to provide stories.

(I write for the Daily 49er sports section and I evoke self-censorship on the LBSU campus because I don't want to be on poor terms with any of the athletes or athletic directors.)

But to think if I ever went overseas and wrote a critical piece about a popular figure, my life could be in danger.

It really is mind-blowing; I hope all who ready this blog think so too.

Sources:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

Military aiming to take control of the media: news from Feb. 15, 2009

SUMMARY:

Violent attacks, death and destruction in the Gaza Strip are nothing new.

But now, added to this list is press freedom.

An Israeli Defense Force operation called 'Operation Cast Lead' — strategy aimed at stopping Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel — has been in full force in the Gaza and has been censoring the media.

Also, the Gaza Strip has been sealed off from the press by Israeli authorities.

This media-takeover strategy is commonly used by Israeli military during wartime.

Journalists are prohibited from doing things like criticizing the Islamist movement, publishing deviant opinions about the movement, and publishing views of non-Islamist groups.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RWB), most journalists in the region blame Hamas — the governing organization that oversees the Palestinian-Gaza region for the censorship.

However, few reporters express their disapproval of Hamas though because of personal risk, and many who have are in custody.

Since June 2007 there have been 28 journalists arrested in the region along with six killed and 15 wounded. To top it off, at least three buildings housing Israeli media have been destroyed.

In the original article, RWB makes known that it is strongly opposed to the attacks on the Palestinian and foreign media journalists and buildings.

In addition, the organization also believes that since the "second Intifada" — or insurgence of Palestinian Arabs — seven total journalists have been killed and more than 100 wounded.

RWB has urged the U.N. to adopt a resolution to have Israel stop using such controlling methods over the news.

They also mandate that the Gaza Strip open up to supply the media with modern and adequate equipment.

MY OPINION:

It's tough to really have an opinion other than the one presented in this article because I think that too much government control, especially over the media, is wrong.

Hamas needs to allow 'outsiders' to supply Gaza-reporters with modernized, adequate equipment.

Who is to say what reporters should or shouldn't be allowed to report on?

As far as the Gaza Strip is concerned, one can only hope that peace and some sort of resolution can be instituted in the area. There has been far too much death and destruction.

Sources:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

Bulgaria's embattled press: news from Feb. 5, 2009

SUMMARY:

Criminals in Bulgaria have realized controlling the press is a component for success because the power to influence individuals and society becomes great.

In a recent Reporters Without Borders (RWB) article it was reported that Bulgaria—a country seeking to further democratize since the early 1990s—has had criminal organizations dominating the press.

According to RWB, the economy is threatening news diversity along with the survival of investigative reporting.

And things do not appear to be progressing for this country that joined the European Union in 2007.

In fact, many journalists are censoring their own work. Conversely, others continue to produce the same work.

This can be risky though as there have been murders against reporters—Georgy Stoev in April 2008—and fierce attacks—Ognyan Stefanov in September 2008—who choose not to censor.

It is a reminder of dangers that could happen to journalists if they do not let the press become "nothing more than a communication tool in the service of private interests."

Now, Bulgaria's press is not the only country in the EU victim to organized crime pressures and violence.

In Italy there are approximately 10 journalists who are receiving police protection. Denmark and France fall into this category as well, protecting their journalists via police officers.

Spain, however, has the ETA that keeps pressuring journalists who advocate media rights and are critical of terrorism, to censor.

RWB secretary general Jean-Francois Julliard believes that the crime groups producing these pressures and their acts against the press must be focused on at the greater-European level.

He added that politicians in Europe running for office in June must make it a commitment to solve this issue.

It remains a priority of RWB to change the wrongdoings towards the press in Bulgaria and the rest of Europe.

MY OPINION:

I completely agree with Reporters Without Borders secretary general Jean-Francois Julliard who believes Europe needs to reform and fight back against the criminal organizations.

The upcoming Bulgarian parliamentary election candidates should hone in on correcting this problem.

Though, from what I understand it probably will not.

The press has so much power and to think that criminals are controlling it disgusts me.

It's frightening but important to know that reporters are being victims and recipients of violent acts because one day this will hopefully be my field of work.

And granted, my writing preference is to focus on sports but if I am uneducated about what is happening globally to reporters I feel I would be a very narrow-minded, niche-centered individual.

Sources:

Reporters Without Borders

Public Image Domain

Europe and its economic problems: news from Jan. 30, 2009

SUMMARY:

Latvia and Lithuania

Two of the "Baltic tigers" are getting a taste of conflict.

Latvia and Lithuania are experiencing unrest and protest due to perceived corruption among bureaucrats, huge government spending cuts, inflation, and tax hikes.

Add to this the cold temperatures throughout the Balkans and it is easy to see why things have become chaotic.

In Vilnius — capital of Lithuania — thousands of unruly people gathered outside of the parliament buildings chanting phrases such as "thieves, thieves!"

Lithuania decided to institute in market reforms back in 2000 — which was inspired by the International Monetary Fund (IMF),

However, the country remains in suffering due to the economic slump. This can be arguably be pinpointed on the attempt of rapid economic restructuring towards free market principles.

Latvia is managing though, having a $7.5 billion Euro stand-by loan from the IMF.

The government envisioned these measures, which are required to be implemented as part of the "IMF's loan package."

The Legacy of decades of Sachs' "Shock Therapy"

Harvard trained professor Jeffrey Sachs, describes the current state Latvia and Lithuania are experiencing as "shock therapy" or "shock doctrine."

Often, the revamping methods herald a period of economic growth within the country.

According to Michael Werbowski, author of this article, this region has grown so much in the past due to "bubble-like growth...fuelled by easy credit, investment from dubious sources, unbridled speculative and shady property deals."

But the countries are no longer growing because of the collapse of the global banking system.

The economic downturn and current financial state of the region has made many locals upset, causing many to smash in shop windows and public buildings in the Baltic capitals.

OTHER PROTESTS:

Synonymous to the "Baltic Tigers," Bulgaria was hit by its own band of protesters.

Last Thursday doctors, farmers, police officers, and other workers protested against the low pay and growing economic uncertainty.

Many participants in the protests blamed the socialist run government of Bulgaria for its lack of dealing with the global recession domestically.

"New Europe" on the Edge

According to Werbowski, there has been protests try to shape the image of the participants as "anarchists, leftist[s], [and] militants."

However, from his personal experience, he notes that many of the citizens in the Czech Republic who aren't protesting are upset with the situation.

Werbowski proceeded to discuss how many of his friends throughout Europe are fed up with the corrupt actions of the incompetent government leaders.

Britain the sick man of Europe?

And though, at this point it may seem I have discussed all the countries in unrest, there have been reports that England is experiencing problems too.

Citizens have held meetings to challenge the planned enlargement of Heathrow airport.

It is possible that the dissatisfaction is due to U.K. financial struggles.

Normally the government responds to discontentment by using force against people involved in the "meetings."

But because of the global economic mess, any government aggression could cause more citizens to become enraged.

The majority of the people protesting are middle-class.

The EU in state of paralysis

Overall, the European Union is in a state of unease after institutional framework for the union was rejected by Ireland.

Those in opposition are led by the Czech president Vaclav Klaus — an ardent force against any further integration of the 27-member union.

The EU overall seems to be losing its power even though it has expanded its membership to countries like Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary.

For example, the union has been unable to convince Russia to restore gas flows to the bloc. Also, there remains a dispute between Ukraine and Russia.


MY OPINION:

It saddens me to hear of all these people throughout Europe facing so much financial difficulty; it would be great if the United States could help out.

But the reality of the situation is that our country has too many financial and domestic problems to be concerned about.

The fact that Europe along with the U.S. being hit so hard by the recession is terrifying. I am beginning to think that America's days of being a superpower are through.

Hopefully the stimulus package will pass soon to potentially jumpstart our economy, which, in turn should affect Europe's economy positively.

Source:

World Press

Public image domain

Photo: Mantas Indrašius