The Web against the military junta in Guinea

GUINEA : THE WEB AGAINST THE JUNTA

Whistle-blowing photomontages. A rap with threatening lyrics. Numerous videos of this type are being posted online by net users in Guinea. Each of them criticises the head of the junta in power in Guinea, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara.


Net users hold him responsible for the September 28 massacre. On this date, which marked the fiftieth anniversary of Guinea Conakry’s independence, one hundred and fifty Guineans, (according to UN estimates), were killed by security forces during an opposition protest march.

A particularly violent event whose images have since been circulating on line as shown by this video, broadcast on Youtube.


On the Guinea News forum, photos of naked women being humiliated in the street have been posted online. These women are thought to have been raped by soldiers. Frightening testimonies accompany these cruel images.


In this video broadcast by Guinea News, a woman whose house was sacked, criticises the attitude of the junta, which she describes as unacceptable. She calls on Guineans to resist and fight Dadis Camara.

A man whose uncontrolled wrath has had the web talking for months. On YouTube, the anonymous story “Dadis Show” was widely viewed. The videos show the hot-tempered fulminations of the head of the junta against civil servants or here against a Ukrainian business man- images which have been widely viewed. 

POLANSKI : THE CONTROVERSY

On Tuesday the Swiss Minister of Justice refused the request for release of film maker, Roman Polanski, arrested on September 26 in Zurich. On the web, the director’s supporters and detractors disagree violently about what the outcome should be.

This petition, requesting the non-extradition and release of Polanski, quickly appeared on the web. It has been signed by many stars, who criticise the Franco-Pole’s conditions of arrest.


A request that many net users, such as this American man fail to comprehend. He deems it unthinkable that Roman Polanski should be allowed to slip through the net of justice once more. He asserts that Polanski should pay for his crime despite his star status.


A point of view shared by this video blogger, who invites net users to mobilise and to sign this counter-petition, requesting Polanski’s extradition to the US and his imprisonment.

And this confrontation between pro and anti-Polanskis can also be found on social networks and Facebook in particular. Groups offering their support to the film maker rub elbows with others demanding that he stand trial.

Meanwhile, some are already deliberating about the possible interrogation that Polanski will be subjected to after his extradition. This video montage shows two policemen trying to make the director crack.


 ANNE FRANK’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Here are the only existing filmed images of Anne Frank. The Anne Franck Museum in Amsterdam has posted them on the channel it has just launched on Youtube. Dozens of videos dedicated to the Jewish teenager who fell victim to Nazi barbarity, like this interview with her father are available for online viewing.



COMIC STRIPS ONLINE

Here is the first online cartoon strip publishing house. Based on the model of sites such as ‘MyMajorCompany’ for music, ‘Manolosanctis’ plans to edit cartoon strip authors voted for by net users. The site is presented as an alternative to traditional publishing houses and aims to publish one cartoon per month. The goal is to sell 3,000 copies by the end of December.



VIDEO DU JOUR


The Canadian Prime Minister as a web star. These images of Stephen Harper at a charity gala in Ottawa have been viewed over 200,000 times in two days. The Prime Minister can be heard singing a Beatles song whilst playing the piano, accompanied by the famous cellist, Yo Yo Ma.