Blogging For Darfur
November 22nd, 2006 | Published in Activism, Africa, Blogosphere, Darfur, Diaspora, Human Rights, Sudan | 12 Comments
Continuing the thread of an earlier post, blogging and activism, a new blogging initiative: “We blog for Darfur” - launched by Drima, an African blogger at Sudanese Thinker, and some Middle Eastern bloggers - aims to shed more light on the events in Darfur. Drima, is a Sudanese student in South East Asia whose eight month blogging stint has been impressive. In an introductory post, he writes:
“The Arab media is a shame… a real shame. Why is there hardly anything on Darfur? Why? Is it because the victims are a bunch of “blackie darkiesâ€?…The Mideast Youth bunch and I have taken in it upon ourselves to spread awareness throughout the blogosphere since the media hardly seems to care. Maybe they’ll actually start picking up more stories and reporting more about Darfur.”
The African media equally sucks! It might not be a bad idea to expand their coverage into the African blogosphere as well. After all, that is the place the events are unfolding, not Asia. Besides, it appears the awareness level is as low in Africa as in the Middle East, if not worse:
“Awareness of the situation in Darfur is fairly low. Just over one-third of Africans interviewed (36%) say they have heard or read a great deal or a fair amount about the conflict in the Sudan region called Darfur.”
This is a much needed endeavor nontheless, afterall there are several independent Darfur-themed websites in America and Europe, so see one from Asia/Africa is great. In addition to other content, I would suggest, again, that the organizers offer regular “round-up” of blogs with Darfur-related contents.
While blogging is still an elitist exercise in Africa, it is one medium that holds so much potential, particularly in initiating spirited dialogues - beyond the luke warm mainstream media coverage - on socio-political and economic issues that have weighted down the African continent for decades.
As I stated several months back in “The Future of African Blogosphere:” “the misinformation and sensational coverage Africa has suffered from media sectors that don’t know any better may even start to reverse as newer perspectives become more common and ‘linkable’.” Sokari’s post: “Blogging, social networking and activism” also offer additional insight into the how African blogs can work together to have more significant impact.
So, it’s a delight to see some initiatives, such as “We blog for Darfur” and Mzalendo, evolve, and it’s my hope to see more ideas emerge and gain strong footing over time. Already, Nigeria has a presidential aspirant that blogs!
The “We blog for Darfur” project is certainly a worthy cause; my best wishes to Drima and the Mideast Youth.
Technorati Tags: We blog for Darfur
November 22nd, 2006 at 6:45 am (#)
[…] Grandiose Parlor writes about a new blogging initiative, We Blog for Darfur. Ndesanjo Macha […]
November 23rd, 2006 at 8:26 am (#)
This blog is launched by more than one person. Everyone is making an effort, and we would appreciate it if you emphasize that. It’s not a project owned by a single person or group, nor was it suggested by a single person or group, nor is it the efforts of a single person or group.
We did it together. Let’s not attach it to names.
November 23rd, 2006 at 10:43 am (#)
Esra’a thanks for the comment. I understand the project is a collaboration and I think I mentioned the MiddleEastern bloggers somewhere in the post. Maybe I should have inserted a link to the site as well, and I have, now. My apologies.
However, the idea is not to shower praises on any one particular person, but to hightlight the spirit behind the initiative. This is the focus of the post, and I think that is clear enough.
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:00 am (#)
I think it is a mistake however to make it seem as if it’s something launched by a single individual.
A group initiative means it is more credible and it is more likely to reach the viewers that we need.
Saying it’s a “group” effort also gives much hope to the consistency of this project. We launched it as a group, and we will continue this project as a group. It is very important, for marketing purposes, that no one does the mistake of calling it an effort of a single individual. It hurts the campaign itself. I speak from experience as someone who participates in a lot of campaigns and I study its weaknesses. This is one of them.
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:14 am (#)
Esra’a, I think you are doing yourself and your initiative a great harm by bringing unnecessary attention to what I have apologized for and already rectified. Who cares who initiated it? I don’t! What I care about it that this is a darn good project and please lets leave it at that!
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:49 am (#)
Suit yourself - but it matters. Especially to us. If we want to keep releasing damn good projects we are going to need recognition and support and thus these works must be recognized.
If only people understood this the way it should be understood, maybe we’d have more projects under our sleeves.
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:16 pm (#)
Esra’a: I can assure that people will relate to your project for its value and substance; and not because of the individuals who started it. The tenacity you have demostrated on this comment thread suggests, to me at least, that you would have been more pleased if you were referenced in the write-up.
Well, congratulations, you have earned it, albeit through the side door!
I must say you attitude leaves a sour taste in my mouth because you have totally gone off-track - addressing some mundane issues of little relevance - without any acknowledgement of the good intent of this post, or the suggestions proffered in the write-up. Obviously, the importance of these are of little concern to you.
Let me state it once again, and clearly: This post is not about you or anyone in particular; it was written because of what it stands for, and mean to the people of Darfur. Capiche?
November 23rd, 2006 at 1:03 pm (#)
Looks like I hit a sensitive nerve.
It seems as though you’re going out of your way to make this about praise. Where did I ask to be mentioned? I clearly emphasized the “group” part. Did I have to repeat myself?
“The tenacity you have demostrated on this comment thread suggests, to me at least, that you would have been more pleased if you were referenced in the write-up.”
It is sad that you disregarded what I said in the first comment. Where did I ask for a specific mention?! It doesn’t have anything to do with the project itself. But where the project comes from matters. It adds credibility to the work.
“This post is not about you or anyone in particular”
Surely the world revolves around my ass, though. Don’t burst my bubble.
“Obviously, the importance of these are of little concern to you.”
Giving credit where it’s due is important. I’m not the only one concerned about this. Yes, we care about the project, otherwise we wouldn’t put the effort into it. But we also sacrifice a lot to make this as influential as possible. We finance it. We spend a lot of time marketing it. And quite frankly, yes, we get pissed when people don’t recognize that and see it as the efforts of a single person. There, I admit. Are you happier now?
Surely you would feel the same way had you gone through the trouble, so don’t accuse me of having an attitude. This is a normal reaction when you invest a lot of time, money, and effort with no encouragement in return. We did it as a group. That is the most important part. And you’re blowing it out of proportion by kicking and screaming.
November 23rd, 2006 at 1:18 pm (#)
She is not asking you give credit for her, but ALL the individuals involved in this.
Gandhi would have been pissed if Boss was some how given credit for what he did.
Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr were rivals for the same cause, but both would have been pissed of the other took credit for something the other did.
Give credit where it is due so they can feel good about what they do and keep on doing it.
Respect.
November 23rd, 2006 at 2:24 pm (#)
[…] It appears this seemingly harmless post: “Blogging for Darfur“, has ruffled some feathers based on the comments it has received from one of the organizers that goes by the name/handle Esra’a. […]
November 24th, 2006 at 12:29 pm (#)
[…] A new African blogging initiative to shed light on events in Darfur. Via Global Voices Online. […]
November 30th, 2006 at 12:41 pm (#)
[…] After the not-so-pleasant comments made on this blog (I had to moderate some because of the foul language) by one the WBD organizers, and on the Mideast Youth Forum; one entry was particularly heavy with some choice words (now deleted), and a more recent comment where the writer refers to me as a “failed blogger” : http://www.mideastyouth.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=257&view=next&sid=fe182494d6ed41f59f44a08eaf21f413, (Fri. Nov 24, 2006 2:42 pm). I can only hope that others in the WBD initiative have abundant peoples’ skills to compensate for the deficiencies of their colleague. […]