Global Voices: Daily Digest—October 12, 2011

Egypt: Mourning the Heros of Maspero's Battle
Egyptians are pulling together after a bout of violence at the state television building Maspero, engineered to pit Muslim against Christian and vice versa. The clashes between protesters and the military police during a Coptic protest to demand answers over the burning of churches in Sohag and Aswan resulted in around 25 deaths and 200 injuries. read>>

Malawi: Death of a Student Activist and a Campaign of Terror
Early on the morning of Saturday September 24th a University of Malawi Polytechnic student was found lying stiff on a paved surface, next to a pool of blood. His name was Robert Chasowa, a student activist, and he was dead. read>>

Colombia: Outrage at Conservative Politician over Remarks about Rape and Abortion
On Tuesday October 11, Conservative politician Enrique Gómez Hurtado's statements about abortion caused outrage among Colombian Twitter users Gómez supports a legislative act to reform an article in the Constitution in order to outlaw abortion under all circumstances. read>>

Israel: News of Gilad Shalit's Release Welcomed
On October 11, the Israeli government and top Hamas officials confirmed that a deal has been struck between Israel and Hamas that would lead to the release of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli netizens react to the news. read>>

Chile: Education Reform Triumphs in Unofficial Plebiscite
After 5 months of protests and school takeovers, Chile's student movement continues to mobilize for an overhaul of the country's education system. Over the weekend an overwhelming majority of Chileans voted in favor of education reform in an unofficial and symbolic plebiscite. read>>

Uruguay Celebrates its Bicentennial
This year Uruguay is celebrating the bicentennial of its "emancipation process". Events to commemorate the beginning of the country's independence struggle have been scheduled to take place throughout the year, but on Monday October 10 a massive event in Montevideo inspired online reactions on blogs and social networks. read>>

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