Stories about Ethnicity & Race from October, 2011
Brazil: Mobilization Against Racism Towards Indigenous Peoples
Following the occupation of the Belo Monte construction site, socio-environmental student Robson Fernando, from the blog Consciência, denounces [pt] racist comments left by readers of Folha de São Paulo on the newspaper's website against the Brazilian indigenous population. On another post, Fernando calls those who propagate prejudice and hatred to...
Myanmar Netizens to BBC: Apologize Now
Some Myanmar netizens are asking BBC to apologize for publishing an ‘inaccurate' map of Myanmar's ethnic groups. BBC has already updated the map but netizens still want a formal apology
USA: The Challenge of Diversity in the “Occupy” Movement
One month since the initial occupation of the financial district of New York, Wall Street, collective actions in the city continue to diversify. Activists and organizations from minority communities have begun to join and also express their indignation.
Trinidad & Tobago: The Question of Race
“I feel that a person loses a bit of who he or she is internally by having to limit themselves by that one word. And it can be quite a burden to live up to. And with the growing group of interracial individuals who identify with more than one group,...
Brazil: Violence Against Indigenous Fulni-o Tapuya
Brazilian blogger Danielle Pereira, on Diário Liberdade, denounces [pt] (with photos and videos) abuses and violence committed by the police of Brasilia against members of the indigenous community Fulni-o Tapuya. The people are claiming land that historically belongs to them, but that was delivered to a private company by the...
India: The Hidden Corruption
Dheera Sujan points out that grass-root struggles like Chhattisgarh's Soni Sori do not attract proper attention in India and their voices are being silenced in a hidden corruption.
Azerbaijan: More Voices
Aaron in Azerbaijan introduces his readers to other bloggers writing from the former Soviet republic, including one half of his two fellow PCVs who went viral with their Caspian Dreaming music video and a young female blogger already making a name for herself with personal observations of life in her...
Azerbaijan: Beautiful, Sophisticated, Democratic, and Tolerant… Just Scary Azeri
Scary Azeri explains that she named her blog as such simply because it rhymed. However, she comments sarcastically, perhaps she would have less detractors if she had named it “A beautiful, sophisticated, not at all corrupt but very democratic, accepting and tolerant Azeri.”
Azerbaijan: Land of extreme politeness
Having read about the culture of politeness in Iran, Aaron in Azerbaijan says he has a deeper insight into the culture in Azerbaijan, a country where traditions and hospitality permeate every sphere of life, although not necessarily always genuinely.
Guinea: Another Bloody and Violent September 28
September 28 is a date feared by all Guineans whether they live in their country or abroad. This year opposition activists demonstrated peacefully to denounce the government's unilateral acts, but suppression was fierce.
Trinidad & Tobago: Striving to be Better
“It’s when you know your weaknesses and work on them that you become truly remarkable. And that’s what I want for T&T”: Outlish blogs about the things Trinbagonians won't (but probably should) do.
Jamaica: Hiding “Behind Blackness”
Under the Saltire Flag shares an interesting perspective on the recent riots in London: “I have no problem accepting that in many areas Britain is blindly racist and must be called out on it. It can be frustraiting to realize that in many instances Jamaica is just as blindly racist...
Peru: 14 Shamans Murdered in Amazon Town
Peruvian bloggers Juan Arellano [es] and Paco Bardales [es] report on the murders of 14 shamans in the amazon town of Balsapuerto. The main suspect is the mayor of Balsapuerto, Alfredo Torres, and his brother, who are reportedly evangelical Christian and see these shamans as “devils”.
United States: Alabama Passes Country's Strictest Anti-Immigration Law
On September 29, the state of Alabama passed the United States' strictest anti-immigration law, following in the footsteps of Arizona's already controversial law, which criminalized illegal migrant status. Read reactions from the blogosphere.
Curacao: Comedy or Mockery?
TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA calls a comedy show that is in town for five performances “Afro-Curacaoan mockery disguised as comedy”, saying: “The moment we stop legitimizing everything that destroys our self image or stagnates it from growing will be the moment we win. The moment we smile.”
Curacao: Inadequate Narrative on Slavery
A Netherlands-based Curacaoan blogger shares his impression of the debate on the television series “De Slavernij” (The Slavery): “It seems…that the production team (I’m excluding the historians and experts for now) has put little to no thought in how to structure the complex narratives surrounding the subject of slavery.”
Myanmar: Interactive Map of Ethnic Groups
Stimson has set-up an interactive map of Myanmar's ethnic groups and key economic and power utilities.
Armenia: Steve Jobs’ Armenian connection and an obituary
Ianyan posts its own obituary to Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder, who died yesterday. The blog says that Jobs revolutionized the way we use personal computers and mobile telephones while also detailing his adoption by an ethnic Armenian mother. Meanwhile, another Armenian blog, Unzipped, says thank you to the visionary innovator.
Jamaica: A Proud Black History
It's Black History Month in the UK and Kei Miller turns on its head “those tired statements of black pride – how, for instance, we are the sons and daughters of kings and queens”, saying: “It seems so banal…it betrays such a lack of imagination. Me… I’d rather imagine other...
Mauritania: Black Mauritanians Fear for their Citizenship as Census Proceeds
Bakari Guèye in Magharebia reports that the city of Kaedi erupted into violence on September 24 and 30, 2011, because the black community feared that the census would be used as a discriminatory tool to relegate them to second class citizen status. Babacar Justin Ndiaye explains that only Black Mauritanians...
Curacao: Changes Needed in Court of Justice
“A Dutch European lawyer indiscriminately lambasting a prime minister and a party leader in front of four innocent new judges…indoctrinating them from day one how to judicially digest post-colonial power struggles from a sole Dutch white privileged position is borderline dangerous”: TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA thinks it's time for “this constant...
