Stories about Ethnicity & Race from July, 2006
Bermuda: Stop the violence
Sean encourages readers to participate in a letter-writing campaign protesting the brutal beating of a Portuguese national outside a bar in Bermuda. Christian Dunleavy congratulates a local Portuguese activist for holding the government to account.
Uganda: Who is afraid of peace?
On the occasion of the Sudan-mediated talks aimed at bringing peace to northern Uganda, Ngomrom says any settlement should be seen as an opportunity to introduce a democratic system in the country.
Malawi: Racism in football
Malawi-based Afrika-Aphukira posts a long commentary on the debate now raging over the sending off of French soccer captain Zinedine Zidane after he headbutted Marco Matarazzi in the France-Italy World Cup final. Emerging reports of racist insults from Matarazzi have divided the world into two camps: those who think ‘sportmanship’...
Afghan Whispers: Insecurity & Racism
A few Afghan bloggers talked about insecurity in country and recent bomb explosions. We look at a few of them. Insecurity Afghan Lord talks about daily violence in Afghanistan. The blogger gives us the details about three consecutive days of violenc. He writes, On 3rd of July, a time bomb...
Nigeria: Code Unread
Musings of a Naijaman meets London mayor Ken Livingstone at an anti-racism festival and comments on the banning of the movie The Da Vinci Code in Nigeria.
Sri Lanka: Tamil for the president
Thanesh poses a question on the nature of the Sri Lankan constitution. “Ok I heard from a friend that according to the constitution of Sri Lanka, a Sri Lankan Tamil or any other non-Buddhist for that matter will NOT be able to run for Office of the President.” The discussion...
Senegal: Migrant workers
Black Looks posts a poem about the lives of African migrants looking for work and a better life, and Nigeria, What's New? picks it up with a link to a photo-essay on the same subject.
Lebanon: Thorny Internal Political, Social & Economic Issues and Gaza
Bloggers of the Lebanese blogosphere touched upon a wide range of topics this past week. Please bear patience and read on and I assure you that your journey will be rewarding. It is difficult to encompass all that was discussed. But among the posts are: How the failures of the “March 14 Movement” (Cedar Revolution) are leading to advances in the opposing camps, especially in the camp of “the Free Patriotic Movement” of Gen. Aoun. Reflection and analysis on the verbal clashes within/between some of the sects in Lebanon. Love it leave it relationship between Lebanon and Lebanese youth. The priorities that the politicians have which do not meet the basic needs of the people. A heavy attack on ATTAC which is a campaign against the WTO and on WTO too. Mistreatment of foreign maids working in Lebanon. Surprise predictions concerning the assassination of PM Rafic Hariri “Fair and balanced” reporting in the Arab media resulting in less reporting on the missiles that are actually killing the Palestinians everyday. An artist’s play on the cedar, the Lebanese national symbol, to reflect the internal political and factional strife plus the Lebanese infatuation with the world cup.
Racism at the World Cup
Forum Realisance says (Fr) of the World Cup: “What shocked the French is that June 27 at the end of the match against Spain, they were received with primitive ape-like screams by … Spanish spectators! And according to French and Italian papers, the same insulting screams were heard on Plaza...
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Sarajevo-Born Sephardic Musician
Kirk Johnson of Americans For Bosnia writes about a Sarajevo-born Sephardic Jewish musician Flory Jagoda: “[…] (Jagoda has lived in the US–married to an American–since after World War II) who was born a Bosnian Jew, the descendent of Ladino-speaking Sephardic settlers from Iberia […]. She was a Bosnian by birth,...
Kyrgyzstan: Russians Leaving?
Yulia reports that there are fears in Kyrgyzstan that ethnic Russians may leave for Russia in response to Vladimir Putin's call for Russians living outside of Russia to move back. She also notes that many ethnic Kyrgyz continue to leave for Russia in hopes of finding work and wonders how...
Bangladesh: Muslim in America
Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying on being a Muslim Immigrant in America. “Even though I have spent most of my life in America I still carry the weight of being an immigrant and a Muslim in post 9/11 America. After 9/11 my loyalties were subject to question. Suddenly...
Lebanon: Palestine & Israel, Values that don’t work & the Sahsouh
The Lebanese blogosphere this week seems to be directly affected by the situation in the occupied territories of Palestine. Anti-Semitism in Lebanon, the besieging of Gaza, Israeli flag in the World Cup and books by Israelis that “distort” facts are some of the topics discussed. In addition to these we find out about a case where the values we are taught when young do not work well when we get older. We also learn about a common Lebanese practice called the Sahsouh.
French DOM/TOMs: Sarkozy-Led Convention
Jean-Claude Halley from Guadeloupe Attitude posts (Fr) an invitation to an upcoming convention on the issues of French overseas departments and territories (a.k.a. DOM/TOMs) organized by controversial French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and his UMP party. The invitation enumerates issues faced by the DOMs including unemployment, discrimination, social tensions, inadequate...
Independence Day: MLK mix
UK-based music blogger Soul on Ice posts a link to a mix of Martin Luther King's “I have a dream” speech against a background of tabla drums in honor of Independence Day, commenting: “African America wouldn't be celebrating anything if not for this great man.”
Estonia: Mixed-Heritage Citizens
Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa writes about what it takes to become “just Estonian”: “I recall standing in Tallinn Central Hospital looking at the list of maternity doctors on the wall, and seeing either Russian surnames with Estonian last names (Olga Sepp) or Estonian first names with Russian lastnames (Pille...
Poland: Jewish-Polish Relationship
The beatroot posts again on the post-WWII relationship between Jews and Poles in Poland, this time reacting to Fear, the latest book of Jan Gross, an author who “will again become a bit of a hate figure here for dragging up an uncomfortable past once more.”
Cambodia: Saving heritage
Andy Brouwer in Cambodia is talking about an innovative effort to prevent the looting of historical artefacts. “In my view, Heritage Watch have come up with a brilliant idea to educate young Cambodians on preserving their heritage. Not exactly a subject that springs readily to the minds of children, but...
Fiji: National Flower
The pacific islander blog has a post on the local legend about the origin of Tagimoucia flower, the national flower of Fiji.
