· September, 2012

Stories about History from September, 2012

South Korea: Presidential Nominee Stumbles Over Unresolved History

  25 September 2012

South Korea's ruling conservative party’s presidential nominee has suffered a major setback after she made an offensive remark on a notoriously unfair trial made under her father’s authoritarian rule. Former President Park Chung-hee is one of the most polarizing figures in South Korean history.

Cabinda: Black Gold of Angola

  25 September 2012

Cabinda, the eighteenth and most disputed province of Angola, has been waging an ancient struggle for its independence. The majority of the Angolan population says that Cabinda is part of Angola, but others defend the opposite position. The enclave produces around 70% of the oil exported by the country.

DR of Congo: Rwanda is Helping the Rebellion, says Human Rights Watch

  24 September 2012

Human Rights Watch wrote [fr]: In addition to deploying reinforcements and recruits to support military operations, Rwandan military officials have been providing important military support to the M23 rebels, including weapons, ammunition, and training, Human Rights Watch said. This makes Rwanda a party to the conflict.”

Global: The 2012 edition of ‘Wiki Loves Monuments’

  24 September 2012

Julien L. wrote the following on numerama.com: The Wiki Loves Monuments copyright-free landmarks photo contest is going particularly well. Nearly a week after its launch, more than 50 000 photographs have been sent in by contributors. And this is just the beginning, because there are still 22 days left to...

Thailand: Historic Cigarette Cards Now Digitized

  23 September 2012

Historically 176 sets of cards, totaling around 9000 individual cards, representing 42 tobacco companies, were made for the Thai market. Of these some 60 sets were Thai specific designs. To many people, these cards are simply beautiful; collectable as artistic or decorative objects… Through its online catalog, New Mandala has...

What's the Verdict on Uganda@50 Independence Song?

  19 September 2012

'Yoga Yoga' is the official celebration song for Uganda's 50th year of independence, featuring Ugandan artists such as Esther Nabaasa, Ruyonga, Barbara Kayaga, Hum Kay and Richard Kaweesa. Some netizens are praising it whilst others argue it neither represents Ugandans nor Ugandan culture.

Bulgaria: Sofia, “Past&Present”

  17 September 2012

To celebrate the Day of the Bulgarian capital Sofia on Sept. 17, Alexander Nikolov posted a photo project called Past&Present. Each photo in this project combines an old and a new image of selected locations in the city.

Mexico Also Remembers September 11 Attacks

  12 September 2012

Eleven years have passed since the attacks on the World Trade Center in the city of New York and on the Pentagon in Washington D.C. in the United States of America. In commemoration of an event which had global repercussions, the whole world has spoken out in cyberspace to remember the attacks. Mexico has been no exception.

China: Political Lexicon

  11 September 2012

Qian Gang looks into the political lexicons since the 11th National Congress to show the power plays within the Chinese Communist Party.

Jordan: What Happened to Education?

  8 September 2012

Roba Al Assi shares a video of the opening of the University of Jordan in 1962 on her blog And Far Away. She writes: As a graduate of the the institution myself, it is funny looking back 50 years, at a time when education actually mattered in Jordan. How did...

Libya: Salafists Wage War on Sufi Shrines

  7 September 2012

Libya's Sufi religious sites and heritage are under attack - by the Salafists. The ultra-conservative Islamists have attacked major Sufi shrines and libraries in the north-western town of Zliten, the city of Misrata, and the capital, Tripoli. The attacks, denounced by UNESCO, sparked the anger of Libyans.

Syria: The Flag Debacle

  7 September 2012

Syrian revolutionaries have chosen the country's independence flag as their symbol after months of conflict in the country. Some people are arguing that it is the Independence flag, and others saying it's a flag of Syria under colonialism. The debate continues as each side clings to its opinion.

Mauritania: A Diplomat's Take on the Azawad

  5 September 2012

Mauritanian writer and diplomat Mohamed Mahmoud Weddady writes a series of posts in his blog entitled: “Papers about Azawad” [ar], about history and people of Azawad region. This post, for instance, focuses on the relationship between the Azawad and Libya.

Trinidad & Tobago: 50 Doesn't Add Up

  4 September 2012

How come the nation never learn to grow as a nation from all its peoples and from its individual talents? And how come the money and the success not giving the happiness we stop longing for? Matters Arising republishes a letter from a friend, commenting on the state of the...

United States: A Visit to Remember “El Barrio”

  4 September 2012

Andrew Padilla, a young Puerto Rican born and raised in El Barrio, New York, has decided to delve into his community in a very creative way. By launching a blog and a documentary, “El Barrio Tours”, Padilla explores the impact of “gentrification” in one of Manhattan's most prominent cultural axis.