Stories about History from October, 2011
Cuba: Mourning the Loss of Laura Pollan
Cuban bloggers are in mourning over the death of Laura Pollan, the former leader of the opposition group Las Damas de Blanco. The sad news made its way across the blogosphere with lightning speed and bloggers, both within Cuba and throughout the diaspora, were soon posting their remembrances of the late human rights activist online.
Anti-Malaysianism in Indonesia?
Farish A Noor discusses the perceived anti-Malaysianism sentiment in Indonesia. The author hopes for better relations between the two neighbors in the Southeast Asian region
Colombia: Palestinian Leader Mahmud Abbas Visits President Santos
In Latin America, the countries that don't recognise Palestine are few --including Colombia. As a result, President Abbas visited Juan Manuel Santos in Bogota to discuss relations between Palestine and Israel.
Mexico: U.S. Alleges Iranian Assassination Plot Involving Los Zetas
Reports that the U.S. Justice Department charged two men with conspiring with "factions of the Iranian government" to assassinate Saudi Arabia's U.S. ambassador and to bomb the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Washington - allegedly with assistance from the Los Zetas drug cartel - provoked strong reactions from netizens in Mexico and around the globe.
China: Reflecting on 100 Years Since the Xinhai Revolution
October 10, 2011, marked 100 years since the Wuchang Uprising and the beginning of the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) and established the Republic of China. Oiwan Lam reflects on China's revolutionary past.
Thai Film Archive
tilmanbaumgaertel writes a review of the Thai Film Archive. The museum is housed in a replica of the first sound studio in Thailand
Cambodia: Music Magazine
Students of the Royal University of Phnom Penh are behind the launching the magazine Dontrey which features the musical traditions of Cambodia
Cambodia: State of the National Museum
Vutha Tim writes about the situation today of the Cambodia’s National Museum and urges immediate action to repair and modernize the institution
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.
Curacao: Triple 10 – Fooled Again?
A year after the dissolution of the Dutch Caribbean federation formerly known as the Netherlands Antilles, TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA examines the fallout: “They still whipping us with a refurbished copy paste Dutch colonial constitution. Same old problematic political coalition system. New government old tricks new business elite same greediness as...
Bangladesh: The Oldest Coin In The World?
Bangladesh Unlocked writes about a tiny silver coin recovered from Wari Bateshwar in Bangladesh, the site of Bronze Age settlements, which may be the oldest coin in the world.
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...
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.”
Cameroon: Questions and Doubts Over Upcoming Election
On October 9, Cameroonians will be called on for the sixth time in the country's history to choose a president for the Republic. The election is characterized by the large number of candidates and voters - and by questions about the practices of the commission responsible for organizing elections.
Thailand: Thammasat University massacre
Chayanin Wipusanawan writes about the October 6, 1976 massacre in Bangkok’s Thammasat University. More than 40 student protesters were killed on that day when military forces stormed the campus.
Russia: Links to Vasily Grossman's Works and Other Resources
The Faculty Of Useless Knowledge writes about Vasily Grossman's novel Life and Fate, which has recently been dramatized for BBC Radio 4. Sarah J. Young posts a selection of links to resources on Grossman and his works.
Cuba, Jamaica: “Them is Russians Too”
“The totalitarian regime in Cuba seeks to rewrite its past to give the appearance of being relevant and ‘with it'”: Notes from the Cuban Exile Quarter uses an upcoming homage concert to Bob Marley to prove his point, saying: “The best way Cubans can honor Bob Marley is to get...
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...
Peru: Project Captures Stories of Victims of Enforced Disappearances
Catherine Binet, in her blog for The Advocacy Project, introduces the series Not One, but Fifteen Thousand Voices by the Peruvian Forensic Anthropology Team (EPAF): “Yes, there are 15,000 missing persons in Peru. Yes, that is an impressive number. But to understand the tragedy of enforced disappearance, one must look...
Curacao: Remembering Our Heroes
TRIUNFO DI SABLIKA remembers the day in 1795 when “Tula and the rest of our liberation warriors [were] executed after they revolted against the Dutch slavery system”, saying: “One of the main reasons you forget about the killings of our freedom fighting warriors easily is because we have a cultural...
