Stories about Humanitarian Response from May, 2008
South Africa: Bloggers need to do more than just write
A few South African bloggers are thinking about positive steps to take with regard to the current xenophobia crisis in South Africa. Stii asks, “What can we as bloggers do about the Xenophobia crisis?” and Mike Stopforth calls on South African bloggers to do something. Meanwhile, Afrigator has launched a special Xenophobia Crisis Page.
Burkina Faso: Level four culture shock
In The United Kingdom a bit more than a week ago, the Office of National Statistics reported that in the past ten years, nearly two million Britons have moved abroad, making up the second largest emigration in the country’s history. Presently, that means that 5.5 million Britons live in foreign countries. So, what does this have to do with Burkina Faso? It proves a point, a fundamental truth really, about foreigners: They eventually go home. Or at least most of them do. It just happens that in Burkina Faso, a number of foreign bloggers are getting ready to pack up their things and head elsewhere.
Hong Kong: Two Songs on Sichuan Earthquake
Florence posted two music videos written for Sichuan earthquake victims [zh].
China: Donation Pressure on Multinational Companies
ESWN translated a report from Southern Weekend about the public pressure on multinational companies regarding earthquake donations.
Myanmar: Inadequate aid
Penguin Blog uploads an article by American journalist Emma Larkin who has a first-hand account of the cyclone disaster in Myanmar. Larkin notes the small aid reaching the Burmese: ”...
China: After the quake, hoping for aid
From inside and outside China, concerned citizens are helping, and putting their hands out to help the victims of the devastating 7.9 in the Richter scale earthquake that leveled out industrial cities, transforming them into refugee camps where people are living under plastic bags, trying to find out their relatives and remake their lives. Four different videos bring us perspectives on how people are dealing with their losses all around the world, and how reaching out to help others could help help ease the pain.
From the Diary of a Sinister Egyptian Spinster
Egyptian women have their own set of challenges, ranging from the right to marry themselves off to inequality in marriage and divorce rights. Marwa Rakha sheds light on the thoughts and writings of Eman - a self-confessed spinster.
China: Chinese Red Cross on corruption watch
Bloggers continue to monitor earthquake corruption, as they wait for the truth to come out as to why so many school buildings collapsed so easily in this month's massive earthquake....
China: Sunglasses Gate and Others
ESWN translated an article from my1510.cn on some strange reactions from local government, media and angry youths towards the Sichuan earthquake.
China: Children Protection
Wang Xiaofeng criticized mainstream media practice in interviewing the children earthquake victims as such interviews may have negative impacts on children's psychology [zh].
China: No Corruption in Building Schools
The education ministry has denied corruption in the construction of school buildings in the Sichuan earthquake zone. The comments in Zhaomu's blog showed that no one believed in the official...
China: An Earthquake Reporter's Self-Mockery
A Beijing reporter wrote a self-mockery confession on his trip to Wenchuan earthquake center [zh].
China: Earthquake Relief Posters
Red Cross (China) together with other media companies launched a campaign, Together we are, and called for submission of earthquake relief posters for expressing solidarity with the earthquake victims. A...
Sudan: Stranded Palestinians
Sudanese blogger Yahya Jaser Mohammed [Ar] sheds light at the plight of Palestinians stranded in Sudan – and who cannot return to their homes.
China: Three Minutes Silence Reflected in Search Stats
Jacky Peng blogs the search traffic stats of Google China on May 19 which showed the three minutes silence (mourning for earthquake victims) effect.
Myanmar: Open and close borders
The Siam Sentinel sums up the inconsistency of Myanmar's attitude in accepting aid: “Burma opens its borders. Burma closes its borders. Burma agrees to allow foreign aid workers to enter...
China: Earthquake Video
Michael Zhao made a 9 mins video on the 512 Wenchuan Earthquake with English subtitles.
China: Q&A with Premier Wen
An increasing number of questions are being asked as China continues to mourn for the massive number of lives lost in the earthquake in Sichuan earlier this month. Veteran news figure Rose Luqiu has posted her recent questions to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on her blog along with his answers, in full.
Palestine: Mass Exodus from Gaza?
“50,000 Arabs have left Gaza since last June,” writes Carl in Jerusalem. “In April, I reported that some 80% of Gaza residents want to leave, but this is the first...
Stuff Egyptian People Like
There are sites like “Stuff White People Like“, “Stuff Educated Black People Like“, and even “Stuff Jewish Young Adults Like“. So a group of Egyptian bloggers decided to create the...
