· January, 2011

Stories about Humanitarian Response from January, 2011

Taiwan: Animal protection “cockroaches” on Facebook

  30 January 2011

Boogier warns facebook users to think twice before clicking “like” or “share” button on those pitiful stories and photos of stray dogs and poor dog carers. He criticizes this kind of tactics used to allure people by fake animal protectors-who he'd rather call “cockroaches”, and argues that more dogs are mistreated because of...

Mexico: The Passing of Indigenous Rights Supporter Bishop Samuel Ruiz

  24 January 2011

Bishop Samuel Ruiz passed away this morning. Tim Johnson explains: “Ruiz […] started the Fray Bartolome de las Casas Human Rights Center out of his diocese, and played an instrumental role in keeping the Zapatista uprising  that erupted in 1994 from flaring into broader violence. Ruiz’s work on behalf of...

Tunisia: Serbian Tourists Refuse to Return Home

  20 January 2011

Eleven Serbian tourists spending their holidays in Tunisian resort towns of Sousse and Hammamet have categorically refused to leave this North African country before the end of their tour arrangement. Sasa Milosevic reviews some of the online reactions of these Serbian tourists' compatriots.

Panama: Fire in Youth Prison Sparks Controversy

  19 January 2011

A fire in a correctional facility for juvenile offenders has generated all types of reactions on Twitter and Panamanian blogs. The police officers involved are trying to defend themselves and explain what happened, and on the other side the Panamanian people are divided between those that want heads to roll among the prison guards and those that justify the police actions.

St. Lucia: Getting Over Tomas

  17 January 2011

“It will be a long road”: Sun, Rain, Or… says that St. Lucia is still struggling to get back to normal after last year's Hurricane Tomas.

North Korea: Drugs Rampant, Even Among Teens

  17 January 2011

North Korean insiders and defectors have testified that drugs are widespread in North Korea. Most recent reports told that drugs are popular gifts among teens and even ordinary middle-class citizens are frequently abusing them.

Venezuela: Rain Victims Protest Refuge Conditions

  14 January 2011

Juan Cristobal in Caracas Chronicles reports that, “This morning, dozens of families who lost their homes last December took to the streets to protest. According to press reports, the group was complaining they have been living in a flooded, rat-infested basement for weeks.”

El Salvador: A Decade Since the January 13 Earthquake

  13 January 2011

Hunnapuh [es] asks if El Salvador has learned “the lesson” 10 years after the January 13 earthquake. Blogger “Jjmar” answers the question reporting that construction companies still build homes in vulnerable places, and that people still purchase and live in these high-risk homes.

Lebanon: Let's Protest

  12 January 2011

After -what she considered- so many useless and power-oriented protests, Lebanese blogger Liliane suggested a list of things that she believes are really worth demonstrating for and protesting against. Check her list and her readers suggestions as well in this post.

Haiti: One Year Ago…We Remember

  12 January 2011

Today marks one year since the devastating earthquake struck Haiti. Haitian bloggers are remembering and paying tribute to the survivors of the disaster, while acknowledging that there is still a lot of work to be done.

Poland: Microblog Reactions to the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity

  10 January 2011

More than 800 concerts, 1,300 artists performing for free today, 120,000 volunteers, an endless amount of charity activities across the whole of Poland and so far almost $12.3 million: these are the results of the grand finale of the 19th Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. As we slowly approach the end of the day, we are also looking at online reactions to the event.

Japan: Yearning for death

  6 January 2011

Daniele at The East Asia Gazette analyzed the “state of suicides in Japan” [en]. The post reads like a short essay on the sociological and cultural causes of suicide in one of the country with the highest suicide rates in the world. The blogger also reflected on the alarming statistics...