· February, 2011

Stories about Humanitarian Response from February, 2011

Haiti: Preventable Suffering

  28 February 2011

“The earthquake did not kill people. Bad buildings killed people. Lack of medical care killed people. Lack of infrastructure killed people. Lack of caring government officials kill[s] people”: Dying in Haiti is convinced that “most Haitian suffering is not necessary and is preventable in the first place.”

Latin America: On teleSUR's Coverage of Libya Uprising

  26 February 2011

Latin American news channel teleSUR managed earlier this week to send several journalists into Tripoli to cover the ongoing uprising in Libya. Nonetheless, its coverage, which seems quite different to the one provided by other international news media, has caught the attention of many Latin American netizens.

India: Are You A Toybanker Yet?

  25 February 2011

Toybank is a bank with Toy Deposits and Joy Dividends, an idea which comes with a vision of reaching out to needy children through fun and play, using toys. Debolina Raja Gupta interviews Sweta Chari, the CEO of the Toybank project, to learn more.

Libya: Feeling the Iron Fist in Tripoli (Videos)

  23 February 2011

What is happening in Tripoli? Afraid of levels of violence Muammar Al Gaddafi will inflict on the city while clinging to power, Libyans -- and the rest of the world -- want to know. With the city virtually closed to foreign media, videos, photos and Twitter tells us all we know.

Lebanon: 128 Dictators or More to Revolt Against?

  23 February 2011

While the Arab world has been and is still revolting against its dictators, the situation in Lebanon is a bit different and more complex. According to netizens Imad Bazzi and Ali Fakhry, the Lebanese people are suffering from 128 dictators, who make up the Lebanese Parliament, and a sectarian regime. They decided to stage a protest to voice their concerns. Here is what happened and reactions which followed.

Liberia: Revive Liberia

  23 February 2011

Revive Liberia is a blog by Revive Liberia Missions, Inc., a wholly volunteer, non-denominational Christian group committed to improving the physical and spiritual lives of the people who live in post-war Liberia.

Haiti: Can News Ever Be Impartial?

  23 February 2011

“We have to remember that news – that holy, sacred source of information – is biased”: Throwing Down the Water reminds us to ask a few pertinent questions – “Whose story is being told? Through which eyes? For whose benefit?” – when sifting through the news.

Libya: Stop Gaddafi's Massacre

  21 February 2011

The world is watching in horror, as harrowing reports are making their way from Libya. News of the aerial bombing of Tripoli has united people from all over the world to call for an end to the atrocities committed by Libyan leader Muammar Al Gaddafi against the Libyan people.

Kuwait: Stateless ‘Bedoun’ Demand Rights

  21 February 2011

Kuwait's stateless population, also known as ‘bedoun' (without nationality), has been holding protests for the third day in a row, calling for equal rights and a citizenship in the country many have been born in and know as their only home. The government says they are illegal residents - and that their demonstrations are illegal too.

Russia: Recreating a Traditional Village Hospital

RuNet Echo  16 February 2011

Mikhail Shlyapnikov (LJ user michael-077) writes in detail (RUS) about plans to set up a communal village hospital – old-style, but functional – in Kolionovo, Moscow region: “This, perhaps, is a rare case in contemporary history of rural Russia when, contrary to the general tendency, a village hospital is not...

Colombia: Outrage after failed FARC hostage release

  14 February 2011

On December 8, 2010, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced they would release five hostages in an open letter to former senator Piedad Córdoba. However, things did not go as planned on Sunday: two hostages were not present at the coordinates provided by FARC. Many Colombian Twitter users expressed their outrage as a result.

Guatemala: Living Conditions in La Limonada

  12 February 2011

“Consider the comforts in your home. Carpet. Furniture. Microwaves. Insulation from the cold and heat. Water that won’t make you and your family sick. Privacy. Now imaging your life without these things. For some it seems impossible. This is how people live every single day in La Limonada,” concludes Kerry...

Egypt: Liberation Square on Liberation Day

  12 February 2011

Yesterday was a roller coaster of emotions for Egyptians. Tarek Amr shares his feelings and those of Egyptian bloggers who witnessed the fall of Mubarak - a man who ruled their country for 30 years and then had to resign because the people screamed in one voice: :Leave!

China: Face to face with Chen Guangcheng

  12 February 2011

Don Weinland from China Digital Times has translated prominent blogger Zhai Minglei's report on the attack of human rights activist Chen Guangcheng upon the release of a video depicting his life under police surveillance.