· March, 2012

Stories about International Relations from March, 2012

India: Arresting Tibetan Activists

  31 March 2012

Dilip D'Souza at Death Ends Fun comments on the arrests of Tibetan activists in India: “we gave the Tibetans shelter when they fled from the excesses of China. Now we arrest them when Chinese premiers come visiting.”

Georgia: Tongue-in-cheek development forecast

  31 March 2012

A satirical video posted on YouTube takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the development of Georgia ahead of parliamentary elections later this year and a presidential vote in 2013. With the current president, Milhail Saakashvili, unable to run for a third term in office it foresees him following in the footsteps...

Brazil: Irregularities Denounced in the Council of Representatives of Emigrants

  30 March 2012

Founded at the end of 2012, the Conselho de Representantes de Brasileiros no Exterior [Council of Representatives of Brazilians Abroad], or the CRBE, linked to the Ministry of External Affairs, has provoked the indignation of expatriate Brazilians owing to allegations of irregularities in the election process for its representatives.

Madagascar: Details of the 1947 Massacre Still Unknown

  30 March 2012

TanaNews reports that prime minister Beriziky requested that France returns to Madagascar the archives [fr] regarding the massacre of about 100 000  people in 1947 to repress the movement for the independence of  Madagascar. Olivier Herviaux provides some context [fr] to the massacre. French Amabassador Châtaigner states on twitter that the archives...

This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere

  29 March 2012

Again this week, the regional blogosphere was dominated by talk of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba. With reports of repression at an all-time high, Cuban bloggers were dismayed by the outcome of the trip.

The Cuba the Pope Leaves Behind

  29 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Cuba has come to an end, a visit bookended by the Castro brothers: President Raul Castro greeting the pontiff at the airport and Fidel Castro meeting with him before his departure. But bloggers are suggesting that despite the Pope's message of change and hope for the future, it looks like business as usual on the island.

China: Netizens Reactions to North Korea Satellite Launch

  29 March 2012

On March 27, North Korea announced that it would not abandon its satellite launch in mid April despite U.S. President Barack Obama's high profile visit to South Korea this week. China's President Hu Jintao has been rather prudent in expressing his position, while in the social media, netizens' viewpoints are divided.

Cuba: Who will the Pope Support?

  28 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Santiago de Cuba on Monday, the second visit by a Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church to the island in 14 years. The web, especially Twitter, has become a battleground for dissidents and government supporters.

Armenia: US Ambassador urges free, fair and credible elections

  28 March 2012

Ambassador Heffern's Video Blog's comments on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. Posted on the U.S. Embassy's YouTube Channel, the American diplomat stresses the need for free and fair elections, details some of the changes introduced in the electoral code, and urges the government, opposition and civil society to ensure...

Cuba: Pope Arrives Today; What Will His Visit Bring?

  26 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI is due to arrive today in Cuba, even as bloggers chronicle the “wave of arrests and threats” preceding the papal visit. But top of mind for most bloggers, particularly from the diaspora, is whether or not the pontiff will decide to meet with the Ladies in White and other members of the political opposition.

Blogger Analysis on North Korea's Expected Rocket Trajectory

  26 March 2012

North Korea Tech blog wrote about North Korea's rocket launch which is scheduled for next month. The blogger, after analyzing the International Maritime Organization's documents, predicted that the rocket will drop to earth in two stages off the western coast of South Korea and to the east of Luzon Island in the Philippines.

Sri Lanka: Reactions to US Resolution at UNHRC

  25 March 2012

A US resolution was recently passed at a UN Human Rights Council meeting on Sri Lanka seeking to encourage the government to investigate allegations of human rights violations during the country's civil war against the LTTE and implement the recommendations made by a reconciliation commission. Netizens react.