· June, 2012

Stories about International Relations from June, 2012

Benin: Introducing the African School of Economics

  30 June 2012

Dr. Leonard Wantchekon  introduced the African School of Economics ASE at the World Bank on June 14. The campus will be located in the city of Akassato in Abomey-Calavi (Benin), near Cotonou.  The goal of the school is to “to address the dearth of quality tertiary education, cutting-edge research, and innovative public policy in...

Korean ‘Comfort Women’ Photo Exhibit Sabotaged in Japan

  27 June 2012

A South Korean photographer explains his ordeal in holding an exhibition in Japan that documents aging 'Comfort Women', the term used for Koreans drafted as sex slaves by the Japanese during World War II. Many South Koreans and fans of the photographer online, accused Japanese extremist right-wing groups of refusing to admit their war crimes and attempting to sabotage the art exhibition.

Brazil: Is There A Clear Foreign Policy for the Middle East and Africa?

  22 June 2012

The twenty-first century has brought important changes to the balance of power which had been in place until then, with obvious ramifications for the international economy and politics. In this context, Brazil has come to dispute its influence in recent years in two regions which were formerly dominated by the central countries: the Middle East and Africa.

Nagorno Karabakh: Opposition Presidential Candidate Interviewed

CivilNet posts a video interview with Vitali Balasanyan [AM/EN], a former military commander and candidate running against the incumbent and defacto president of the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh in an election scheduled for 19 July. Although the vote is not recognized by the international community as legitimate, in another...

Nepal: Justice For Amar Bahadur Bam

  20 June 2012

Nepali worker Amar Bahadur Bam was wrongly accused and convicted for a crime in Dubai in 2003 and was tortured to give a false confession. He is currently on a death row and his family had no knowledge of him for years. Save Amar Bahadur is a Facebook campaign which...

Afghanistan: Another Diplomatic Conference, But What About Results?

Following an international ministerial conference in Kabul on the future of Afghanistan after 2014, a popular TV show asked Afghan Facebook users to express their opinions and share expectations of the event for the country. The netizens' reactions have been tepid at best, demonstrating their fatigue of frequent events that focus on Afghanistan but fail to improve the situation in the country.

Poland, Ukraine: A Euro 2012 Roundup

Notes and musings on issues related to the Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine: at Polandian – here, here, and here; at Memory at War – here; at Raf Uzar – here; at Politics, Economy, Society – here; at The Pipeline – here.

Ukraine: President Yanukovych's European Assets

On OpenDemocracy.com, Ukrainian journalist Serhij Leschenko writes about President Viktor Yanukovych's “luxury residence and the money trail that leads to London”: “Having completely rejected such European values as human rights and democracy, the Ukrainian president uses Europe as a place to hide his dirty money with impunity. European leaders who...

Russia: Bloggers Honor Tupac Shakur

Highly intelligent and socially aware, Tupac Shakur embodied the plight of contemporary African Americans who struggle to overcome poverty and racism. RuNet bloggers have honored him by his story from beginning to end on the anniversary of his birth. (June 16, 1971 - September 13, 1996)

Cuba: Bloggers say there are more like “Antunez”

  14 June 2012

Diaspora bloggers still have their attention focused on Cuban dissident Jorge Luis García Pérez (Antunez), who was reportedly beaten and detained following his testimony at a United States Senate sub-committee hearing concerned with infringements on the human rights of Cuban citizens.

Bangladesh: Keep Border Open For Rohingya Refugees

  14 June 2012

After a recent sectarian violence between Rohingya and Rakhine in Western Myanmar, Bangladesh has restricted the influx of Rohingya refugees crossing borders. Bangladeshi netizens questions the decision of the government on humane grounds, though admitting as well that the country is incapable of hosting more refugees.

Jamaica: “Dudus” Sentenced

  14 June 2012

As Christopher “Dudus” Coke receives a 23-year jail sentence in the United States, Jamaica Salt suggests that “maybe he should consider telling his story publicly, as…the country needs to know the full story about how he was able to operate a global drug and gun business with such immunity for...