Stories about International Relations from August, 2012
Nationalism in Hong Kong
Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese discusses about the political contradictions of Hong Kong activists who travelled to Diaoyu Island against Japanese territorial claim.
Korean Protester Being Chased and Beaten by Japanese Right Wing Groups and Gangsters
At this year's Korean Independence day, a Korean guy held a one-man protest at the Yasukuni shrine in Japan, a symbolic and controversial place for worshiping war criminals from the Second World War. A net user living in Japan posted photos of how the protester was being chased and beaten...
Where is the flag of the Republic of China?
A number of activists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau landed the Diaoyu island on August 15. While mainland Chinese media gave large coverage to the news as it reasserted China's territorial claim over the disputed island, the flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was missing in many of...
Côte d'Ivoire: Armed Men attack Army Positions in Abidjan, Dabou and at the Liberian Border
Bernard Assandé narrates the latest attack [fr] on the Force Républicaine de la Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI, the national army of Côte d'Ivoire) in Dabou on August 15. The army regained control of the city after a night of confrontation. On August 6, 7 people were killed in Abidjan [fr] after similar attacks....
Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange
#AsiloAssange (Assange Asylum) is a local Trending Topic on Twitter in Ecuador as netizens from all over the world react to Ecuador's decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. “Gracias a Ecuador” (“Thank you Ecuador”), the words tweeted by an unofficial Julian Assange account (@JulianAssange_), is a worldwide...
Ecuador: WikiLeaks Releases “Statement on UK Threat to Storm Ecuadorian Embassy”
WikiLeaks has released a “Statement on UK Threat to Storm Ecuadorian Embassy and Arrest Julian Assange.” The statement reads: “In a communication this morning to the government of Ecuador, the UK threatened to forcefully enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London and arrest Julian Assange. […] This threat is designed to...
Video: What Egypt, Congo, Uganda and Colombia Have in Common
The search for justice in the wake of conflict is what Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Colombia have in common. The Case for Justice is a series of videos debating on the relevance of what is known as transitional justice, a set of systems that is put into place to allow for accountability in the wake of massive human rights violations.
Is China's Africa Policy Failing?
The news of a Chinese mining boss being allegedly killed by striking workers in Zambia has caught Chinese netizens' attention, prompting them to compare the working conditions in both countries and question China's policy of 'development-aid diplomacy' in Africa.
Hollywood's Next Go-To Enemies: North Korea and China
North Korea Tech blog wrote about leaked movie scripts and photos of Hollywood's upcoming movies which Chinese media denounced as ‘reshoots of Cold War movie demonizing China’.
Oil Exploration Prompts Lake Malawi/Nyasa Ownership Dispute
News that Malawi is exploring oil on Lake Nyasa (also known as Lake Malawi) has attracted hot debate. While the Malawian government claims exclusive ownership, Tanzania is pressing for recognition of some earlier ownership of half of the lake.
Ukraine: Authorities Shut Down BitTorrent Tracker Demonoid
In what is believed to be an attempt to please the United States without angering local voters, the Ukrainian authorities have shut down Demonoid, one of the world's largest BitTorrent tracker sites, whose servers were hosted by a data center in Kyiv.
Cameroon: Giordano Bruno as an Example of Intellectual Courage
In an article entitled “The real map of Africa hidden for 600 years“[fr], Jean-Paul Pougala, an author from Cameroon, writes that: “25 years ago I chose Giordano Bruno, philosopher of the Italian Renaissance, as my mentor. His writings helped me grow intellectually, his courage to completely take responsability for his...
Cyprus: Remembering ‘Operation Atilla’ Across Borders
On the 38th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus - Operation Atilla - netizens from Cyprus, Greece and Turkey comment on what they see as either a day to mourn or celebrate.
South Korea: President's Unprecedented Visit to Disputed Islands a Smokescreen?
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak made an unprecedented and highly controversial visit to the Dokdo islands. However, skepticism and suspicion grow strong in the Korean Twittersphere, with many calling the visit, a daring political stunt to cover up other important issues.
South Korean President Made an Unprecedented Visit to Disputed Dokdo Islands
South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak visited Dokdo (or Takeshima in Japanese) islands, sparking international media frenzy. Lee would be the first South Korean leader to visit the disputed islands which both South Korea and Japan have a historical claim to. The Dokdo Times blog wrote a post explaining the context,...
Chad: 5,000 New Refugees Coming From The Central African Republic
Victorien Ndakass from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reports that 5,000 new refugees from the Central African Republic have crossed over to Chad [fr] since June. This movement of population is due to the resurgence of the rebel movement lead by Abdoulaye Miskine [fr] in the North of the country.
Zambia: Chinese Mining Boss Allegedly Killed by Striking Workers
The tragic death of a Chinese supervisor at a coal mine in southern Zambia allegedly at the hands of striking workers demanding the implementation of the new minimum wage policy has reached all corners of the globe from the New York Times to the China Digital Times.
South Korea: Driving Force and Little-Known Facts Behind its Olympic Success
The Korea and the World blog published a detailed analysis on South Korea's good results in the 2012 London Olympics, pointing out Koreans’ strong patriotism as one of the main reasons for success.
Palestine: Swedish Ship Attempting to Break the Blockade Sails to Gaza
Scandinavian ship SV Estella will attempt to sail to Gaza in an attempt to break the blockade on the Palestinian enclave. The ship sailed from Oslo on August 7, 2012, and is backed by mostly Swedish and Norwegian groups. Organizers hope that other ships will join them before they reach...
Myanmar: Appeal to Global Community
The Muslim Organisation of Myanmar has appealed [my] to the international community to stop threatening the country, manipulating and propagating news and insulting the national flag and country's leaders regarding the Rohingya issue and the violence in the western part of the country.
Madagascar: Second Mediation Effort Stalled Yet Again
Midi Madagasikara reports that the second mediation meeting in Seychelles is likely to have stalled yet again as transitional president Rajoelina refused the candidacy of deposed president Ravalomanana [fr] for the upcoming 2013 presidential elections. The South African Development Community SADC that drives the mediation effort warned that the participants who...
