Stories about International Relations from March, 2006
Belarus: Coverage of Belarus by the Western Media
br23 blog reports on the coverage of the events in Minsk by the Western media: CNN is doing a good job, but the Russian-language EuroNews’ coverage is full of distortions, as usual. Also, the German foreign minister says “there should be a dialog with Alexander Lukashenka (!)”
DRC at a Boiling Point
Over at UDPS Liege, blogger J. Kayembe Tshipamba lists (FR) all the reasons why he believes the DRC is headed towards an era reminiscent of the Mobutu years: free speech issues as evidenced by the repressed March 10 opposition protest; the presence of Rwandan mercenaries; the parcelling of the DRC...
China: Jews in Harbin
China Confidential picks up a Xinhua report on the visit to the northeastern city of Harbin by members of the U.S.-based Anti-Defamation League (ADL). “In the 1920s, Harbin was the largest Jewish community in the Far East, with a thriving economic and cultural life. Numerous Jewish relics of those days,...
South Korea: Confucianism in action
The Asia Pages has a long and detailed warning to anyone considering living and working in South Korea: “Words cannot possibly describe to you what a shock the Korean way of doing things was to me. My entire first year at my current job was a harsh, harsh lesson for...
Belarus: March 19 Photos
Belarusans living abroad rallied on Sunday, March 19, demanding fair and democratic election in their country. br23 posts links to his pictures from the protest in Prague. Andrei Khrapavitski posts pictures from the NYC protest taken by LJ user wolny – who in his turn (BEL) links to some more...
Haiti: Pros and Cons on Resurrecting the Army
While President Preval wishes to dissolve the Haitian army for good, a recent commission would like to resurrect it. AyitiCherieConnexion weighs in (FR) with an analysis of the Haitian army's historical role as a repressive tool for presidents. AyitiCherie concludes however that since Haiti's neighbor the Dominican Rep. has an...
China: Zhao Yan released
Angry Chinese Blogger is surprised at the release of former New York Times researcher Zhao Yan, ahead of the visit to the United States by Chinese President Hu Jintao. He goes into the story in detail, with plenty of background information.
Belarus: Backlash Against Opposition; Test for Europe
br23 blog and Andrei Khrapavitski both report on the continuing repressions against opposition activists in Belarus. One of Andrei's friends got expelled from the university, another got arrested. Andrei also cites an International Herald Tribune opinion piece by Georgia's president Mikhail Saakashvili: Belarus election is going to “be the most...
Serbia & Montenegro: Eurovision Conflict
Ed at Balkan Baby writes that Serbia and Montenegro seriously disagree on who should represent their country at this year's Eurovision Song Contest: No Name, a Montenegrin boy-band, or a Serbian band called Flamingoes? “Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic said that this music competition had caused ‘much more excitement last...
Serbia & Montenegro: Failure to Catch Karadzic in 2002
At Finding Karadzic, Balkan Ghost cites a letter by “a former western soldier in the Balkans” whose unit failed to capture Radovan Karadzic in 2002.
Serbia & Montenegro: Dispute on Montenegro's Future Continues
Doug Muir of A Fistful of Euros continues the debate on Montenegro's independence. (The discussion's beginning is here, part 2 is here.)
Belarus: “Denim Revolution” Unlikely to Succeed
Sean Guillory guest-blogs at Publius Pundit on the upcoming election in Belarus: current president Aleksandr Lukashenko, opposition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich, opposition youth group “Zubr” – and the unlikeliness of another color revolution, the “denim” one.
DRC: Shots of Kinshasa and East Kasai
Renouveau Congolais posts (FR) pictures of the poorly maintained streets of Kinshasa, the DRC's capital. Poster wonders whether the current transitional government will deliver on its promise to turn Kinshasa into a modern city if permanently elected. Mostly, poster asks why international aid money has not been used on improving...
Belarus: Kozulin Controversy
Tobias Ljungvall writes about the controversy surrounding Aleksandr Kozulin, one of the presidential candidates; a discussion ensues in the comments section.
Latvia: March 16 Marches Banned in Riga
All About Latvia reports on the problems associated with the Legionaires’ Day celebration on March 15 and 16. Riga city council has refused to allow ultranationalists to march on these days; the Freedom Monument, a common destination, is closed down for repairs; the marches are likely to take place despite...
Serbia & Montenegro: Dispute on the Future of Montenegro
Over at A Fistful of Euros, Doug Muir argues against the independence of Montenegro and Brussels Gonzo disagrees with him.
Japan, S. Korea: The Tao of baseball
The Tao of baseball, proposes Japundit, lies in balancing the energies of two familiar and bitter rivals through careful study and appreciation of the Korean flag.
Romania: Hungary Day
Tomorrow is the day when Hungarian nationalists in Udvarhely, a Romanian city whose population is 98% ethnic Hungarian, may clash with their Romanian counterparts, reports Andy H of Csikszereda musings: “[…] And once again the fact that broadly speaking Hungarians and Romanians live together fairly successfully and without rancour, will...
Russia: “Preved, omerekancheg!”
A Chicago-based LJ user angstzeit encounters a Russian-speaking bear and through a flashmob of Russian commenters learns about the Preved!-mania. John Lurie's original drawing; hundreds of followups at ru_preved LJ community; Preved! CafePress.com stuff; lots of Russian slang and obsceneties; a Cold War between the Preved Bear and the O...
Czech Republic: What Yugoslavia Meant For Czechs
The death of Slobodan Milosevic inspires Gazing into the Abyss to write about the Czechs’ feelings toward (what used to be) Yugoslavia: “‘Yugoslavia’ is likeable word for Czech ears. Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, BiH, Slovenia, Macedonia… they are not. Most Czechs never took an effort to grasp what happened in...
Bangladesh: Farakka Barrage
Razib has a post based on another article on the very delicate issue of the Farakka Barrage, and water politics between India and Bangladesh.
