· October, 2008

Stories about War & Conflict from October, 2008

D.R. Congo: Confusion Reigns in Goma

  31 October 2008

Two months ago fighting resumed in the DR Congo's Eastern province of North Kivu between the rebel group led by Laurent Nkunda and government forces, in violation of a peace accord signed in January. The fighting has intensified during the last 6 days and, although a cease-fire was announced, the situation remains uncertain in Goma. Here are a few impressions from bloggers on the ground.

India: Assam blasts

  30 October 2008

India's troubled north-eastern Assam state was rocked by a series of coordinated blasts today. Praful reports that 60 people were killed and more than 200 injured. “Although ULFA’s involvement in the serial blasts in Assam is suspected, the intelligence sources believe that Bangladesh-based HuJI could be behind the blasts,” opines...

Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Eye on the Prize

  30 October 2008

“Let’s compare politics with sports. You’re in the home stretch. A smart athlete – a well-trained one – would keep his eyes on the prize and concentrate on running his own race. But what is McCain doing? Looking over at the other lane, more concerned about the competition than he...

D.R. of Congo: Ranger rescue operation a success

  29 October 2008

A moving account of a rescue operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “The rescue operation yesterday was a success in that we were able to rescue the 12 Rangers with whom we had made contact. Eddy and I rode the motorbike about 15km north of Goma and then walked...

D.R. of Congo: It is total chaos in Goma

  29 October 2008

Samantha writes about the latest fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “It’s total chaos in Goma. I am being told, through various phone calls and text messages, that the army have now laid down their weapons at Kibumba, 12 miles north of Goma, and are fleeing the rebels. In...

India: Mangalore violence

  29 October 2008

“It has been over a month since the riots in Mangalore but the anger has not gone away,” writes Apurva Mathad at Kafila after visiting a Monastery which was attacked in retaliation to the allegation of forced conversions. Madhat posts some pictures in his blog.

Sudan: Humanitarian Access in Darfur

  28 October 2008

Jacky discusses humanitarian access in Darfur, Sudan: “Media reports this week cite growing concern over ‘denial of humanitarian access’ in Darfur. Although such denial certainly exists, many of the actors being denied – in the form of travel bans, visa refusals, car-jacking, etc – are not strict ‘humanitarians,’ but a...

India: Shooting inside a bus

  27 October 2008

Hindustaniat reports that a young man from the Indian state Bihar was involved in a shootout in a moving bus in Mumbai after he threatened to kill the MNS leader Raj Thackeray with his pistol. The incident ended when he was shot by the Police. Yardloo has photos and videos...

Armenia: Madrid Principles

  27 October 2008

Unzipped posts details of the “Madrid Principles,” a proposed framework for future resolution of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. The post also compares the principles with that believed to have been agreed in the late 1990s.

Japan: You call that “art”?

  25 October 2008

Blogger aiki_tachibana, in a post entitled “Don't call that ‘art'!” [ja], reacts to news about a controversial art performance in Hiroshima on Oct. 21st. According to reports [ja], a group of artists calling themselves “Chim←Pom” (チン←ポム) chartered a plane to fly through the sky and draw in smoke the characters...

Palestine: No security

  25 October 2008

In Gaza, Sameh Habeeb talks to a young girl who witnessed her father and brothers being beaten by Israeli soldiers: “In all cultures the father of the family represents safety and security to the family. The Israeli soldiers routinely rob Palestinian fathers of their role.”

Iraq: Assassination for All Iraqi Interpreters!!!

  24 October 2008

This is the view that Iraqi Interpreter took of a decision made by the commander of the Multinational Forces in Iraq. Under a new rule, Iraqis who work alongside American soldiers as interpreters are to be required to not cover their face while they take part in operations with the US military.

Sri Lanka: Debate on Peace and Conflict

  24 October 2008

“The events that surround the history of the Sri Lankan conflict, their impact and interaction with other events are still highly contentious.” The Peace and Conflict Timeline (PACT) project helps to gain a deeper understanding of the conflict's roots and promote discussions and debates on the issue, according to their...