Stories about War & Conflict from August, 2011
Chile: Mapuche Youth Takeover Municipal Building
Katie Manning from Mi Voz reports that forty Mapuche teenagers have staged a takeover –toma in Spanish– in Ercilla: “Since August 19, the 11-to-17-year-olds occupied the town’s government center. They’re not giving it back, they said, until Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter hears out their grievances over the “constant police presence”...
Latin America: Remembering the Missing on the International Day of the Disappeared
August 30 is the International Day of the Disappeared; The Latin Americanist blogs about current cases of disappearances in Mexico and Argentina.
China: Who Could Have Known The Libyans Hate Gaddafi?
One of China's top military analysts at home, has turned the official line on Libya into something of a joke, and abroad, China's nominal support for Gaddafi may end up costing the country oil contracts and much more. Netizens look at the lessons Beijing could stand to learn.
Russia: Bloggers React to the Storming of Tripoli
Compared to April 2011, when Global Voices first analyzed Russian reactions on the conflict, opinions seem to be more polarised now; bloggers had divided into two distinctive groups of supporters and opponents of Colonel Gaddafi. Alexey Sidorenko investigates.
Vietnam War Photos
Flickr user manhhai uploads a collection of Vietnam War photos from 1963-1975.
North Korea Plans to Buy Military Jets from Russia?
GI Korea from ROK Drop blog commented on latest allegations that North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il's recent visit to Russia was to buy new fighter jets.
Argentina: People in Buenos Aires March in Support of Teen Killed in Chile Protest
Sixteen-year-old Manuel Gutierrez was shot on Thursday, August 25, during clashes between protesters and police in the second and final day of a national strike in Chile. He died the next day. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chileans and supporters marched to the Chilean consulate to protest the teen's death. Colectivovisualantof...
China: Don’t rush to celebrate the post-Gaddafi era
Samuel Wade from China Digital Times has written a roundup post about different reactions in China, from official China Daily to bloggers and netizen, to the end of Gaddafi era in Liyba.
Pakistan: Praying For Shahbaz Taseer
Shahbaz Taseer, the son of slain Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, was kidnapped in the broad day light in Lahore. Many Pakistani netizens are sharing their shock and are joining in prayers for his return; but one wonders, will prayers work for the young Taseer?
Mexico Mourns Casino Royale Victims on Twitter
The attack and fire in Casino Royale in Monterrey, Mexico, resulted in 52 casualties, in another event further tied to violence from organized crime. Twitter users look for their relatives and friends, and cry over this tragedy.
Zimbabwe: On Libya, Gaddafi and Mugabe
As news of the fall of Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi lit up the web, the Zimbabwean blogosphere was not left behind. Meanwhile, rumours have been circulating that the man deposed after four decades in power is in Zimbabwe.
Libya: The Liberation of Tripoli
The Internet is back on in the Libyan capital Tripoli, after a blackout that lasted about six months. One by one bloggers and tweeps from Tripoli are coming online, sharing their feelings, emotions and hopes after months of absence and turmoil. Fozia Mohamed brings us their feedback.
Sri Lanka: Assault On Civilians In Jaffna
Groundviews reports that around 100 villagers from Navanthurai village in Jaffna District were severely beaten by the Sri Lankan army in an operation and they were detained subsequently.
Mexico: Searching for Victims of Casino Attack via Twitter
Global Voices author Issa Villarreal put together a Storify post showing how family and friends of the victims of the Casino Royale attack in Monterrey are using Twitter to search for information about their loved ones.
Colombia: #ColombiaisBeautiful vs. Hollywood
Lina Salazar in the Americas Quarterly blog comments on the movie Colombiana “(yet another) movie in which Colombia is portrayed as a land of cocaine, crime and armed insurrection”. She mentions several initiatives that are looking to change this negative image of Colombia, like #ColombiaisBeautiful, “a grassroots social media campaign...
Mexico: 61 Die in Attack on Casino in Monterrey
On Thursday, August 25, gunmen set the Casino Royale in Monterrey on fire. Gancho reports on the latest death toll and briefly explains what was behind this attack: “Sixty-one people were killed in a casino in Monterrey yesterday, after the owners refused to make extortion payments to the Zetas.” On...
Afghanistan: RAND's plans for Afghan peace talks
Nick Fielding reviews a new report from the RAND Corporation, which analyzes the prospects of orchestrating a negotiation process between the government and with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Turkey: An Armenian Adventure on Two Wheels
Despite historical differences and a closed border, an Armenian motorcyclist travels across Turkey, blogging his experiences and observations en route.
Pakistan: Education, The Last Hope
As the socio-political crisis in Pakistan gets out of hand, emphasis on education is being stressed by civil society. This push mainly is due to the hope that maybe, just maybe, education might be the key to bringing stability amidst the unsettling internal civil war that Pakistanis face on a daily basis.
Iran: “Islamic Awakening” or NATO Victory in Libya?
Iranian citizens continue to follow recent developments in Libya with great interest, and are flooding cyberspace with comments, posts and tweets.
Georgia: Social Media Used by Presidential Election Candidate in Breakaway Region
Three candidates are competing this week for the presidency in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia recognized only by Russia, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Nauru, and Vanuatu. Despite being the oldest candidate, Sergei Shamba, born in 1951, turned to social media in order to attract support from voters online.
