Stories about War & Conflict from August, 2020
From death in Syria to quarantine in Madrid
In Madrid, freedom is forbidden for your protection, and in Syria, the deprivation of freedom is designed to make you die a thousand deaths.
Most Taiwanese unfazed by former president's fearmongering on war with China
Speaking at a conference on August 10, former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou said that, once China attacks Taiwan, “the first battle will be the last."
Collusion accusations grow between Haitian government and organised crime groups
"[...] The gang leaders are seemingly free from persecution so long as they help keep the peace in the neighborhoods they control."
Hiroshima Timeline project under fire for racism, fabricated history
An innovative project about the August 1945 bombing of Hiroshima has come under fire for using racist epithets to describe Koreans, political interference, and for potentially fabricating historical source material.
In eastern Sudan, a bloody intercommunal conflict raises national security concerns
While the Sudanese people await a signed peace agreement, blood continues to spill, this time along ethnic and tribal lines in the port city of Port Sudan, in eastern Sudan.
‘Hiroshima Timeline’ uses tweets to portray real-time experience of world's first atomic bombing
Three Twitter accounts use an "on-this-day" format to share observations and experiences of daily life from 75 years ago in the months leading up to the August 6, 1945 bombing.
Building safer online spaces in Myanmar
“Facebook was, and continues to be, the favored tool for disseminating hate speech and misinformation against the Rohingya people, Muslims in general, and other marginalized communities.”
How the murder of musician Hachalu Hundessa incited violence in Ethiopia: Part II
Within an hour of musician Hachalu Hundessa’s assassination, Ethiopians netizens hit social media with scattershot conspiracy theories, hate speech & disinformation campaigns — particularly on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
How the murder of musician Hachalu Hundessa incited violence in Ethiopia: Part I
In the wake of musician Hachalu Hundessa's murder, Ethiopia has struggled to come to terms with the violence and turmoil that erupted along ethnic and religious faultlines.
Angolan police kills 23-year-old for breaking confinement rules, local media reports
A National Police communiqué said that officers were on patrol when they came across a crowd of young people at an unauthorized time and place.
The chilling tale of mass surveillance and spying in Rwanda
Rwanda justifies its tight control over media freedom, suppression of dissent, and hostility toward opposition as matters of national unity and security.
Can Sudan's new government solve the annual mass flooding crisis?
No government in Sudan's history has been able to solve the humanitarian disasters brought on by annual flooding, which inevitably leads to chronic destruction and loss of life.
As Armenians and Azerbaijanis clash worldwide, activists petition for peaceful dialogue
When fighting on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border killed 17 people, violent clashes broke out between the diasporas of both countries worldwide. That enmity could close the one avenue for grassroots dialogue, warn activists.
New Facebook Oversight Board must remove content of notorious Sudan militia
“Despite the harrowing violations, the RSF maintains a presence on social media, most notably Facebook, which has been the main platform for this militia to spread its messages …”
