Stories about War & Conflict from February, 2009
Armenia-Azerbaijan: A Girl's War
Unzipped: Gay Armenia posts details of a theatrical play performed in 2001 set against the backdrop of the Nagorno Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The blog says the play was taboo-breaking because in it an Armenian and Azerbaijani fall in love and nationalist sentiments which define the rhetoric in...
Kyrgyzstan: Back Count for the U.S. Airbase
On February, 19th, 2009 nearly all Krrgyz MPs approved a motion denouncing the agreement between Kyrgyzstan and the USA about the American airbase at Manas. Of 89 total MPs, 78 voted for, one against, and two abstained: The government, in the name of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, after signing...
Uzbekistan: U.S. Airbase Seeking New Home
Elina reports that after the American airbase has been closed in Kyrgyzstan, a top U.S. general is visiting Uzbekistan to discuss alternative supply routes for the army in Afghanistan.
Estonia: WWII History
Itching for Eestimaa writes about the history of WWII and the Holocaust in Estonia.
Peru: Portrayal of Andean Life in Llosa's Movies
The recent film "The Milk of Sorrow" by Peruvian director Claudia Llosa was recently awarded with the Golden Bear at an international film festival in Berlin. Even though the film has yet to open in Peru, debate has started whether or not Llosa's portrayal of Andean life is accurate or in some cases racist towards the indigenous communities that figure prominently in her movies.
Madagascar: A Resolution to the political crisis?
In Madagascar, bloggers react to a recent meeting where rivals President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina agreed to a political truce, paving the way for further negotiations. Weeks of public protests and violent crackdowns have left dozens dead.
Sri Lanka: Air Raid In Colombo By LTTE
Sanjana at GroundViews reports on an LTTE air raid in Colombo yesterday night with updates.
Iraq: YouTube removes video
Iraqi blogger Imad Khadduri complains that YouTube has removed a video he posted, citing a violation of its community guidelines.
Iraq: The Walk to Karbala
Laith walks for 67 miles from Baghdad to Karbala to mark the 40th day anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680. “The journey of Karbala approved that Iraqis can be only one nation although some...
Iraq: At the Zoo
Iraqi Dentist shares his experiences in Baghdad – including a visit to the zoo, along with photographs – in this post.
Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Change? Really?
“He has taken several steps back from the openness he once showed, the willingness to talk to anyone without preconditions. He proposes to send 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan…dampening down one war only to refuel another”: Notes from Port of Spain is “still cynical about Barack Obama.”
Armenia: Remembering the Budapest Murder
Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the murder of 26-year old Gurgen Margarian, an Armenian officer attending a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest, Hungary. Killed in his sleep with an axe wielded by his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ramil Safarov, some Armenian bloggers made special posts to commemorate the day.
Sri Lanka: Web Discussions On Humanitarian Crisis
ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) rounds up the latest web discussions centered around the post of Sri Lankan blogger Michael Robert at GroundViews – ‘Dilemmas at War's End: Thoughts On Hard Realities‘.
Georgia-Russia: Information War
Writing for the Frontline Club blog, Al Jazeera's Matthew Collin comments on a new report by the Committee to Protect Journalists which criticizes both Russia and Georgia of exerting control over the media. In particular, the blog says that coverage of the August war over South Ossetia in both countries...
Palestine: The Story of a Gazan “Martyr”
The death of anyone close to you is painful, but how do you cope with it if that person has actively sought death? Gazan blogger Samaher Al Khazandar has written about her nephew, Mu’min Musa Al Khazandar, who joined the military wing of Hamas, and was determined to die as a martyr while fighting for Palestine.
Georgia: Eurovision Controversy
Following its recent war with Russia, Georgia had initially planned to boycott this year's Eurovision Song Contest to be staged in Moscow, but later changed its mind. However, if reversing that decision might have initially seemed an attempt to repair damaged relations, yesterday's national song contest proved otherwise. Eurovision bloggers react.
Pakistan: The Taliban Truce Deal
There is a civil war going on in Swat valley in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan for more than half a year between the Pakistani army and the pro-Taliban groups operating in that region. Hundreds of people have died and thousands of civilians have been displaced due to the...
Bhutan: Terrorism In A Peaceful Country
Bhutan is witnessing some terrorist activities in the southern parts and Bhutan: Silenced and Controlled discusses ways to combat those activities.
Pakistan: Drones Are From Here
Teeth Maestro reports that the US drone attacks on northern tribal areas in Pakistan was carried out from an airbase in southern Pakistan.
Egypt: Bloggers Take on the “Sons of Zion”
The bombs on Gaza may have stopped falling, but a fierce cyber battle continues, with bloggers on both sides of the fence mobilising their troops to 'obliterate' the presence of the other - at least online. Marwa Rakha taps into the Egyptian blogosphere to present to us another facet of this war.
Afghanistan: The Unlamented Death
Colla says that the death of Taliban commander Mullah Ghulam Dastagir last night in an airstrike in the northwestern province of Afghanistan brings to a bloody end a saga which had been particularly damaging for President Hamid Karzai.
