Stories about War & Conflict from February, 2012
Syria: Razan Ghazzawi Arrested … Again
Syrian security forces have arrested Syrian blogger and freedom of speech advocate Razan Ghazzawi again, along with 13 of her colleagues. Hisham Almiraat reports.
Peru: The Capture of Comrade Artemio
On February 9, the leader of the terrorist group Shining Path, Comrade Artemio, was captured. Artemio has been a wanted man for some time, being one of the last bosses of the Maoist terrorist group to remain at large. Here we have gathered the reactions to and analysis of the capture from several Peruvian bloggers.
Honduras: Prison Fire Kills Hundreds
A blaze broke out on Tuesday night, February 14, in a prison in Comayagua. The blog Honduras News has published several posts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ) on the...
“Dying to Live”: Khader Adnan's Hunger Strike for Palestinian Rights
Adnan Khader is on strike to protest a raid on his family home by Israeli occupation forces and to bring worldwide attention to the fact that Palestinians are held without being charged on a daily basis.
Bahrain: Tweeting the Revolution's First Anniversary
February 14 marked the one year anniversary of the Bahrain revolution, which has been severely repressed by the regime backed by the troops of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Peninsula Shield Force. Mona Kareem presents a social media round-up of events of the day.
West Papua: A Different Side of the Independence Struggle through Video
A documentary video letter from a woman in West Papua to an Indonesian soldier echoes the stories of many other women in the area. In this case, she asks the soldier, who was once based in her village, to please write and return to meet his daughter.
Arab World: RIP Whitney Houston
Arabs join the rest of the world in mourning the death of superstar Whitney Houston. Reactions on social media platforms ranged from sadness and shock to those questioning why the death of Houston got more coverage in a few hours than the death of thousands of Syrians over the last 11 months.
Greece: Photos, Videos and Liveblogs from Anti-Austerity Protests, Clashes in Athens
Photos and videos from the latest massive anti-austerity protests in downtown Athens on February 12, 2012, the extensive clashes that ensued and their aftermath were posted on Real Democracy Now,...
Palestine: Rare Photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948
Blogger Iqbal Tamimi posts rare photographs of the Palestinian Nakba of 1948.
Yemen: A Year of an Unfinished Revolution
Yemenis mark the first anniversary of their unfinished peaceful revolution to overthrow the Ali Abdullah Saleh dictatorship, which continues to pull the shots, thanks to support from the Gulf Cooperation Council and the approval of the US and UN. Netizens share their views.
Afghanistan: Civilian conflict deaths continue to rise
Nick Fielding reports that, according to figures from the United Nations – in contrast to the figures issued by the US military – the number of Afghan civilians killed and...
Puerto Rico: Extraordinary Decisions
“What do you say when you meet someone you think is extraordinary? You should say ‘Hi!’ and then start a conversation,” says Gil the Jenius, who profiles the extraordinary Andrea...
Mexico, USA: Journalist and Author Sam Quinones Starts Blogging
Author and journalist Sam Quinones has started a blog about “Los Angeles, Mexico, migrants, culture, drugs, neighborhoods, border, and good storytelling.” You can also follow him on Twitter: @samquinones7.
Tunisia: Decision to Expel Syrian Ambassador Sparks Heated Debate
On February 1, Tunisia, the birthplace of the so-called Arab Spring, has started procedures to expel the Syrian Ambassador in Tunis, and to withdraw recognition of the Syrian regime. Netizens react to the decision.
Spain: A Letter From Syria
Take the Square publishes a letter from Khaled Khalifa from Syria: “I would like to inform you that my people is being subjected to a genocide.”
Maldives: On the Brink of Chaos
The Maldives is in a deep political crisis as the police force and some military personnel mutinied against the government in a follow-up to three weeks of protest by civilians. Details are emerging and there are frequent updates on Twitter.
Syria: “Revolution + Blood – Oil = Veto”
Netizens are still enraged over Saturday's double veto by Beijing and Moscow of the United Nations Security Council draft resolution on ending 11 months of violence in Syria.
Yemen: Yemeni Protesters Greet Saleh With a Shoe in New York
Yemenis in New York threw a shoe in the direction of outgoing Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, whom they say should be standing before the International Criminal Court and not staying at Manhattan's Luxury Ritz Carlton Hotel. Noon Arabia sums up Yemeni netizen reactions to Saleh's stay in New York.
China: Veto of UN Security Council Draft Resolution on Syria Draws Praise and Grief
Once again, China and Russia have vetoed a UN Security Council draft resolution aimed at bringing peace to Syria. The latest proposal calls for an end to the killings of those involved in an uprising against the country's current president.
Israel: The Lie, the Truth and the Meme (of the Soldier and the Girl)
A photograph of a street performance in Bahrain went viral, after it was alleged it depicted an Israeli soldier stepping on an Arab girl. In this age of media manipulation and virility, some Israelis decided the best response to a viral lie is a humorous meme, writes Carmel L. Vaisman.
Brazil: Pinheirinho Videos ‘Cover-Up’ Leads Activist to Hunger Strike
The violent eviction of thousands of poor residents from their homes in Pinheirinho, Brazil, has been documented by activists. One of them, Pedro Rios Leão, is on hunger strike in protest against the alleged concealment of the severity of the "massacre" by the mainstream media.
