Stories about War & Conflict from June, 2012
Myanmar: Protest Against Riot Attacks
CJ Myanmar reported[my] that Rakhine people in Yangon, Myanmar protested against riot attacks which already spread in nearby towns of the Rakhine state. The protestors include Rakhine ethnics and Buddhist monks and they prayed for the victims of the riot at Shwedagon Pagoda.
Colombia: Conflicting Reactions Following Release of French Journalist Roméo Langlois
The French journalist Roméo Langlois was released on May 30, after having been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) for a month. The journalist's statements after his release caused conflicting reactions among Colombian netizens.
Yemen: $audi Influence Explained
The influence of Yemen's rich and powerful neighbor on it's internal affairs is no secret. Saudi Arabia's interference has been felt among Yemenis for decades. Now Yemenis have a list of politicians and tribal leaders said to be on Saudi Arabia's payroll. See how Yemeni netizens react in this post by Noon Arabia.
Palestine: Gaza's Terrorist Chickens Trend on Twitter
On June 5, an Israeli airstrike hit a poultry farm in the southern Gaza Strip, ending the lives of dozens of cackling chickens. In response to this attack, Twitter users were quick to come up with a humorous hashtag, #JihadiChickenBrigade, which soon trended worldwide.
Kyrgyzstan: Rap Song Stokes Ethnic Hostility on Anniversary of Clashes
As Kyrgyzstan marks the second anniversary of the June 2010 events, a new rap song is stoking tension in Osh, a southern city which was the epicenter of the ethnic riots between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz two years ago. The song is already causing altercations which threaten to upset fragile piece in the troubled city.
Video: WITNESS Series on How to Film Protests
WITNESS has published a series of videos on How to Film Protests, meant as guidelines to ensure that the video documentation serves as evidence of the events for advocacy purposes while also protecting the people who appear in the footage.
Myanmar: Who Started the Tension in Arakan State?
Writing for the New Mandala, Sai Latt analyzes the situation in Arakan State in Myanmar where riots have spread in several villages. The author writes about the racist campaign against the Rohingya people.
Myanmar: Rakhine Villages Attacked
Tensions are running high in the Rakhine area of Myanmar after a series of violent incidents. Netizens have criticized 'inaccurate' Western media reporting, which highlighted the continuing tension among ethnic groups in the country.
Poland: Obama's “Polish Death Camp” Gaffe Causes Controversy
In the last days of May, a storm of controversy struck the Polish public opinion when the US President Barack Obama used the expression "a Polish death camp" rather than stating clearly that what he meant was a Nazi Germany-operated death camp on the Polish territory. Anna Gotowska reports.
Saudi Arabia: No to Fundraising for Syria
Saudi religious scholars used Twitter as a sounding board to express their frustration at being banned from raising funds for Syria. Salah Almhamdi explains what happened.
Africa: US Military Initiatives Lack Transparency
Cassidy identifies problems with US military initiatives in Africa:”Current military and counterterrorism initiatives in and assistance to many countries in Africa – and, in particular, those in East Africa – lack transparency and congressional oversight. Though sources at the National Defense University have, for example, estimated related assistance to Kenya...
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Spectre of War in the South Caucasus?
Following clashes on the Line of Contact (LoC) separating Armenian and Azerbaijani forces, South Caucasus Diary ponders the likelihood of war once again breaking out over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Meanwhile, Yerevan-based Armenian-American analyst Richard Giragosian tweets that Azerbaijan's new strategy appears to be reaching operational readiness for...
Armenia, Azerbaijan: Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Resumes… On Twitter
In war, as the old saying goes, the first casualty is always the truth. This is particularly true in the South Caucasus where the media in Armenia and Azerbaijan more often than not spreads misinformation or subjective propaganda concerning the long-running and unresolved conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. On 7 June that was certainly the case on micro-blogging site Twitter.
Armenia: U.S. Honors Human Rights Advocates
Unzipped comments on the award of three prizes recognizing human rights advocates in Armenia. The award ceremony, attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, honored Artur Sakunts, whose office was recently attacked by nationalists, Tsovinar Nazarian, who campaigns against hazing in the military, and Epress, an online publication. The...
Honduras: Human Rights Delegation Blogs Findings
The Honduras Human Rights Delegation of May 2012 is “a delegation of academics, human rights and labor activists, Canadian and U.S. citizens, many with extensive experience in Honduras, organized by U.S. and Canadian-based human rights groups Rights Action and Alliance for Global Justice.” The delegation visited Honduras from May 19-28,...
Ukraine: A Roma Camp Burned Down in Kyiv
On its Facebook page, the Human Rights Information Center posted a photo report [uk] on the demolition of a Roma camp in Kyiv, which was home to some 70 people, most of them children, until May 31, when 15 men showed up and burned the camp down, ordering the residents...
Afghanistan: Girls Poisoned for Attending School
Although a ban on education for girls and women in Afghanistan was lifted after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, female students continue being targeted by fundamentalists for attending school. In a recent string of attacks in the northeastern Afghan province of Takhar, hundreds of girls were poisoned at their schools.
Russia: Returning to a State Monopoly on Violence?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, both the mafia and private and military security companies stepped in to supplement domestic Russian law enforcement. One private security company owned by opposition politicians was recently shut down, leading some to speculate on political motivations.
Sri Lanka: Towards The Perfect Reconciliation
Elijah Hoole looks at the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka from a different angle. The blogger thinks that a perfect reconciliation process should entail work towards building or rather restoring inter-ethnic relationships and making people care for each other.
South Korea: Court Upholds Military Ban on “Subversive” Books
A South Korean court has upheld a Ministry of Defense ban in the army on 23 books labeled as "subversive", fueling public worries for the protection of free speech.
Kazakhstan: Deadly Incident at the Border a ‘Terrorist Act'?
Following yesterday's reports about a deadly incident at a remote frontier post in Kazakhstan, Zhanaozenskie Neftyaniki blog summarizes [ru] possible causes behind the deaths of 14 border guards and a civilian. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan's president announced [kz] today that the incident was probably a ‘terrorist act’.
