Stories about War & Conflict from July, 2012
Iran: “If Bashar Gets Killed, the Iranian Regime Will Call Him a Martyr”
Iranian bloggers reacted with humour to the Syrian rebels attack in Damascus and the bomb blast that killed three top security chiefs in the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's regime. Iran and Syria enjoy excellent relations and netizens have resorted to poking fun at how impacted the Iranian regime would be should Al Assad finds himself out of power, following the 16 month revolution raging in Syria.
Bulgaria: Security Services “Do Not Serve the Public”
Maya M of Maya's Corner comments on today's deadly bus explosion in the Bulgarian city of Burgas: “[…] While I understand that even the best intelligence can overlook the preparation of a terror act, I am angry, because our “services” are overstaffed and overfunded. They have generous subsidies even in...
Syria: Live Blogging from Midan
Syrian blogger Razan Ghazzawi was live blogging from the Midan neighbourhood in Damascus. Here's her take.
Syria: Netizens Say Countdown for Bashar Begins
Twitter is abuzz with news of the beginning of the end of the Assad regime, following a bomb explosion in Damascus in which three senior members of president Bashar Al Assad's inner circle were killed.
Japan: Photos of Mass Anti-Nuclear Protest
Tens of thousands Japanese citizens held a protest on July 16, 2012 urging their government to abandon nuclear power. People reportedly expressed rage over Japan's culture of obedience and the government's shirking responsibility towards worsening natural disasters. Totgazet, which is published by JVJA, a group of freelance photojournalists posted amazing photos...
Mauritania: Remembering the Country's First Military Coup
July 10, 2012 marked the 34th anniversary of the first military coup in Mauritania, when the military overthrew President Moktar Ould Daddah. Mauritanian activists remembered the anniversary of the 1978 coup by blogging and tweeting about it, and criticising military rule in Mauritania.
Lebanon: A Petition to Issue a Law about the Missing and Kidnapped
Following the missing people in Lebanon case that Global Voices Online posted about earlier, netizens are circulating a petition to issue a law about missing and kidnapped people on Daleel Madani website.
DR of Congo: Does Rebel Group M23 Seek Kivu Secession with Rwanda's Approval?
Giles Muhane reports that the March 23 Movement M23 rebel military group is believed to be seeking secession of the the province of Kivu from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Muhane adds that Kinshasa authorities have publicly accused Kigali of supporting a mutiny in Congo. Rwandan President Paul Kagame denied any involvement in the Congo...
Brazil: Middle East Economic Policy Under the Radar
The current search for new trading partners in unexpected geographic areas demonstrates the extent to which Brazil has changed its foreign policy the last few years. With an agenda that has focused primarily on global business performance, the Middle East has emerged as a key area for Brazilians.
Syria/Turkey: Syrian Refugees Protest Water Shortages at Kilis Camp
Syrian refugees at the Kilis Refugee camp, on the Syrian-Turkish border, protested against water shortages. Four policemen and 10 refugees are reportedly injured.
Peru: 20 Years Later, Bloggers Remember Bomb Blast in Tarata Street
At 9:15 pm, on Thursday July 16, 1992, a bomb blast rattled the small and then almost unknown Tarata Street, in the Limean district of Miraflores. Days before the blast, Lima experienced many bomb blasts, but none had the same impact as the blast in Tarata. Twenty years after, netizens remember and reflect on that day.
Northern Mali: Resistance in the Streets and Online
Northern Mali has been de facto cut off from its central government since the Tuareg rebels then the Islamists drove the army out of their territory. On the ground, tension is rising. Women were the first to go out on the streets and in all the northern cities, the young have taken up protest.
Lebanon: Fresh Attention For Lebanon's Missing and Abducted People
Recent kidnappings carried out since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution have made abduction a constant threat once again and drawn new attention to the issue of Lebanon's missing people.
Syria: Palestinians and the Syrian Revolution
Palestine has been the single most influential player on Syria's political history since independence. Playing host to more than 500,000 Palestinian refugees who have almost exactly the same rights and privileges as Syrian citizens, Syria has both influenced and been influenced by their cause and their plight. Where do Palestinians stand from the Syrian revolution? Yazan Badran takes a look at what Palestinian netizens have to say.
Mauritania: Anger at Foreign Minister's Support for Assad
In his speech at the Friends of Syria conference on July 6, the Mauritanian foreign minister Hamadi Ould Hamadi described what was happening in Syria as "violence and counterviolence". This comment was considered to be an expression of support for Bashar Al Assad's regime, and angered activists.
DR of Congo: Controversial Sentence for Thomas Lubanga
On 10 July, the International Criminal Court convicted Congolese Thomas Lubanga Dyilo to 14 years in prison. He was found guilty of war crimes for having recruited and enrolled children under 15-years-old. Congolese bloggers lament over the restrained sentence.
Syria: Traymseh Massacre Evokes Rage and Sorrow
Last year, on the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Syrian forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, killed around 45 civilians in the central town of Hama. This year, the bloodshed is in a village in the vicinity of Hama, Traymseh, but the death toll is believed to be several times higher.
Yemen: Another Suicide Blast Rocks Sanaa
As police cadets were leaving the Police Academy in Sanaa yesterday, July 11th, for their holiday, a suicide bomber detonated himself at the southern gate, killing nine and injuring 15. Netizens react to the attack.
Colombia: Cauca Indigenous Demand Army and Guerrillas Leave Their Territories
In an open letter [es, fr], the Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca (ACIN), in south western Colombia, demanded that “groups and legal and illegal armies” leave their territories, specifically the town of Toribío, which is routinely attacked by the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) [es]. The indigenous...
Palestine: Football Player Mahmoud Sarsak Set Free
Palestinian football player Mahmoud Sarsak was freed from an Israeli prison yesterday. His return to Gaza received a massive welcome.
Israel: Netizens Respond with Ridicule to No Occupation Report
Israel's netizens react with satire to a recently released report that claims Israel is not an occupying power in the West Bank. Image caption reads: "Listen, I'm gonna take off the blindfold. Tell me if you still see the occupation."
