Stories about War & Conflict from April, 2007
Africa: Fascination with movies about Africa
Kizzie writes about Hoolywood's new fascination with movies about Africa: “I'm not going to be surprised if I go to the movies in a few weeks to watch a movie about Sudan! wait a minute, they are filming emma's war right now! I'm sure the world will be thrilled by...
Nigeria: smelling gunpowder
While Nigerians vote in the presidential elections, Nkem writes, “We need to wake up and smell the gunpowder…”
D.R. of Congo: the crime of being born a woman
Trailblazer on the plight of women in D.R of Congo: “They may feel that the only crime they have committed was being born into this world as a woman. What’s even a worse, a Congolese woman. Instead of being able to proudly walk this earth, provide for themselves and their...
Russia: “Protesting the Protesters”
Scraps of Moscow links to a few anti-opposition pieces and observes: “Of course this is not a real, capable, popular opposition. Of course Putin is supported by the majority of Russians, with some justification given Russia's recent economic good fortune. But none of this means that people engaged in a...
Serbia: Independent Media Under Threat
TOL's Balkanizer writes about “a scary day to be a journalist in Serbia.”
Moldova, Russia: A Settlement for Transdniestria?
The Economist's Edward Lucas posts his article on peace in Transdniestria; Public Policy Watch and Kosmopolit comment on the situation: “All in all, a very ‘Russian’ settlement plan…”
Serbia: Kosovo Missing and Dead
Roses suspended from the ceiling of the Kosovo Art Gallery in Pristina commemorate the missing and the dead of the war in Kosovo, South East Europe Online reports.
Balkans: Iran in Bosnia
Transatlantic Politics writes on how Iran managed to “gain a major foothold in the Balkans.”
Iraq: Saudi Cyber Activist Jailed
“A week ago the Saudi Arabia government closed Islammemo website ..its moderator Soyan Alhajeri in jail, the reason behind this action is still unknown but the only available information is the closure of website and jailing Alhajiri was a request from the Iraqi “Green Zone” government,” writes Iraqi blogger Lady...
Israel: Virginia Tech Shooting Cartoon
Israeli blogger Stephanie links to a cartoon on the Virginia Tech shooting here. “Poignancy once again at the talented pencil tip of Dry Bones’ Yaakov Kirschen. This time Kirschen takes to task this week’s killings at Virginia Tech versus Mid-East suicide bombers,” she writes.
Iraq: Meeting Resistance
Iraqi blogger Imad Khadduri provides a link to Meeting Resistance, a documentary on Iraq.
Iraq: US Intentions in Sudan
“Is the US hostile policy against Sudan to legitimize building military bases in east Africa??” asks Iraqi blogger Lady Bird.
Colombia: Five questions on the ELN deal
Boz puts out five questions on the ongoing peace negotiations between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the Colombian government. Adam Isacson has more.
Colombia: The disappointing debate on paramilitarism in Antioquia
Yesterday finally the long awaited “debate” on paramilitarism in Antioquia department, where President Álvaro Uribe was born and was Governor from 1995 to 1997, was held at the Colombian congress. There was a lot of interest on the topic, because opposition senator and former M-19 guerrilla leader Gustavo Petro had said he would reveal a list of 2,000 figures allegedly involved with paramilitarism.
Russia: Listening In On the Police; St. Pete Rally
Garry Kasparov’s aide, LJ user abstract2001, has posted recordings of the walkie-talkie conversations of riot police officers deployed for the opposition’s Dissenters’ Marches in Moscow on April 14 and in St. Petersburg on April 15. Also, below are some links to photos and text from the rally in St. Petersburg, which ended with the riot police attacking peaceful protesters.
O'Reilly on Iran and Iraq
Egypt-based Blogger Issandr El Amrani pokes fun of Bill O'Rielly‘s interview with Condoleezza Rice on Iraq and Iran.
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: VT Tragedy Hits Home
Writing from Jamaica, The Life and Times of Michmac is saddened by the tragedy at Virgina Tech, yet relieved that “somebody up there is looking out for me”. And TNTLime.com reprints an article from Newsday, which interviews a Trinidadian who is a student at VT: ““It is hard to take...
Iraq: Who's in Control?
Iraqi blogger Lady Bird mocks Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Malki's comments that he will be in full control of Iraq by the end of this year at the time she claims he cannot control a “single neighbourhood.”
Kurdistance: A New Front in Northern Iraq?
Oh dear, not again. While it is unusual for me to outwardly state my opinions on a subject, I can say in this instance....I am not alone in my sentiment. Once more overtures have been made by the Turkish government to intervene in Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan. Unlike past incidents where the motives haven't been as clear, Turkish threats about crossing its southern borders have been in direct reaction to statements made by the Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani: "Iraqi Kurds would not accept any foreign interference on the Kirkuk issue as it considers it an internal affair that should be resolved internally." For this story...I'll let both the Kurdish and Turkish bloggers explain...
Russia, Ukraine: Foreign Ministry on Tymoshenko
Over at Publius Pundit, La Russophobe‘s guest-translator guest-translates the response of the Russian Foreign Ministry to Yulia Tymoshenko's article in Foreign Affairs.
The Balkans: Journalists
Bosnia Vault reports on BBC journalist Martin Bell's return to Bosnia and on the attack on Serbian journalist Dejan Anastasijevic.