Stories about War & Conflict from March, 2012
Armenia: Eurovision withdrawal a wasted opportunity
Cilicia.com comments on recent news that Armenia has withdrawn from the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, capital of neighboring Azerbaijan. Taking a pro-Armenian line on the matter, the blog says that Azerbaijan had no choice but to allow Armenia to participate, and to provide guarantees that Armenians could visit Azerbaijan...
Colombia: FARC Announces End to Kidnappings, Release of Hostages
On February 26, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) announced they would release ten military hostages they currently hold. Despite hope the announcement generated, there are doubts and other uncertainties over what will happen now.
The Balkans: Debating Angelina Jolie's Film and the Legacy of War
Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, has received much publicity, both positive and negative, in the Balkans, adding fuel to the ongoing debate on the legacy of the wars fought in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
Barbados: The Internet & Global Dialogue
All a Roo's says of the Kony campaign: “It has pushed the world into a global dialogue about an international issue. Tell me that's not cool?”
With Gaza Under Attack, #TerroristIsrael Trends on Twitter
With the Gaza Strip under attack since March 9, 2012, activists introduced a new hashtag to remind people of previous assaults by the Israeli army against the Palestinian people, called #TerroristIsrael.
Brazil: What Happens If There's Another Oil Crisis?
The rise in the price of oil caused by the impasse between the Western powers and Iran has been a cause for concern not just for the European and North American markets, but also for less vulnerable economies such as the Brazilian economy. On the other hand, opportunities are arising for a new chapter in Brazil's economic history.
Palestine: Gaza Under Attack – Again
Throughout the night of March 9 and into the morning of March 10, Israeli warplanes attacked targets across the Gaza Strip, with a death toll of at least 12, and 20 injured.
Afghanistan: US army missing well-equipped SUVs
Nick Fielding digged out an amazing story about the US Army offering a $10,000 reward for any information as to the whereabouts of two SUVs equipped with classified technology used to jam roadside bombs that had been stolen from a military base in Kabul.
South Korea: Protest Against Start of Jeju Naval Base Construction
Villagers from Gangjeong, South Korea, have been protesting against the construction of a naval base on Jeju Island for several years. On March 7, the South Korean navy together with the construction company Samsung Corporation, started blasting out rock foundations in the coastline.
Myanmar: Life Inside a Refugee Camp
Global Voices Author Tan translated a three-part series of blog posts written by a Burmese blogger Nang Nyi who visited a Kachin refugee camp in Myanmar and recounted her experience there. The refugees fled their villages after clashes broke out between government troops and Kachin rebels.
Iran: Women Say No to the War Monster
The Iranian Islamic regime has ignored International Women's Day for more than three decades. It does not recognize March 8, and has even banned women organizations from celebrating the day. But each year Iranian women both in the real and virtual world stil celebrate.
Uganda: Can a Viral Video Really #StopKony?
A film aimed at making Ugandan guerilla leader Joseph Kony "famous" in order to raise support for his arrest has swept the Internet by storm, pushing #StopKony onto Twitter's trending topics list and prompting a wave of backlash from bloggers who worry the film and its associated campaign are overly simplistic.
NATO Invites to Citizen Dialogue on New Website
A new website, WE-NATO, invites to citizen dialogue on issues related to the agenda of the intergovernmental military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Website contributors include senior members of NATO leadership, including a video blog by the General Secretary and a live webchat with the Assistant Secretary General for...
Crisis Mapping of US Bombardment in Cambodia
A research by Dr. Taylor Owen revealed that the total amount of bombs dropped by the United States in Cambodia between 1965-1973 was five times greater than previously known.
Spain: Head of Journalist Association Threatens Activist With a Belt
The Head of the Press Association in Granada, Antonio Mora, threatened to hit pro-Palestinian activists with his belt when they protested during a photo exhibition of the relations between Israel and Spain.
Armenia: Eurovision withdrawal after propaganda attempt backfires
Following a botched attempt to justify boycotting this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, Armenia today officially withdrew from the international music competition. “As expected, #Armenia Public TV withdraws from #Eurovision They could have announced it earlier with dignity. For now, they are #losers,” writes Unzipped on Twitter, also...
Georgia: The return of Vladimir Putin
time difference comments on the return of Vladimir Putin to power in Russia following this week's election. The blog says that even if much of the world is concerned by the development, the Georgian government must recognize the reality and not alienate itself from its powerful and sometimes mutually antagonistic...
Honduras: In Sabanagrande, Making Fun of Police is No Joke
Amidst numerous accusations of police corruption in Honduras, a cultural tradition held every year in the town of Sabanagrande has increased the tension between civilians and police. Blogger Fabricio Estrada, a poet from Sabanagrande, shares the story in his blog.
Armenia: Eurovision propaganda fiasco
Unzipped comments on a call by Armenian singers to boycott this year's annual Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan. Armenia and Azerbaijan remain deadlocked in a conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh and the call to boycott was ostensibly made in protest at the killing of an Armenian...
Pakistan: Shia Genocide – Spreading From Karachi to Kohistan
The changing political course in Pakistan post-Osama Bin Laden denotes a new wave of terrorism unleashed on religious minorities, especially the Shiites. In the past year many Shiites spanning from Karachi to Kohistan have been specifically targeted and killed, which some analysts are terming as genocide.
Angola: Documentary “Death Metal Angola”
New York-based producers of a documentary called “Death Metal Angola”, about the emerging metal scene in Angola and a rock festival in the city of Huambo, are raising money for post-production costs on crowdfunding platform IndieGogo. The film's tagline: “The hardest hardcore is Angolan hardcore.”
