Stories about History from January, 2011
Iran: “Our friend Mr. ElBaradei” in Egypt
Iranian bloggers from across the political spectrum continue to share their opinions on uprisings in the Arab world. One conservative Islamist blogger sees an opportunity for the Iranian regime if Mohamed ElBaradei were to come to power in Egypt.
Jamaica: Leah & Dog Paw
“Will she herald a new kind of representational politics since she has personally breached not only the uptown/downtown divide but also the legit/illegit one by literally commingling with a Don?”: Active Voice thinks that Leah Tavares-Finson “is a fascinating character.”
Ukraine: “Three Nations”?
Paul Goble of Window in Eurasia cites an interview [ENG] with a member of the Lviv City Council, who explains [UKR] that the real conflict in contemporary Ukraine is not between ethnic Ukrainians and ethnic Russians – instead, three different national projects are competing for dominance within the country.
Guinea-Bissau: Ready to face the truth?
Journalist Helena Ferro de Gouveia, in her blog Domadora de Leões [Lions Tamer, pt] reflects on what could be the impact if Guinea Bissau decides to create a Truth and Reconciliation Comission. She adds that “when the present is not resolved it is not easy to heal the past”.
Czech Republic: The Czech Roma During the Holocaust
Czech Position writes in detail about “the wartime fate of the Roma” – whose “tremendous suffering and loss [are] often reduced to little more than a historical footnote.”
Serbia, Kosovo: Comment on Dick Marty's Report
Belgraded.com comments on Dick Marty's “report on organized criminal activities committed by the Kosovo Albanian side during and after Kosovo conflict”: “As it turns out, there are now at least two things Serbs and Kosovars have in common – people who committed crimes during the war and politicians and other...
Uganda: Homosexuality not a European concept
Mark notes that homosexuality in Uganda is not a European import: “The irony is that homosexuality existed here long before Europeans had ever set foot on the African continent and it is, in fact, Christianity, a true European import, that has demonized homosexuals.”
Vietnam: Vanishing landmarks
TW in Vietnam blogs about the vanishing landmarks in Saigon and the need to preserve historical sites in the city.
Philippines: Oldest Catholic University
Filipino netizens use the #ust400 hashtag to celebrate the 400th year of the University of Sto. Tomas, Asia's oldest Catholic university.
Iran: Remember “the little prince”
Alireza Pahalvi's death shocked many people. Neo-Resistance writes about Alireza's life and death. Some called him “little prince” of Pahlavi's dynasty.
El Salvador: 19 Years Since Signing of Peace Agreements
Peace accords ending a Salvadoran civil conflict were signed 19 years ago on January 16, 1992. Although Salvadorans consider the peace agreements were an accomplishment, they feel the country has not achieved the peace, stability and reconciliation that was expected.
Colombia: A Trip to a Spanish Inquisition Museum in Cartagena
In Raising Miro on the Road of Life, “A single mom & son's travel blog & podcast,” Lainie writes about their visit to the Palace of the Inquisition in Cartagena, Colombia.
Yemen: Before Tunisia, there was Sudan
Before Tunisia, Sudan had a popular uprising against Ja'afar Numeiry in 1985, reminds us Out of Hadhramout, from Yemen.
Lebanon: Kuntar Remembers Prison Days in Israel
“Just wait another week and you will realize that the Lebanese Resistance is playing ATARI with Israel “defense forces”.” Adonis quotes Samir Kuntar's response to the warden, at Hadarim prison, who was boasting that Hezbollah will be crushed in a couple of days during the 2006 war. Kuntar was released from Israeli...
China: Falun Gong Tiananmen immolation incident ten years on
Following up discussions over why China sees so many acts of self-immolation but none of the response seen in Tunisia, Stainless Steel Mouse notes [zh] that ten years have passed since five Falun Gong protesters led a deadly protest in Tiananmen Square: ‘it didn't lead to a Falun Gong uprising,...
Africa: Can white people be Africans? – Part 2
A number of South Africans have responded to Sentletse Diakanyo's post entitled “We are not all Africans, black people are!”
Brazil: The Brazilian who invented the radio
Ricardo Kotscho reproduces [pt] a letter by Hamilton Almeida in which he tells the story of the inventor of the radio Roberto Landell de Moura – a Brazilian priest born 150 years ago (January 21, 1861). According to Almeida, though Landell “patented the radio in Brazil (1901)” it was Guglielmo...
Lusophone Culture: Buala “Giving Voice” to Contemporary African Cultures
They propose “to create new views, free from prejudice and colonial judgment,” of contemporary African cultures, and in an interview with Global Voices, Marta Lança and Francisca Bagulho talk about the creation of Buala: “an interdisciplinary web portal for reflection, critique and documenting Portuguese-speaking Africa.”
The last rural village in Singapore
The Long and Winding Road revisits the last rural village in Singapore
Haiti: Time for a Change
“I thought that after Duvalier left, things in Haiti were going to improve. What I never imagined was that the leaders who came after Duvalier were going to take Duvalier's concepts and use them to their own benefits”: Changing Perspectives republishes an interesting take on Haitian politics by Richard Morse...
Haiti: What About Aristide?
Wadner Pierre wonders how come exiled dictator Jean-Claude Duvalier has been granted a diplomatic passport to return to Haiti while the country's former democratically elected President has not been extended the same privilege.
