Stories about History from November, 2012
Wiping Out Ethiopia's History for the Sake of Development
Ethiopian netizens react to unconfirmed reports circulating online that iconic statues of Emperor Menelik II and Pope Abule Petros might be destroyed because of the construction of an Addis Ababa rail tunnel.
South China Sea or Austronesian Sea?
Le Minh Khai thinks that “Austronesian Sea” or “Nusantao Sea” are more appropriate names for the South China Sea referring to Austronesian peoples who navigated the territory in the past. There are maritime disputes in the area involving China and several Southeast Asian countries. The Philippine government has recently renamed...
Ten Years after Attempt on Ex-President's Life, Rumors Linger in Turkmenistan
In November 2002, the then Turkmen President Saparmurat Niyazov survived an assassination attempt that was blamed on Russian-supported opposition. Ten years after the incident, in the country starved of reliable information, many people still don't trust the official version of the event.
Hundreds Rally Against Anti-Semitism in Hungary
On Nov. 27, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Parliament in Budapest (photos) to protest a Hungarian far-right MP's call “for Jews to be registered on lists as threats to national security.” Some of the protesters wore yellow Stars of David. The rally took place despite the removal...
Impunity Prevails over State of Law in Guinea
Arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, rigged trials and executions are not difficult to find in Guinea's history. The impunity enjoyed by the officials guilty of these crimes is reviewed by different observers from Guinea.
Is Meles Zenawi's Ghost Haunting Ethiopians?
Although Meles Zenawi, the late Ethiopian Prime Minister, was formally declared dead three months ago after months of speculation about his whereabouts, his ghost shows no sign of loosening its grip over Ethiopians.
Homs: A Revolutionary Syrian City in Ruins
Homs is a Syrian city that is 4,300 years old and is the home of three Syrian presidents. Homsi protesters were among the first Syrians to take streets in thousands to protest against the Syrian regime. The colossal damage months of shelling has done can be seen in the destruction of historic buildings and architecture, hundreds of thousands of refugees and thousands of martyrs.
India: Wither Glass Bangles?
“Bangles are considered auspicious, and at one time, it was considered inauspicious for a woman not to wear bangles,” writes Anuradha Shankar at ‘A Wandering Mind’. She notes that glass bangles for daily wear are becoming less popular in megacities like Mumbai, but are still adored in small towns or...
Spain: Catalan Elections – “We are all Garcia”
This Sunday, voters in Catalonia head to the polls . The electoral campaign, which has honed in on the question of independence, began last week with a polemic video posted on the Youtube channel of the unionist Catalan People's Party (Partit Popular de Catalunya or PPC). The video rapidly generated a negative reaction among Catalan netizens on Twitter, who created the hashtag #totssomgarcia or "we are all Garcia", expressing solidarity with "Spanish" Catalans and criticizing the divisive content of the PPC campaign spot.
Time to Change Tajikistan's Flag?
Thousands of flags are flown across Tajikistan today as the Central Asian republic celebrates the Flag Day. Meanwhile, some bloggers suggest that it might be time to change the country's flag.
Lebanon: France, Oil and Independence Day
Nadine Mazloum puts together a collection of Lebanese Twitter user reactions to Independence Day (Nov 22). She ends her article with a sarcastic comparison of the various occupiers of Lebanon in which France wins the first place. Thus, France is called upon to come back, especially now that oil was discovered in Lebanon.
Renaming Villages, Streets in Tajikistan
This is just another attempt to rewrite history and build a myth that since the ancient period, the territory of contemporary Tajikistan has been settled by ethnic Tajiks and there were no other ethnic groups here. Blogger Harsavor shares [ru] his thoughts on why the authorities in Tajikistan have been...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Archaeological Finds
St Vincent and the Grenadines is fast becoming an archaeological treasure. And Still I Rise explains.
Mumbai Comes to a Halt After Bal Thackeray's Death
"Mumbai Shut - Fear or Respect?!" Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray (86), founder of the Hindu right-wing Shiv Sena party in India, died today. Mumbai soon came to a halt - shops shut, public transportation stopped and residents stayed inside their homes.
Croatian Senior Generals Acquitted of War Crimes
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia comments on this Friday's UN appeal court's judgment acquitting Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markač of war crimes: […] Some people are delighted with the judgment and other people are outraged, with divisions following predictable political lines. The appeals chamber itself is no less...
Lenin in Tajikistan: ‘Better Hitler’ or ‘Real Hero'?
Since independence, Tajikistan's authorities have taken down almost all Soviet-erected statues of Vladimir Lenin across the country. The removal of these monuments is quite controversial in Tajikistan, where some bloggers call Lenin a 'better Hitler' while others consider him a 'real hero'.
The Trouble With Russian Nationalism
This year, Unity Day lived up to its name, though in a rather unexpected way. In 46 towns and cities across Russia, including Moscow, roughly 30 thousand people took part in far-right extremist rallies. While this is an infinitesimally small fraction of the country's total population, Unity Day's far-right groups have managed to attract supporters all over Russia.
Promoting Indonesia's Batik through Social Media
batikantik writes about the success of #batikday in Indonesia which has become a social media movement promoting Batik as global heritage of humanity. Batik is a traditional textile art and craft in Indonesia.
Cuba: Time for Constitutional Reform?
Iván García suggests that Cuba needs a constitution that serves the interests of the entire population.
East Timor: Monument to the Santa Cruz Massacre
On the preparations for the anniversary of the Santa Cruz Massacre (November 12, 1991), a photo of a monument to be inaugurated in Dili circulated on Facebook.
