Stories about War & Conflict from September, 2012
Turkey: Prime Minister Signals Negotiations with Kurdish Rebels
The Prime Minister of Turkey has signaled that he will negotiate with Kurdish rebels after months of deadly violence. In the past Turkey has been unwilling to do so despite calls from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party.
Mexico: Missing Activist Aleph Jiménez Found Alive
Missing Mexican activist Aleph Jiménez was found alive and claims to have gone in hiding due to safety concerns. Netizens have mixed reactions to the news.
Zambia's “Imaginary” Terror Plot
Zambia appears to be on the brink of ethnic conflict after a separatist group from Southern Province claimed to have killed members of the President’s tribe. However, many Zambians regard the threat posed by the Tongas Under Oath as the latest attempt by the government to discredit opposition parties.
Iran: President Ahmadinejad's Men in Trouble
As President Ahmadinejad addressed the UN General Assembly on September 26, a foreign ministry spokesperson was attacked by protesters in New York and a government press adviser was arrested in Iran.
Colombians Cautiously Optimistic About Peace Talks with FARC
The Colombian government is planning its first set of negotiations with FARC in a decade. While many Colombian bloggers welcome this decision, others do not see the negotiations leading to the end of decades of violence and criminal activities.
Russia: Ominous Predictions of Conflict in Dagestan
Dagestan is among Russia’s most impoverished and ethnically diverse republics. Recent tension between Sunni Sufi and Salafi communities suggest more conflict may not be far to come.
Documentary on Salvadoran ‘Guerrilleras’ Turns to Crowdfunding
Photographers Rebecka Bíró (Sweden/Spain) and Victoria Montero (Argentina) have teamed up to create 'Guerrilleras' a documentary and photography project about the experience of women in the guerrilla during the Salvadoran Civil War (1980-1992).
Colombia: Chronicling a Mugging
Santiago Ardila Reyes blogs [es] about the mugging he suffered in front of his house for his smartphone, describes how he feels about it, and wonders about the causes of the increasing reports of muggings and murders in Colombia.
Madagascar Struggles to Control Domestic Instability
The social and political upheaval engulfing Madagascar extends way beyond its cities. Government forces are also attempting to curb violence between cattle rustlers and farmers across southern Madagascar.
Why Mali's Army is Hesitant about Foreign Intervention in the North
Tiékorobani goes to great length explaining why Captain Sanogo and the Malian Army are hesitant about foreign intervention [fr] in Northern Mali. He argues that Sanogo fears that he will lose control the global military operations and that in turn, his officers might rebel against him because of his loss of...
Twitter Manifesto Against Violence Targeting Mexican Netizens
After Aleph Jiménez [es] -a member of the #YoSoy132 movement- disappeared in Ensenada, Mexico on September 21, 2012, the website Pulso Ciudadano (Citizen Pulse) republished a Twitter Manifesto [es] against violence targeting netizens to remind us of the danger citizen journalists face in the country.
Colombia: Political Blog ‘Atrabilioso’ Closes Down
After 7 years and thousands of posts by several contributors, the political blog Atrabilioso, managed by journalist Jaime Restrepo Vásquez, closed last August 31. The blog's contributors were critics of President Juan Manuel Santos‘ administration and staunch supporters of former President Álvaro Uribe.
DR of Congo: Rwanda is Helping the Rebellion, says Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch wrote [fr]: In addition to deploying reinforcements and recruits to support military operations, Rwandan military officials have been providing important military support to the M23 rebels, including weapons, ammunition, and training, Human Rights Watch said. This makes Rwanda a party to the conflict.”
Myanmar: Cheers and Jeers for Peace Day Rally
Despite threats from the police, various groups in Myanmar staged peaceful actions to celebrate the International Day of Peace last September 21. The participants demanded an end in the civil war which has caused a lot of suffering in the north part of the country. Many people supported the rally but others questioned the effectiveness of holding protest actions
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Hatred in the Caucasus
Murad Gassanly, an activist in exile, comments on the case of Ramil Safarov, a soldier convicted of murder in Hungary and recently pardoned in Azerbaijan, by examining how and why ethnic hatred has come to define society in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan: Political Forces United on Pardoned Axe Murderer
In Mutatione Fortitudo says that the two main opposition parties in Azerbaijan have united behind the government in its criticism of a European Parliament ruling condemning the 31 August pardon, release, and promotion of an Azerbaijani soldier who axed to death a sleeping Armenian counterpart on a NATO Partnership for...
North Korea's Parody of K-Pop Sensation ‘Gangnam Style’
North Korea uploaded a video entitled “I'm Yushin style!” in its government website Uriminzokkiri as a parody of South Korean pop sensation, ‘Gangnam Style‘. The parody lambasts Park Geun-hye, South Korean ruling conservative party's presidential candidate. Ms. Park is a daughter of former President Park Chung-hee, whose “Yushin” system brutally suppressed democracy...
Guinea: Fightings Between Peuls and Malinkes Erupt in Conakry
Guinée TV1 reports that clashes between Peuls and Malinkes [fr], two of the largest ethnic groups in Guinea erupted in Madina, a borough of Conakry. Protesters blocked Conakry’s main bridge and barricaded other roadways, according to witnesses, who said security forces were deployed but did not intervene right away.
Syria: The Revolution through the Designs of Wissam Al Jazairy
Wissam Al Jazairy is a young Syrian graphic designer. The suffering of his people is evident in art work he published online as part of his contribution to the Syrian revolution. Here is a selection of some of Wissam's designs.
Syria: Happy Birthday Bashar?
Syrians marked the birthday of President Bashar Al Assad, who turned 47, on September 11, in their own way. With the Syrian Revolution reaching its bloodiest peak, many netizens took to their keyboards wishing it would be his last birthday. Others wished him a long life, a safety for Syria.
Bolivia: 4 Injured in Clash Between Miners
Clashes between private cooperative miners from the La Paz Departmental Federation of Mining Cooperatives (Fedecomin in Spanish) and unionised miners from the state-run Bolivian Mining Corporation (Comibol in Spanish) are reported from downtown La Paz, Bolivia's seat of Government. The confronted groups are attacking each other using dynamite. Four injured...
