18 January 2013

Stories from 18 January 2013

Bolivia: An Unexpected Brush with the Past

  18 January 2013

Luis Enrique Ramos, who blogs at Citizen of La Paz [es], remembers his old classmate “el Hernán” [the Hernán], who “was one of those who doesn't attract attention, in fact, most of times, it was as he was invisible”. Ramos tells us how good was “el Hernán” at playing football...

Gabon to Mali: History of French Military Interventions in Africa

  18 January 2013

The French military intervention in Mali, known as Operation Serval started on January 11 following the advance of terrorists groups towards Bamako. Lauded by a substantial part of the Malian population and many outside observers, the military intervention diverts, however, from the non-interventionist line professed by French President Hollande in Africa.

Bayaka Fighting to Save the Congo Basin Forests

  18 January 2013

The documentary Ndima (forest in Bayaka Language) depicts the struggle of the Bayaka people to protect the Congo Basin forests and preserve their way of life. An similar initiative, Mapping for Rights, strives to help forest communities in the Republic of Congo to gain legal rights to their lands via...

‘Travelling with Nannies’ Proves Controversial in Brazil

  18 January 2013

A blog post with useful tips for families who travel with nannies raised controversy as the author's statements reflected a prejudiced view of domestic workers and deeper troubling issues in Brazil's work relations. The post went viral and was ultimately taken down by the site's administrators.

Petrodollars, Megalomania and Human Rights in Equatorial Guinea

  18 January 2013

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea launched a charm offensive in 2011 and 2012 using his petrodollars to target the worlds of showbusiness, sport and international diplomacy. However, following his accession to chairmanship of the African Union, the civil society denounced him for his poor human rights record while the orgy of spending conducted by his son caused widespread revulsion.