Stories about Ethnicity & Race from March, 2013
Religious Extremism Blamed for Myanmar Riots
The Meikhtila riots in central Myanmar which also spread to other towns have killed more than 40 people and raised fears that religious and ethnic clashes would continue to worsen in the country. Many people have analyzed the roots of the violence, in particular, the rise of religious extremism which have caused division and hate in many parts of Myanmar.
Regime Critic Goes Missing in Tajikistan
An outspoken regime critic and leader of a minority ethnic community has gone missing in Tajikistan. The country's internet users have largely missed his disappearance. The reactions from those who have paid attention to this case show that xenophobic attitudes run deep within Tajik society.
Dear Xenophobic Policeman, Fancy a Drink?
Blogger Mizohican from Mizoram, India has invited a Mumbai police officer who mistook him for a Nepali and used a xenophobic slur at him for drinks to talk things out.
Despite Bans, China's Uyghurs Wear their Identity with Pride
A viral photo showing Uyghur students being punished for wearing Muslims caps in Xinjiang's Urumqi city has been labelled by the authorities as a "rumor" and a "plot" by "outside forces." But many Uyghurs wonder when the government will show some respect for their culture.
Trinidad & Tobago: Falling Apart?
The Eternal Pantomime sees disturbing parallels between the late Chinua Achebe's famous novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ and the political and social climate in Trinidad and Tobago.
Jamaica: The Female Image in Dancehall
[It] can be seen…as a celebration of full-bodied female sexuality. Especially the substantial structure of the Black working-class woman whose body image is rarely validated… Jamaica Woman Tongue thinks International Women's Month is the perfect time to put forward a different perspective of dancehall culture.
Protests and “Frozen Zones” in Brooklyn after murder of Kimani Gray
On Saturday, March 16, Kimani Gray, a 16-year-old African American boy, died at the hands of two New York City police officers. There have been riots in Brooklyn for four consecutive days and police have declared frozen zones in a neighborhood in this borough of New York. News of this event has spread through social networks due to lack of information in the mainstream media.
Russian Nationalists Rally Behind Subway Shooter
After all, how can one not react with outrage upon learning that Alexandra Lotkova, a pretty, twenty-one year old college student, got three years in prison for using a non-lethal gun to protect herself from knife-wielding thugs, who had already stabbed one of her friends!
Hardline Buddhists Drive Sri Lanka to Drop Muslim Halal Labeling
Religious tensions in Sri Lanka are on the rise after Islamic clerics facing massive protests from militant Buddhists put an end to the island's widespread halal food labeling system.
Brides Traded In India As Sex Commodities
The blog on India's Gendercide posts a video which shows shocking stats of bride trafficking, the Indian version of domestic sex-trafficking.
Today's Tibet, Tomorrow's Hong Kong?
An activist network in Hong Kong organized an assembly to express their solidarity with Tibetans on the 54th Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising Day last Sunday March 10, 2013. Some participants who joined the meeting believed that Hong Kong people should learn from Tibet and avoid the history from recurring in Hong Kong.
Revenge Attacks Target Bangladesh Hindus for Islamist Leader's Death Sentence
Bangladesh's Hindus have come under attack as Islamists, angry over the death sentence handed down to top Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi by a special war crimes tribunal, engage in a fiery rampage nationwide.
Assault Against Immigrant Causes Outrage in Spanish Town
Moulaye Ndiaye, a street vendor from Senegal, was thrown from a bridge in Buñol, Valencia, Spain. There has been a large civilian mobilisation to condemn the attack and find the perpetrator.
Angry Mob Torches Christian Neighbourhood in Pakistan
Riled by blasphemy charges, a Muslim mob of 3,000, torched 100 houses in Joseph Colony, a largely Christian neighbourhood in Pakistan's second largest city Lahore, on Saturday, March 9, 2013.
Indian Censor Board Restricts Papilio Buddha, A Gandhi Critic Movie
Papilio Buddha, a Malaylam language feature film, had initially been banned by the Indian censor board for defaming the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi until it got cleared for screening with the “adult” certification. Netizens question the decision of the censor board and the underlying reason.
Rebels Attack in Central African Republic
RJDH -RCA reports that [fr]: According to multiple NGOs in the region, the cities of Mobaye and Bangassou are under attack by dissident rebels of the Sekela coalition in the Central African Republic. No confirmation has been given yet by the government. Bangassou's phone network is currently cut off.
The State of Torture in the World in 2013
On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...
Four Deaths in a Conflict in Xinjiang
Josh from Xinjiang: Far West of China followed a conflict incident took place in Korla, Xinjiang on March 7 in which at least 4 people have been killed, with up to 13 others possibly injured.
Beauty & the Beast? “Ethnic” Pageant Winner Enrages Russian Nationalists
When top Russian blogger Rustem Adagamov posted the news of Abdrazakova's victory in the 2013 Miss Russia pageant on his blog, along with some her photographs, his post attracted comments like "Are there still Russian girls in the Russian Federation?"
