Stories about Humanitarian Response from July, 2012
Tanzania: ‘Don't Drown’ SMS-Based Maritime Early Warning System
"Tanzania has few if any rivals for numbers of boat deaths over the last couple of decades," says the founder of Usizame, Rachel Hamada. Usizame is a free SMS-based ferry check-in and alert system designed to help prevent marine accidents in Tanzania.
Tunisia: The Plight of Palestinians in Iraq
Tunisian blogger Nawel Abdullah posts an interview [ar] she conducted with the founder of The Australian Society for the Palestinian-Iraqi Refugee Emergency Yousef Alreemawi, who speaks to her about the plight of Palestinian refugees living in Iraq and efforts to resettle some of them in Australia.
Jordan: Thousands of Syrians Seek Refuge
The situation in Syria has led hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee the country to neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian government source has said that officials are preparing for the possible arrival of up to one million Syrians.
Syria: Refuge in Armenia
With the situation in Syria deteriorating rapidly, Cilicia comments on the plight of the country's 100,000 strong ethnic Armenian population. The blog says that many are already applying for Armenian citizenship, but more could be done to offer them refuge in Armenia.
Sri Lanka: The Disappearing Dogs Of Colombo City
Since 2010 the Colombo City Corporation has been removing stray dogs from the streets of Colombo and whereabouts of them are unknown. People are worried about the fate of the canines, reports Canging Perspectives blog.
Lebanon: A Petition to Issue a Law about the Missing and Kidnapped
Following the missing people in Lebanon case that Global Voices Online posted about earlier, netizens are circulating a petition to issue a law about missing and kidnapped people on Daleel Madani website.
Russia: A Law to Regulate Volunteer Efforts
Last week, Russia's Public Chamber announced that it is preparing the foundation for a draft law designed to regulate volunteer activities. Critics of the idea claim that the law (like recent bills raising fines for illegal demonstrations and 'blacklisting' parts of the RuNet) is another government attempt to oppress the political potential of civil society (specifically the strengths of Internet-enabled activists).
Syria/Turkey: Syrian Refugees Protest Water Shortages at Kilis Camp
Syrian refugees at the Kilis Refugee camp, on the Syrian-Turkish border, protested against water shortages. Four policemen and 10 refugees are reportedly injured.
Lebanon: Fresh Attention For Lebanon's Missing and Abducted People
Recent kidnappings carried out since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution have made abduction a constant threat once again and drawn new attention to the issue of Lebanon's missing people.
Russia: Caught Stealing Supplies from Flood Victims
The social documentary film makers behind “Srok” [ru] (“The Term”) have published footage [ru] on YouTube of two men who apparently tried to steal supplies from a collection point in Moscow at Vorob'evy Gory, where citizen volunteers were gathering humanitarian aid to send to the flood victims in Krymsk. The video has had...
Russia: Online Platforms Coordinating Aid for Flood Victims
Floods in Kuban have completely destroyed 640 homes, with more than 5,000 partially submerged. According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Crisis Centre, 150 have been killed as of July 8.
Russia: Netizens Respond Online and Offline to Devastating Krymsk Floods
On July 6-7, more than 170 people died in the devastating floods in the south of Russia. Bloggers have been arguing about possible causes of the tragedy in the hardest-hit town of Krymsk; many are already there as volunteers and journalists, and much of the current online discussion focuses on the relief effort, too.
Russia: Krymsk Floodgate Conspiracies
In the aftermath of flooding in Krymsk that has claimed over 140 lives, bloggers debate whether officials are to blame for water that may have been released from a nearby reservoir. Evgeny Shultz tries to debunk [ru] this theory, whereas local Yulia Andropova claims [ru] that her father was present when the...
Chile: Homeless in Santiago
In Santiago, Chile, as in many other cities around the world, winter can be a deadly season for the homeless. Through photography, Demotix contributor Alejandro Rustom exposes the reality of the homeless in the Chilean capital and highlights how a group of citizens are trying to help.
