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Armenia: An Online Revolution in the making?
Recent events in Tunisia and Egypt have captured the attention of the world’s media and also encouraged and inspired other movements elsewhere, albeit in much bloodier ways as this week has shown in Bahrain and Libya. Not to be outdone, opposition groups in the South Caucasus are also looking to replicate similar events at home, and particularly in Armenia and Azerbaijan. But, while the continuing debate between the cyber-utopians and cyber-sceptics continues as to the precise role of social media in uprisings in the Arab world, opposition groups here most definitely believe it holds the key to succesful regime change.
International Crisis Group: Fears of a new Armenia-Azerbaijan war
While it didn’t come as much of a surprise, the latest report from the International Crisis Group (ICG) makes depressing reading. Locked in a bitter stalemate since the war over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh during which around 25,000 were killed and a million forced to flee their homes, a final peace deal remains as elusive as ever.
Budgetary cuts cast shadow over landmine clearance in Nagorno Karabakh
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a war over Nagorno Karabakh in the early 1990s. Around 25,000 were killed and nearly a million from both sides forced to flee their homes. Although hostilities were put on hold by a 1994 ceasefire agreement, in addition to skirmishes on the frontline, landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) continue to pose a threat to life
Друзья как Сестры: взгляд из Москвы
“Если вы получили мой SMS, это может означать одно из двух: либо мир между нашими странами на самом деле возможнен, либо теперь я в списке КГБ.”
Friends like Sisters: A View from Moscow
“If you received my SMS, it can mean one of two things. Either peace between our countries is really possible, or I’m now on the KGB’s list.”
NGOs and Grassroots Movements: Partners or Rivals?
In an opinion piece looking at the media and peace building in 2010 and prospects for 2011, Sheldon Himelfarb, Associate Vice-President at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), noticed some interesting developments, especially in the area of how new online tools can empower individuals. In a sense, this has been precisely what my own personal project has been about, although Himelfarb also raises the possibility of some concerns which might emerge as a result.
Alaverdi Monastery, Kakheti, Georgia
My last post reminds me that I haven’t even done the tourist thing in Georgia. Even though I’ve been visiting the country since 1999, and while I’ve traveled around various parts of the country, it’s always been on work. From time to time, however, that will mean I’ll chance upon a cultural site. The Alaverdi Monastery, for example.
Developing A Holistic Approach To Armenia-Azerbaijan Peacebuilding Initiatives
A comment made earlier today on a previous post regarding the need to diversify the dissemination of news and information online in the area of peace building in order to reach the largest number of people, especially when Internet penetration remains quite low, reminded me of another need which I had also briefly alluded to in a different post. Arif Khalil pointed out the potential for physical activities and events to break down stereotypes and engage a much larger and wider society in the ‘real world,’ and in particular mentioned using theater to spread a message of peace and coexistence.
Skype in Conflict Zones: An example from the South Caucasus
In a situation where Armenia and Azerbaijan are meant to be negotiating to end the conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, civil society should be very active. However, it doesn’t appear as though it is, and not least because few people actually believe that a breakthrough is possible, especially when cross-border activities are far simpler to conduct in the area of Armenia-Turkey relations. Indeed, and to be quite frank, it is difficult to consider that much is going on at all. Meanwhile, the situation isn’t helped by the fact that few Azerbaijani civil society activists visit Armenia, and even fewer Armenians visit Azerbaijan. In short, an environment conducive to peace or conflict resolution doesn’t seem to exist.