• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Waugh Zone

The website of Louisa Waugh

  • Home
  • Waugh Stories
  • Books
    • Meet Me in Gaza
    • Hearing Birds Fly
    • Selling Olga
  • Ideas
  • Waugh on Peace
  • About
  • Contact
  • Show Search
Hide Search

In Which Better News Leans In

Hello there, and good afternoon! As you read this, the world seems engorged with violence: Syria, Iraq, Gaza, the Central African Republic (CAR) And dozens of other bloody conflicts are ripping apart communities and whole nations, traumatising generations of raped and maimed women men, and children forced to witness the unspeakable. Which is why I am dedicating this Sunday afternoon post to a few glimpses of what has changed for the better this week, alongside the seismic events in the Ukraine.

In CAR, where I spent most of last year, local residents of the city of Berberati ejected firstly Seleka, then anti-Balaka militias, this week – the article in the splendid Jeuneafrique online journal is in French, though you can get an online translation. To sum up the story: Berberati residents persuaded Seleka rebels to vacate their city, only to have the rebels immediately replaced by marauding anti-Balaka thugs. But Christian and Muslim Berberatis protected each other from threats by the anti-Balaka, who sought to crudely divide them according to religious identity. In the words of an African Union military general on the scene, General Soriano, ‘the population [here] understand that now the Seleka have gone, the others are not here to protect them, but only to serve themselves’ (my translation). Berberati is the Central African Republics second city, and the Berberatis have made each other much safer.

Mind you, news that the Taliban has just condemned the violence in CAR adds a surreal twist to the gravitas of international diplomacy!

Meanwhile, over in my beloved Gaza Strip, the bitter-sweet saga of the Apollo of Gaza highlights the magnificent history of Gaza, and the heavy fist of Hamas. John Kerry’s fumbling pre-negotiation talks exclude Hamas, which only adds to the facade that they have any chance of political impact. It is hard to find good news about Gaza, but lets not forget the 1.7 million Gazans squeezed inside the Strip, and also denied access to Egypt now the international crossing at Rafah is sealed, because of political power struggles in Cairo and militants in the Sinai. For stories, news updates and analysis on Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem, browse the Electronic Intifada.

And, to finish, this ladies and gentlemen, this will brighten up your twilight hours: Iraqi born and now living in Finland, the ravishing, tack-tastic music video of Kurdish Diva Helly Luv blazing her new track ‘Risk it All’. She has subsequently received death threats from Muslim fundamentalists, who, lets face it, will never be known for their sense of humour.

See you soon for more Waugh Stories…. Louisa x

 

 

 

 

 

February 23, 2014 Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Waugh Stories

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Keep in touch

Sign up to receive the occasional update about my latest adventures! I won't sell your email or send you spam, promise.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

More Waugh Stories

Why comfort zones only really exist for us to trek out of them

I am on the trip of a lifetime, and miserable as all hell. My feet are soaking wet and cold, my …

Continue Reading about Why comfort zones only really exist for us to trek out of them

waughlouisa Louisa B 🌍🌴🔥 @waughlouisa ·
29 Jan

It's pretty screechy here on Twitter....rebels who jump off bandwagons & think for themselves most welcome ... 'specially feminists (even though its the 🪲)
https://bit.ly/3RnMvcL

Reply on Twitter 1619805127413739521 Retweet on Twitter 1619805127413739521 Like on Twitter 1619805127413739521 Twitter 1619805127413739521
waughlouisa Louisa B 🌍🌴🔥 @waughlouisa ·
29 Jan

It strikes me as horribly ironic when campaigns for trans rights become macho-misogynst -I don't agree that trans activism is a monster (as stated by Joan Smith) But I refuse to back down over public abuse of women. Because I am a woman
https://unherd.com/thepost/politicians-are-mysteriously-blind-to-trans-activists-misogyny/

Reply on Twitter 1619800283613368320 Retweet on Twitter 1619800283613368320 Like on Twitter 1619800283613368320 Twitter 1619800283613368320
waughlouisa Louisa B 🌍🌴🔥 @waughlouisa ·
29 Jan

Thought about joining the Labour party, finally. And then this. Don't we have enough sexism and misogyny to fight already??

J.K. Rowling @jk_rowling

The Labour Party has a woman problem 
✍️@RosieDuffield1 @UnHerd
https://unherd.com/2023/01/the-labour-party-has-a-woman-problem/?=frlh

Reply on Twitter 1619796682224574465 Retweet on Twitter 1619796682224574465 Like on Twitter 1619796682224574465 Twitter 1619796682224574465
Load More...

Discover more

Support Samos Volunteers


samos volunteers logo

We all know this long-term crisis demands a long-term political strategy, instead of EU member states abandoning refugees, and Greek communities, to fend for themselves. In the meantime, self-organised groups like SV are on the ground seven days a week, working alongside refugees on Samos, to make life in the camp more bearable.

HELP NOW

Footer

Copyright © 2023 Louisa Waugh · Design by Form & Function built on WordPress · Log in