Demonstrations/Protests

Guatemala: Tensions Near Lake Izabal

Date: March 20th, 2008 |

Four Belgian tourists and two locals were abducted and held hostage for two days by Mayan farmers on Lake Izabal in a dispute over land use. The Mayans have been pressing the government to recognize their traditional farming rights to land in the area but Guatemalan law prohibits land use permits in nature reserves. The [read more]

Armenia: State of Emergency in Yerevan

Date: March 6th, 2008 |

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Authorities declared a 20-day state of emergency in Yerevan March 1 following a violent clash between protesters and police in which eight people died and more than 130 were injured. Major rallies over a disputed presidential election have occurred almost daily since Feb. 19, but now the city is under martial law with numerous checkpoints [read more]

Egypt, Gaza, Israel: Border Crisis Stirs Tensions Between Egypt, Hamas, Palestinian Authority

Date: January 30th, 2008 |

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Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians poured into Egypt after Hamas militants blew open the border partition between Gaza and the Egyptian city of Rafah Jan. 23, relieving tensions in Gaza but creating tensions in Egypt. For the past six months Gaza has been blockaded by Israel because of almost daily rocket attacks on Israeli border [read more]

France: Riots in Suburban Paris, Champs-Elysees Crime Up

Date: November 29th, 2007 |

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The rail strike that paralyzed Paris transport is over but on its heels came rioting in the city’s poor suburbs sparked by the deaths of two teenagers in a collision with a police car. Three nights of violence were reminiscent of the unrest of 2005 when riots continued for three weeks, but the current incidents [read more]

Venezuela: Pro- and Anti-Chavez Conflicts Likely to Continue Until Referendum

Date: November 15th, 2007 |

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Political tensions are high as pro- and anti-President Hugo Chavez demonstrators clashed with each other in Caracas several days after anti-Chavez students fought with security forces throughout the city. More demonstrations are planned for Nov. 26 and others could occur in the days leading up to a Dec. 2 referendum on constitutional reforms that will [read more]

Tibet: Tight Security in Lhasa

Date: March 20th, 2008 |

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Rioting occurred in Lhasa after several days of peaceful marches to mark the 49th anniversary of the failed uprising against Chinese rule and the Dalai Lama’s exile. Chinese security forces put down the protests in which at least 13 people were killed (an estimate by the Dalai Lama’s officials said 99 people died) and more [read more]

Peru: More Protests Possible in Cuzco

Date: February 14th, 2008 |

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Protesters burned tires and blocked roads around Cuzco in a 24-hour strike Feb. 7 that also shut down rail transport to Machu Picchu. The demonstrators were protesting two laws that would expand private development around Cuzco and the Sacred Valley of the Incas and make it easier to build hotels near archaeological sites. One law [read more]

Bolivia: Unrest Prompts Call for Referendum

Date: December 6th, 2007 |

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Political strife between President Evo Morales’ ruling party and the opposition threatens to tear the country apart as a constitutional assembly tries to draft a new constitution by its deadline of Dec. 14. Violent demonstrations have occurred in Sucre and the Amazonian town of Cobija. Tensions are high and more violence is possible, including blocking [read more]

Lebanon: Political Crisis Could Lead to Demonstrations

Date: November 20th, 2007 |

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Hundreds of soldiers manned roadblocks around government buildings in Beirut Nov. 20 when Lebanese leaders postponed a parliamentary vote on a new president until Nov. 23. It was the fourth postponement since September and raised fears that the country could splinter between rival administrations, one opposed to Syrian influence in the country and the other [read more]

Pakistan: Emergency Rule Creates Uncertainty

Date: November 9th, 2007 |

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A political crisis triggered by President Pervez Musharraf’s declaring a state of emergency has created a volatile situation whose course is uncertain. The move suspended the country’s constitution and shut down the judicial system. Demonstrations by lawyers and others opposing the president’s action have been met with force, and thousands of lawyers were arrested. Demonstrations [read more]