Election unrest

Kenya: Election Violence and Crime in Mombasa

Date: December 6th, 2007 |

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More than 14 million of Kenya’s 35 million citizens are registered to vote in the Dec. 27 election for a new president, parliament and local councils. As in past elections, this campaign has been plagued by violence. Since July, 35 people have been killed in election-related incidents, 13 in the last couple of weeks, and [read more]

Philippines: Military Called to Curb Election Violence

Date: May 2nd, 2007 |

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Mid-term elections will be held May 14 for 12 senators, the entire House of Representatives and thousands of local officials. The run-up to the elections has been plagued by violence among political clans, with almost 30 people killed in recent weeks, including the mayor of the northern city of San Carlos. Philippine President Gloria Arroyo [read more]

Nicaragua: Election Unrest Possible

Date: October 24th, 2006 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Managua issued a statement advising Americans that demonstrations and “sporadic acts of violence” are possible in major cities during the campaign for national elections, on election day Nov. 5, and afterward. Protests can be unpredictable and in the past, bystanders have been injured. Hotel accommodations may be hard to find because [read more]

Mexico: Illegal Taxis to be Licensed; Oaxaca Festival Postponed; Election Protests

Date: July 18th, 2006 |

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Mexico City’s 20,000 unregistered taxis will be made legal over the next few months if transit authorities succeed in their efforts to license them. The illegal taxis carry roughly 15 percent of the city’s daily taxi passengers and officials acknowledge that they provide a necessary service. The 106,000 authorized cabs cannot handle the demand. Drivers [read more]

Nepal: Curfews Lifted, Political Unrest Continues, Elections to Go On

Date: January 24th, 2006 |

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The government vowed to hold municipal elections planned for Feb. 8 despite boycotts and protests by political parties who claim the elections are a ploy by King Gyanendra to consolidate power and appease the international community. Tensions came to a head Jan. 20 when the King imposed a daytime curfew and cut off all cell [read more]

Kenya: Kidnap Threat on Kiwayu Island; Possible Election Violence

Date: October 3rd, 2007 |

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The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi warned that Islamic extremists from Somalia may be planning to kidnap Westerners, especially U.S. citizens, on beaches in the Kiwayu Island tourist area and other beach sites on the northeast coast near Somalia. Kiwayu is in the Lamu archipelago, an area popular with Western travelers. The Embassy urged Americans to [read more]

Bangladesh: Election Violence Feared

Date: November 14th, 2006 |

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Thousands of protesters demanding election reform shut down transport networks in cities around the country Nov. 12 and closed the main port of Chittagong. At least one person was killed in Dhaka and some 50 injured when police fired rubber bullets and drove a car into the crowd to disperse the demonstrators. Unrest has been [read more]

Mexico: Demonstrators Take Over Heart of Mexico City, Oaxaca

Date: August 1st, 2006 |

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Demonstrators demanding a vote recount in the contested presidential election took over Mexico City’s main square July 30 and a six-mile stretch of the Reforma, the capital’s main boulevard, home to luxury hotels, government offices, major corporations and the U.S. Embassy. The protests caused major disruptions for commuters on Monday. The occupation could last for [read more]

Ireland: Crimes against Tourists Down

Date: March 14th, 2006 |

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Crime against tourists dropped significantly in 2005 compared to 2004. According to the Irish Tourist Assistance Service (ITAS), 476 tourists reported crimes in 2005 with just 11 of those violent crimes compared to 36 the previous year. Car thefts were down to 23 from 52. With just short of seven million visitors in 2005, Ireland [read more]

Zanzibar: Election Unrest on Pemba Island

Date: November 8th, 2005 |

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The islands of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania, a haven for divers, are seething after a disputed election in which the ruling party retained its 40-year grip on power. Opposition supporters, celebrating what they believed to be an electoral victory, were dispersed by security forces who claimed that they were rioting. Significant looting occurred, [read more]