Is Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf a war criminal?
The Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission doesn’t quite say yes…but it does say that perhaps the much-lauded president of the new Liberia has more…
Read MorePlaces
Kinshasa's Symphony Orchestra
I was so excited to see this today on Wronging Rights, who got it via Congo Resources. There was a really nice guy who…
Read MoreCheck your press freedoms at the (US) border
John Dinges, a Columbia University journalism school professor and a veteran of Latin America (saving you the string of awards he’s won), headed back…
Read MorePoorism vs. Tourism: A photographer's take
Hop over to Scarlett Lion’s blog and read today’s Context Africa piece, about photographer Samantha Reinders. She’s been photographing Township Tourism in South Africa…
Read MoreOn paying money to look at poor people
In a moment of serendipity, I published an article this week at the Christian Science Monitor at exactly the same time its topic, poverty…
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The Pity and Voyeurism — and Authenticity — Of Poverty Tourism
Does peeking at how the other five-sixths lives preserve culture – or commodify it? Mayange, Rwanda — Jeanne d’Arc Mukamurigo and her daughter sit…
Read More"L'chaim," Charles Taylor says. "Well, mine anyway."
Ten-gallon-hat tip to Wronging Rights for this Gem of the Week. I embellish it in obvoius ways: “Former Liberian president Charles Taylor, on trial…
Read MoreWhat are Congolese troops shooting at now? UN peacekeepers
The FARDC is taking on MONUC…but not the FDLR. Which is, of course, exactly the opposite of what is supposed to happen. From BBC:…
Read MoreWant to see Africa as you never have?
Check out the photos of Paul Sika, who takes the visual tropes of Africa and electrifies them. He tells you how and why he…
Read MoreSouth Africa loses feisty AIDS activist, poignant digital diarist
This happened last week, but I only just caught up: 24-year-old Thembi Ngubane died last Thursday, after becoming an incredible force for fighting HIV/AIDS….
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