War News Radio

Rohingya Refugee Crisis: Part 1

In August, clashes between the Burmese government and the ethnic minority Rohingya intensified, leaving casualties and many Rohingya people vulnerable to violence. Since then, over 500,000 Rohingya have fled their home in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. The media and foreign workers have been barred from entering Rakhine, but stories of ethnic cleansing and plunder have emerged. Who, exactly, are the Rohingya and how did this happen? To understand the current crisis, we have to go back in time… This week on War News Radio, our reporters Serena Sung-Clarke and Shiloh Sumanthiran have spoken with experts to understand the Rohingya's history in Myanmar. Tune in to find out more.

 

The background music in this episode was produced by Ian Sutherland on the Free Music Archive. 

When Things Fall Apart: Episode 2

In the last episode of When Things Fall Apart, we examined the issue of educational inequity and the wave of student protests that took place in post-Apartheid South Africa. This week, we explore Equal Education, a movement that seeks to develop a standard for basic education across South Africa. We speak to Ntuthuzo Ndzomo, the Deputy General Secretary of Equal Education about the fundamental challenges to the provision and implementation of an equal basic education standard across the country. We also look at the role of media activism and its importance in a fragile environment. Produced by Meagan Currie, Shua-Kym McLean, Ziyana Popat, and Bobby Zipp, with the help of Katherine Kwok.

When Things Fall Apart: Episode 1

As part of a project connecting to Professor of Political Science Emily Paddon-Rhoads’ class on the Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa, several Swatties examine the recent wave of student protests fighting against continued educational inequity that haunts post-Apartheid South Africa. We speak to four alumni of the University of Cape Town who were each affected by the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall movements of 2015 and 2016. We learn more about the Equal Education movement that has developed to promote equitable basic education for young learners across the country, and examine the role of media activism in a changing world.

Narrow Passages Part III

This week on War News Radio, part three of "Narrow Passages," War News Radio's podcast series covering the details of the resettlement process for refugees from the Syrian war. Previous episodes looked at the big picture of resettlement as a whole process. Reporters Jake Stattel, Matthew Chaffinch, and George Menz spoke with officials from Allentown, PA, a major hub for resettlement, to understand how resettlement actually works in an American city. Take a listen! 

Narrow Passages Part II

In the last segment of Narrow Passages, we looked at the broad problems with U.S. and international refugee resettlement institutions as a whole. This episode, we will narrow in on more specific challenges refugees face along the way. We especially want to examine the many ways that opportunities for resettlement are unequally distributed, from start to finish.

Human History's Biggest Labor Strike

This past September, tens of millions of Indian workers staged a one-day general strike to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic policies. It was the biggest work stoppage in human history. Reporters Aru Shiney-Ajay and Will Marchese recap the strike and further interview Indian labor organizers and scholars. 

Narrow Passages Part I

This week on War News Radio, we kick off our series on the resettlement process for refugees coming out of the bitter conflict in Syria. In this first part of Narrow Passages, we look at the institutions that serve as the first point of contact for refugees, how an individual becomes a refugee, and how Western media distorts the reality of the crisis and the resettlement process. 

A War-Torn Power Plant

A single hydropower plant produces a third of the electricity consumed in the Republic of Georgia. But the plant’s generator lies on land controlled by Russian-backed separatists. Since the 90’s, the area has seen war, ethnic cleansing, and an increasingly suffocating Russian occupation. But amid all this tension, the power plant has somehow kept operating without problems. Eduard Saakashvili took a look at how that works.

 

Press-ing Matters

How does the rising tension between Hong Kong and China impact the city's press freedom? This week, we turn away from headlines and speak to a few journalists and journalism students about their experiences and perspectives. Tune in for more.

Gaza Under the Blockade: Education

Reporter Lisa Kato begins the first of a three part series focusing on life in Gaza. In 2015, UNCTAD reported that the Gaza Strip could become "uninhabitable" by 2020 if the current situation does not improve. The blockade on Palestine by Israel and Egypt that restricts the flow of goods and people in air, land, and sea has debilitated their living conditions. This piece focuses on the significance of education in the life of Gazans despite the constant conflict that confines them. Lisa Kato, along with reporters Eriko Shrestha and Salima Bourguiba interviewed Christopher Gunness, spokesperson of UNRWA, and Rola Mattar, graduate of Al-Azhar University.