Julien ROBERT's Page

In just 24 hours, a wave of terrorist attacks has killed 50 people and wounded dozens in Algeria.
After the deadly explosion in front of a police academy, it is the city of Bouria, in the East of Algeria that was targeted.

This Wednesday August 20th 2008, around 6AM, two terrorist attacks in car bombing killed 11 and wounded 31.

The first blast had for target a military zone where four militaries were wounded. Fifteen minutes later, the second blast happened in front of the Sophie hotel where 11 people died and 27 were wounded.

These attacks are taking place as the Algerians are about to celebrate the 52th anniversary of the Soummam Congress that was decisive for the Algerian revolution in 1956.

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French / Indonesian singer Anggun, singing live while pregnant, in Aurillac (France).

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"I saw these three incredible Lamborghini in front of The Hilton in Paris, a few meters away from the Eiffel Tower. The noise of the engine was really impressive! It sounds like a jet ! The young owners - from a Gulf country, I guess - have been driving several times in the neighborhood during the night."

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French fishermen protest against the European ban on anchovy fishing.
Signs read "For our survival, let us fish", "without anchovy, we are dead",

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A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-rigged car into a police academy as applicants, killing at least 43 people, Algeria's Interior Ministry said. It was one of the deadliest attacks in recent years in the North African country. Our Citizenside member was there.

The ministry said in a statement that the toll of 43 dead and 38 injured was a "preliminary estimate" for the attack early Tuesday in the Les Issers district of Boumerdes, some 35 miles east of the capital, Algiers.

Witnesses said all roads within two miles of Les Issers were blocked and cell phone networks were scrambled as police closed off the area.

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August 18th 2008, a dozen of Pro Tibet activists entered the building of Coca-Cola in Issy-les-Moulineaux (near Paris) to protest against the official sponsors of the Olympic Games.

They succeeded in reaching the roof of the building on which they opened a banner for Tibetan independence and others that accused China of "Lies" and chanted "Liberty for Tibet". The intervention of the police rapidly put an end to the protest, without particular incidents.

From the beginning of the Olympics, on August 8th, in France, pro-Tibetan initiatives have broken out almost daily, usually in the area of the capital.

The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, is currently visiting France for 12 days but only for religious motives.

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Our Citizenside member witnessed the use of a new non-lethal weapon, a "skunk" gas, used by Israeli border guards to prevent Palestinians from protesting behin the separation fence in Bil'in, in the West bank.

The noxious mist, which Israeli police refer to as "skunk," was used for the first time earlier this month, when a truck-mounted cannon sprayed it over the heads of protestors, sending them racing down the hillside, retching and tearing off their shirts to try to escape the stench.

Dozens of Palestinians from the village of Bilin, along with international and Israeli activists, had marched to a nearby segment of Israel's controversial separation barrier to demand its removal, just as they have done every Friday for the last three and a half years.

Then the skunk truck arrived, spraying a cloud of yellow mist and filling the air with the suffocating stench of faeces and urine.

More than one demonstrator said he preferred the tear gas Israeli troops usually use for crowd control, which sears the skin, nose, throat and eyes.

Israeli police say "skunk" is more effective at dispersing crowds than tear gas or the more lethal rubber-coated bullets, which killed Amira.

"It's the start of a change in tactics in dealing with crowd control and dispersing violent demonstrations and violent instances," Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP.

"It protects the protestors because it doesn't require us to use tear gas and rubber bullets."

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WARNING: These videos are extremely violent and might hurt the sensibility of some people.

August 15th 2008, Nepal elect Maoist leader Prachanda as the country's new Prime Minister. It ended two months of political wrangling as the country was left without a proper government when the assembly voted to sack unpopular king Gyanendra and abolish the 240-year-old monarchy on June 23rd.

As the Maoist leader is becoming the head of the country, our citizen-reporter sent us exclusive videos of the war between Maoist militants and government's army during the civil war in Nepal (1996-2006), testifying of the violence of the confrontation.

Taken February 11th 2006, in the rural area of Arghakhachi district, Tingire jungle the videos show Maoist militants shooting at the government’s army – and killing on wounded soldier.

According to our member, that day “12 Maoist were captured by government's army and 6 had been killed. Dozens of government's army were killed by Maoist army.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is a Maoist political party in Nepal, founded in 1994 and led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal (otherwise known as Prachanda). Following massive popular demonstrations and a prolonged "People's War" against the monarchy, the CPN(M) became the largest party in the Nepalese Constituent Assembly election, 2008.

The Nepalese People's War was a conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal which lasted from 1996 until 2006. The war was started by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on February 13, 1996, with the aim of establishing the "People's Republic of Nepal."
It ended with a Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on 21 November 2006 . More than 12,800 people were killed (4,500 by Maoists and 8,200 by the government) and an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people were internally displaced as a result of the conflict.

In 2002, when the first session of peace talks failed, the Maoists attacked an army barracks in Dang District in western Nepal which changed dramatically the situation. Overnight, the army was unleashed against the insurgents. At the same time, the king of Nepal maintained a puppet democratic government which depended upon him for their status to remain legitimate.

The government responded to the rebellion by banning provocative statements about the monarchy, imprisoning journalists, and shutting down newspapers accused of siding with the insurgents. Several rounds of negotiations, accompanied by temporary cease-fires, have been held between the insurgents and the government.

Throughout war, the government controlled the main cities and towns, whilst the Maoists dominated the rural areas."

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July 3rd 2008: Ingrid Betancourt was liberated by the Colombian army.

The next day, July 4th 2008, Ingrid was received at the Elysee Palace [the French President's official residence] and meets French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Later, she went to the City Hall of Paris to thank all those who supported her during her years of captivity.

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A few pictures of statues representing Buddha in Thailand.

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