The Bosnian city of Bijeljina, nestled in the northeast, takes its name from the word “bijela” meaning “white”. Despite an absence of visual evidence as to why the city has been given this name, it nonetheless seems fitting. This is not due to an abundance of white buildings, of which there are few, but because the city possesses a muted, uniform complexion, lacking in pigmentation and expression.
Rohingya Muslims are one of many minority groups in Myanmar. After stripping the Rohingya of their citizenship, the predominantly Buddhist country purged the Muslim minority from Myanmar by conducting military raids, killing thousands of Rohingya, and forcing many more to flee.
Anyone who has quit smoking knows how difficult and painstaking the process is. From the time I was in high school until the age of 29, I saw cigarettes as a reward, a comfort, a five-minute break from work or lectures, and an ideal way to spend time while waiting for city transport.
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“Violent conflicts are social disasters which fundamentally change the trust relationships in a society. Trust is easy to lose, but takes a long time to rebuild.” - Kirsten Voigt Juhl, University of Stavanger -
“You see a lot of human rights practices and norms under assault all over the world. In our region especially, we are witnessing the forces of nationalism and populism and there’s a growing perception that the US isn’t as engaged as a steward for human rights as it once was,” says Cooley.