4 August 2015

AMIS affiliate Simon Turner on the Burundian conflict

Can you win a war on Facebook? 

asks AMIS affiliate Simon Turner in a article published on the blog Mats Utas. He examines through interviews and analysis how Burundians in exile engage in the conflict in Burundi by documenting, rapporting and sharing news about the conflict on social media.

"I am struck by the amount of detail that is uploaded every day. It is as if every single arrest is documented, place, name and time recorded and spread through social media together with photos and video clips, recorded on smart phones ... The question then whether social media and mobile phones make a big difference."

The Burundian conflict was sparked when the incumbent President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza, announced he would run for a third term in the 26 June 2015 presidential election. This sparked protests by those opposing him.

Read the article HERE