Armenian Genocide (1915)

Vittorio (left) and Paolo Taviani on the set of "The Lark Farm." (Spiegel)

At the FebioFest in Prague, I am going to watch the film "The Lark Farm" by Italian directors Paolo Taviani and Vittorio Taviani about the disputed genocide of Armenians in Turkey at the start of WWI. Supposedly 1.5 million Armenians died, which was 3/4 of Armenian population in Turkey at that time...
More links below.

Czech article on this
Wikipedia
Genocide disputed
Genocide disputed 2


LA MASSERIA DELLE ALLODOLE: Genocidio armeno


Armenian genocide

PetrUhl - Human Rights as Whipping Stick

Czech journalist, political activist and politician Petr Uhl wrote an article on Tibet and how the current situation can be misinterpreted easily:

"Beijing should acknowledge that Dalai Lama is not pursuing independence, but he is asking for a dialogue. Even European and US right-wing parties have no interest in making this fact public. Freedom for Tibet and hanging up of Tibet's flag is understood by all as desire for independence. As in Kosovo. ...The matter is not human rights, or protection, but on the contrary weakening, and in this case of China..."

DV8 - To Be Straight With You

As suggested in a blog entry from 2006, DV8 started to work on a new performance, and now it is out! It premiered in Lloyd's country of birth, Australia, on 13th - 16th March, and there will certainly be more reviews coming!

Official info here: DV8's Artistic Director Lloyd Newson leads a multi-ethnic cast in a poetic but unflinching exploration of tolerance, intolerance, religion and sexuality.

DV8's new production is based on hundreds of hours of audio interviews collected throughout the UK with people directly affected by these issues. Incorporating dance, text, documentary, animation and film, twenty years on DV8 still refuses to be defined.

TheGuardian: Husak vs. Bush

Husak's Czechoslovakia and Bush's America is compared by the Guardian, inspired by Martina Navratilova's criticism of Bush (she is saying there is no difference between Husak's era in socialist Czechoslovakia and Bush's reign now, or Bush is even worse). The newspaper compares support of the presidents (Husak 15%; Bush 19-30%); health care (free; 16% without health insurance respectively); standard of living vs. freedom (low standard but want of freedom; high standard but no fight for freedom; , i.e. consumerism does not / does placate the population respectively); employment (full employment vs. recession and job loss); visa (similar approach - "arbitrary" vs. Patriot Act); torture (covert tool vs. officially sanctioned).

For me, growing up under Husak... this is quite incomparable (people did want consumerism and not everyone was ready to fight for their freedom and risk the future of their children, but I have no real experience of living in the US under Bush as Novotna does..). However, as for social rights, that seems a different story.

Guardian article here. Czech version here.
Other articles in Guardian when searching for "Husak" here.

Film: Lake of Fire

Lake of Fire trailer

A good film on the dilemmas of abortion and fundamental religious right members who go and kill "abortionists" - doctors carrying out abortion. I was shocked to see how many doctors were killed and how brutal and blind in views the pro-life side could be, what fundamentalism lies behind the anti-abortion propaganda. This film is not a 'black and white' depiction of abortions, but shows how complex / personal / political and dubious this question can be.
Another great film treating abortion is the Romanian "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days".



Official info about the film from ThinkFilmNY:
Ever since Roe v. Wade, the United States has been deeply divided on the issue of abortion. In that landmark case, an unmarried pregnant woman was refused an abortion in Texas and, with the ensuing judicial challenge, won American women the right to safe, legal abortions. Ever since, proponents and opponents have lined up on either side of the issue, launching verbal abuse -- and worse -- at each other. As the religious right has increased in size and power in the past decade, the issue has become even more divisive -- and violent.

Filmmaker Tony Kaye, best known for "American History X," has been working on LAKE OF FIRE for the past fifteen years and has made a film that is unquestionably the definitive work on the subject of abortion. Shot in luminous black and white, which is in fact an endless palette of grays, the film has the perfect esthetic for a subject where there can be no absolutes, no 'right' or 'wrong.' He gives equal time to both sides, covering arguments from either extremes of the spectrum, as well as those at the center, who acknowledge that, in the end, everyone is 'right' -- or 'wrong.'

With graphic images of termination procedures and their aftermath, Kaye endeavors to show abortion's physical and psychological reality -- to make clear what exactly is at stake. LAKE OF FIRE -- the film's title comes from one person's description of what awaits abortionists in hell -- is a brave film, even a monumental one. And whatever you believe now, you are certain to think differently after seeing it.

What's Happening in Tibet?

“Tibet will always have a deep impression on us. Please do support the Tibetans who are struggling for some freedom.” (Travellers to Tibet Steve and Ulrike / Phayul.com)

On the outskirts of Dharamsala - march to Tibet. (Photo by Tenzin Dasel / Phayul.com)

Monday, 10 March 2008 - about 300 monks from Drepung monastery (near Lhasa) trying to march to the capital to commemorate the unsuccessful uprising in 1959 against the Chinese occupation. About 70 people, mainly monks, detained following the protest. March stopped by police, now Drepung monastery sealed by military.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008 - about 600 monks from Sera monastery (Lhasa) trying to march in protest against the detentions from the previous day - stopped soon afterwards by the police controlling the monastery - police used tear gas, they were armed with electric prods, or had firearms.

Dharamsala, India - about 100 Tibetans living in India returning back to China in support of free Tibet - stopped by Indian police.
Kathmandu, Nepal - about 1,000 Tibetan exiles clashed with police while trying to march to the Chinese embassy to protest about the Olympic games.
Wednesday, 12 March 2008 - Lhasa calm, police controlling Potala palace and monasteries, all internet cafes "closed".

George Galloway - 6 Aug 2006 - SkyNews

An unforgettable interview, even after 2 years, with George Galloway on UK SkyNews about Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Hizballah and insightful memory and history, here and below.



Czech transcript here.

An interesting account on Galloway's impulse for his interest in the Palestinian question is given in his autobiography I'm Not The Only One.

AI: Palestinian homes demolished without warning

Bulldozer destroys Palestinians' property in Hadidiya, West Bank, 11 March 2008
© Amnesty International

AI report here.
Another 'buldozer' blog entry here.
See video about deliberate demolitions! - A document made by a group of volunteer Americans on real life conditions in Palestine -- Tobias - Life in Palestine Real Footage

Villains You Will Not See at OneWorld Human Rights Festival

Ondřej Slačálek, anarchist and political activist and scientist, comments well on the Czech OneWorld HR film festival. In this article, he points at the selectivity of the "dictators' advertisement", and in the anarchist magazine A-kontra he proposes other villains which would be in high competition as far as their criminal rate is concerned -- George W. Bush - USA, Hashim Thaçi - Kosovo, Islom Karimov - Uzbekistan, Joseph Kabila - Democratic Republic of Congo, Hu Jintao - China. In another article, he speaks about the controversial fact that human rights education organized in schools through the OneWorld organization is supported by the US government, which is not afraid to severely breach human rights, and whose president approves of torture, such as waterboarding or electric shocks!
Another article that looks behind the scenes of OneWorld and criticizes its cooperation with the US organization National Endowment for Democracy is written by Daniel Vesely.

Brussels: New court to try Israel for war crimes - More Details - Controversial?

Excerpts to add more about this news...


DemocraticUnderground.com writes (nick 'Scurrilous' in the discussion):
Arab MK to attend tribunal on 'IDF war crimes'

<snip>

"A conference of individuals and nongovernmental organizations is to convene in Brussels on Friday to discuss what organizers call "the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon." MK Said Nafa (Balad) plans to attend.

The conference has been promoted as "an international jury of conscience," and will take the form of a mock international court with prosecutors, witnesses and judges, organizers said in a statement.

No names of those planning to participate in the conference were made available by the organizers.

Speaking to The Jerusalem Post by phone from Belgium, Nafa said he was "invited as an observer to listen," and that he planned to raise the issues of the October 2000 riots in the Galilee (in which 12 Israeli Arabs and a Palestinian were killed) and home demolitions during the conference.

"The tribunal has no legal authority," Nafa said, but its "ruling" will be "declarative and aimed at influencing public opinion in the world. There's no doubt that the use of cluster bombs in Lebanon was a war crime, or at least a violation of the international conscience. Victims of the Lebanon war and of the siege on Gaza will testify at the tribunal, some who are experts on international law."

Israel's position would also be represented, Nafa said, but, "I don't know by whom."
The Knesset member said he decided to attend because of a decision by the Israeli-Arab leadership's Monitoring Committee to "turn to international tribunals" to circumvent Israeli courts. "Arab Israelis have no defense under Israeli national law," he said."

----------------
And on DemocraticUnderground.com there was also this reaction:

Its a phony court called International Citizens'Tribunal

Edited on Mon Feb-25-08 01:23 AM by Dick Dastardly Its only purpose will be to try, and convict, Israel, over and over again. They are against the existence of Israel An international citizen's tribunal on the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon Brussels, 22-23-24 February 2008 Endorse the Tribunal! An international citizen's tribunal on the crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on February 22-24, 2008. The International Action Center has endorsed this tribunal and the work of the Commitee of International Citizens that is organizing the tribunal. More information is below: To contact the organizers: Email: contact.tribunal@yahoo.fr Blog: http://www.tciccg.over-blog.com Proposal for setting up international citizen's tribunal on deeds committed by Israeli army & secret services in Lebanon & occupied Palestinian territories JUSTICE FOR LEBANON! Feb. 22-24, 2008, Brussels Int'l Jury Schedule The crimes committed by the Israeli army in Lebanon during the summer 2006 are a violent affront to the universal human conscience. These are criminal acts, as many people feel instinctively. They are different from the acts that take place in all armed conflict committed by the aggressor as well as by the aggressed. But feeling is not enough. The facts must be established. They must then be assessed in light of existing international law. This should be done with the detachment and rigor of a process that excludes any a priori conclusions, the results of which will convince all people of good will. The international community is not an autonomous political and juridical body. It is but a summation of positions adopted by a certain number of governments. In many situations it has proved incapable of applying existing law by distancing itself from geopolitical or ideological contingencies. This impunity has covered up the numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity that have been committed since the end of World War II. The unilateral attitude of the United States of America, like the double-speak of many European governments, make it necessary for those defending the law to take the place of failed political powers. The American administration is against any questioning of Israel’s role in acts committed in Lebanon. EU countries like Germany, Great Britain, Finland and France refuse to support a request formulated at the UN Human Rights Council to investigate the use by the Israeli armed forces of arms that are prohibited by international law. The systematic disinformation practiced by an overwhelming majority of the media deprives Western public opinion of balanced information. All this justifies an initiative by the citizens themselves. A group of citizens gathering human rights or ecological activists, humanitarian workers, jurists, political scientists, all friends of Lebanon, enjoying the support of more than 300 opinion leaders all over the world, is planning to organize, in Brussels (Belgium), on 22-23-24 February 2008, the meeting of an “international jury of conscience”. During the opening session, a statement of charge will introduce the process. It is based on a report issued by the Human Rights Committee of the Lebanese Parliament about the crimes committed by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF – official name of the Israeli armed forces) between 12 July and 14 August 2006 in Lebanon. The following sessions will give the opportunity to testify to Lebanese victims and survivors, to Lebanese and foreign witnesses, to Lebanese jurists, to representative of international human rights organizations. The Israeli side will have the possibility to present explanations. The jury, formed by prominent magistrates from the 5 continents, will present conclusions. On Saturday evening, a roundtable will give the floor to international experts on Lebanon. Such an initiative requests funds. The organizing team has to buy flights tickets and to book hotel rooms for all the people coming from Lebanon but also for the 5 members of the jury. The renting of the rooms in the conference center and the fees for the translators have also to be paid. The total budget reaches 125.000 US dollars. Feel free to support a citizen’s initiative that must take place due to the lack of concern by official sides. Raoul Marc JENNAR & Leila GHANEM, co-organizers Hosting Bank account : URFIG, Bruxelles, IBAN : BE60 0682 3497 7170; BIC : GKCCBEBB, with this message : “support to the International Jury of Conscience Lebanon” http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/leb-trib-letter0208 / http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/leb_jury-sched0208 / The signatories http://www.iacenter.org/palestine/Leb_tribunalcall-0208 / More info http://tciccg.over-blog.com/article-4596412-6.html http://rtsf.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/56 / http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=52734 http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_26011.sht... http://www.petitiononline.com/un040806/petition.html A fake "international court" designed purely to vilify Israel Misozionistic people, those who loathe the very idea of Israel existing in any form and spend uncounted hours coming up with ways to show their hate, have come up with a new idea: "Let's set up an international tribunal whose only purpose will be to try, and convict, Israel, over and over again!" Sounds silly? Think again After much searching, I found the webpage of this group, in French. http://tciccg.over-blog.com / This group does not even have its own Internet domain, which means it might not even have $5 in support. It is on a blog site. It calls itself the "Tribunal citoyen international contre les crimes de guerre au Moyen Orient", the "International Citizens' Tribunal on war crimes in the Middle East." Its founder, Raoul Marc Jennar, makes no pretense of objectivity: The doctrine that underpins the State of Israel was incompatible with international law.

Brussels: New court to try Israel for war crimes

13:02 , 02.22.08

Civil court established by human rights organizations to begin operations in Belgium Friday. First issue on the agenda: Israel's alleged war crimes in Lebanon, Gaza

Full article on ynetnews.com.

UPDATE:
As there was no info in the official media, I searched more to see the credibility of this. Here are articles I found, quite controversial, without surprise:
Discussion about the ynetnews.com article.
Arab MK to attend tribunal on 'IDF war crimes'
A fake "international court" designed purely to vilify Israel
Basically this 'court' is an initiative of a group of citizens based in France, who call themselves "Tribunal citoyen international contre les crimes de guerre au Moyen Orient". (Info in English.)

Films You Will Not See At OneWorld Human Rights Festival

In Prague, there is annually a film festival on Human Rights, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. As the festival's media campaign complies with the views and standpoints of the current political scene, it is no surprise that the advertisement for the festival, which this year concentrates on dictators, pinpoints some "world dictators" with notoriously over-presented Fidel Castro (Cuba), or other dictatorial leaders more or less known here, such as Aleksandr Lukashenko (Belarus), Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe), Kim Chong-il (Nort Korea) or Than Shwe (Burma).

Why this style of the advertisement...? Why not other dictators, countries, situations, politicians? Are human rights violated only in communist regimes? Are not human rights violated with the current "war on terror"?

Perhaps another festival can answer this - Human Rights Watch film festival, starting on 12 March 2008 in London? Or is the movie selection very similar?

The most interesting and concise (!) selection for me is, however, here, at a festival in Bellingham, Washington, US! The program comprises only of 15 films, but they seem inspirational enough! The two films below belong to their list, and they talk about Izrael and Palestine and the USA and the Iraq invasion... themes the other festivals fear to touch...?

Independent Intervention - Focusing on the human costs of war, media experts contrast corporate-controlled media coverage of the invasion of Iraq with independent media reports of the brutal realities on the ground. Features Amy Goodman and other alternative reporters.
(Trailer)


Occupation 101 - A comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.
(Full film!)



This film is not on the list of HR festivals, but equally informative on the above topic...
Peace and Propaganda: The Promised Land

Returns

I am back in Prague from my 2.5 months in China, it took me up till now to come to terms with this fact... :) I thought not writing anything or not talking much about it would prolong my mental return to this 'old' place..
I really loved my last day and night in Beijing, on Saturday the 17th of February. Everyone in Tibet and China was celebrating the New Year. A flight from Lhasa on that day to Chengdu and to Beijing; it took almost the whole day. In each city a glimpse at the festivities and huge and never-ending fireworks. Beijing was near to dangerous when trying to walk some of the streets in the center.. And strangely, after a month of traveling around the country, the one night stay in the capital felt like coming home.
..As if writing meant forgetting or killing the memories one cherishes of special moments. I hope I am wrong!

Good Bye Beijing and Next Time...

I am leaving Beijing today (train to Pingyao in a couple of hours), need to pack, check out...

I left the office on Friday to go to a New Year Party (celebration of Spring Festival that starts in mid Feb), quite an insightful view into local entertainment. My colleagues sang popular songs, danced, played instruments, played theater sketches and had talk shows... as I was told such kind of entertainment is very common and popular and kids get ready for this ever since they enter school.

..When I was visiting my Czech Beijing friends, they showed me a video piece from a university party that was exactly the same! (Ok, not the same but very similar, the difference was hip hop dancing whereas at 'my' party there was a film made by my colleagues; and of course different people.. )

My travels - quite a long list so I do not want to say I will go to all the places. Let's keep it easy and pleasant..

For my stay in Beijing, next time what I would change:
- I would rent an apartment for myself somewhere in the center.
..I no longer want to live in a hotel, after 6 weeks.
..2nd or 3rd ring would do, most preferably near Lama Temple.
- I would buy a bicycle.
..I thought it was quite cold now in winter; but apparently others cycle even in snow!
- I would work from home and go to the office once or twice a week.
..As almost everyone does it in my team in here.

So I am off for my 4 week holiday traveling in China. Wish me good luck.. :-)

China on Blisty

An interesting set of articles on China on a Czech open internet daily called 'Blisty' started by Jan Culik, in Czech language only.

Curse of the Golden Flower

This new Chinese blockbuster film nominated for Oscars has been discussed by almost everyone in Beijing. Critics differ in opinion; for foreigners it is hard to understand all nuances and the full background. Cinemas in Beijing (only multiplexes exist) are very expensive (around 80 yuan or more) and usually companies give employees free tickets, that's how most people get to see this film in the cinema... (In provinces it is much cheaper of course, and DVDs are just 8 yuan.. and, yes, of course this one is already available..) My colleague Lois took me to the cinema and whispered tiny details during the show. So helpful! Below follows background info for the film provided by another colleague, Annie, somewhere from the internet. Enjoy reading and the film!

This movie's rough storyline was based on Cao Yu's Thunderstorm. Cao Yu (1910-1996) is a renowned modern Chinese dramatist who is regarded as "the Shakespeare of China". If modern Chinese drama has come of age in the 1930s, then Cao Yu and his dramatic trilogy of Thunderstorm, Sunrise and The Wilderness are a hallmark of this maturity. Rich in implications and excellent in techniques, these dramatic works are regarded as the classics of modern Chinese drama. Just before graduation in 1933 when Cao Yu was only 23 years old, he finished his virgin play Thunderstorm, to be followed up by Sunrise (1936) and The Wilderness (1937).

Although the original Thunderstorm was set in a declining feudal-capitalistic family in the 30's of Chinese high society, the adaptation of the original storyline to the decadent Late Tang Dynasty setting is a job well-done. Indeed, moving the setting to the Forbidden Palace raises the intensity of tragedy and struggle exponetially, while naturally blending in stunning visuals and painstaking detailing of the historically accurate scenes of royal life.

After impacting audiences world wide with heart-breaking love stories (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and impeccable martial arts and grand courage of historical Heros, Director Zhang Yimou turned dark in Curse of the Golden Flower. The characters are more 3D and complicated, the desire runs deep--no love but lust; no vision for the common good but personal goals; no promise and no hope. The decadent palace, luscious flesh and gorgeous pure gold jewelry contrast the darkness of human reality--everyone is for their desire and the result is a monstrous machine called "the Empire". Every frame is a master piece oil painting. A haunting, heart-twisting master piece.

Below is a brief introduction for the drama Thunderstorm, which the film Curse of the Golden Flower used for reference:
*Thunderstorm, The*/(Leiyu,1934)/---Written by Cao Yu, this full-length modern drama features the complicated relationships among the members and servants of a large well-off family and the family disintegration as a result of the morbidity and corruption in old China. A son of a wealthy family, Zhou Puyuan, has an affair with the family maid, Shipping, and she bears two sons. After he marries a wealthy woman he keeps the eldest son and drives Shipping away with the youngest. Shipping marries a butler, Lu Gui, and they have a daughter , Sifeng. An entangled family history is played out in what turns out to be a tragic ending. The play was first premiered in the 1930s in Chongqing, but was later presented in Beijing in 1954 by the Beijing People's Art Theater and then staged in Shanghai in 1959 by the Shanghai People's Art Theater. It is in the repertoire of both Theaters. The play has been also adapted into a film with the same name twice, and performed as a ballet by the Shanghai Ballet Troupe in 1983. Playwright: Cao Yu; directors: Xia Chun (Beijing) and Wu Renzhi (Shanghai).

Czechs in Beijing

Finally I met my first Czechs in Beijing :). It took quite a long time as the timing was so bad. Contact info received from Iveta and Martin in Ostrava, but it turned out that my colleagues also knew the very same people! It seems quite a small world out here.
Katerina, Lukas, Lada and Stepan all live and work in Beijing, mainly teaching English. Length of current stay from 5 months to 3-4 years. They speak Chinese pretty well!

After 6 weeks it was my first chance to speak my language and just to chat about various things, mainly China, likes and dislikes (Lada had her day... :) ), plans for my trip.., but also about Olomouc department of English studies (Paul Whittaker), Culik in Glasgow and his classes of journalism, Katerina's writing about China to Pravo newspaper (she's a journalist), about living in Brno, Ostrava, Prague, future plans and travels etc. Just a feel of home and of the 'old days when I was around 27, 28' as these 'kids' are... ;) Kidding.. :)

I wish I could have met them all earlier, not the last night in Beijing... but at least I did! Thanks to all and greetings! :)

There are about 70 Czechs in Beijing in total.. most probably. Mainly around the embassy. There is a bigger community in Shanghai having quite regular get togethers.

I am 33

On 1st February.

I went on a shopping spree with my colleague Lois last week and I bought presents for myself - 3 pairs of earrings. :) Yes, a very girlish thing.. but I could not resists it. And it is my birthday!



Questions whether I am old?

According to a Beijing friend, yes, very old. And I have nothing.. no flat, no husband, no child. So viewed from this angle.. I am doing something wrong... and given the Chinese attitude towards women - if they are over 30 and still not married... they are thought to have little chance.. (I suppose it is similar in Europe, even though it is not so much discussed.) Many Chinese girls and women have a new year resolution to get married. Even though they do not go out with anybody now, but just get married! This attitude might be changing with professional life and working in cities... but.. For me personally I do not judge others by age.. And I hate such pressure in society towards marriage as everyone has their own time in their life and some things are meant to be done, some not.. now or later.. I know I am changing with my age (and these last months my attitudes to many things have been changing quite rapidly.. and preferences.. and what I want to do 'in my life' and with it.. but..) I know I want to live with someone I love no matter what. And be surrounded by friends.

Oldest Chinese Coins

There is a numismatics museum near Jishuitan metro station (or subway as everyone calls the metro here). It was not planned to go there, I just got on the wrong bus and did not feel like getting off when I found out. The museum is very small but equally interesting; it is placed near a big tower that promises grand displays on several floors with stunning views; but in fact there are only a few display rooms near the very entrance and the tower itself is pretty abandoned and strange, giving me feeling that it must have been a place for parties of party members... (a terrace with many rain washed plastic chairs scattered around a bar.. etc.).

Also currency:



And more:

Bells and the Biggest One

Great Bell Temple in Beijing hosts the largest bell in China, 6.75 in height. It displays many other bells collected from all over China. There is a lady who will play popular tunes on various bells (also bells made of square stone), she even played a Czech song (I immediately forgot the tune because she went on to play Jingle Bells and it completely washed away my memory of the Czech tune.. whatever I did to suggest to her to play the previous tune again, she would not understand..).



For bell lovers, this is the ideal place to be. Pity there was not much commentary in English or an English guide. I would have loved that.



Details.. Need a dictionary for this one..