© John Vink / Magnum Photos

Dialogues with the Dead – 47

john vink — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:00:45 +0000

This post in the ‘Dialogues with the Dead’ series is a bit particular as the friendly looking old man here, just like Duch in yesterday’s post, is facing justice now. He was the leader of a military coup in 1982 and is believed to be responsible for 100 massacres in which 1,771 people were killed and 29,000 displaced during the Guatemalan civil war which lasted until 1996 and when nearly 200,000 people died.

He is 84. About the same age as the other 4 Khmer Rouge leaders standing trial in Phnom Penh.

Yes, all of you members of the ‘Who-Cares-About-Human-Rights-Anyway’ congregation: Judgment Day can come BEFORE you die these days…

From the story ‘Guatemalan refugees in Mexico’…

And also from the story ‘Mams in Guatemala’…

Series started last All Saints Day. In Western culture All Saints Day is traditionally a time to remember the deceased. As it turns out I seem to have quite a few pictures relating to funerals and rituals related to the deceased. In the following posts I will take you to different parts of the world on a not necessarily morbid journey…

GUATEMALA. Todos Santos. 02/11/1995: General Rios Montt, former participant in a military coup, supporting the FRG candidate Alfonso Portillo. The FRG scored second at the 12/11/95 elections.

How many years for Duch?

john vink — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:15 +0000

So this Mr.Duch, this time in appeal, how many years in jail will he get for having run an efficient torture center? More? Less? Does it really matter?.. It isn’t as much about the length of his punishment as it is about knowing the mechanisms and the political system which brought him to do what he did, so that it doesn’t happen again isn’t it? Unfortunately when seeing how the next cases are run it is kind of wishfull thinking to see this ECCC trial having some influence on the independence of the Cambodian judicial system. And when seeing the build-up of frustrations caused by land issues in a country where a real democratic process is being jeopardised, my soothsayers’ tooth hurts… What will the real legacy of this trial be?

Here are a few flash-backs on the Duch trial in the stories ‘Khmer Rouge Trial Background’ and ‘Cambodia Khmer Rouge Trial’…

And by the way: I am still looking for a publisher for the book ’30 Years for a Trial’ (31,4 Mb .pdf to download)… So if you want to make me happy for my birthday, let me know about your leads…

CAMBODIA. Kambol (Phnom Penh). 20/11/2007: Duch, in charge of the S21 interrogation center between 1975 and 1979, at the first public hearing at the ECCC regarding Kang Guek Eav (Duch), appealing against his provisional detention order.

Borei Keila and Boeung Kak are very busy

john vink — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:00:14 +0000

It was a busy day in front of the Municipality this tuesday. The evicted residents from Borei Keila came to denounce the living conditions they are in since their homes were rased on January 3rd. Riot police closed in and arrested 6 people, several of them having already forcibly spent time in the Prey Speu ‘Rehabilitation Center’ (and escaped).

In the afternoon the residents from Boeung Kak Lake came at the same spot in front of the Municipality building to protest the fact that many of them still haven’t received their land title in the 12,44 Ha set aside for an on-site development. Again the police moved in, but it was not successfull in arresting protesters and turned back once the protesters retreated to the street leading to their village.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Evicted residents from Borei Keila demonstrating in front of the Municipality building with portrait of Prime Minister Hun Sen.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Evicted residents from Borei Keila scuffling with police during demonstration in front of the Municipality building.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Evicted women from Borei Keila demonstrating bare breasted in front of the Municipality building.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Bra from evicted resident from Borei Keila demonstrating in front of the Municipality building.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Evicted residents from Borei Keila scuffling with police during demonstration in front of the Municipality building.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Police arresting evicted residents from Borei Keila demonstrating in front of the Municipality building.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 1/02/2012: Following-up on the same morning demonstration by evicted Borei Keila residents, the people from Boeung Kak held a demonstration demanding that their land titles be finally handed over. They prepared to retaliate police action after it attempted some arrests.

Dialogues with the Dead – 46

john vink — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:00:05 +0000

Related to the (colour) story ‘Cambodia: Khmer Rouge Trial Background’…

CAMBODIA. Koh Sla (Kampot). 10/05/2007: Bones found by villagers on a newly found burying site of Khmer Rouge victims who died of illness and starvation while building the Koh Sla dam. The site was disturbed by villagers looking for jewelry.

Dialogues with the Dead – 45

john vink — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:00:25 +0000

From the story ‘Svans in Georgia’…

GEORGIA. Mulaghi. 26/08/1999. Funeral of Mushni Zhorzholiani.

The Quest for Land on an iPad/2

john vink — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:00:11 +0000

Definitely better to meet Robert Starkweather from K4Media on a sunday at Java Café instead of at my ‘office’ to iron things out for the ‘Quest for Land’ iApp. The Blueberry Berry Smoothie is a treat. There is air-con and Wi-Fi.

The glasses may be empty but the very first test flights of the iApp on an actual iPad are WORKING. Still a lot of wrinkles to work on for Robert S. though… And on the captions for me… And on the text for Robert Carmichael…

It’s a long road still…

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 22/01/2012: Working on The Quest with a Blueberry berry smoothie at Java Café.

Borei Keila follow-up

john vink — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:21 +0000

Several families have left the forced relocation site at Phnom Bat. Land is being measured out and 4 poles to start building a new home is being distributed to those who remain. Haven’t figured out if the poles are deducted from the compensation money they are supposed to receive from Phanimex…

A door-to-door salesman with an old motorbike pulling a rickety cart sells vegetables, fish and meat… Hundreds of plastic bags litter the surroundings already. Whiffs of shit smell float in the air. There are no latrines…

CAMBODIA. Phnom Bat (Kandal). 27/01/2012: Carrying construction timber at forced relocation site for Borei Keila evicted.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Bat (Kandal). 27/01/2012: Measuring land plots of 4,7 meter by 12 to Borei Keila evicted at forced relocation site.

The Quest for Land on an iPad?

john vink — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:00:49 +0000

Yep… We are working on it: 11 years of evictions bundled into one iApp for the iPad and hopefully for the iPhone/iPod later on. And we are working on it since quite a while in fact. If I remember well since June 2011…

‘We’ is Robert Starkweather, web designer from K4Media, Robert Carmichael and myself. The kid is Robert S.’s son and was extremely patient and quiet while the geeks were talking, brainstorming in my ‘office’, and hoping things would work out…

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 7/01/2012: Robert Starkweather and Robert Carmichael working on 'The Quest' iApp.

CAMBODIA. Phnom Penh. 7/01/2012: Doesn't look like much yet does it?