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PeteMcCormack2 uploaded a new video
(1 month ago)
My brilliant friend Mike Simpson runs the NGO One Sky: The Canadian Institute for Sustainable Living. One Sky, in short, "promotes sustainable...
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My brilliant friend Mike Simpson runs the NGO One Sky: The Canadian Institute for Sustainable Living. One Sky, in short, "promotes sustainable living globally," from Smithers BC, to Calabar, Nigeria to Sierra Leone to Peru and beyond. They stand for integration, integrity and a sharing of ideas and practical applications on the ground.
Every time I spend time with Mike (and Gail) I learn a ton of actually practical things (and things metaphysical), and of course these three August days in Smithers, BC were no exception. Upon my urging, Mike gave me a ten-minute crash course in living off the grid, and more intelligently on the grid, and let me film it. I hadn't even heard of grid-intertie systems. And lo and behold, one of the reasons, Mike says, that solar isn't yet common place is because all of the non-renewable resources, oil, nuclear etc, are relentlessly subsidized. Subsidized? In our 'free market' system. What the hell? Yes, that was sarcasm.
Learn what you can, do what you can. You know, love is a sustainable resource, too.
May all sisters and brothers live a little better, a little more sustainably, with a little more justice.
Pete
See www.onesky.ca
See also Gail Hochachka's www.drishti.ca
www.petemccormack.com
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PeteMcCormack2 uploaded a new video
(7 months ago)
In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of coura...
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In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of courageous women living there decided to speak out. They created a 14 point human rights document that has come to be called the Farchana Manifesto.
Stripped of citizenship, refugees lack the most basic rights; the right to work, to due process, of movement, and even of future.
Despite great danger, one of the women deeply wanted to speak out on camera, to bring the story of their plight to the West. My friend Ivan, who was doing humanitarian aid work in Chad, filmed this interview and brought it home. I (Pete) then interviewed Ivan, and with additional footage from a few generous others, put together this five-minute piece.
The hope of the piece is to answer the women's plea to "bring this message to the outside world." It seems the least we can all do. Awareness is the first step.
The underlying message is this: Refugee camps are meant to be transitional. When they become what are called semi-permanent locations, they can become even greater refuges for hopelessness and violence—with women facing the brunt of the violence.
This is contrary to both human dignity and the stated goals of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is to protect and support refugees and assist in their return or resettlement.
I hope you find the piece inspiring and informative, and a call to action,
Pete McCormack,
May 2009
See also Darfur Refugee Women Speak Out: Risking Life for Human Rights & Darfur In Ten Minutes: An Overview of the Conflict
Credits:
Ton Koene (www.tonkoene.nl) for his photos, Jacky Essombe (www.jackyessombe.com) for her voice, Karin Muller (www.take2videos.org) and Ivan for additional background footage, Stephen Cohen for the additional interview, thanks to Sarah Estacaille for the B-cam help, Dr. Amin Jalloh (www.arabicgloballanguage.com) for translation, and big, big thanks to Craig Berggold and Jesse Miller for the studio.
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PeteMcCormack2 uploaded a new video
(7 months ago)
In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of coura...
more
In June 2008, after a night of terror in a refugee camp for Darfur refugees in Chad (terror perpetrated by refugees living there), a group of courageous women living there decided to speak out. They created a document that has come to be called the Farchana Manifesto.
This short piece tells their story and discusses some of the problems with long-term refugee camps, a lack of refugee rights, a lack of citizenship, IDPs (internally displaced people), the treatment of women and the pressures and demands on the UNHCR.
One of the women, knowing the risk, wanted the story to reach the West, and was willing to speak on camera. She was interviewed by my friend Ivan, who was doing humanitarian aid work there. Back home, I (Pete) then interviewed Ivan, and with additional footage from a few generous others, put together this piece (2 parts).
See also Darfur Refugee Women Speak Out: The Farchana Manifest & Darfur In Ten Minutes: An Overview of the Conflict
Footnotes:
As to the point that "The UNHCR has not insisted upon criminal charges", the UNHCR stated at the time that, despite knowing the identity of the perpetrators and having access to hundreds of witnesses to the torture of the women, they felt it was in the best interest of the refugee community to NOT pressure the local government to initiate judicial proceedings against these individuals (direct communication with Ivan Gayton, June 2008).
Note: Ivan Gayton—interviewed here and in Darfur In Ten Minutes—is available to speak at your school or anywhere else. ivangayton@hotmail.com
Over 14 million refugees (UNHCR—Reuters, June 19, 2008, 11.4 million, [excludes Palestinian refugees]—UNHCR figures do not include some 4.3 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinian Occupied Territories, who fall under the mandate of a separate agency, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). If added, the total number of refugees under both agencies' mandates is more than 14 million.
3 million Afghan refugees (3.1 million from UNHCR—Washington Post, June 18, 2008) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...
Iraq 4.7 forced from homes—(29 April, 2008—UN News Centre) http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp...
A total of 4.7 million Iraqis have been uprooted as a result of the crisis in their country. Of these over 2 million are living as refugees in neighbouring countries mostly Syria and Jordan while 2.7 million are internally displaced inside Iraq.
Sudan 1,250,000 IDPs (UNHCR—2007)
Colombia 3 million IDPs (UNHCR—2007)
Registered Palestinian Refugees in 58 camps 1,363,469
Burma 503,000 IDPs CIA Yearbook 2007
Over 1 million Pakistani IDPs (May 2009, UNHCR)
Uganda 1,235,992 (UNHCR—2007)
200,000 Sri Lankan refugees (May, 2009—personal communications Amnesty Canada)
Pakistan, Iran, Syria and Jordan shoulder the heaviest burden, together playing host to nearly 5 million refugees, mostly Afghans and Iraqis. Washington Post June 18, 2008
Congo 1,317,879 IDPs (UNHCR—2007)
Cote d'Ivoire 709,048 (UNHCR—2007)
Somalia 1 million (UNHCR—2007)
Ton Koene (www.tonkoene.nl) for his photos, Karin Muller (www.take2videos.org) and Ivan for additional background footage, Stephen Cohen for the additional interview, thanks to Sarah Estacaille for the B-cam help, Dr. Amin Jalloh (www.arabicgloballanguage.com) for translation, and big, big thanks to Craig Berggold and Jesse Miller for the studio.
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PeteMcCormack2 uploaded a new video
(7 months ago)
I didn't actually know how the bio-fuel system worked, and I still don't, but I know a little more. Visiting this farm as a homestay was a grand ex...
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I didn't actually know how the bio-fuel system worked, and I still don't, but I know a little more. Visiting this farm as a homestay was a grand experience in India. It also helped me understand the common sense of how and why, among a largely vegetarian populace, the cow came to be considered sacred. She is a profound symbol and means of sustainability, when treated with love and intelligence. At the very least she would have been, and may still be, vital. We also visited a small organic farm-based community at the end of our trip, Navadarshanam, which was gorgeous and slow, and the people lovely.
The stunning music from Brijesh and Vivek is something I witnessed at a Christmas Eve concert in Fort Cochin, with, shockingly, only about twelve other people. It was jaw-dropping and inspiring I left the theatre in a heightened state of joy and wonder.
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PeteMcCormack2 uploaded a new video
(9 months ago)
Combining footage from the film See Grace Fly--(Gina Chiarelli, Paul McGillion) , about a schizophrenic woman in psychosis--and newsclips from hist...
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Combining footage from the film See Grace Fly--(Gina Chiarelli, Paul McGillion) , about a schizophrenic woman in psychosis--and newsclips from history and the brutality of Power and overthrow, I took my sister's suggestion, and added the lyrics. I had to figure out Final Cut Pro motion to do it. Pretty simple, if limited, program. And a tip of the hat to my friend Jer, too.
I'm not sure what redux means, but it sounded important.
That's "Marvelous" Martin Howard on the funky acoustic guitar, the brilliant Robbie Steininger on the 12 string mandolin wonderful solo etc, and "Sweet" Candy Churchill doing bgs and the cool yeahs. God I'm a fortunate fella.
By the way, that's my beloved Nana off the top. She died at a hundred and one, god love her!
The actual facts of invasion/overthrow in the middle are painful, but informative, I think. Love more.
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thanks for the vid on darfur.
come to montreal! :)
I loved it- ever single bit of it
Sincerely,
Bro. Hank!!