"Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also a prison." Henry David Thoreau
This July 4th, while executives of Colorado’s Newmont Mining Corporation celebrated America’s Independence Day, a priest was beaten and detained by police for protesting an expansion plan at the company’s Peruvian mine.
Father Marco Arana was sitting peacefully on a bench in the city’s main square when about 30 police commandos approached and pushed him to the ground. Videos and photos taken on the scene show police punching and kicking the priest, hitting him with clubs and dragging him off by the neck. Surrounded by a squadron of officers in riot gear, the renowned environmentalist was taken to a police station where he was again beaten and refused communication with his lawyer for several hours.
The incident brought to mind Thoreau’s famous phrase, written 170 years ago, when the father of Civil Disobedience went to jail to protest slavery.
Today’s ‘just men’ (and women) are still being thrown behind bars, but they’ve picked up a few new tools of the trade. Marco managed to send a Twitter message from inside the station before contact was cut off and the news of his assault quickly circled the globe. Lawyers from human rights organizations intervened on his behalf, and Marco was released 13 hours later.
His departure from the station was delayed somewhat, because - true to form - Marco refused to leave until police also released 8 people who were arrested for trying to help him.
Marco is now receiving medical care for his injuries, including a broken jaw, internal bleeding and a head wound.
Why did this happen?
A month ago, Father Marco and other regional leaders in the state of Cajamarca declared an indefinite strike against the proposed 'Minas Congas' gold mining project, which would destroy 4 sacred lakes.
On July 3rd, the evening before Marco was attacked, Peru's government declared a state of emergency in the region, suspending civil liberties. The pronouncement came shortly after a violent encounter between police and protesters that resulted in the death of 4 civilians, including a 17-year-old boy and at least 36 wounded. Two days later a fifth person was killed during a clash with police.
Since the conflict exploded last year, over 100 leaders, including Marco Arana, have been charged under Peru’s draconian criminalization of social protest laws.
'Minas Congas' is a massive expansion project owned by Yanacocha, South America's largest gold mine, located in Cajamarca province. Yanacocha is controlled by Newmont of Colorado and Peru's Buenaventura with minority shares held by the World Bank. Farming communities accuse Yanacocha of contaminating their water supply and the mine was responsible for a mercury spill that poisoned over 900 people -- the focus of a documentary I co-directed with Peruvian film maker Ernesto Cabellos: guarango.org/choropampa
Ernesto and I met Father Marco during the filming of ‘The Price of Gold’ 12 years ago. In the aftermath of the spill, Marco visited the affected villages and published the first independent study on the devastating impacts. But he insisted on remaining behind the scenes and doesn't appear in the film. "The farmers are the real heroes of this story," he told us.
Over the years, Marco and his group of young activists known as GRUFIDES continued their defense of farming communities affected by the mine and we kept filming them and helping out with media advocacy and training. In 2004, Marco was awarded Peru's most prestigious human rights award and in 2009 he was declared an 'Environmental Hero' by TIME magazine.
Marco's defense of farming and indigenous communities has also earned him powerful enemies. In 2006, he and other Peruvian activists were victims of a spy-ring called 'The Devil Operation'. One of Marco's farming allies was assassinated and the priest and other activists were harassed, photographed and filmed.
Determined not to be victims, the activists launched a counter-espionage campaign and obtained valuable evidence that became the basis for ‘The Devil Operation.' This real-life suspense documentary has won 5 international awards, including the 'International Human Rights Film Award' sponsored by Amnesty International and given by the Cinema for Peace Foundation at an event parallel to the Berlin film festival.
In solidarity with Marco during this new assault on his safety and liberty, we have put 'The Devil Operation' on YOUTUBE, and hope you will help us spread the word.
DVDs, Press kit, photos and guide for educators and activists available at: guarango.org/diablo
Uploaded 5,662 Plays26 Likes1 Comment
På norra Gotland hotas en unik skog och värdefullt dricksvatten av gruvbolaget Nordkalks nya kalkbrott. 170 ha av oåterkallerlig förödelse mitt i norra Europas största sammanhängande hällmarkstallskog. Den starka gruvlobbyn och lättlurade politiker pratar om ett 50tal arbetstillfällen i tjugo år men miljardvinsterna lämnar landet och skiten blir kvar. Rädda Ojnareskogen nu!
At Gotland, an island in the Baltic sea, a unique forest and valuable drinking water is threatened by mining plans of the MNC Nordkalk. The company want to make a limestone quarry of 170 ha in the middle of the forest and the drainage basin of the largest and cleanest lake of the island. Sweden is the cheapest country in the world for the mining industry to exploit, as they are free from taxation. Billions in profits leave the country while the locals are left with the savaged land. Check out Ojnareskogen at facebook for more info. Save Ojnareskogen now!
Largometraje documental dirigido por Gianni Converso y producido por Gianni Converso y Daniel Santana, basado en el tema de la minería a tajo abierto.
En las cimas de Los Andes Peruanos se encuentra Yanacocha, una de los complejos de minería de oro mas grandes del mundo y el mas productivo en América. Actualmente, éste proyecto en constante estado de expansión amenaza con los recursos naturales de la región de Cajamarca, poniendo en peligro de extinción una forma de vida que sus habitantes han disfrutado desde tiempos pre-Incas.
A TAJO ABIERTO es un documental de carácter periodístico investigativo que descubre la naturaleza de la industria del oro y expone las amenazas que esta ofrece a las poblaciones en regiones afectadas. El objetivo del film es exponer a través de especialistas de todos los ámbitos, representantes gubernamentales y nativos de la zona Andina, cuál es el verdadero valor del oro y cuanto estamos dispuestos a pagar por sus beneficios financieros.
Follow photographer Chris Burkard through his daily routine as he seeks out inspiration and discusses his passion for landscapes and how to be challenged in your work. " It's never enough just to observe, I always want to be involved"
Chris Burkard is well known as a unique visionary whose photography as the ability to catapult the viewer into the moment. At 26 years old, Chris has accomplished a style and composition all his own, leaving many to instantly recognize a "Burkard Photo". Through his photography, Chris strives to capture the moments in between, and to document the lifestyle of the sport, not just the action
Invented by Garrett Brown in the early 70's, the steadicam shot -- or 'steadishot' -- has become one of the most dynamic and exciting forms of cinematography and is one of the most engaging visual techniques in a filmmaker's storytelling arsenal.
I was inspired to make this homage to the art of steadicam cinematography when browsing the database of "top" clips over at http://www.steadishots.org, which are rated by the community. After locating what sources I could from the top 50 or so, I decided to stick with the order presented on the site (accurate as of March 1, 2013).
While I do hope you enjoy my video, there are many other clips that I was not able to source as well as many great clips that have yet to be rated into the "top" ranks, so please head over to http://www.steadishots.org and show your appreciation for the great service they provide.
For a complete list of clips by order of appearance, please visit here: http://www.refocusedmedia.com/the-art-of-steadicam/
Alt-J - Tessellate
The Black Keys - Little Black Submarine
Apparat - Ash/Black Veil