Shoot 4 Change » Riots

El Paro sigue, la vida no

Antonio Amendola — Tue, 26 Nov 2019 18:41:55 +0000

- in English below -

La vida sigue, el paro sigue, pero hoy, 25 de noviembre de 2019, cerca de la media noche, la vida de Dilan Cruz, un joven estudiante de 17 años quien acababa de terminar el bachillerato, se detuvo para siempre fruto de una agresión por parte de un oficial del Escuadrón Móvil Antidisturbios ESMAD, una unidad especial de la Policía Nacional.

Colombia es gobernada actualmente por el presidente Iván Duque, miembro del partido político Centro Democrático. Este es un joven político que el año pasado subió al poder amparado y protegido (dicen muchos, manipulado) por el expresidente Álvaro Uribe Vélez.

A lo largo de su primer año de mandato, el gobierno de Duque ha tenido más percances que éxitos y su popularidad cae en picada. El proceso de paz se ha ido deteriorando debido a la desinteresada aplicación del mismo por parte del estado, el crimen sistemático de líderes sociales crece día a día, la educación sufre constantemente de recortes en presupuesto, las pensiones se ven cada vez más embolatadas entro muchos otros problemas.

Ante la indiferencia, inexperiencia o incluso desidia del presidente y su equipo de trabajo ante los constantes pedidos de la ciudadanía, se convoca un paro general que inicia el pasado 21 de noviembre.

La primera y masiva manifestación, es finalmente reprimida por la Policía Nacional y el ESMAD, pero inesperadamente, la ciudadanía se organiza y en la noche se inician una serie de cacerolazos que surgen en diferentes barrios de la ciudad en donde se arenga contra el presidente, contra Álvaro Uribe Vélez y contra el sistema capitalista actual que se implanta en el país.

Las marchas y su respectiva represión continúan el día 22 de noviembre y se decreta toque de queda en la ciudad de Cali y Bogotá. Pero los cacerolazos son imparables y estos se celebran hasta pasadas varias horas del toque de queda.

Esta dinámica de marcha represión y cacerolazo continúa durante el 23, 24 y 25 de noviembre. Sin embargo, el pasado sábado 23 de noviembre, el joven Dilan Cruz fue agredido en una marcha pacífica por un oficial del ESMAD quien le dispara una granada de gas lacrimógeno por la espalda y a quemarropa a menos de 10 metros de distancia ocasionándole una serie de lesiones que finalmente, hoy 25 de noviembre le han causado la muerte.

Hasta el momento, el paro nacional ha sido pacífico en su gran mayoría y aun cuando se han presentado hechos de vandalismo, la ciudadanía en su gran mayoría se ha expresado en las calles con bailes, pitos y algarabía al son de comparsas en donde sobresale la constante “Uribe, paraco, el pueblo está Berraco”.

Pero hoy, cuando ha terminado el quinto día de protesta general me pregunto, ¿Cómo continuara este paro luego de la muerte de este joven e inocente estudiante que tenía todo por entregar a su país pero que murió a manos del estado? Es difícil saber que ocurrirá en los próximos días, pero de seguro, parte de la alegría que mostró el pueblo colombiano protestando contra Iván Duque y su gobierno, habrán de desaparecer dando paso a la indignación y la ira.

Julio Barrera

(a story of Julio Barrera/S4C Colombia)

Life goes on, unemployment continues, but today, November 25, 2019, near midnight, the life of Dilan Cruz, a 17-year-old student who had just finished high school, stopped forever as a result of aggression by an officer of the ESMAD Riot Squad, a special unit of the National Police.

Colombia is currently governed by President Iván Duque, a member of the Democratic Center political party. This is a young politician who last year rose to power protected and protected (say many, manipulated) by former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez.

Throughout its first year of office, the Duque government has had more mishaps than successes and its popularity plummets. The peace process has deteriorated due to the state's selfless application, the systematic crime of social leaders is growing day by day, education constantly suffers from budget cuts, pensions are increasingly embroiled among many other problems.

Before the indifference, inexperience or even neglect of the president and his work team before the constant requests of the citizenship, a general strike is called that begins on November 21.

The first and massive demonstration, is finally repressed by the National Police and the ESMAD, but unexpectedly, the citizenship is organized and at night a series of cacerolazos that arise in different neighborhoods of the city where they harangue against the president, against Álvaro Uribe Vélez and against the current capitalist system that is implemented in the country.

The marches and their respective repression continue on November 22 and curfew is decreed in the city of Cali and Bogotá. But the cacerolazos are unstoppable and these are celebrated until after several hours of the curfew.

This dynamic of repression and cacerolazo march (cacerolazo is a form of popular protest which consists of a group of people making noise by banging pots, pans, and other utensils in order to call for attention) continues on November 23, 24 and 25. However, last Saturday, November 23, the young Dilan Cruz was attacked in a peaceful march by an ESMAD officer who shoots him a tear gas grenade in the back and points at less than 10 meters away causing a series of injuries that finally, today November 25 has caused him death.

So far, the national strike has been peaceful in its great majority and even when there have been acts of vandalism, the majority of citizens have expressed themselves in the streets with dances, whistles and excitement to the sound of comparsas where the constant "Uribe, paraco, the town is Berraco".

But today, when the fifth day of general protest is over, I wonder, how will this strike continue after the death of this young and innocent student who had everything to surrender to his country but died at the hands of the state? It is difficult to know what will happen in the next few days, but surely, part of the joy that the Colombian people showed protesting against Iván Duque and his government, will disappear giving way to indignation and anger.

Julio Barrera

Occupy Wall Street

Redazione — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 13:16:00 +0000

(click here to see the complete gallery) ph: Adrian Kinloch

ph: Yelena Futeran

It doesn’t happen every day to see in New York streets scenes we, in Europe, are being accustomed to: people protesting vs the Government, people shouting their rage for bearing the burden of a financial crisis, lower,middle and upper class for once tied together by the same situation, etc.

I’m trying to see this from an European perspective. We browse the daily news, in Italy, France, Spain, everywhere, and read – all the time – about protests, strikes, rallies. It’s THE Crisis, Baby. THE BIG ONE…

Then, Media start showing what happens oversea and you finally discover that the wave is hitting back home: right at the core… Wall Street…

From the Indignados in South America to those in Spain to the Indignati in Italy…and now “Occupy Wall Street” (now in the 4th week and it’s spreading across US)

In New York City, Shoot4Change has a very cool, young and growing community of talented photographers. We asked a few of them to report what is going on.

Yelena Futeran, Grace Roth, Gaia Squarci, Adrian Kinloch just sent us a few shots and will keep us up-to-date in the following days.

(click to see the complete gallery) ph: Grace Roth

(click to see the complete gallery) ph: Gaia Squarci

Because one thing is sure: this is only the beginning

PS read this to learn more in details what is going on….

(click to see the complete gallery) ph: Yelena Futeran

News dal Cairo: from the middle of everything

Redazione — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 11:55:52 +0000

Una buona amica egiziana, H, con la quale siamo riusciti a tornare in contatto ha chiesto di far sapere quello che sta succedendo. E come GLI EGIZIANI stanno vivendo questo momento e cosa stanno davvero vedendo. Non sempre quello che ci propina l’informazione mainstream è mediato da una reale verifica dei fatti e delle fonti. Quello che possiamo fare noi è semplicemente dare voce a chi ce lo chiede. A chi non ha la possibilità di far conoscere la propria versione dei fatti.

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(an email of H., who lives in Cairo and who is witnessing what is really happening in the streets. She asked to heard. And this is what S4C does: we give voice to those who cannot access mainstream information, not always reliable nowadays)

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“Now internet is back and I can answer you.

I’m fine and my family as well. Thanks for your care.

I have to say that things are not as shown by non egyptian channels. The egyptians who went out on Tuesday 25 to protest and ask for rights already went home since friday after the president’s speech and his promise to answer all the requests.

Whoever was still protesting till Monday, asking the president to retire, left and went home after his second speech promising not to run in the next elections after 6 months, and that he wants to hand over Egypt in peace not in internal war. He already changed the bad ministers and governors and he announced that he ordered to change the articles asked for in the constitution.

Whoever is in the square is not egyptian, may be some brainwashed and who received promises to have money and fame from some islamic brotherhood terrorists and some foreign figures. Actually, it was discovered that many of the people in square are from Iran, Switzerland, Palestine, Ireland and Israel. I can’t say that what is happening now is protesting, because it can only be called terrorism.

Some Egyptian who lives in America and has the american nationality came back to egypt on friday to ask the president to retire only because he wants to run for president and to rule. He continues to pour oil on fire and encourage some young people between 16 and 20 years old to stay with him promising to get them the visa and some money!!!!

The army forces don’t want to interfere because these young people are egyptians who have been brainwashed and it’s a waste to take an action risking their lives, and that’s why the terrorists are making use of the situation and continuing the violence acts throwing Molotov bombs in the square at people passing, at the army and the policemen.

They also opened the prisons by force and sent out all types of criminals arrested with a quantity between 30 and 40 thousands. they gave them civil clothes, weapons and they threatened who didn’t want to escape that they’d kill them.

they are now scaring people in their houses, they robed all the shops and now entering homes killing and raping then taking every good they can use, of course threatening with their weapons.

The men and young men in all quarters already divided themselves in groups and are making shifts of control and security in every single spot, taking the police mens’ role, who disappeared for a couple of days, and checking everyone who tries to pass. The check them for any type of weapon that can be used to threaten people and ask for their ID. Whenever they suspect someone, they call the army forces who are everywhere and deliver the suspected to them. All over the country, terrorists with weapons pass in motorcycles, ambulances, and police cars wearing fake police clothes and shot at whoever come in their way.

I hope things go back to normal before the country is totally destructed. you have no idea how it looks like! Everything is burned and ruined! shops are broken and stolen, some governmental building are burned and also houses!

That what I know from the middle of everything, at the end I’m not very far form down town.

Just don’t listen to Al jazeera and other non egyptian channel, they keep giving wrong information and a totally wrong picture of what’s really going on. Millions of people went out yesterday supporting the president…

H.”

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H parla un buon italiano ed ha anche scritto una mail nella nostra lingua per tutti gli amici italiani:

“Ciao antonio, sto bene… anche se sto molto vicino al centro

in piazza sono pochi egiziani, ma la maggior parte sono stranieri iraniani, palestinesi, svizzeri, israeliani e di irlanda mischiati con alcuni dei fratelli musulmani che tutti hanno distrutto la piazza, sparano a tutti e da ieri buttano anche molotov in tutte le direzioni.

L’esercito non vuole usare la violenza perche’ qualche egiziano ancora c’e’ e non vogliono perdergli

i ragazzi che hanno iniziato le proteste martedi 25 sono tornati a casa gia’ da venerdi dopo lo speach del presidente in cui ha deciso di cambiare i ministri e correggere tutto, e ha accettato le loro richieste e l’altro ieri ha detto in pubblico che non ha l’intenzione di presentarsi per le prossime elezioni, e che stara’ solo per i prossimi mesi per lasciare il governo al nuovo governo in pace, non in guerra

L’altro problemi di cui soffriamo tutti in egitto e’ che 30000-40000 prigioni sono scappati da tutti i prigioni dopo che hanno rubato le pistole, vestiti, e macchine di polizia, ambulanze e motori e hanno rubato tutti i negozi, grandi e piccoli, ora entrano case per rubare, uccidere e violentare le donne. girano e sparano a tutti senza motivo… infatti stiamo tutti dentro case, e i maschi fanno turni di guardi davanti case, per strade e fanno il lavoro della polizia che sono spariti per qualche giorno. Controllano qualsiasi persona che passi, e chiedono il documento di riconoscimento e controllano se hanno qualche pistola o qualsiasi altro che potrebbe essere usato per ferire.

Quando trovano qualcuno in cui sospettano, chiamano l’esercito che e’ sparso in tutto il paese.

Certo, problemi di alimentari ci sono visto che i negozi sono stati rubati, o hanno semplicemente chiuso per stare a proteggere le case e le zone dove abitano. che c’e’ a casa si usa, e se manca qualcosa e’ difficile trovarla.. e i prezzi quindi sono raddopiati.

Vorrei dirlo a tutto il mondo almeno capiscono che succede davvero, non come dice al jazeera e altri canali che mettono l’olio sul fuoco.

Spero tutto finisca presto,