Tag ctrl.alt.shift

Indonesia: Hit By An Earthquake, Tsunami And Volcano

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First published on Ctrl.Alt.Shift on October 27 2010

Indonesia has suffered three disasters in a week after an earthquake caused a tsunami killing 343 people on the remote Mentawai islands as well as a volcano eruption on the island of Java which killed at least 30  people.

The tsunami, which is thought to have affected 7,000  people, was caused after an under water earthquake of 7.7 magnitude. Nearly 400 are missing and many villages have been flattened beyond recognition.

The earthquake struck on Monday (October 25) along the same tectonic plate which caused the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami which left over nearly 250, 000 people dead around the Indian Ocean.An early warning system that had been in place since 2004’s tsunami had stopped working due to lack of maintenance so local people received no warning. However, even if this had been working it is thought that the speed of the tsunami may have meant that people still would have had little chance to escape.

Some much needed supplies are starting to reach people but there have problems caused by poor weather conditions and choppy water making remote places hard to reach. This means that the scale of damage in some places is still unclear.

Tuesday (October 26) also saw the eruption of Mount Merapi (Fire Mountain) on the island of Java killing at least 30 people and leaving 17 hospitalised.

The dead included Mbah Maridjan, an elder seen to local people as the guardian of the mountain who refused attempts to evacuate him. He survived an eruption from the Mount in 2006 and in fact went even closer to the mountain in order to meditate.

According to the Indonesian Red Cross, more than 36, 000 people have been evacuated from their homes but there are fears for safety if there are further eruptions as some are starting to return to their homes to survey the damage. There are also concerns as the eruption this week relieved pressure behind a dome of lava but there are now concerns this could collapse leading to landslides.

With all this havoc, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono returned home early from a trip to Vietnam to deal with the rescue effort after the events…

Note: Experts say there is no connection between the volcano eruption and earthquake which caused the tsunami.

Review: Collapse

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First published on Ctrl.Alt.Shift on October 26 2010

Director: Chris SmithAs you would expect from a film on economic and environmental ‘Collapse’ – this film isn’t a light watch.

Directed by Chris Smith, best known for his documentaries including American Movie and The Yes Men, this film takes a minimalist and slightly darker approach to his previous work. 

The focus of the film is Michael Ruppert, a former LAPD officer now better known for his reporting on corruption and criticism of mainstream media. It is shot in a dark room with very little light, Ruppert chain smokes as he is interviewed by Smith. The camera pans around him often close up so it is possible to see every wave of emotion that goes over his face as he talks about his life and work.

Ruppert is frank but very angry, a man who feels he has been ignored and unfairly treated by those with power. Energy is one of Ruppert’s biggest concerns, and he explains how he thinks society’s belief that we can have infinite growth has led to a naïve belief that we can have infinite energy. Energy, he says is becoming more powerful than money but when the sources we rely on, such as oil, run out we will need to be able to adapt to this new world.

Ruppert bases many of his arguments on the problem of peak oil, the point in time in which global oil reserves will go into decline. He highlights how peak oil predictions and signs of the recent economic crisis have been ignored by those in power for many years and how people voicing their concerns have been branded alarmist.

Much of the film seems to me to be disempowering to those who share Ruppert’s views but despite all the anger, Ruppert describes the power of community with tender emotion. He describes walking away from the problem and not doing anything as taking part in our own suicide, describing ways people can take control of their own lives to protect themselves.

Some people may see him as too paranoid, pessimistic or even extreme but there is a lot of sense in a lot of the things Ruppert says. He defends himself against accusations of being a conspiracy theorist saying that the thoughts that he promotes are more conspiracy facts and comments on the growing dissent he feels in the world and how ordinary people can use this movement and become part of it to effect real change.

This is the kind of sentiment that we, as activists for social change, need to take hold of. We can’t expect people to join a movement of hopelessness, we can’t expose problems without offering some solutions.

Chto delat? – The Urgent Need To Struggle

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First appeared on Ctrl.Alt.Shift on October 22 2010

The event: Chto delat? (What is to be done?) – The Urgent Need To Struggle
Date: October 9 – October 24
Location: Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, London, SW1Y 5AH
Price: Free entry

This project has been created by Tsaplya (Olga Egorova), Nikolay Oleynikov, Gluklya (Natalya Pershina-Yakimanskaya), Nina Gasteva, Vladan Jeremic/Rena Rädle and Dmitry Vilensky…

A dream for any political and cultural theory geeks; this exhibition even comes with a handy reader – a newspaper of texts to help further your understanding of the theoretical ground the artists have started from but can still be appreciated by those looking for something less involved.

‘This exhibition… tells the story of the struggle of ‘ordinary’ people against the government, the authorities, oppression, inequality but also the feeling of hopelessness that can engulf activists at their low points…’

The Urgent Need To Struggle is a modern take on old school leftist principles, which, as history seems to go round in circles, are still relevant today. It gives a series of thought provoking proposals on varied movements and works to unite cultural workers and all working people together in their struggles, rejecting any perceived artists’ pretention.

The view of artists as part of the wider workers’ movement is central to the work of Chto Delat, the platform of artists and thinkers who created this exhibition, and was “founded with the goal of merging political theory, art and activism.” They take their inspiration from revolutionary Russian working groups and basing their work on principles of self organisation, collectivism and solidarity.

These principles are immediately recognisable in this exhibition which tells the story of the struggle of ‘ordinary’ people against the government, the authorities, oppression, inequality but also the feeling of hopelessness that can engulf activists at their low points…

The room’s strong red, white and black colour scheme hits you instantly as does the main focal point: A cinematic screen faced by ascending double beds, an installation that wouldn’t look out of place as a bedroom on Cribs. There is also a viewpoint where you can attempt to sing a song called Partisans Forever – in Serbian – along with a video of people in white boiler suits. The walls are decorated with pages from the reader, an issue of Chto Delat’s paper, quotes from well known leftist leaders and images from the films that make up the main depth of the exhibition.

The amount of film content means the exhibition needs time to be explored fully. Each short film or trailer centres on a different struggle, many are bizarre and abstract fiction; whereas others are simple documentaries or a series of stills with commentary. Although many of the issues explored are very much in he present, history never feels that far away.

Chto delat have presented a valid and useful series of thoughts on the position or art in activism and the importance of cultural workers in the wider workers movement, although I can’t help thinking that some of the more conceptual representations of struggle, such as the musical films, echo exactly the type of pretetion they are trying to avoid.

The Urgent Need to Struggle is central to the Institute of Contemporary Art’s (ICA) current season titled ‘Dissent’; in which they ask whether culture can be a site for protests in a time of economic crisis. The season has included numerous events including talks and debates and a big focus on film with an artists film club and the regular screening of Collapse from American director Chris Smith.

Hollywood Humanitarians: Help or Hindrance?

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First published on Ctrl.Alt. Shift on October 15 2010

This month Sean Penn is awarded the Hollywood Humanitarian Award for his work in Haiti… but exactly how much good can celebrities feasibly do in helping resolve desperate situations around the globe? More importantly, do they do it for the right reasons? Ctrl.Alt.Shift’s Amy Hall explores the impact of the humanitarian celebrity…

Despite getting a lot of criticism for their flashy lifestyles, many celebrities do take an active interest in charitable work. While the more cynical among us may accuse the rich and famous of using charity work as an effective (but immoral) means of gaining popularity, there are evidently some big names out there who genuinely care about the bigger picture. Ctrl.Alt.Shift ambassadors like Riz Ahmed are entirely dedicated to using their popularity for a good cause, proving that fame can be utilised to put across a positive message to an already captive audience.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are the latest Queen and King of the celebrity humanitarian world, but almost every celebrity has some kind of charity or campaign work they’re involved with. Whether it is George Clooney’s efforts to stop genocide in Sudan or Rhianna’s ‘Believe’ foundation which helps terminally ill children, celebrities the world over are doing their bit to prove that compassion is cool.

Of course, the actions of celebrity humanitarians like Penn to raise the profile of worthy causes are extremely commendable. The worrying thing is that it can take the glitzy power of celebrity to inspire us to sit up, take notice and act’

These caring celebrities are, unsurprisingly, always looking for ways to publicise their cause, and maybe it’s time we gave them a pat on the back for their efforts. This is where humanitarian awards ceremonies come in handy – all the glitz and glamour of a typical award ceremony, but with no need to feel guilty at the extravagance entailed. It’s for the good of humanity after all. Hmmm…

Awards ceremonies that acknowledge the charitable work of celebrities are becoming increasingly common, though perhaps one of the most glamorous among them is coming up on October 25. The Hollywood Humanitarian Awards are part of the Hollywood Gala Awards Ceremony at the Hollywood Film Festival in Beverly Hills, an important date in the diary for any self respecting celebrity do-gooder.

This year’s Hollywood Humanitarian has recently been announced: none other than two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn. Penn already seems to have proved himself as an all round good egg; acting as a roving reporter from troubled regions like Iraq, and even covering the election protests in Iran. His CV also boasts interviews with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuba’s head of state, Raul Castro.

This latest accolade Penn received is for his work in Haiti, following the earthquake which devastated the island at the beginning of 2010. Penn founded the J/P Haitian Relief Organization which focuses on providing medical aid, protection and relocation to Haitians affected by the quake. Penn seems to have been developing a special relationship with the country, and has even been knighted by Haiti’s President Rene Preval.

Of course, the actions of celebrity humanitarians like Penn to raise the profile of worthy causes are extremely commendable. The worrying thing is that it can take the glitzy power of celebrity to inspire us to sit up, take notice and act.

The sad fact is, the technicolor mages of suffering in developing countries that the media beams into our living rooms on a regular basis can often feel profoundly detached from our own lives. Perhaps it can take a celebrity to bridge this gap, to utilise their charisma and familiarity to show us the inherant similarities between ‘us’ and ‘them’. Videos of celebrities visiting places like Africa form an integral part of high profile charity appeals like Comic Relief, and compel people to pick up the phone and give money to people half way across the world.

However, a celebrity endorsement does not solve everything. It seems that issues of international development are as vulnerable to the fickle, fast paced nature of the global media as the celebrities themselves. When a story becomes less newsworthy, many desperate situations and worthy causes are dropped from the agenda and the urgency seems to dim; there is a new disaster to respond to, a new crisis somewhere else.

It seems that issues of international development are as vulnerable to the fickle, fast-paced nature of the global media as the celebrities themselves’

Once the initial media flurry around a disaster, a crisis, or a desperate situation has died down, money, support and a constructive and sustainable action plan for the future are still required. In Haiti, the pieces still need to be picked up, and a plethora of organizations are still working on this, including Penn’s J/P Haitian Relief. It seems that issues of international development are as vulnerable to the fickle, fast-paced nature of the global media as the celebrities themselves.

The cold hard truth remains – it’s going to take more than monetary hand outs to solve global poverty.

Poverty is the result of human structures and systems. It is the product of marginalisation. It is what happens when people are excluded from decision-making processes. Celebrity endorsements can bring a rush of money to a specific community or location, but if the way in which this aid is delivered isn’t well considered, the charitable act can be more detriment than development.

Celebrities are pretty stuck. If they don’t give money to good causes they are accused of not helping and greedily hoarding the millions to themselves. When they do act charitably, they’re accused of glory hunting, trivialising the cause, or even causing more harm than good.

In today’s media saturated, glamour obsessed culture, maybe it’s inevitable that celebrity culture seeps into every part of our lives. If these Hollywood do-gooders actually manage to do some good then why should we complain? And who knows? Maybe in the not so distant future we’ll see Hollywood stars battling it out to become the Most Humanitarian instead of the Best Director. Regardless of the image the red carpet snaps or award show reviews portray, it is the international charitable organisations, and the vulnerable communities in developing countries themselves, who truly have the power to christen ‘the celebrity humanitarian’ a help or a hindrance.