The feet of a four year old should not be so rough
May 25, 2013 3:04 AM Subscribe
Excellent photos. I too look forward to hearing more about them.
posted by Mil at 5:25 AM on May 25, 2013
posted by Mil at 5:25 AM on May 25, 2013
Fantastic photos. Looking forward to seeing more.
posted by arcticseal at 6:53 AM on May 25, 2013
posted by arcticseal at 6:53 AM on May 25, 2013
First when Elgilito asked me I really thought about not even responding for a few different reasons. Then I figured why not let people see areas and realities that are probably hidden for most people.
All of the photos on the blog are taken with a Canon S95 point and shoot and then often garishly oversaturated in Picasa. The second photo is of a model named Alek Wek who apparently is somewhat known in the fashion world. The rest of them are taken showing different displaced person situations.
The reason most of the photos don't have much information is I was only allowed by UNHCR to share them if I didn't release much information.
You can see photos from Maban and Jamam refugee camps, which are some of the most challenging in the world. You can see some photos from Renk which is the furthest north point on the Nile for South Sudan. This is where the UN and Sudan/South Sudan decided it best to dump "returnees" or ethnic South Sudanese after the creation of South Sudan. Challenges in Renk were it was very unstable due to rebel militia activities and very low level of services by the international community as the above mentioned refugee camps were drawing ngo and UN attention.
Further down you can see Pibor Town and these were the Internally Displaced Peoples who were ethnic Murle dealing with the after affects of thousands of their women and children being slaughtered in retaliation for the never ending cattle and child raiding between other tribes. Google Jonglei, Murle and Pibor for some idea of the hell on earth that place can be at times.
I notice I really barely ever feature men in my photos and I think that is due to the fact they annoyed me with their general apathy towards helping women shoulder the enormous load(of course there were exceptions) and because kids usually like to flock in front of the camera.
I left mid last year and was very ill twice with cerebral malaria and to be honest it took me until now to get my basic health back. I wasn't one of the normal UN workers that sit in their capital city office while their friends back home implore them to be safe. All the while the expats are going out for pizza and beers in Juba at night.
Now I am in Myanmar for a few months trying to be of some use, hardly likely, to the Rohingya.
posted by tarvuz at 7:46 AM on May 25, 2013 [74 favorites]
All of the photos on the blog are taken with a Canon S95 point and shoot and then often garishly oversaturated in Picasa. The second photo is of a model named Alek Wek who apparently is somewhat known in the fashion world. The rest of them are taken showing different displaced person situations.
The reason most of the photos don't have much information is I was only allowed by UNHCR to share them if I didn't release much information.
You can see photos from Maban and Jamam refugee camps, which are some of the most challenging in the world. You can see some photos from Renk which is the furthest north point on the Nile for South Sudan. This is where the UN and Sudan/South Sudan decided it best to dump "returnees" or ethnic South Sudanese after the creation of South Sudan. Challenges in Renk were it was very unstable due to rebel militia activities and very low level of services by the international community as the above mentioned refugee camps were drawing ngo and UN attention.
Further down you can see Pibor Town and these were the Internally Displaced Peoples who were ethnic Murle dealing with the after affects of thousands of their women and children being slaughtered in retaliation for the never ending cattle and child raiding between other tribes. Google Jonglei, Murle and Pibor for some idea of the hell on earth that place can be at times.
I notice I really barely ever feature men in my photos and I think that is due to the fact they annoyed me with their general apathy towards helping women shoulder the enormous load(of course there were exceptions) and because kids usually like to flock in front of the camera.
I left mid last year and was very ill twice with cerebral malaria and to be honest it took me until now to get my basic health back. I wasn't one of the normal UN workers that sit in their capital city office while their friends back home implore them to be safe. All the while the expats are going out for pizza and beers in Juba at night.
Now I am in Myanmar for a few months trying to be of some use, hardly likely, to the Rohingya.
posted by tarvuz at 7:46 AM on May 25, 2013 [74 favorites]
tarvus, you are my new hero, dude.
posted by angrycat at 8:13 AM on May 25, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by angrycat at 8:13 AM on May 25, 2013 [5 favorites]
Tarvuz, seriously in awe of what you do.
posted by arcticseal at 9:46 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by arcticseal at 9:46 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
The rest of us int'l documentarian types can only aspire.
posted by mykescipark at 10:02 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mykescipark at 10:02 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
tarvuz: "I wasn't one of the normal UN workers"Glad to have colleagues like you ;)
Love the photos. Especially the facial expression in the "pointing contest"!
posted by brokkr at 10:36 AM on May 25, 2013
Great pics! I look forward to seeing any photos you take in Myanmar.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 2:19 PM on May 25, 2013
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 2:19 PM on May 25, 2013
The rest of us int'l documentarian types can only aspire.
posted by mykescipark at 10:02 AM on May 25
posted by infini at 10:59 AM on May 27, 2013
posted by mykescipark at 10:02 AM on May 25
posted by infini at 10:59 AM on May 27, 2013
This is excellent. Thank you both, tarvuz and elgilito.
posted by homunculus at 12:53 PM on May 27, 2013
posted by homunculus at 12:53 PM on May 27, 2013
...I really thought about not even responding for a few different reasons. Then I figured why not let people see areas and realities that are probably hidden for most people.
I'm glad you changed your mind. These are wonderful photos.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:09 PM on May 27, 2013
I'm glad you changed your mind. These are wonderful photos.
posted by BlueHorse at 6:09 PM on May 27, 2013
http://goo.gl/od0mR Rohingya family in Mynamar/Burma that is living in the space you can see. Monsoons are nearly here. Not pleasant or safe.
A link to a photo album I started in April set in Mynamar town of Sittwe. Google Sittwe and Rohingya to get the background story.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151655953692018.1073741827.700192017&type=1&l=1ea12d42cd
posted by tarvuz at 10:48 AM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
A link to a photo album I started in April set in Mynamar town of Sittwe. Google Sittwe and Rohingya to get the background story.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151655953692018.1073741827.700192017&type=1&l=1ea12d42cd
posted by tarvuz at 10:48 AM on May 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
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Thanks tarvuz for a view of a place I don't know much about and thanks elgilito for posting this!
posted by Katjusa Roquette at 4:46 AM on May 25, 2013 [1 favorite]