24/08/2011

UK: LET'S LOOK BACK AT LONDON'S RIOTS

   Today I finished my second report from the post-rioting London. The first one was located in Brixton, where I met British Muslims celebrating Ramadan while the riots occured in their neighbourhodd. The Brixton Mosque's imam had launched an appeal to peace and calm.
 I'm doing this series of reporting for Vox Africa News on the causes of the riots and the point of view of the different types of people who happened to be involved in them in a way or another.
Last Friday, I went to Enfield where a few rioters agreed to talk to me as well as an outreach worker who is daily in contact with London's kids.

Here is the link to the story:

http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_jfyu5wvq&p=0_0swhvd1d

Or the whole news bulletin where the report was broadcasted. It is at 11 min 30:
http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_udr49ac0&p=0_0swhvd1d
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While investigations and court hearings continue in London following the August riots, Vox Africa News went back to Enfield where some rioters agreed to talk to us. They live in the neighbourhood and whilst admitting to participating in the riots they are clear they don’t condone lootings. For them as well as the social workers from the neighbourhood and from Tottenham where the riots sparked, there are deep reasons explaining why the youth feel targeted by the police. Melissa Chemam and Nana Dankwa.
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Enfield is a quiet neighbourhood in North London, next to Tottenham. But it was rapidly touched by the violent riots that took the street of London from August 6.

M. and AJ participated to the rioting and agreed to meet us to explain how they think it all started.

AJ: “We went down to Tottenham and it was madness…But it was also North London fighting back”.

M.:”I was not interested in looting at all. I understand what happened in Tottenham cause they killed an innocent man there. But the rest of the riots were too much and I don’t understand why”.

For those young Londoners, the riots were definitely the sign of the deep problems of the British society. Both M. and AJ think the police are too regularly targeting youth and that they have to ease their pressure on the poorest neighbourhood. According to them, the police are constantly controlling young people and stereotyping them.

M: "Everyone went crazy, there was fire, etc. But the police have to respect the civilians”.

Both also think there are chances for the riots to happen again.
Karl Donaldson is an outreach worker interacting daily with the kids of London, especially in North London. He was in Enfield during the first days of the riots.

Karl Donaldson: “Tottenham was the spark; it had a meaning because of the tension of the police. But then it went out of control”.

But Karl also understands that the youngest and the poorest feel left out: “I think they’re disillusioned and there’s a serious discipline problem”.

Like AJ and M, he believes the recent riots in London are far from being over, especially if authorities don’t try to understand the deep roots of the discontent.


18/08/2011

Ethiopian Jews want more integration in Israel

My latest sroty for Vox News, Vox Africa's English news bulletin, this Wednesday:

In Israel an NGO called 'Selah' is trying to help young Ethiopian Jews, who have lost their parents, to take responsibility for their younger siblings.


http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_i2o1h5ca&p=0_0swhvd1d

I always wanted to report on Falach Muras from Israel. This is just a short insight from our news room thanks to Reuters TV news picture...

17/08/2011

IMPRESSIONS ROMAINES

The great thing about being back in London is the proximity with the most charming places in Europe. In two hours it is easy to fly South or East and to get a complete change of scenery.

I always say one of my favourite countries is Italy. So when friends renting an apartment in the eternal city offered me to come over and stay in their guest bedroom, I didn't hesitate and booked my British Ariways tickets.


This trip was my ninth visit to Rome. Before that I had been to the Italian capital to celebrate New Year's Eve, to interview filmmakers and writers, to attend weddings or simply to visit friends.



This time, I was set to stay in the lovely neighbourhood named Trastevere, on the 'other side' of the river Tebere.


Main attractions for this summer three-day weekend were the Vatican, dinners in the hidden and tiny Jewish neighbourhood, the beach on the Southern coast, and the MACRO, Rome's Museum of contempory arts.


To eat amazing food in Rome, you need to get away from breathtaking but touristic hotspots and to wonder in tiny and dark lanes...


To enjoy the heat and the burning sun, nothing is better than a train-ride to the beach along the coast spread between Rome and Naples.


 Italian trains may not be always on time, but the belated arrival is worth any precise TGV's ride... for its beautiful beaches, clear Mediterranean waters and amazing montains in the background.


And back to the city in about an hour of train journey, the next day was devoted to discover the MACRO, Museum of contemporary art of Rome and its stunning neighbourhood, Northeast from the ancient city centre.






Its location in a quiet, forgotten but richly beautiful part of Rome and its brilliant architecture are the first reasons to come up to the MACRO.




Then remains the enjoyable collection of Italian contemporay pieces of art. I don't want to spoil the visit nor to pretend I am a contemporary creations' specialist, so here is only a sample of visual insights:







It's the middle of summer in Italy, and amazing moment to be in Rome. If you have a minute, just go yourself...

08/08/2011

UNEP report on Nigeria has been presented in London

 Nigeria was all over the news last weekend, especially in Nairobi, the UN Environnent Programme's (UNEP) headquarter and in London. The UN body did actually present its report on the oil eploitation in Ogoniland, a area situated in the Niger Delta.


Here is an extract of my interview with UNEP's chief scientist who presented the report in London last Friday:


http://www.voxafrica.co.uk/vod/videos/&v=0_i5grsnre&p=0_0swhvd1d

Joseph Alcamo said he was optimistic for the future cleaning of the area despite the high level of pollution...