Night is my Girlfriend

I miss you ...

Mesures de precautions

As you maybe know, the International Criminal Court (ICC or CPI in French) is going to communicate its decision regarding the possible issue of a warrant against the Sudanese President Al-Bashir on March 4th (more information on http://www.icc-cpi.int ). It causes a certain tension here as nobody really know how the Government of Sudan (GoS), the different rebells, the janjaweeds, the International Community and the local population will react. The United Nations have taken measures to make sure that nothing serious happen and the GoS has reinsure that it will protect UNAMID against possible threads. There is therefore NO reason for you to worry and you won't be able to change anything anyway.

I just want to ask you (especially some of you) not to believe everything in the news. I frequently observe and have personally experienced situation(s) where the press was reporting wrong or inexact information and I don't want this to lead to useless worries. So take it easy...

My presence here is a personal decision and I know exactly why I am here right now and not somewhere else.

SMS

Starting from now, it is possible to write comments on this blog without having a Google account. You have no excuses to stay silent.

Il est désormais possible de laisser un commentaire sur ce blog sans devoir posséder un account Google. Vous n'avez désormais aucune excuse pour rester silencieux.

A life with my own words

Une bonne journée: Se lever, prendre une douche froide, partir au boulot, faire une sélection de photos pour un documentaire et écrire les légendes, préparer des nouveaux projets et en discuter avec des collègues, vendre ses idées, sortir prendre des photos, les trier et les envoyer, rire, lire les dépèches de presse, traduire des infos, parler d'un autre pays, préparer les autorisations pour le lendemain, rentrer chez soi 12h plus tard, se cuisiner un truc, regarder un film, monter sur le toit, ecouter "Birds" d'Emiliana Torrini, regarder le ciel, y penser, sourire et se dire que c'est une bonne journée qui se finit.

Courrier des lecteurs

I received some emails lately, asking me to speak more about my security or my feelings. I'm afraid I won't. 
Firstly, to speak about my security and to give too many details about my situation here will not always be positive for my friends and family or, maybe worst, could give the impression that I'm feeling proud of working here when conditions are not the best. I don't want to give an information and right after to have to write a chapter to minimize / explain the risks (e.g. Yes, I saw El-Fasher with plenty of soldiers, tanks, etc... But it was mostly a way to reinsure the local population). But, more important, there are no reason for you to be worried if I am not. And there are also no reason to share my worries or apprehension if you can't do anything against it. I'm fine, I walked yesterday till my house (and not in an armored car) and I'm not wearing a bulletproof jacket. But the situation remains unstable and the Darfurian population continues to suffer (and to die).

Secondly, this blog is public. Some of the person reading it are close friends, some not. Some maybe don't even know me. I don't see a reason to share my private life with the rest of the world. This blog is here to give some basic information to my family and friends (because I want to stay in touch with them), to force me to take/find a new picture for each new post and also to satisfy my growing interest in writing. It is also here to communicate about some issues in Darfur. But if you want to really keep informed about the situation in Darfur, check the UN website (It publishes all the press releases / information notes). And if you are my friend, maybe you can also read between the lines of my writing ("what? he likes Spanish girls?"). Take care!

P.S: Maintenant, comme depuis toujours, ma boite aux lettres reste ouverte à tout don, échange d'appartement (par exemple, ma chambre ici pour 2 semaines contre un loft à New York ou Tokyo), héritage, proposition de job, demande en mariage ou autre proposition indécente ... 
Prenez soin de vous et je ferai de même (Croix de bois, croix de fer,  ...)

J'aime l'humour soudanais ...

"Our message to those who stand behind the ICC is that we were Islamic fundamentalists but have become moderate and civilized and this continues to be our conviction," Abdallah said in comments published in Saturday's newspapers.

"If they press us to return to our past position, we will no doubt return. And if they want us to return into hard-liners anew ...we are capable of doing it."

Taken in an article by Mohamed Osman in Associated Press

Two Sudanese staff from the French Organisation "Aide Medicale Internationale" got shot dead by rebels yesterday in Southern Darfur.

Do I really have to say something?

Suivez moi avec votre equipement

- George (Clooney. Who else?) didn't pay us a visit during his last stay in Chad. All the women in the camp are really affected by this terrible decision.

- I was bored to wait for my Canon 5D MkII. So I bought a Canon(et) 17G. Very small, very silent shutter and great optic. I'm looking forward to print my own B&W pictures and therefore to improve my skills. I'm anyway still waiting for my 5D.

- No, I still don't know when I will be on leave. But I'm seriously considering spending a few days in Doha or Dubai, juste to play in a casino and to spend my money shopping.

- I repared yesterday one of the biggest mistake in my life. I watched Godfather I. You should do the same.

- I met one guy, supposed to be a great photographer in his country. He can't use a computer ("How can I copy this file to a memory stick?") and doesn't know what means "shutter speed" and "aperture". But he always say "OK ok" when I tell him something.

- End of the boring news

Take care

P.S: If you have/give/sell a Leica M6 or a camera in 6x6... let me know.

P.P.S: Some Local National Security Officer speak English.

Pensées nocturnes

A few hours after the signature of a peace agreement between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and one of the most influent group of rebels, the JEM, bombings restarted. Last dance or new unkept promise ?Peacekeeping is sometimes frustrating ... I love my job.

Evening

Si la légendaire justesse du jeu d'acteurs d'un film porno vous transporte et que vous considérez qu'un gros zizi entre une paire de petites fesses, filmés par un femme, est un symbole féministe et non pas cette éternelle image dégradante de la femme et de la sexualité, alors je vous conseille le film nauséabond "Baise - moi". Mais si ce n'est pas le cas, ne perdez pas votre temps comme moi et regardez autre chose. Ou alors, si vous recherchez vraiment le grand frisson, tentez l'expérience de visionner le film "Alien VS Predator 2" juste après. Vous y découvrirez, après un hymne au dialogue et à l'égalité homme-femme, toute la poésie et le romantisme d'un film d'action dépourvu de scénario.

Ou sinon, vous ferez preuve de bon gout, déboucherez une bonne bouteille de vin, direz à votre partenaire que vous l'aimez, admirerez un chef d'oeuvre de science-fiction et apprécierez l'excellente bande son de Michael Nymann avec le film Gattaca.

Vous ne pourrez plus dire ne pas savoir quoi faire de vos soirées.

SMS

YEEEAH! I just received the movie "Alien VS Predator 2". The first one was really crappy. Sorry... I meant mentally challenging. The second one is supposed to be even worst. Sorry... I meant psychologically more intense. I'm really looking forward to watching it with a good bottle of water and some plain rice.

Coup de barre

My bags are in my office, next to me. I was already looking forward to eating chinese in Khartoum tonight. And already looking forward to visiting Kosovo after tomorrow. But due to the situation, I'll finally have to stay here a bit longer. I'm ok with it, I totally understand the reasons. But right now,  after a too short night, I would be ready to spend a fortune doing some shopping in NYC and would love to read a magazine in a Starbucks and to eat, elegantly dressed, in an excellent restaurant serving amazing red wine. And to walk, all the night, with my camera. 

Chacun ses fantasmes quoi ...

A voir - To see

If you still don't know what has happened and is happening in Darfur:

http://www.vimeo.com/3161513

Si vous ne savez toujours pas ce qu'il s'est passe et se passe au Darfour:

http://www.vimeo.com/3183525

Java bien

140 Indonesian National Police FPU members work for UNAMID. I ask them to bring me with them for 2-3 days. I took plenty of pictures but also end up speaking about their local food and about villages/cities there. I miss Indonesia a lot and especially Java. To love traveling is a dangerous sickness.

La vie est belle

I've been in Sudan for 5 months today. But don't ask me when I'm gonna leave.

One year ago, I was packing to go to Australia. I'm asking myself when I'm gonna return there.

Life is sometimes beautiful

Swiss cows

Apparemment, tous les Suisses n'ont pas une voiture pour y entreposer leur cervelle et l'extension des accords bilatéraux a été acceptée. Le Conseil Fédéral se félicite, les ministres sortent le cor des Alpes et le drapeau Suisse pour exprimer leur fierté de leur bon pays modèle. C'est mega-vachement-chouette mais il reste quand même que 40% de la population Suisse considère la Roumanie et la Bulgarie (ou globalement les étrangers) comme une menace pour notre stabilité. Et ça, cela ne me donne pas franchement envie de fanfaronner.

Meanwhile, I saw Heidi (fictitious name), a young little girl living in Southern Darfur, who got the opportunity to study the digestive system by watching her own intestines (consequence of a bombing). Unfortunately, she will never become a great doctor, she died a few hours later, despite the assistance of UN doctors. All her friends and neighbors are now living next to an UN camp, begging for help and assistance. 

More than ever, the presence of the UN and NGO's is needed. More than ever, the local population needs direct assistance. And more than ever, a diplomatic solution must be found, leading to a real ceasefire between all parties.

Peut-être que 40% de population Suisse devrait s'engager un peu plus pour que ce genre de chose n'existe plus, pour que personne n'ait plus besoin de la Suisse comme d'un refuge. Malheureusement, j'ai peur de connaître la réponse de la plupart d'entre eux: "Chacun sa merde et les vaches seront bien gardées". Les vaches suisses...

24H apres

Jack is now back in his box. Excellent series (at least Season 1) although some turnabouts are a little bit... too much. By chance, I don't have any other series to watch and can now restart reading books. Unfortunately, the situation might change in a few weeks... So if you have any recommendations for a new series, just let me know (Don't say Dallas, I'm not sure I want to stay 20 years in Darfur, in front of my laptop).

Swiss politic

La Suisse va voter dimanche pour l'extension des accords bilatéraux (Suisse - UE) aux 2 nouveaux membres, la Roumanie et la Bulgarie. Selon les derniers sondages, un peu moins de la moitié de la population Suisse est contre cette extension, majoritairement par crainte de voir débarquer une horde d'étrangers ne rêvant que de violer nos femmes, tuer nos enfants, piquer nos jobs, mettre notre économie à terre et piétiner nos traditions. Bizarrement, ce sont toujours les mêmes arguments lorsque l'on doit voter sur un sujet en rapport avec l'étranger. Et toujours ainsi bizarrement, la Hongrie et la Bulgarie, semblent tellement intéressé par le paradis Suisse, que cette votation ne fait la une d'aucune chaîne de télévision ou de journal là-bas. Une fois de plus, l'UDC (un parti suisse très sympathique qui dit défendre la Suisse contre tous ces vampires d'étrangers), utilise les peurs les plus primaires pour chercher à faire basculer le scrutin. Et une fois de plus, une partie de la population semble avoir oublié son cerveau et sa logique dans la voiture. Mais tout cela n'est pas grave. L'important, c'est que la Suisse puisse exporter sa technologie et son savoir faire à l'étranger, mettre à l'abri et faire fructifier l'argent de ces mêmes étrangers (c'est bizarre, je les croyais tous pauvres et bavant sur la Suisse) et faire venir un maximum de touristes (étrangers, toujours eux) pour leur montrer à quel point notre Suisse est belle, propre et accueillante.
Pendant ce temps, je prends des photos dans un camps de déplacés internes ("réfugiés" venant du même pays) et j'écoute les aventures fantastiques de Mohamed, qui vient de marcher pendant 2 semaines pour fuir son village (ex-village, aussi appelé village Level 1) et dont la femme est morte il y a 12 jours, sa soeur il y a 7 (lorsqu'ils se sont fait attaquer en chemin) et qui doit désormais s'occuper d'une demi-douzaine d'enfants. Devant son nouveau palace (un arbre et 3 sacs plastiques), j'ai une vingtaine d'enfants qui jouent avec moi et veulent que je les prenne en photo. Je suis sûr qu'ils ont entendu parler des votations de dimanche.

Meme joueur joue encore!

I almost forgot to speak with you about a new game I discovered here.

Level 1
You take a village, in the middle of nowhere and you bomb it by airplane.
Then, you send some nice guys (that you provide with weapons) to kill, rape and burn the village.
Once you have about 2 millions people having fled their village and living mostly in refugee camps, you can go to Level 2.

Level 2
You send the same nice guys to kill the men and to rape/beat the women collecting wood outside the camps.
You keep bombing the camps and the water points.

Level 3
You announce some ceasefires and diplomatic discussion and then you return to play, trying to finish the Level 1 and 2 even faster than before.

Level 4
You announce that you've never played to this game (Some of your friends yes, but not you. Or just once, to try, not for years).

La vie est belle ...

The following takes place between 8am and 7pm

I just went to an IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp to cover an event and to take some pictures for me. I am exhausted but very happy.
To work as a photographer is not just about taking pictures. It's also to speak with the persons, to convince them your project worths it, to make clear that you are not a journalist and your are not going to steal any confidential information/report, to organize everything and to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera. It's challenging, difficult but very interesting.

But sometimes... you even don't have to speak...


Meanwhile... I would love to tell you that the situation in Darfur is getting better, that the bombings stopped and that the number of refugees is decreasing. Unfortunately, this is not (clearly not) the case. More than ever, the Darfurian population needs help and the UN is giving his best to bring assistance and peace in Darfur/Sudan. It maybe sounds idealistic but it is the case right now.
Jack, how much time do you need to help us to solve this situation?

Souvenirs Australiens

While Federer was fighting to win his 14th Grand Slam tournament, I was moving to my new guesthouse. I'm gonna share a room with a friend, won't be woken up at 05H45, won't have to wear a gas mask before going to the restrooms (or even to take my shower) and will, Inch'allah, even be able to cook (I love chinese noodles but...).



And as it is not far away from my office, I can go there on foot (Mom, stop freaking out) and it's also an advantage in the case of an evacuation (Mom!!!).
The situation here is getting better and I hope I'll soon have the right to take pictures outside (I have 2-3 nice projects in mind). But meanwhile, because I finally was free yesterday, I finished Californication. It's excellent, especially the first 8 episodes. 9-10 are quite weak and 11-12 are ok. Maybe it's time to give a chance to Jack now.

To summarize: I want to go out and to take pictures!!!!