From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 7/28/2007 1:12 AM
Crying Sun The Impact of War in the Mountains of Chechnya
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sO6XMiZwjk
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm23ZZkfEZU
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oPiK6WB2ac
“The Crying Sun” (Memorial/WITNESS co-production 2007, 26 min) tells the story of people from the Chechen mountainous village of Zumsoy and their struggle to preserve cultural identity and traditions in the context of military raids and enforced disappearances by the federal army, attacks by guerilla fighters, and subsequent displacement. By helping to articulate the voices of Zumsoy villagers in the public and policy spheres, the video calls on local and federal authorities to end impunity for human rights violations and to restore policies for the return of mountain villagers to their ancestral homes. In the international advocacy fora, the video will help bring
visibility to calls for justice in Chechnya. (Author: Zarema Mukusheva; Producers: Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Shamil Tangiev; Consultant: Ousam Baysaev)
* Zarema (Zina) Mukusheva is human right defender who has been working at Memorial Grozny since 2000. As Memorial monitor, she uses visual media to bring international attention to murders, mass graves, disappearances, and kidnappings in Chechnya. Zarema is the recipient of the 2005 Reebok Human Rights Award for young human rights activists who do courageous work in war-torn areas. Mukusheva is a graduate of Chechen State University with an MA in history.
* Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya has worked in Memorial Nazran since 2003. She heads the programs “Database of Enforced Disappearances in Chechnya” and "Counting Fabrications of Criminal Cases within the Framework of Anti-Terrorist Operations in the North Caucasus." Sokiryanskaya is a graduate of Central European University in Budapest, with MA in political science of post-communist transition, holds a Ph.D. in political science from St Petersburg State University. She is Assistant Professor of Political Science at
History Department of the Chechen State University in Grozny.
* Shamil (Shamsudin) Tangiev is the Head of Memorial office in Grozny. Since early 2000, he has worked on documenting and reporting war crimes in Chechnya with particular focus on enforced disappearances and summary executions of the Chechen civilians. He has also been responsible for Memorial UNHCR sponsored work with internally displaced people in Chechnya, has co-authored Memorial annual reports on “Situation of Residents of Chechnya in the Russian Federation” and other publications on human rights
violations in Chechnya. Tangiev holds a Degree in Law from Russian Institute of Economy and Law (Regional branch in Ingushetia).
* Ousam Baysaev is a human rights defender, author, and reporter for Radio-Free Europe (Chechnya). Since 2000, he has worked in Memorial office in Ingushetia, documenting human rights abuses in Chechnya. He has co-authored a book series “People Live Here. A Chronicle of Violence of the Second Chechen War,” investigative reports “Zachistka,” and “Anti-terrorist Operations.” Since 2002, he is a news reporter for Radio-Marcho (RRE, North Caucasus desk in the Chechen language).
Memorial’s Human Rights Center was created in 1991 with a purpose of human rights research and advocacy for Memorial Society, a Russian historical and educational non-governmental association. The Center focuses on human rights protection in the conflict zones in ex-Soviet Republics. Memorial also operates a Migrants Rights Network providing free legal assistance and counseling to refugees and forced migrants in 58 cities of the Russian Federation. Since the beginning of the second military campaign in 2000, Memorial has been the only Russian human rights group with permanent offices on the ground in the conflict zones in post-Soviet Republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia, documenting human rights violations and offering legal assistance to victims. Memorial’s office in Grozny was founded in early 2000 to document mass human rights violations in Chechnya, provide legal and social counseling to residents of Chechnya, and work with victims of war crimes. A team of lawyers, monitors, and social workers investigates and reports violations and represents victims in courts. Center’s work includes human rights advocacy before the local and federal authorities and international
institutions.
WITNESS uses the power of video and online technologies to open the eyes of the world to human rights abuses. By partnering with local organizations around the globe, WITNESS empowers human rights defenders to use video to shine a light on those most affected by human rights violations, and to transform personal stories into powerful tools of justice. Over the past decade and a half, WITNESS has partnered with groups in more than 60 countries, bringing often unseen images, untold stories and seldom heard voices to the attention of key decision makers, the media, and the general public -- catalyzing grassroots activism, political engagement, and lasting change. WITNESS works with its partners to provide them with access to equipment, training, and strategic support in the use of video as a tool for human rights advocacy and documentation.
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Screening of the film "The Crying Sun" - The Impact of war in the Mountains of Chechnya; followed by the discussion with the authors of the film and human rights activists from the region.
The American Committee for Peace in the Caucasus, in collaboration with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, organized a viewing of a new documentary treating the impact of the current Chechen conflict on the mountainous villages in the region. The movie highlighted the plight of the villagers as a result of the armed conflict, forced disappearances and killings. The authors called for the stop of violence and resources to be earmarked for the reconstruction of the villages and rehabilitation of life in them. Following the movie, the participants engaged in a discussion with the author of the movie, Memorial human rights activist Zarema Mukasheva and her colleagues Ekaterina Sokiryanskaya, Shamil Tangiev and Ousam Baysaev, all of whom participated in the making of the film.
The American Committe for Peace in the Caucasus is pleased to release an audio transcript of the event.
Real Audio and Windows Media
Read an interview with the film-maker Zarima Mukasheva
