Refugee crisis: the difference in photos

Photo: Human Rights Watch

By Ryan Keating-Lambert

So this is a little bit late, but it’s still extremely relevant now. I was talking about the topic of refugees recently on the November 17 holiday in the Czech Republic, a day dedicated to the struggle for freedom and democracy. There is absolutely no way that you haven’t heard about this crisis and you may even feel that you’ve heard it all. But I thought you might like to see a new perspective on the situation; a perspective that can help you relate directly to this crisis.

Like countless others I have witnessed the pain and loneliness of these refugees through 100s of photos posted on news websites all over the world and when I think about these photos, two come to mind in particular.

The first being the photo that most people have seen in the Guardian or somewhere else… The one of the dead Syrian boy on a Turkish beach. This photo sparked a lot of controversy in the media and it seemed that people started to pay attention to the situation much more after that.

Photo: Reuters

The other photo (pictured under the headline) is one that a lot of you probably haven’t seen. A photo of Syrian doctor and student Ali when he was in transit in the Budapest Keleti train station waiting to go to Germany. He looks reasonably healthy, not smiling but also doesn’t look particularly upset or angry.

What was interesting to me was that even though these photos appear to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, both are capable of provoking an intense emotional response.

The death of a child, especially when it’s associated with war, is utterly heartbreaking and shows the true destruction of innocence. But at the same time, isn’t that what the media usually uses these photos for? To provoke emotion and read on and sympathise? This definitely works and does make people more aware of the situation which is certainly an advantage… However, it shouldn’t only be these photos that make a situation like this hit home.

Ali is a young doctor and student, wearing normal clothes and a baseball cap. He could be me and he could be my friends, and that is what makes it terrifying. He is not the typical poor and rugged looking refugee that the public is trained to see and feel for.

Refugees are not in rags anymore, they are in your clothes. These people ARE you. They are me. They are everyone we know. They worked and had families and were simply trying to live their lives.

You can find more information on Ali’s story through Human Rights Watch here.

Protests in Prague: Anti-racism and xenophobia rally photo report

Things are certainly heating up with the current refugee or migrant “crisis”, depending on how you look at the situation in the Czech Republic… Chances are you have seen something in the news because it is quite difficult to avoid at the moment. Here is a photo report of the rally today in Václavské náměstí today. Both sides of the spectrum are represented. What is your opinion on the situation? The anti-Islam protesters definitely outnumbered everyone else. Please comment and share your thoughts and ideas.

Photos and text by Ryan Keating-Lambert.

Football fan Damien talks about World Cup corruption and Turkish ice-cream

Manchester born Damien seems to be a local celebrity here in Prague, known by many for his work with the worldwide famous hiking (with a little bit of drinking) group the ‘Hash House Harriers’. But during the interview we were also pleased to see that Damien is quite a devoted football fan, but probably not to the team you’d think. He also has quite a controversial perspective on the current FIFA World Cup in Brazil…

Where are you from originally?

Originally from Manchester in the UK.

How long have you been in Prague for?

It started with a big football tournament in 1996, the Czech Republic played two games in Manchester. I lived in a bar at the time and we had a girl working for us who had been teaching English in Prostějov and one of her former students came over for the tournament and basically my mother adopted them. So in 1999 we came over to the Czech Republic to visit them, then I went about 5 or 6 times a year to visit them. Then about 6 years ago I just gave up and moved here.

What do you miss about home?

Absolutely nothing!

What are the Czechs’ reactions when you say you’re from Manchester? What is it known for over here?

Ahh most people know it for football, unfortunately. I mean, they’ve got the two famous football teams, but I’m actually a fan of Liverpool which a lot of people find strange. I just say that I was raised proper. I mean at the time that I was being raised, every newspaper in the country thought that the Manchester teams were the greatest thing that ever happened. They’re so far off, it’s ridiculous. Manchester City has just been bought by a Sultan or whoever and he has put in hundreds of millions of pounds to buy the best players.

Are you following the World Cup?

So far I’ve managed to avoid every minute of it.

On purpose?

Yes, I just got so fed up with the corruption of FIFA. If anyone asks me about it now, I just call it the FIFA World Bribery Tournament… I mean the next two World Cups after this one are in Russia and Qatar, and they’re talking about having to switch the World Cup (in Qatar) to the Winter because it is 50 degrees there in the Summer, which they knew at the time; it didn’t suddenly become 50 degrees after they’d won the bid. There was obviously millions and millions being paid to FIFA members to help secure that vote.

I heard you take in stray dogs?

Yes, I foster dogs. I travel as much as I can, but when I’m here I like to have a dog. I help out the shelters by taking a dog for a few weeks at a time. The shelters have limited resources and can only keep them for so long. They way I look at it is if I take the dog for a month, it goes back to the shelter as a new dog, as opposed to a dog that has been there for three months and is about to be euthanised. It then gives them another three months to find a home.

Is it easy to get into? Should more people do it?

Yes more people should. I love dogs, not a huge fan of cats, but there is also the opportunity to foster them as well. It’s very easy, I just found a group on Facebook and emailed someone.

You mentioned that you travel a lot, what do you do for work?

I do freelance proof-reading.

Is it stable work?

Most of the time it’s pretty stable. It goes through slumps. Sometimes I struggle to keep up with the work that I have, and sometimes a week will go by with no jobs at all. It’s mostly university papers, dissertations, theses etc.

What is the weirdest or most interesting thing that you’ve read?

The only thing I’ve really learnt in the three years doing this is that Turkish ice-cream is made out of orchids.

That is weird. On this topic, tell us about your writers’ circle. What do you usually write about?

Prague Writers Group, yes. I founded that maybe 3 years ago – I was trying to write a novel at the time and I thought that would maybe give me a little push if I could meet some people on a regular basis and they could give me some feedback. It’s really starting to take off now, we have around 8-10 people who turn up for meetings.

What is your novel about?

Well the one I was working on at the time was about a serial killer knifing people at train stations, it’s mainly told from his point of view. A lot of the stories I do are short stories, and quite a lot of them have a twist at the end.

You told me some time ago that you’re in a running/hiking group with the slogan “Drinker’s with a running problem”.. How did you get this slogan?

Yes (laughs). The group is a worldwide organisation and was started in the 1930s in Malaysia. We just had the 30th anniversary in Prague. We’re called the ‘Hash House Harriers’. One person will set a trail using chalk and flour and every other person has to work out where the trail goes. Some people like to run, and some like to walk along at their own pace with a beer.. I am more the second part.

How would you describe Prague in adjectives?

The greatest city I’ve ever been to – the atmosphere, the people, obviously it’s the best beer in the world. You actually have seasons here, I’m from Manchester where you have rain.

If you could go back in time and see anything, what would you see?

That is one thing I’ve never thought of. In my lifetime, the thing that I most wanted to see, I was actually there and saw… That was when Liverpool won the champion’s league in 2005. They beat A.C. Milan in Istanbul and I was there in the stadium.

 

For more information on the groups, check out the links below.

Prague Writers Group

Prague Hash House Harriers

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating-Lambert. Photography by Petr Kurečka.

“When everything started I thought there is no way there is going to be violence” – Ukrainian expat Lilia on the shootings in Kyiv

Almost everyone has heard about the major political problems that are currently plaguing Ukraine. There are a number of opinions on both sides that deserve attention. Lilia, a Ukrainian citizen living in Prague caught up with us to give you the chance to hear an opinion from a local rather than a sensational news agency.

Lilia discusses a number of fascinating and controversial issues in Ukraine including the Czech Republic’s supportive response to the bloodshed in Kyiv, as well as the ‘information war’ sweeping through the media, especially in Crimea. What started off as a regular People in Prague interview in her kitchen turned into something incredibly informative and inspiring. Lilia’s positive attitude is infectious and will surely make an impact on many of you. Take the time to read the interview and please feel free to comment and express your opinion on this dire situation.

So where are you from in Ukraine, Lilia?

I’m originally from a small town in Western Ukraine, but I studied in Kyiv for four years so that’s where my conscientious life began!

What did you study?

I did a BA in History and an MA in Interdisciplinary Political/History/Cultural Studies in the Netherlands.

Tell us a little bit about your childhood.

I grew up in a kind of rural area. My dad is a farmer, we lived in a house surrounded by chickens and stuff. But I went to school in the town and it’s a very kind of core Ukrainian nationalistic part of the country. Everybody speaks Ukrainian. When I was growing up there I never spoke Russian nor met a Russian speaking person – yeah, it’s very very Ukrainian.

So quite different to the east.

Yeah definitely, because Western Ukraine was a part of Poland and then the Austro-Hungarian Empire after that. It only became a part of the Soviet Union in 1939 when they came to rescue us from Hitler. So, that’s where all the core differences come from; the fact that we belonged to different empires for such a long time.

How do you think Ukraine is seen by the rest of the world generally?

Well first of all Ukraine is on the map now, woohoo! Most of the world that knows anything about this situation, they tend to oversimplify it. That’s why the idea of Ukraine being so equally divided, that it’s just Russian versus Ukrainian stuff going on and Ukraine actually becoming two different countries based on the language is sort of bullshit.

When it started, the problem was that most of the world believed that it was about the EU only and that we wanted to join Europe so much that we were prepared to die for it – which is nonsense. It started like that and it was really small. It was more about showing the government that they can’t treat us like that. We have something to say and we’re going to say it, so fuck you (laughs).
And now, we have a new government that has no choice but to listen, at least for now. We, the people, are still at the square in Kyiv and we’re not going anywhere until we’ve got what we want. But I think now, after everything, that people are finally starting to realise that the Ukrainian revolution was so much more than just the EU, and that we actually has a chance. The problem is that Russia has so much more money and influence, resources and power. So we are seeing what we have seen so many times before in history… Other countries not wanting to poke the bear and saying ‘yeah, you know we condemn it so much. That’s so not nice Russia, don’t do that!’ (laughs).

How do you think Ukrainian people are seen by the Czechs?

Well the Czech Republic really don’t like Russia at all. They’ve been supporting Ukraine a lot. They send tonnes of money and aid and we have had so many demonstrations with so many Czechs. They started their own initiatives and they actually understand what’s going on, that’s the difference. In countries like Germany or France or the US, it’s completely different. Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, countries that have been through these Soviet camps – they get it. I feel so proud being Ukrainian here. I wear blue and yellow ribbons on my bag all the time.

Yeah? That’s great.

People actually talk to me about it. They will come up to me and say ‘oh we’re supporting Ukraine and how can we help?’ – it’s really nice. They also made a pegasus sculpture out of tires recently in Václavské náměstí to honor us. In Kyiv a lot of people were burning tires in the square.

Generally speaking, let’s say that Czechs are not very tolerant, and they don’t like Ukrainians so much. There are a lot of prejudices and clichés about Ukrainians being cleaning ladies and construction workers only and that they are stealing their jobs, it’s just insane. But, in this situation they have been great. I feel super lucky being here actually. Czech Republic – thumbs up.

Ok good, would you say that these common stereotypes of Ukrainians here have changed now as a result of the situation or are they still there?

No, that’s not going to change. They are still the same. Frankly, a lot of them have these jobs but they are still highly educated. There is so much more to them than that.

Ok. Now is it the language barrier that puts them into these jobs? Or is it to do with the Czech Republic not always recognising Ukrainian education?

A lot of people come here in their 30 or 40s, they don’t speak Czech and can’t get anything better. I’m not sure about diploma recognition. I know it is possible, but very difficult.

How have the recent incidents in Kyiv and Crimea affected you?

When everything started I was like ‘there is no way there is going to be violence’ because we had the Orange revolution in 2004, where there was zero violence and millions of people on the streets. Then when they beat up the students the first time, I thought ‘come on, this is crazy. This is my country and this is impossible’. And then, when they started shooting, I thought ‘what the fuck! This is not possible’. Things like that don’t happen in Ukraine. And we thought that Russia would never bring the army into the country, this is insane. And then they did. Myself and tonnes of other Ukrainians have just been watching the news non-stop.

It’s been very emotional for me. I really want to go there, I want to be there and be a part of it. The band 30 seconds to Mars were recently there and spoke out about it, and the atmosphere was just incredible. That’s what it is like in Kyiv and other big cities at the moment. We’re witnessing the birth of a political nation in Ukraine. Putin actually managed to unite the country more than our politicians have in the last 22 years.

Wow, that’s interesting.

Yes, it’s because of the common enemy we have right now. It started off as being against Yanukovych and also because a small portion wanted to join the EU, but then it was about freedom and dignity – that brought a lot of people to the streets. But it still didn’t gain support from the eastern and southern regions, and then Putin brought the army in, and now the people are chanting things in the streets! They are marching and proud to be Ukrainian, and that’s a good thing.

And have these protests affected anyone you know?

My sister has been volunteering a lot everywhere. Fortunately, nobody I know was hurt. No one I know lost any relatives, but I don’t know if our country will ever be the same again. It was a tragedy and at the same time, it’s a necessary thing for Ukraine to become a true political nation. We can do it!

Great! And on a different note, do you like 30 seconds to Mars?

(Laughs) They’re good, I don’t know too many of their songs though. But Jared Leto is cool.

I believe he also mentioned Ukraine as well as Venezuela at the Oscars?

Yes, he did which was great. Apparently that part was cut out in Russia when they were broadcasting it.

Do you think that really happened or do you think it’s just a rumour?

I’m pretty sure that they really did that.

Ok then, since we’re talking about the media now. There are posters glorifying Putin as the new Hitler. What’s your opinion on those?

We have an information war going on right now. In Crimea, there are posters that show the region as Russian and prosperous, or as a Ukrainian fascist state with a swastika… In Russia they are showing people in Kyiv as ultra nationalistic and fascist. They also say that everyone in the square are drugged to pump them up more. It’s crazy!

Do you believe the Western media when they say that Putin is going to continue to invade countries or do you think it’s a bit too sensational?

Putin wouldn’t mind becoming the new great collector of the lands or become the new Russian Peter the Great. I’m pretty sure he has ambitions like that of course. He has grandeur issues… Well, pretty sure he has a lot of issues (laughs). When Georgia happened, some people, President Kaczynski for example, were saying ‘today it’s Georgia, tomorrow it will be Kyiv and then Warsaw.’ Everyone thought that was ridiculous. But now people are starting to think ‘ok, how did this happen!?’ At this point, I’m not going to be surprised by anything he does.

But Russia has no chances when it comes to real war. Even if you compare military budgets of some of the major countries, there is just no way. But, he might try to bite off some small pieces of countries around him instead. He is walking on thin ice though because Russia in the end is just a bunch of different republics and quite a few of them wouldn’t mind being independent themselves.

What can people here in Prague do to help out?

Well they can spread the word. Make sure people understand what is really going on and don’t get into the trap of Russian propaganda or oversimplify things. It’s important to raise awareness and of course donate money. There are more than 100 people in critical conditions in the hospital now. There are victims being treated for free in Czech hospitals too which is great.

I’m curious. What’s your general opinion on the Czech government?

Well, Zeman is a ‘bubble bum’ (laughs). For those that don’t know, he was in the European commission and he wanted to say bubble gum, not bubble bum… Check out the video on Youtube. Fortunately, the president doesn’t have that much power, but he is the face of the country.

Anyway, I know there have been struggles here, but the government is functional unlike the Ukrainian one. There is no need for revolution.

Now tell us a little bit about the language, a lot of people presume that Ukrainian is similar or almost the same as Russian.

They are really different languages. Just because everyone in Ukraine is to some extent bilingual, it doesn’t mean they’re the same. And Russians don’t understand us when we speak Ukrainian. Ukrainian, vocabulary wise, is much closer to Polish. Not only is the language different but our mentalities are also. These differences kind of stem from the language as well. For example, the role of Ukrainian women in society. In Russian, a man marries ON a woman, but in Ukrainian he marries WITH the woman. Also the word man as a human being in Ukrainian is of female gender.

Does this mean that women have or had quite a significant role in Ukraine?

Of course it’s not as significant now, but this role is somewhat still there, yes.

That’s very interesting. Will you ever go back and live in Ukraine?

I would love to, but things change so often. When I left the first time to study, I was convinced I was going to be back in 18 months. But then I got a job, and it was a question of gaining experience here and going back and starting from scratch. Of course right now with everything that is going on, I really want to be there. I wanna be a part of it. I feel kindof deprived of a chance to witness and participate in all of this. I totally see myself going back though, I love Kyiv, I love Ukraine.

Would you say that Prague is home for now?

I think Prague is a very comfortable city to live in. At first it was too peaceful for me. In Kyiv everyone is in a rush and it gives me a rush as well. Prague is much more slow and peaceful, but now I’m so used to this comfortable life, and I have friends here. I have a job, I have a choir and a very active life.

How would you describe Prague in adjectives?

Delicate – architecture wise especially, sunny (laughs), no but I feel like it is, really!

What do you miss the most from home?

Being able to speak Ukrainian everywhere! I work in Ukrainian but it’s writing so it doesn’t really count. I miss using it in everyday life.

Where do you like to hang out in Prague?

My weeks are VERY busy. I learn German, I go to quizzes, I go to the movies, I meet my friends, I go to the gym.

Wow, very busy.

I love house parties too AND I love baking.

What’s your favourite thing to bake?

I try not to bake the same thing twice. But I am proud of my carrot cake and chocolate cake!

So… I guess you like cake?

YES.

If you could go back in time and see anything, what would you see?

That’s a tough one. There are too many options! Maybe I would go back and be a part of a Native American tribe, but not a violent one! (laughs) Yeah I think that would be cool.

Thank you so much for your time, Lilia! Please comment and let us know your thoughts on the present situation in Crimea. All opinions arewelcome.

Written and transcribed by Ryan Keating. Photography by Petr Kurečka.