[ philip blenkinsop ] - european external action service · chetri from the mid-west hills “i...
TRANSCRIPT
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[ Philip Blenkinsop ]
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Women at warAs photographers we are witnesses and messengers. I endeavour to preserve moments which faithfully portray the people and the situation in which they find themselves in as accurately and compellingly as possible. My photographs say, unambiguously: ‘this is the situation’. This is what these people face each and every day of their lives.The underlying question is always the same: what are you going to do about it? The closer you can come to feeling a place and immersing yourself in a situation, the more revealing your images. It is very rare that I do not feel moved by the people I spend time with. Moved to the point of tears and anger, and so many times left in awe of their spirit and selflessness.If my photographs, taken in these pathetic theatres, fail to disturb and anger viewers where I myself have been so disturbed and angered, the work is of no merit. My search for the image is always free of thematic or storyline constraints. Arriving in a place with a fixed idea of what you expect to see and photograph is a recipe for disaster.What do you do when, no matter what you try to isolate within your viewfinder, the reality outside is ten times more shocking and threatens to swallow you up as you pick your way through it.
PhiliP BlenkinsoP
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I returned to the hospital after a week in the Delta
area and entered an empty hospital room. Sunita
had died that morning. In her village, by the side of
the road that would eventually lead her to her final
resting place, relatives grieve by her corpse.
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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The road out of Nepalgunj to Bardiya is scarred by
Maoist ambush sites. This particular blast claimed
the lives of two women.
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Policewomen stand with batons ready,
during anti-monarchy demonstrations.
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) women recruits
outside of their Kathmandu barracks.
This represents the second batch of female
recruits into the RNA.
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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RNA recruit, Karki Puspa, age 20
“My husband, Karki Jeevan (age 20), was killed
in an ambush by Maoists at the birthplace of Lord
Buddha, Kopil Bustu in southern Nepal, ten months
after we were married. I joined the army to fulfil
my husband’s dream of saving the nation.
We are not scared to be ambushed. We will fight.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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RNA recruit, Shrestha Ram Kumari, age 20
“My husband, Shresthaa Rambahadur (age 26),
was ambushed by Maoists while on patrol
in Shinduli Bhadrakali 15 months ago.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Comrade Rojana, age 19
“I have seen women being beaten by security forces
at a religious fair in Malakot, Kalikot District
two years ago. Nirmala (another female Maoist
combatant) and I were in the cultural team and
decided to join the armed movement together.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Comrade Nirmala, age 19,
Chetri from the Mid-west hills
“I joined the cultural wing of the movement when
I was 16 years old. It was Rama Roshan people’s
cultural group. I joined because I was aware of
western cultures supporting the old government.
My uncle was killed by RNA troops two years ago.
He was in a cultural team and was sheltering in
a village in the Kailaali district. He was 26 years
old. He was captured at 07h00 by RNA and taken
away with two others and tortured. They had nails
pushed under their fingernails. Their hands and
feet were tied and they were shot. I heard that my
uncle’s body was found in the forest. That is what
my friends informed me of. I joined the military
wing about six months ago, but I took part in an
attack on Atcham HQ Mangalesen in the North-
western hills in 2002 while I was still part of the
cultural team. I was slightly back from the front
wave, playing my madel (drum). I felt no fear…
I received encouragement from the leaders and
brothers who were becoming martyrs. The blood
of the people made me more angry. Where I was I
saw 26 people killed. We celebrated by telling the
villagers we had won the battle and showed them
the sophisticated weapons. The villagers welcomed
us, giving us garlands and playing musical
instruments for us. That day there were 175 dead
military and police. After the war I would like
to liberate all the women of Nepal. They have no
income or status.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Comrade Bargiya, age 20, of Taru ethnicity
“The security forces knew I was a Maoist activist
with the women’s organisation. Two years ago, at
09h00, 150 RNA arrived in my village in Rajapur.
They beat 20 to 22 villagers and encircled our
house to ask my mother where I was. She told
them she didn’t know where I was. They beat my
mother and my brother’s wife with guns and kicked
them. This was in November 2002, and in January
I joined the military wing. I have participated in
one raid, numerous encounters and five ambushes.
I am not sure how many people were killed by
my bullets but I am sure they died. In an ambush
in Ghariha with another group, they blew up a
vehicle and I have seen seven dead bodies. Those
I have killed deserved to be killed. I was excited to
see their dead bodies and encouraged to kill others
because they [security forces] are the enemy of the
proletariat. I’m married. My husband is also in the
military in the hills. It was less than a year ago
that we got married. The last time I have seen him
was a month ago. We have no plans for children
at the moment. I haven’t even thought of it. If I am
pregnant, the Party would assign me to a different
position in the political wing. It would make no
difference to me.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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RNA recruit, Tharu Mina Kumari, age 20
“My husband, Tharu Patiram (age 23) was killed
in an ambush while patrolling in the Chitwan
area. I will marry again after the war if I can
find a good man.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal
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Comrade Rekha, age 19, Kamaiya
(members of the system of bonded labour
in Nepal go under this name)
“I joined the women’s wing of the Communist Party
of Nepal (Maoist) three years ago. One year later I
joined the armed wing of the Maoists. The senior
comrade visited our village and convinced us of the
persecution and suffering of the poor. I saw the
chance to join the party and achieve things from
within the party. I have taken place in two raids,
in Lamki and in Beni. In Lamki it was my duty to
care for the wounded and oversee the disposal of
the dead bodies. In the Beni attack I was part of the
defence group, supporting the main assault group.
I saw the lights in their bunkers. The RNA knew
we were coming and ambushed the main assault
group but they managed to overrun them and we
attacked from all sides. My brother (age 25) has
been with the RNA for the last six years. He used
to be in Kailali barracks but not any more. We used
to write to each other but not anymore… he stopped
a year ago. My parents asked me in the beginning:
“why did you join the Maoists if your brother,
Rambahadur Choudhari, is with the RNA?” They
do not ask me anymore. I don’t want to meet him
again because he is our enemy. If I meet him on
the battlefield I am in a position to kill him, I will
kill him.”
© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal