Borders and Barriers-The Belfast Peacelines-Multimedia-V2

Wednesday, December 1st, 2010

(This is the latest version of the multimedia with a few image, transition and caption changes)

It’s taken some time but I’ve finally put together a multimedia presentation from my recent assignment to Belfast as part of the Borders and Barriers project.

It was my first time shooting video, using a lavalier mic and making pictures which was hard work but very enjoyable. Juggling all three is a real challenge and you need time and space to achieve that. I was fairly realistic about what I could produce in 10 days and am quite happy with the outcome and now I’m more experienced with the technical side I’m looking forward to the next assignment.

Much more time consuming however was learning Final Cut Pro 7 when I returned..!! It’s a monster of a program but worth every minute of training on Lynda.com. I’ve only scratched the surface on its use but wanted to put together a small presentation to see how it worked and looked. There are some changes I know I’d like to make already but this is a work in progress and needs a return trip to Belfast to complete but any comments or suggestions on any aspect of the film would be appreciated.

Do you think it needs subtitles, is the music too loud, cuts to quick, pictures up for long enough and more importantly, was it engaging and informative…? Any comments like this would be really helpful for the future. Hope you enjoy it and speak to you soon….

Thanks…

The Belfast Peacelines-V2 from Richard Wainwright on Vimeo.

Borders and Barriers-The Belfast Peace Lines

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

I’ve finally recovered from jet lag and have started working on a few images from my recent trip to Belfast in Northern Ireland. This forms the third part of my long term project on borders and barriers around the world.

Although a very short trip I still managed to get around most of Belfast thanks to the many community groups who helped out. I met some fascinating people who have dedicated large parts of their lives to help understand and report on the consequences of these peacelines or peace walls and the overall situation in Northern Ireland. I also met and interviewed participants of ‘The Troubles’, many of whom spent years in prison and were released as part of the peace process and now work in community relation groups.

Belfast is quite possibly one of the friendliest places I’ve worked in but spending time in the interface areas (places where Catholic and Protestant communities live next to each other), away from the now buzzing city centre, an air of uncertainty, distrust, anxiety and underdevelopment is still very much evident. On either side of the walls, life continues as normal and many people are happy to drive from one area to another but most said there are areas they would not feel safe to walk in. In many cases, people who live just meters apart, divided by a 20 ft high multi layered barrier have never met or even have the desire to meet each other. Segregation permeates all areas of life both physically and psychologically, from housing where over 95% of social housing is either Catholic or Protestant to education where only around 5% of children attend integrated schools. Whilst most of the violence of the 90′s has stopped, rioting in flashpoints still does occur and virtually all residents who live next to the peacelines and interface areas do not want the walls to come down. At night, gates are closed to both traffic and pedestrians, effectively cutting off Protestant from Catholic areas. They feel safer, at least physiologically, with these physical barriers intact which they say they now hardly even notice.

The first peacelines where erected back at the start of ‘The Troubles’ in the late 60′s and were supposed to be temporary structures separating the Loyalist Protestant from the Republican Catholic communities. Ironically, since the peace agreement over 10 years ago, many more barriers have been built. In 1994 there were approximately 24 walls, there are now an estimated 90 structures in place throughout Belfast from obvious 20 foot high walls to thinly disguised disused houses, waste land and community gates with the latest wall being built little over 24 months ago.

I’ll be making a return trip there next year to continue this story so below are some images taken during my time there. I’m also working on editing audio and video I shot. I really enjoyed shooting video for the first time and think the audio interviews I took really add to the sense of the place. Multimedia is fast becoming the most exciting and informative way to show stories so once I’ve got the basics of FCP, I’ll post an update here.

Any questions or comments you have please get in contact……

The main peace wall that runs for over 5km dividing the predominantly Protestant Shankill Road Area from the Catholic Falls Road in West Belfast. Seen from the Catholic area of St Galls Avenue just off the Falls Road, many of the houses in this area have been rebuilt since the troubles in the 1990's

A resident of Bombay Street with the peace wall backing onto his property in West Belfast. This street became the epicenter of violence during the early days of the troubles and most of the original houses were burnt down.

Gates in peace walls all over Belfast are locked at night separating the Catholic areas from Protestant areas. Looking through the Workman Avenue gate into the Protestant Woodvale estate in West Belfast.

A resident walking past housing next to the peace wall in Protestant Woodvale area in West Belfast.

Joseph Hasett a Catholic resident on the Springfield road who lives opposite the peace wall separating them from the protestant Woodvale estate in West Belfast.

A tourist bus passes a peace wall on the Protestant Cupar Way Road in West Belfast. So called Terror Tours have become a familiar sight in West Belfast.

Caoileann Meehan (16) from the Catholic area of Springfield Road. He days he doesn't mix much with the Protestant teeanagers on the other side of the wall and believes that violence would dramatically increase if the walls came down.

Caoileann Meehan (16) from the Catholic area of Springfield Road. He says he doesn't mix with the Protestant teenagers on the other side of the wall and never goes over there. He believes that violence would dramatically increase if the walls came down.

A young Protestant family go through the Workman Avenue gate in the peace wall in West Belfast. At night the gates are closed.

Catholic houses on the Springfield Road opposite Workman Avenue, a notorious flashpoint during the marching season. The houses are bricked inbetween to stop rioters entering further into the residential area and the front windows removed.

The Shankill Road complete with British flags reflecting their allegiance to Britain. Many Protestant areas are adorned with flags as a means of identity.

Segregation is common in Northern Ireland's education system with only 3-5% of children attending mixed schools. Pupils studying at Springfield Primary School in West Belfast, a segregated Protestant School in a mostly Catholic area.

A man walks along the interface area and peace wall in Bryson Street dividing the Short Strand area of East Belfast, a Catholic enclave of about 3,500 people in a predominantly Protestant area.

Cluan Place, a Protestant area surrounding the Catholic enclave of Short Strand in East Belfast.

An old and rusty peace wall shields new housing in the Catholic New Lodge community from the Tigers Bay Protestant area on the other side in North Belfast.

L-R Padraig Smyth (18), Brian McCartney (19) and Gerard Morgin (20) on Springfield road next to the peace wall in West Belfast. They say they don't ever go over to the Protestant side of the wall. They have no bad feelings towards the Protestants but don't want the wall to come down.

A peace wall in Townsend Street looking from the Catholic side towards the Shankill Protestant area. This gate is closed at 5.30pm and opened at 7am.

he peace wall and interface in Protestant Glenbryn Park with Catholic Alliance Avenue on other side.

A peace wall and interface area in Protestant Glenbryn Park with Catholic Alliance Avenue on other side.

Borders & Barriers-Cyprus-The Buffer Zone

Monday, June 14th, 2010

Finally back in Perth after a very busy 6 weeks away working on 3 assignments in Palestine, Cyprus and Liberia which was exhausting but amazing. My project in Cyprus was cut short by a week after Cafod asked me to go to Liberia for a job at the last minute so I hope to return soon to complete this.  I’ll be posting some images from Liberia in the next few days.

These images from Cyprus continue the theme of my long term project about Borders and Barriers around the world that separates communities. The main focus of the story is the divided capital of Nicosia where the so called ‘Green Line’ or ‘Buffer Zone’ was drawn in 1974 during the height of hostilities. In some sections the buffer zone between the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots is only a few meters wide. Greek and Turkish troops agreed to pull back from these inflammatory positions in 1989 and the zone is patrolled by UN Peacekeepers who have been in Cyprus since 1964, making it one of their longest running missions.

Nicosia is quite a surreal place. It has a look and feel of any other thriving Mediterranean city and via a number of checkpoints it’s easy for Greeks, Turks and tourist alike to cross over to either side. Running through the centre however is the Buffer Zone, a no mans land where homes and shops have been left abandoned and decaying since 1974. If you approach the dividing line on either side you’re likely to come across armed Greek or Turkish soldiers in bunkers and lookout posts. Dead end streets lined with concrete filled painted oil barrels with signs strictly prohibiting photography mark the border. It has a look and feel of a nation at war but the line has been peaceful for years. Walk just 10 meters back from the line and you can be sipping a beer in a neon clad café just like any other tourist spot in the world.

I was very lucky to get access there as very few people are allowed to enter and even UN troops aren’t permitted to take pictures. This eerie, derelict, bullet ridden strip of former shops and homes is a fascinating place. I hope to return to finish off the project by interviewing people who had to flee either side of the green line during the war.

A UN peacekeeping soldier patrols the narrowest section of the UN controlled Buffer Zone or the Green Line in the divided city of Nicosia on the island of Cyprus. Since 1974, abandoned shop fronts and houses just metres apart have became the front line between the Greek-Cypriot southern region and the Turkish-Cypriot northern region. Soldiers have now pulled back from these positions to help relieve the tension between both sides. Highly restricted and inaccessible to all but UN personnel, the decaying buildings have remained untouched and left to ruin for over three decades.

Cement filled oil barrels block off streets to the buffer zone from the Greek side.

Brick walls with viewing ports mostly form the barrier on the Turkish side.

Sand bags fill windows of a building on the front line on the Greek side of the buffer zone. The bullet holes reveal the intensity of the fighting that took place in this area.

With no one allowed into the buffer zone except UN peacekeepers the building have fallen into disrepair and nature allowed to take over

With no one allowed into the buffer zone except UN peacekeepers the buildings have fallen into disrepair and nature allowed to take over.

Shop front, barbed wire and oil barrels form the barrier between the two sides.

UN installed barriers have to be clearly marked. Any changes to how the buffer zone is demarcated is hotly contested by both sides

Many people living in the area fled during the fighting and have never returned to their homes. Personal possessions still remain in a virtual time warp from 1973.

Many people living in the area fled during the fighting and have never returned to their homes. Personal possessions still remain in a virtual time warp from 1974.

Ageing clothes, bottles, furniture and personal possessions from the 1970's still remain in many of the homes

Access to the buffer zone is strictly prohobitied and overseen by both Greek and Turkish troops. No photography is allowed along the wall and few people walk near the line.

Access to the buffer zone is strictly prohibited. Both Greek and Turkish troops either side of the zone keep watch and UN peacekeepers patrol the centre.

The Buffer Zone from the Greek side marked by painted oil barrels and observation posts.

Whilst industrial businesses operate close to the line few people live within the immediate area. Abandoned and war damaged houses are found all along the Greek side of the zone.

UN watch towers can be seen all along the buffer zone but since a decrease in hostilities not all are manned these days.

A street with shops and apartments suddenly comes to a stop by the buffer zone wall on the Turkish side.

A customer in the northern Turkish part of Cyprus enjoys a beer just meters from the buffer zone with the Ledra Street crossing seen behind. Since 2003 it has been possible for both Greeks and Turks to cross the buffer zone at designated crossing points and visit either side of the Island. Tourists can pass through after showing their passports. Either side of the buffer zone life and commerce continues as normal adding a surreal atmosphere to the place.

The buffer zone extends over 180km across the Island and whilst only a few meters apart in Nicosia it can be a few kilometers wide in other parts. Nicosia International airport was a scene of heavy fighting and was declared a United Nations Protected Area in 1974. It has remained unused since then and is now home to roosts of pigeons.

The departure lounge covered in pigeon droppings. With a thriving tourist industry the airport was modern for its time before closing during fighting in 1974.

Passport control booths remain unused since 1974.

Passport control booths remain unused since 1974.

UN peacekeepers from Slovakia maintain watch in the southern sector of the buffer zone. Whilst there is no physical barrier in this section entry is strictly prohibited without prior permission.

UN peacekeepers patrol the buffer zone in the southern sector. Farmers are allowed onto the land with prior permission. There are over 10,000 people allowed to live and work within the zone. Many tourists and hunters enter the zone illegally, mostly by mistake.

A UN peacekeeper looks out over the buffer zone towards the northern Turkish side of the Cyprus.

Borders & Barriers-Israeli Separation Barrier

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Just arrived back in Jordan from  assignment in Israel and Palestine. This is the first part of a long term project about physical borders and barriers around the world that separate communities due to conflict, illegal immigration or territorial issues.

I’ll be processing and editing when I’m back in Perth so below is just a quick view of what I’ve been working on. I’ll be writing a more comprehensive report and publish a fuller story in a few weeks. I’m off to Cyprus in a few days to continue the story there so will post again when I hopefully start shooting pictures on phase two of the project.

A Palestinian woman walks past a mural of the late Yasser Arafat painted on the separation wall at the Qalandiya checkpoint near the West Bank town of Ramallah.

The separation wall which works its way into the centre of Bethlehem.

After queuing up since 4am Palestinians clamber to get into the checkpoint at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem to get through to work in Jerusalem.

A schoolboy gets lost in the crowd as people try and push through the checkpoint in Qalandiya. The wall separated many children from their homes and schools and now have to speand hours each day going through the daunting checkpoint procedure to get to school.

A schoolboy gets lost in the crowd as people try and push through the checkpoint in Qalandiya. The wall separated many children from their homes and schools and they now have to spend hours each day going through the daunting checkpoint procedure to get to school.

As the checkpoint is finally opened at 6am, Palestinian workers surge forward, crushing everyone within the cage at Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.

A Palestinian worker sits exhausted on a bus waiting to take him to work in Jerusalem after queueing up at Rachel's Tomb checkpoint in Bethlehem for over 3 hours from 4am.

The separation wall between Palestine and Israel in Ar Ram near Ramallah looking into the Jerusalem region of Atarot.

A farmer waits for the agricultural gate at Attil to be opened by IDF soldiers.

IDF soldiers open North Gate, an agricultural access gate on the separation barrier in the village of Jayyus. The gate is opened 3 times a day for about 30 minutes each to give farmers access to their land they have been separated from.

IDF soldiers open North Gate, an agricultural access gate on the separation barrier in the village of Jayyus. The gate is opened 3 times a day for about 30 minutes to give farmers access to their land they have been separated from. They are effectively trapped their until the soldiers turn up again to open the gate and let them back to their village.

IDF soldiers close the Attil agricultural gate in the separation barrier near the West bank town of Tulkarm. through the Separation Barrier outside the West Bank town Tulkarm. Many of the farmers have lost the majority of their land to the barrier and have to apply for permits to cross the barrier to work.

IDF soldiers close the Attil agricultural gate in the separation barrier near the West bank town of Tulkarm. Many of the farmers have lost the majority of their land to the barrier and have to apply for permits to cross the barrier to work. Permits are often refused for no reason resulting in wasted crops and income difficulties for the farmers.

Teenagers play by the separation barrier walling off Aida Refugee Camp near Bethlehem.

Protesters make their way to the separation barrier in Nil'in.

Protesters throw stones over the separation wall at Israeli soldiers who reply with volleys of tear gas and live fire during the regular Friday protest in the village of Nil'in to demonstrate against land confiscation and the separation wall running through their land.

Residents and protesters try and escape clouds of tear gas fired by IDF soldiers in the village of Nil'in whilst demonstrating against land confiscation and the separation barrier.

The separation wall between Palestine and Israel in Abu Dis near Jerusalem.

The separation wall winds its way around Aida refugee camp near Bethlehem.

Thousands of workers from the Qalqiliya area arrive before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

An Israeli check point at Qalqiliya. Thousands of workers from the area arrive at the checkpoint before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

An Israeli check point at Qalqiliya. Thousands of workers from the area arrive at the checkpoint before 4am to pass through the checkpoint to go to work in Israel.

Palestinian taxis, buses and cars queue up at Qalandiya checkpoint to get through to Jerusalem to work. This process can take hours with no guarantee they will be allowed through.

The separation wall and Israeli watchtower in a residential area of the West Bank town of Dahiyat near Ramallah.

A protester flies the Palestinian flag at the start of the regular protest n the village of Nil'in to demonstrate against land confiscation and the separation wall.