Love is the Answer: Youth and Social Change

Published On:

Service Space.Org
The News Tribe UK

CNN International 
WGRZ NBC NY
We Speak News [India] 
Catholic.Org 
Catholic.Org: Teens and Youth: Video 
 

Forest Call celebrated its one-year anniversary by honoring the work of our youth. Neil, a teen intern with Service Space, interviewed 17 year old Ian Watt. A filmmaker who founded, “Love is the Answer" on Forest Call.

"Love is the Answer" is a web based platform developed by kids in order to direct their creative talents towards a movement. Several goals include: celebrating creativity, building a community of passionate problem solvers, and to reshape the ways that people can actively become involved in change.

The motto of “Love is the Answer” is basic: “ ______ is the problem. love is the answer. Your creativity. Your movement. Let us be your voice."

Ian, along with a friend, spent time with K.I. Nepal, an NGO involved in anti-human trafficking where they rescue girls at border stations  between Nepal and India. K.I. Nepal invests in the rescued girls, in the same manner Ian's parents invested in him.  This experience proved to be the crux of "Love is the Answer":

"This whole idea of the "loveistheanswer" movement is to come here [Nepal] and to really plug in."

Ian recalls his moment of inspiration that transpired into a continuous journey:

"We were sitting in the new Delhi airport in India and we were just thinking about the model that organizations use and it was really just brainstorming about ways to get involved besides using our finances. I thought, the whole reason I am going to Nepal is to shoot a film so what if I use film? We broadened the idea eventually to all creative talents."

Once at K.I.Nepal, Ian learned how a border station operates:

"We went to one border station and we got out of the car, I was filming, walked down to the actual border, saw border guards and the people just crowding through and if anyone's ever been to India or Nepal, there is really no traffic pattern. There are no toll booths or no real security checks. The traffic just pours through like a funnel so it's almost impossible to intercept girls that are potentially being trafficked."

In detail, Ian describes his first experience at a border station:

"I went to the K.I.Nepal border station, and what they do is have counselors who stand at the border station and seek out girls who are suspects for being trafficked. They are authorized by the local police force to interrogate these people. The counselors were once trafficked. They have been so empowered by K.I.Nepal that they come back to serve. These girls know exactly what to look for because they have been through it."
 

What transpired next was an emotionally charged, life changing event for Ian:

"This 12 -year-old girl was rescued that morning and to look at a 12-year-old girl, I have a sister who is 12 and to see someone that age, it just didn't make sense to me to see someone that young be trapped in such a system of evil. It was really heartbreaking. She came in the truck with us and sat right next to me and we went to the safe house and dropped her off and there is a community of girls living in this safe house who are learning skills and building relationships with each other. Just to see them welcome this girl with open arms, it just brought tears to my eyes.

We came back three days later, and this 12-year-old girl who had just before been broken, had been totally crushed, not a hint of a smile, her eyes were just glazed over fear; I saw the most amazing transformation. This girl was given such hope from the community and the safe house that she was beaming! She was singing and dancing with the other girls. I was speechless."

After his return from Nepal, Ian was that much more driven to serve. When asked about his upbringing, Ian makes it abundantly clear that he understands not only his role, but the roles of others:

"I am privileged to have grown up in a really strong and centered family. Our lives are here to serve others, it's not to get as much as we can out of life. I think it's important to understand, our purpose is not to gain things for ourselves, but to serve others. I would just like to thank my parents, they have always been an inspiration to me."

Ian's school sponsored a contest that he won that propelled him to continue to use film to help people realize the true purpose of their lives. Ian does not seek to be the “best director” or to be “famous” rather to inspire others to create. 

Furthermore, Ian's school made his vision a greater possibility by allowing him to finish his education online in order to continue traveling to bring more awareness through collaboration for a greater cause.

A direct result can be seen in Ian's advice for kids who do not have the same privilege or exposure:

"To the people who think they don't have the potential or think they don't have the capacity to serve others, you totally can, it's less of finding the money or finding the opportunity, it's more of what's going on inside, where's your heart? Everyone is here for a reason and there is a certain calling we all have to use our lives to serve others to make our world a better place for the next generation."

Ian recognizes the need for technology, yet drives home an essential message of utilizing that same technology for positive actions:

"We should be the change instead of technology, technology is a tool that we should use. A lot of the advancements that we have made as a society has been under detrimental purposes. The same technology used to prevent human trafficking is being used to support human trafficking."

On the "Love is the Answer" website, there are new artists constantly signing on. People can submit their art or movement for cultivation or sponsorship.

In September 2012, Ian's new film is being released based upon his experience of “plugging in” to street artists that created wall murals to highlight causes.

To find people in the world, who are interested in becoming involved in the world, is the mission of "Love is the Answer." 

In the words of one 17-year-old artist: 

"Is this life about me or is it about us? As a global community, we are responsible for each other." - Ian Watt

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Ian's experience in Nepal is documented on Northern Lights titled, “loveistheanswer” a short documentary created by diverse young artists collaborating with one another. You can also follow him on Twitter: lveistheanswr.  Here's a film that speaks about their journey and work:

History and Plight of the Rohingyas: Restless Beings

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Mabrur Ahmed
Co-Director & Co-Founder ~ RestlessBeings

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We ask you to continue to work alongside us on this issue to get the news out to the mass public and media.


History of the Rohingyas from Restless Beings.Org

The Rohingyas are one of the most persecuted communities in the world. Although, they have been living in the state of Arakan since the 8th century (which is now part of Burma), the Rohingyas have been under extreme scrutiny by the Burmese government. They haven't been recognised as citizens of The Union of Burma since Burmese independence in 1948, instead they are known as 'non citizens'.

The Burmese Junta have discriminated the Rohingya because:

• They are not similar in looks
• Speak a different language 
• Have a different religion. 

As a means of clamping down on the Rohingya, the Junta have restricted even the most basic of rights such as education, marriage and citizenship.

The Burmese government endorse the Burmese culture and the Buddhist faith for their national citizens; the Rohingyas fall outside of this ideal criteria because they want to retain their own culture and the Muslim faith. As a result, the Rohingyas, sidelined and marginalised, have to live with their derogatory national status of 'non-citizens'.

 

Between 1978 and 1992, approximately 200,000 Rohingyas left Burma to escape the tyranny of the Burmese military. Most of them moved to southern Bangladesh where they remain as refugees. In one of the most densely populated countries in the world, life in Bangladesh proved just as hard as it did in Burma.

In Bangladesh, the Rohingyas are faced with hardly any protection from their host country. A burden to the densely populated country, the Rohingyas are denied humanitarian aid which forces them to turn to other means of income such as drug trafficking.

There is one registered camp situated meters away from the registered camp where 90,000 refugees live. Another camp 15 miles away, in Leda Bazaar where approximately 25,000 Rohingya live, is where Restless Beings focus has been.

In 1962, the Rohingyas were systematically denied of political, civil, economic and social human rights. Today, the Rohingyas in Burma cannot commute from one village to another due to the security forces known as 'Nasaka' who patrol their movement at various checkpoints. This affects their education and access to medication.

Rohingyas are denied citizenship despite living in Arakan for centuries because Muslims are portrayed as 'relics of a colonial past'. This stems from the fact that Muslims supported the British during the colonial period because they were promised autonomy in Rakhine previously known as Arakan.

Rohingyas have been subject to the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war, forced labour, and land confiscation. Over 3,500 villages have been destroyed since 1996.

Similar to the Rohingyas living in Burma, the Rohingya refugees are limited in their movement and subject to exploitation. In refugee camps, the Rohingya women are victims of sexual violence, children are denied education and there is limited access to health and medical aid.

The hostile environment for Rohingyas in Bangladesh urges the refugees in Bangladesh and Burma to seek help in other parts of Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia; however, these parts are not usually welcoming.

Update from Restless Beings

 

Reports have been flooding in this afternoon of a new wave of attacks on Rohingya this afternoon leaving hundreds homeless and looking for shelter on foot during torrential monsoon rains whilst others were left dead. The recent clashes have been reported from 4 villages near Rauthedoung were as many as 12 have been killed with 1,000 Rohingya displaced as well as in 3 villages south of Maungdaw where 3 people have been killed this Thursday, August 16, 2012.

In the minutes leading up to sunset as many Rohingya were preparing to open their fasts (Ramadhan) hundreds of Rakhine activists armed with sticks, batons and other weaponry forced their way into Rohingya houses in three adjacent villages. As the villagers attempted to fight back against the Rakhine who had violated their homes, Lun Htin and Nasaka (Burmese armed forces and paramilitary) opened live rounds of fire on the villagers.

Three men and one woman have been shot dead whilst many others have been injured. In total the three entire villages are being evacuated with the Rohingya unsure of where they are to move to next. Whilst one of the sources was describing the events , shooting and wailing could be heard in the background.

In a separate incident, but most likely part of this new wave of violence, four villages near Rathedoung were attacked late last night, Wednesday, leaving more than 12 dead and over 1,000 Rohingya displaced. Similar to incidents in Maungdaw today, Rakhine had attacked the villages and were backed up by Burmese armed forces and paramilitary servicemen.

The forces pushed the Rohingya villages from their homes, across the river and now the camp of 1,000 are moving north through mountainous terrains and during monsoon season looking for shelter. 12 people have been confirmed dead - 8 were shot dead and 4 more have lost their lives battling against the elements whilst being shelter less.

As international media have recently been reporting from the region and as an aid deal has been agreed by the President with OIC, this is seen as the final, brutal wave against the Rohingya during the recent clashes. It is feared that this move will be drawn out over many days surely, many more lives will be lost.

Social Media vs Journalism

First published:

The News Tribe UK

WGRZ Ch. 2

 

Prompted by a question asked to me by Kashif Ahmad on twitter: 

I responded with:

The term “Journalism” is a well defined term. Due to “social media” everyone thinks they are a journalist.

Journalism is [Merriam-Webster] : Writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation.

Journalism is a diverse field with varying degrees of reporting such as: journalism by field [medical, business, political, education, art], and journalism by genre [broadcast, photo, combat, investigative, citizen, documentary.]

Social media is [Merriam-Webster] : forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.

Examples of social media are: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, Blogger, Vimeo, and WordPress.

Journalism and social media are clearly two different matters of concern.

Social Media can be utilized to propel journalism via technology through public relations and networking.  Due to technology, information is able to reach the world in seconds, including all of the people one is connected to, as well as all of the people that share ones information and whom they are connected to.

For example, if I were sent trusted, educational, newsworthy information; my network is designed to reach every online network in mere seconds. That is employing social media in regards to public relations and networking. That is not journalism.

Social Media involves utilizing technology to reach an audience in order to make any information public.  Social Media is what most of us use everyday.

Journalism is reporting, writing, and broadcasting information that is informative and factual to the public for a specific purpose.

The difference between the two depends solely on the information that is being shared. Is it educational, researched, factual, informative and necessary for the public to know about? Or is it a picture of you at your cousins birthday party?

While there is nothing wrong with either forms of utilizing social media, there is a distinct line between referring to oneself as a “social journalist” simply due to accessing and being published by the means of social media.

In order to be “journalistic”, writing in a blog, having an article accepted by a newspaper and sharing information online must be comparable to research, speaking to people involved [recording, broadcasting, writing] and reading about a single subject matter in order to educate the public in an objective fashion, as well as yourself.

There is nothing in this article that is my opinion. It is researched fact, informative and educational. That is a form of journalism.

Anything faltering from the above is simply expression or opinion.

Rohingya: The Human Story

Remember Rohingya   Restless Beings has prepared a media statement  on behalf of community organizations and business to ask media to end the  blackout from Burma on this issue and  to report according to international standards without bias.  To support, email your business/organization/network logo to: rohingya@restlessbeings.org   A special event for press and limited guests: This event will look at the human stories behind recent clashes and the ensuing state-led campaign against the Rohingya in Burma. Monday 23 July 2012, 6.30pm - 8pm Brady Arts and Community Centre 192-196 Hanbury Street London E1, 5HU. Space is limited, for more information and to register for this free event click here. On Monday,  July 23, 2012 (same day as the press conference), there will be an international tweet up on Twitter.  Go to @RestlessBeings. The tweet up is between 6 - 11pm UK time. The more people tweeting, the more chance of getting the topic trending to grab media attention. Described by the UN as the most persecuted community in the world, the struggle of the Rohingya is largely unknown.  Help give a voice to one of the most marginalized communities in the world: #SOSRohingya The ethnic cleansing campaign of the Rohingya in Burma demands mainstream coverage. Human rights activists and advocates, please spread the word.  This community is being killed.