Sudan Blacks Out Internet To Hide Brutal Suppression Of Protests
There's a revolt going on the streets of Sudan spanning many parts of the country. These type of events are daily, and we constantly hear that there is some type of social unrest going on in some part of the world. Primarily, it revolves around the injustices that have greatly affected a population, mostly the poor. People, as you can understand, get frustrated and the built-up resentment and anger eventually surfaces many times in mass protest, whether if it's peaceful or violent.
With the increase in gas prices causing the rise in cost of basic necessities, the people of Sudan have had enough of living in a dwindling economy where they're struggling to survive. Peaceful protesters have been met with violence, and many have been killed by the government for displaying their frustration for being let down again and again. On Wednesday, September 26th, The Sudan’s National Congress Party, in order to limit the out flow of information about what is happening, blacked out internet service and censored newspaper publications
"In a country, still entrapped in civil wars, where 75 percent of the budget goes to military forces and less than 5 percent of the budget goes to education, they've reached a breaking point with political, economic, and security failures. The government knows this, and they're clamping down more brutally than usual." The protest began as an outcry to the economic crisis that has been happening, but with blood being shed on the streets, that outcry is now more about freedom and hopes for a new regimen to take control.
[Photos by Girifna Media] [Via Vice]
Mass Appeal Presents “WATCHxWITNESS” with Jason Goldwatch & 13thWitness: Detroit
The duo of Jason Goldwatch and 13thWitness or WATCH X WITNESS have released a set of visuals for their new photo journal series making a visit to the city of Detroit. The pair sets off to document the city, its people, and from watching the video, you can see the effect of Detroit's bankruptcy has had. They travel to some of the most desolated parts of the city and run rampant amongst abandoned buildings snapping some very haunting images of what once was. They not only captured old relics, but also snapped shots of people in some of Detroit's forgotten neighborhoods. Both WATCH and Witness do a great job capturing a side of the city that many have only read about in print and or on the web.
http://youtu.be/QL-fyrq7AMo
[Photo by WATCHxWITNESS] [Via Hypebeast]
Orchard Beach: The Bronx Riviera By Wayne Lawrence
Wayne Lawrence is a documentary fine art photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. His photography work focuses on his relationship to communities that are often overlooked. For six years Lawrence has made his way to Orchard Beach in the Bronx to capture the beaches visitors. As he states, "I felt compelled to engage with this community of working class families and colorful characters." Orchard Beach has a reputation for being New York's trashiest beach and he set out to change the public opinion of the beach and the often misunderstood people who visit. Check out some of the portraits below and for more visit Institute Artist here.
[Via Institute Artist] [Photos by Wayne Lawrence]
[Photography] Lost Hoops By Adrian Skenderovic
Photographer Adrian Skenderovic has traveled the world for his latest photography series capturing basketball hoops from his travels. This series really takes me back to my childhood and gives me a feeling of nostalgia because I remember the days of making makeshift hoops. As you can see from the photos some of the hoops are in good shape and some are barely standing but they both serve the same purpose. By looking at the photos you can just imagine the great times people have had shooting hoops with just the bare essentials. For more visit Adrian's website here.
[Photos by Adrian Skenderovic]
Summer of the Gun: Documenting Baltimore's Gun Violence
When it comes to summer and the weather heats up, the sad truth is one can assume that the level of violence will rise. Summer is a time that a lot of people wait the whole year for. It's supposed to be fun for those that are fortunate enough that are able to create long lasting memories that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. For others, they might have memories that they wished had never have happened. The reality is that violence is plaguing many city streets in the US, and many spend their summers hoping just to survive.
The same violence that has been affecting Chicago is also what's happening on streets of Baltimore. Photographer J.M. Giordano has been documenting the violence for Baltimore's City Paper in his Summer of the Gun series by talking to victims, their families, and attending funerals. He has taken it upon himself to shed light on the problem of violence and as he states, "The goal is to get some of the more complacent residents to give a shit."
This project puts a face on the people we only know through a blurb in a newspaper. It was created to acknowledge those that have been affected by the violence and who deserve to be acknowledged by society. Take the time to check out some of the images below, as well as the short interviews and more by visiting the Baltimore City Paper here. "By the time you read this, another funeral home will have closed the hearse door on a few more bodies and kids and grandparents and neighbors will mourn the loss of their own."
Photos by J.M. Giordano
[Via Gawker]
Secrets of the Maya Otherworld
For a civilization that has been gone for centuries, it's incredible that scientists are still uncovering secrets of the Mayans. In the August issue of National Geographic, some more of the Mayans secrets are revealed about their relationship with natural water wells, otherwise known as cenotes. Underwater archaeologists Guillermo de Anda and Arturo Montero have been exploring these underwater caves in hopes of learning what their relationship might have been with the Mayans. Their theory is that the Mayans might have used the caves as sundials, a place to hold sacrifices, and where they determined where buildings or sites were constructed. It will be interesting to see what the pair of archaeologists continue to uncover as they continue on the quest to uncover the many mysteries of the Mayan culture. Check out some of the amazing photos below; for the full gallery and more visit National Geographic here.
Photos by Paul Nicklen & Shaul Schwarz
[Via National Geographic]
Nowhere People: The Refugees of Syria
Two years of conflict in the country of Syria has lead to its people being displaced from their homes. Trying not to get caught up in the violence, many have been fleeing their homes in an attempt to find a place to survive. Some have taken to staying with family and friends, but the violence is so widespread that it ends up only being a temporary stay. Because of this, many of Syria's people have been forced to seek out and find refugee camps wherever possible, despite the living conditions.
There really is no other choice when you're trying to escape massacres, rape, executions, or worse. It's about survival, and that's why "more than 1.5 million Syrians have fled their homeland, renting apartments in east Amman, sleeping in makeshift tent settlements in the Bekaa Valley, or confined to fenced-in tent-cities along the borders of Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq." Check out the photos below to see how the violence in Syria has affected its people. Check out Time for more here.
Photos by Moises Saman
[Via Time]
Gangs of El Salvador
Two of El Salvador's biggest gangs that have had a truce dating back to March of last year seems to be coming to an end. The surge in killings has drastically increased with 103 homicides being recorded just last week alone, the El Salvadorian government announced last Friday. The murders that have been springing up in such a torrid pace are thought to be the work of Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and rival gang Barrio 18. Both gangs have ties to the United States due to both having been established in Salvadorian immigrant communities in LA. Many of these gang members were later deported back to El Salvador where they would take what they learned on the streets of LA and apply it to a country torn by civil war.
With the formation of gangs in El Salvador, a lot of activity that comes with gangs began to drastically affect the country, most notably by an increase in murders. Because of the huge number of killings, the only solution that was thought of was for MS-13 and Barrio 18 to proclaim a truce in hopes of solving the homicide problem. This truce was backed by the Catholic Church and the Organization of American States in hopes of lowering homicide rates. The truce "brought murders down to 5 per day from 12 before the agreement." However, the murder rate has been rising as of late with the average being 16 per day beginning in July. With these numbers, it appears that the truce might be over, and the people of El Salvador are going to be in store for a lot of violence. The El Salvadorian government needs to think of a better way to handle this issue more than just simply relying on other organizations to come up with a solution.
The photos below were taken by award-winning photojournalist Moises Saman. He has been all over the world capturing photos of hot spots like Afghanistan and Haiti. These were taken to showcase the gang problem in El Salvador and show others who MS-13 and Barrio 18 are. The entire series of photos documents the gangs in prison and on the streets of El Salvador, as well as the work the police are doing to combat the issue. To view the entire set of photos check it out here.
Photos by Moises Saman [Via Yahoo]
