4 posts tagged “stop the traffik”
The Jammed is an Australian movie that ventures deep into the world of people trafficking. Based partly in Melbourne but mostly in Sydney's notorious 'Kings Cross' district, the film follows the fortunes of three prostitutes - two Chinese and one Russian - who have each been trafficked into the sex trade. Without being gratuitous or voyeuristic, The Jammed takes a close and detailed look at the lives of these girls, and traces the path by which family poverty and debt lead to exploitation and violence. The film is very Australian, but hits the bullseye in its portrayal of people trafficking and as such travels well into the European scene. Trafficking is a global industry and like MacDonalds and Starbucks, it tends to follow pretty much the same rules wherever it shows up.
The Jammed is not a comfortable film to watch. I remember a year ago watching Dennis Quaid in 'Savior' - a story of the Bosnian and Croatian wars inpired by eye-witness accounts - and feeling the same as I felt last week about The Jammed. These movies are graphic, disturbing and difficult to watch, but they are also very truthful, and as such an important part of our lives. There is a climactic scene in 'Savior' that still disturbs my memories - not because it is a 'Nightmare on Elm Street' fearfest, but because it records an event that probably happened, and if it didn't is so close to events that did that it might as well have: and it happened to people not a thousands miles from my front doorstep; people I am privileged to spend time with every now and then. Film-making is not just about escapism. Sometimes it is about showing us precisely the things we are trying to escape from. I recommend both movies very highly.
Here is the translation of the Dutch text from the flier for the 'Rock ,n Roll Stops Traffik' event -
October 28th, 17h00 to 23h00
Human trafficking
is one of the worlds fastest growing illegal industries, devastating the lives of men, women and children who are taken by deception or coercion from their homes for exploitation. Every day, people worldwide are bought and sold against their will and forced to work.
Stop The Traffik
is a campaign that gives itself to making an end to these horrible practices.
Rock ‘n’ Roll Stops Traffik
is a fun way to contribute to a better world. Besides great artists, there will also be much information available about how you can make a difference.
Chocolate is addictive (enslaving)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Stops Traffik is part of a larger campaign concerning slavery in the cocoa-industry. Pretty much all the chocolate we eat in Holland is (at least partially) harvested by means of forced labor in countries like Cote d'Ivoire. The solutions to this atrocity are within reach, but the Cocoa-Industry refuses to aptly tackle the problem.
Do it yourself!
Do you want to know how you can get involved? Go to www.stopthetraffik.nl
All profit goes to the fight against trafficking
Slavery doesn’t belong to this generation! You can do something about it!
I was in Amsterdam this afternoon - right by the Olympic Stadium where I took some pictures earlier this week - and I saw that the Citroen dealership have launched a new marketing drive. It's all about freedom, and they have tried to catch attention by draping their building in freedom banners. I guess it works to grab attention, because here I am blogging it.
But does it make you as mad as it makes me? Here we are in a world in which the police in Burma will shoot into a crowd of monks; in which the desperate millions of Darfur are still waiting for their freedom - and we are being asked to equate these noble campaigns with the 'freedom' of buying a new car. And closer to home, we're about to pull together maybe 1,000 people to launch Stop the Traffik in the Netherlands [ 'Rock and Roll Stops Traffik - tickets from www.ticketmaster.nl ] to think and act for the real freedom of people who are real slaves in the real world. Has the virtual world of marketing gone that mad? And how must it feel for the human beings who have to hang these banners, and give their sweat and energy to this drive for sales. Does anyone actually believe that human freedom is about a new car?
Daniel Bedingfield will play an acoustic set to headline the 'Rock and roll Stops Traffik' event at the Paradiso in Amsterdam on October 28th. He will be joined by a massive line-up of bands and DJ's in an event sure to put Stop the Traffik on the map in the Netherlands.
Details of the event at www.stopthetraffik.nl
