Censorship of Documentary by Amnesty International Sparks Campaign of Supp

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A group of organizations have started a campaign in support of the award-wining documentary film The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, after the Canadian Pacific Region Chapter of Amnesty International decided to exclude it from the upcoming Amnesty International Film Festival to be held at the Pacific Cinematheque in Vancouver, Canada, from November 6-9, 2003. The film was scheduled to be presented at the Festival in order to start a discussion on the current Venezuelan political crisis.

The film is being screened at film festivals and theaters around the world, and it has been the recipient of numerous awards. It has provided insight into a historical event with exclusive footage that reveals details of this unconstitutional and undemocratic overthrow of an elected-leader that were previously omitted by the international mass media.

The atrocities denounced in the film have been documented by Amnesty International in their 2003 Annual Report: http://web.amnesty.org/report2003/Ven-summary-eng.

An official from the Venezuelan Chapter of Amnesty International described the decision by the Canadian Chapter as "censorship". "There is no other word to describe it, they just want to avoid controversy due to the pressure from Venezuelan opponents to the government," said the official who asked to remain anonymous.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=1089

I'm not asking you, Say-What, just voicing the first question that comes to mind

I will read this thru and look further if necessary

What a lame f*ck'n excuse that is!! Controversy is SUPPOSED to be what these organizations are about. Makes me wonder how much they DON'T tell us or how much is white washed.

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...An official from the Venezuelan Chapter of Amnesty International described the decision by the Canadian Chapter as "censorship". "There is no other word to describe it, they just want to avoid controversy due to the pressure from Venezuelan opponents to the government," said the official who asked to remain anonymous.

The Canadian Chapter of Amnesty International has decided to eliminate the film from their upcoming festival claiming that the film’s subject matter does not address human rights issues, and because the screening of the film would further polarize the Venezuelan people and potentially create more violence within Venezuela.

The Canadian Chapter of Amnesty International did not admit that they yielded to pressure from Venezuelan opposition groups who launched a campaign to discredit the film, protecting the coup plotters and discrediting the Venezuelan government. "They just didn't want to generate controversy," said the Venezuelan AI official about the Canadian Chapter of the organization

(The New York Times had trouble with reporting valid articles on the coup, and one of their reporters in Venezuela had to resign after admitting his close ties to the opposition skewed his objectivity.)

MOVIE REVIEW | 'THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED'
Tumult in Venezuela's Presidential Palace, Seen Up Close
By STEPHEN HOLDEN

Published: November 5, 2003


The Revolution Will Not Be Televised," a riveting documentary, is not the movie that the Irish filmmakers Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain envisioned when they traveled to Venezuela to film a portrait of Hugo Chávez, that country's left-wing president. A volatile force in Latin American politics, Mr. Chávez, who was elected president by a landslide in 1998, was shaking up the status quo, having vowed to take control of Venezuela's oil industry and redirect its wealth to benefit the poor.

But on April 11, 2002, the filmmakers were firsthand witnesses to one of the shortest presidential overthrows in Latin American history. On that day a coalition of military officials and business leaders engineered Mr. Chávez's removal from power. He was arrested and held prisoner, and the national assembly was dissolved. An interim government was installed.

Two days later a popular uprising brought more than a million protesters to the streets of Caracas and forced the new government out of office. Mr. Chávez returned in triumph. The filmmakers were lucky enough to be in the presidential palace when he was removed, and they were there when he returned.

More than a scary close-up look at the raw mechanics of a power grab, the film is also a cautionary examination of the use of television to deceive and manipulate the public. The attempt to seize control never would have gotten off the ground without the fervent support of Venezuela's five private television stations, all politically aligned with oil interests that had hounded Mr. Chávez from the moment he took office. The only television station sympathetic to Mr. Chávez was the state-run channel, whose signal was immediately cut by the new government. (snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/05/movies/05REVO.html?ex=1068613200&en=4f8bb767b9d7a9b8&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

(Free registration required)

This docu puts the US in a bad light...so naturally all the media moguls will censor it and use all influence in even foreign countries to do the same.

The New Mentality by Jim Matus


It should be seen as a real war. There is another war taking place now, a war for the possession of the future. Who will determine what kind of planet our grandchildren inhabit and whether we will get a chance to have grandchildren, is at stake now. The American Empire is set to cut off the beautiful streaming life force that barely dangles on the edge of extinction as it is. It is set to recreate the sad history of the Roman Empire in it¹s dysfunctional and delusional ideals of manifest destiny and the rule of force. Somehow, the U.S. population has let a Fascist dictatorship take control of our country. While we cynically joked about it and watched Saturday Night Live satirize it, the country was taken over in a illegal coup by an ultra right wing Fascist regime with George Bush as its puppet dictator. I¹ll say Fascist again: Fascist. We are living under a Fascist dictatorship, a Plutocracy, a Totalitarian State of immense private power completely removed from public opinion and public participation. A wonderfully slick system for huge corporations who can buy policy and buy government contracts. A facade propped up by a corporate media propaganda system that would have been the wet dream of Stalin, Hitler and Mao.
http://www.paranoise.com/Bush/bush.htm

Must be the memories what it was like to grow up in late 1940s and 1950s America--I agree with nearly everything Matus writes.


From Project Censored: Censored 2004: The Top 25 Censored Media Stories of 2002-2003

#1: The Neoconservative Plan for Global Dominance
#12: Bush Administration Behind Failed Military Coup in Venezuela

http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2004/index.html

playing this week at.......

Shattuck Cinemas
2230 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704
Phone: (510)464-5980
Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The
(1:15 PM), (3:10), 5:15, 7:10, 9:05

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Films/films_frameset.asp?id=36291


Opera Plaza Cinemas
601 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415)352-0810
Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The
(3:00 PM), 5:10, 7:20

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Films/films_frameset.asp?id=36291

..Read carefully

.. "the Canadian Pacific Region Chapter"

- yup - I did notice that many times in the Article that is abbreviated to "The Canadian Chapter"

- journalistic editing, ain't it wonderful ?

nevertheless -

The rest of Canada is well aware of the extra special "affinity" that the ""West" has with the USA, after all, BC and Alberta's economy rely heavily on their exports of lumber, beef, and petroleum products to the US.

Little known or published, the "West" has been quietly trying to encourage emotion for those two provinces to "seperate" themselves from Canada; ya know - the "poodle" syndrome ??

Thot this observation might spark sum new thot ?

Our own press is completely myopic, which you've probably noticed. Nothing of value really exists outside this country, it seems, and actually not outside the right-wing's reach.

What you posted should help for future readings on Canadian politics, for sure. Very interesting.

Thanks.

. . Just a Silly Canuk's Opinion

_____ :dunce: _____

The Pacific Region of Amnesty International, Canada Section, English Speaking, does not include Texas Alberta.

It is composed almost exclusively of groups in British Columbia (our "left coast"), with a couple in Yukon -- both of which had New Democrat (social democrat "third party) governments in the recent past, and are in fact known for progressive politics, not US-emulating behaviour.

http://www.amnesty.bc.ca/groups2.html
http://www.amnesty.bc.ca/groups3.html

BC as a whole may indeed rely heavily on lumber exports to the US. But certainly the left in that part of the country, from which Amnesty International generally draws a large portion of its members, are not the clearcutters of lumber, they are the people who fought to save the giant trees of Clayaquot Sound, for instance.

I don't have an opinion about the decision not to show the film, since all I've seen is the Venezuelan section's statement, and can't find anything else about it -- like a statement of the reasons for the cancellation by the people who actually made the decision.

It is not reasonable to assume that a Canadian AI group bowed to political pressure from political opposition groups in another country.

AI does make a point of remaining scrupulously neutral on political issues (which is in fact a reason why I am not a member of AI -- I have financially supported its activities, which are essential, but I am of a more partisan bent most of the time). I might wonder whether there was apprehension that showing the film in question might be perceived as tainting that neutrality.

The Pacific Region was quoted in this thread as expressing a fear of "polarizing Venezuelans further". I haven't been able to see where this information comes from, i.e. the context and any further details.

The comment was made that "Controversy is SUPPOSED to be what these organizations are about". Actually, controversy is NOT what AI is supposed to be about. It is supposed to be about "the protection and promotion of human rights".

http://www.amnesty.ca/about/amnestys_mission/am_h.shtml

“Impartiality” means that Amnesty International works for the human rights of people in every part of the world, living under all kinds of governments.

Amnesty does not support or oppose any government or political system. Amnesty does not rate countries in terms of their human rights record or their type of government. Nor does Amnesty take sides in political or armed conflicts.

Our reports are accurate, unbiased and fair - free from the influence of those in power. Our demands are based on international human rights standards, not on the interests of any government or group.

The decision might look gutless, but it is possibly quite defensible within the confines of AI's mandate, and allegations of complicity might really be just a bit over the top. Of course, I only speculate.

.

Massive support for petition against Amnesty International censorship of Venezuelan documentary

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Already within just 12 hours of its launch (2100 UT Tuesday), there's been overwhelming support online for a petition calling on Amnesty International to explain why it has reportedly censored a showing of the Venezuelan documentary "The Revolution Will Not be Televised" at the Amnesty International Film Festival in Vancouver (Canada) between November 6-9, 2003.

Among comments: "It is absolutely incomprehensible that Amnesty International has conceded to threats of intimidation and has been coerced to remove 'The Revolution Will Not be Televised' from its calendar is an assault on freedom of the speech and expression and should not be tolerated by people who believe in democracy in human rights."

The AI censorship is all the more surprising considering a review in today's New York Times in which 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,' is described as "a riveting documentary, is not the movie that the Irish filmmakers Kim Bartley and Donnacha O'Briain envisioned when they traveled to Venezuela to film a portrait of Hugo Chavez, that country's left-wing President. A volatile force in Latin American politics, Mr. Chavez, who was elected President by a landslide in 1998, was shaking up the status quo, having vowed to take control of Venezuela's oil industry and redirect its wealth to benefit the poor."

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=12227

1174: Not only am I a specialist in Latin American affairs, living for 10 years in Mexico, but I am also a film critic. This is the best documentary film I have seen. Mexico

1171. AI must not refuse to support the people of Venezuela who is fighting against the white collar terrorists Austria

1167: I was live that, I was in the bridge LLaguno.. Venezuela

1165: AI need Fasist goverment in south america in order to get pay!!! our freedom is not for sale, Amnesty International is not democretic!!! our blood is no one sallary! Venezuela

1097. Long live Chavez! Venezuela


Viva Venezuela!!
SIGN THE PETITION!!

http://www.petitiononline.com/vendoc/petition.html

your post has been on this board. Amazing. So many Venezuelans, too.

Sure hope Amnesty will take the time to give this some more thought.

I've had misgivings about this group from time to time, and now I'm starting to see why. Goodgawdalmighty.

I guess this has been a learning lesson, prompting us not to be so naive as to automatically trust an institution because it advertises ITSELF as "working to protect human rights worldwide." They clearly blew this one.

I would hope they'll give this some serious attention.

One Venezuelan said in English, "You should practice what you preach." Well expressed.

I saw it at the Denver International Film Festivel, and it is great. truely these guys were in the inside when all this went down. I hope HBO picks it up or sindance, IFc...ect.

Check these links for details.

Two great movies playing here this week and next. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and Hidden in Plain Sight (about the SOA). Hidden in Plain Sight will also be at the Roxie in San Francisco starting Friday, Nov. 7th - Thursday, Nov. 13 --Nightly at 7:00pm with Wed/Sat/Sun Matinees at (2:00). Also showing at the Roxie is Plan Colombia.

On edit: Don't forget to sign the petition if you haven't already done so. There are more than a thousand names since I signed yesterday--the petition is growing fast!! http://www.petitiononline.com/vendoc/petition.html

To complain directly to the Amnesty International Film Festival please
use the below information:

Amnesty Inernational Film Festival
Don Wright - Regional Development Coordinator, BC/Yukon
(604) 313-4069

Amnesty International Canadian Section (E.S.)
Pacific Regional Office
#203 - 45 Dunlevy Street
Vancouver, BC
V6A 3A3
Phone- (604) 294-5160
Fax- (604) 294-5130

I'm rather surprised at the bandwagon-jumping going on here.

As I noted in my post above, I'd like to know what the AI chapter in question had to say in explanation of the decision before rushing off signing petitions.

In that post, I said I hadn't seen such an explanation. What was offered was the Venezuelan chapter's interpretation of the decision, saying that the chapter was "claiming"

that the film’s subject matter does not address human rights issues, and because the screening of the film would further polarize the Venezuelan people and potentially create more violence within Venezuela.

If it is accurate to say that the film "does not address human rights issues", then the decision to exclude it is entirely defensible under the terms of AI's mission. Actually, it sounds to me like the chapter initially went a little overboard and ignored that mission, and was in fact about to violate the bit of it that says:

Amnesty does not support or oppose any government or political system.
... Nor does Amnesty take sides in political or armed conflicts.

I find the Venezuelan chapter's statement disingenuous:

The Canadian Chapter of Amnesty International did not admit that they yielded to pressure from Venezuelan opposition groups who launched a campaign to discredit the film, protecting the coup plotters and discrediting the Venezuelan government.

People, after all, do not "admit" things if they are not true, and I don't see any evidence offered to establish that the allegation *is* true.

So has anybody bothered to call AI in Vancouver (yup, a little more effort than signing an on-line petition), and has anybody listened to what they had to say?

Still no opinion on my part, but certainly some unanswered questions and concerns.

.

:kick:

Stand up for democracy in Venezuela--SIGN THE PETITION!!

http://www.petitiononline.com/vendoc/petition.html

Seems absolutely essential to tell A-I people are actually watching them on this issue.

Already at 1832 now. Hundreds more than when I signed it, also.

:kick: :kick: :kick:

Bowling for Columbine and Spellbound. They should be required viewing for all Americans.

They reviewed this and had clips last night on Democracy Now!! Some of the interviews were absolutely riveting--particularly the one with Sister Dianna Ortiz. This film opens this month. For those of us in the SF Bay Area, this film will be in San Francisco and San Rafael:

November 7-13, 7pm & 9:30pm – Roxie Cinema,
director John H. Smihula present Fri. Nov. 7 & Sat. Nov. 8
3117 16th Street, San Francisco (415) 863-1087, http://www.roxie.com/Nov03.html#Hidden

Mon. Nov. 10 - Wed. Nov. 12, 7 & 9pm
– Rafael Film Center, 1118 Fourth Street
San Rafael (415) 454-1222,
director John H. Smihula will be present Mon. Nov. 10
http://www.cafilm.org/films/142.html

More fall screenings to be announced at www.HiddenInPlainSight.org

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This new documentary about the School of the Americas, is opening nationwide in November of 2003. The documentary is available for authorized public screenings ONLY with the filmmakers' and the distributor's written permission! Please contact Raven's Call Productions (contact info below) for more information

This new 71 min documentary presents different points of view which illuminate the turbulent reality of Latin America, demystify the policy-making process and shed light on some of the most complex and urgent problems facing us today.

Enter noted scholars Noam Chomsky, Eduardo Galeano, Christopher Hitchens, and Michael Parenti, who broaden the debate about the SOA/WHISC to include such subjects as militarism, corporate globalization, national security, and international terrorism. Personal accounts from victims of the violence and repression in Latin America raise questions and concerns about the nature and consequences of U.S. policy in Latin America.

http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=547

and saw that it has gained more than 1,000 signatures since I signed it yesterday afternoon, and it's VERY heavily attended by Venezuelans.

Excellent!

Excellent interview with the filmakers of The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

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In 2001, Kim Bartley and Donnacha O’Briain traveled to Venezuela to videotape a behind-the-scenes profile of President Hugo Chavez, the democratically elected leftist president who had been swept into office by a groundswell of support from the poor sections of Venezuela’s cities and countryside. While filming in April of 2002, they found themselves in the midst of a coup attempt against Chavez, and their cameras were there to capture those incredible moments of April 2002. They compiled this footage to create the documentary “The Revolution will not be Televised.” Bartley and O’Briain were interviewed by Brian Forrest in October of 2003.

BF: At what point did you realize you were no longer making a portrait of Chavez but rather documenting a coup?

KB & DOB: The nature of the documentary changed quite dramatically, what set out to be a profile of Chavez and a look at what was going on in Venezuela turned into the story of a coup from the inside. Clearly on the night of the coup we realized that we were witnessing something quite extraordinary but we were reluctant to make any drastic decisions about the documentary. The decisions that were made were largely made in the edit and it was a slow and difficult process since we'd spent months prior to the coup filming with something quite specific in mind and we were reluctant to let that all go. In the end we tried, within the time constraints, to present as best we could the situation in Venezuela as we'd experienced it before moving the story along into the events surrounding the coup.

BF: Were you afraid for your personal safety? How did you deal with it?

KB & DOB: People always ask if we were afraid and the truth is that it's very hard to explain the emotions felt on the night of the coup, the whole thing was very surreal and happened so fast...and yet the hours spent in the palace that night, before Chavez was taken away, seemed to go in slow motion. Of course there were times when we all wondered how the night would end-- would they bomb the place?-- but we never considered leaving. However the following day was an entirely different and frightening experience, we hadn't slept or eaten since the previous morning, we were watching people we knew whose homes were being raided, we were getting calls telling us to get out of the country with the tapes for our own safety. Generally the repression on the day Carmona took over was very frightening. We both knew what had happened in Chile in 73 and the coup-leaders very quickly tried to generate a climate of fear in the capital. It was palpable and deeply disturbing.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1050

i don't have enough posts to start new thread in LBN so if someone could post this article please.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=45&u=/nm/20031106/ts_nm/iraq_usa_media_dc

L.A. Times Bans 'Resistance Fighters' in Iraq News

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Times has ordered its reporters to stop describing anti-American forces in Iraq (news - web sites) as "resistance fighters," saying the term romanticizes them and evokes World War II-era heroism.