FEATURE #2 "September 7th Vigil for Oxford Six"

"September 7th Vigil: the ongoing tragedy of the Oxford Six”

As part of the DESERTED event last week Monday, we remembered 17 years of ceasefire between the Moroccan military and the POLISARIO Front. Imposed by the United Nations and reinforced by the UN-delegated MINURSO, the ceasefire was supposed to put a hold onto the 16 years of violence between the two parties and allow the time and space to develop a resolution of the dispute.

Seventeen years later, there cannot be talk about peace and end of violence. In recent years, human rights violations and abuses have become public (to those who went looking): beatings, random abductions, detentions, rapes and disappearances.

More recently, on the occasion of Talk Together, a youth exchange programme in Oxford, a group of six Sahrawi students aged between 16 and 24 were about the board the plane to the UK to participate in these talks, when they were stopped and detained, questioned and held for 36 hours. Reports reached us about repeated beatings, abductions, threats made to the students and their families.

On September 7th, in solidarity with the "Oxford Six" and the Sahrawi refugees, we lit six floating candles and set them off along the canal of Camden Lock.

For more information:
Free Western Sahara Network
Talk together: Letter from the Foreign Office
The Independent: "Young, gifted, and blacklisted (Stefan Simanowitz)
Prospect Magazine: "Hunger strikes, police assaults and the Oxford Six" (Stefan Simanowitz)

FEATURE #1 "Florie Salnot"

Florie Salnot, or when discarded plastic bottles become fashion items

DESERTED on September 7th did not only showcase two important documentaries on the Western Sahara issue, the Saharamarathon 2009, but also "Plastic Bottle Project", a film clip made by Florie Salnot on the jewellery-making workshop she guided in the Sahrawi camps.

Florie Salnot and the plastic bottles she used in her workshops (c) by Olivia Mann

Florie Salnot, an MA student and fashion artist, introduced her jewellery-making workshop in the Sahrawi refugee camps and presented the jewellery results thereof with a wonderful documentary (see below), the "real things" and a personal testimonial that warmed everyone's hearts.

Florie did a postgraduate degree at the Royal College of Arts when she dediced to do a design project in the Sahrawi refugee camps by producing jewellery with little resources but greatly empowering consequences.

Sponsored by the Sandblast-founded Saharawi Artist Fund (SAF), Florie travelled to the refugee camps in Dakhla for three weeks in April 2009 to teach a group of Saharawi women to produce unique pieces of jewellery out of plastic bottles and hot sand. By using and recycling the discarded plastic bottles and forming them with hot sand into delicate pendants and earrings, Florie aims to give the Sahrawi women the possibility to express themselves artistically, to empower them economically, and to strengthen their cultural identity.

In the long run, these pieces will be exported from the camps and sold to generate a source of income for the Sahrawi.

As a key feature of the DESERTED event, Florie told the audience a wonderful little anecdote from her experience in the camps with the Sahrawi women:

"During my workshop in Dakhla, the most rewarding was to see the Saharawi women becoming gradually proud of their work. One day, in the workshop, we realised that one of the best piece of jewellery had been stolen. It was a really nice piece with red and yellow flowers which really impressed everyone. As for me, I was furious. The Saharawi women reacted differently, they just laugh at it. When I asked why, they explained that they were happy to see how their work was so much appreciated that it could be stolen."

Watch the short documentary Florie Salnot produced to introduce her jewellery-making workshop in the Sahrawi refugee camps in SW Algeria.

"Plastic bottle project" by Florie Salnot (Source: YouTube)

DESERTED - the story of a forgotten refugee nation

“DESERTED - a story of a forgotten refugee nation”: A Review

On September 7th, the Inspiral Lounge at Camden Lock thankfully provided the venue for our first September event in an effort to raise awareness for not only the Western Sahara issue but, more importantly, for the Saharamarathon 2010. As one of many events over the next three months, we want to reach as many people as possible to inform as well as solicit the registration for the Saharamarathon next February 2010 (for more information on upcoming events, check DON'T MISS THIS).

As part of the evening, three short films were showcased to introduce both the refugee situation with the documentary “DESERTED”, Florie Salnot's jewellery project , and an account of the Saharamarathon 2009.

Danielle Smith, founding director of Sandblast ((c) by Olivia Mann)

Accompanied and introduced by Danielle Smith, founding director of Sandblast, runners from the marathon in February 2009 shared the experiences, worries and personal stories with the audience: “the Sahrawi are hands-down the most hospitable people I've ever encountered” and “if you run, walk, or cheer, this experience is bound to change your perspective” are only a few of many testimonials shared by Gert, George, and many others.

We left Monday night with a notion of achievement and pockets full of names and numbers of those interested in learning more about the Saharamarathon 2010. If you find yourself wondering and wanting to join in, visit us at the upcoming events (see DON'T MISS THIS), contact us via email to info@sandblast-arts.org , or comment on this post.

See FEATURE #1 post for “Florie Salnot”

See FEATURE #2 post for “September Vigil: the ongoing tragedy of the Oxford Six”

For more information:

http://www.oliviamannphotography.com

http://floriesalnot.blogspot.com/