After watching this movie, I felt upset and revolt because it’s similar to most developing countries, where only the government is in control of the media and the opposition can’t not have access to it. All the information are in favor of the government. I could not believe such thing in  US, most developed and democratic country in the world.

The movie is very interesting because it reminds me the difficulties that most colonized countries specially in Africa went trough to achieved their political independence but not economical because until now the economy of the colonized countries still controlled by the the colonizer. I’m going to specifically talk about the movie, it showed the fight between the French Army who is the occupier, the imperialist in other words and  from 1954 to 1960. The battle lasted for more than five years and the Algerians lost because they were not well organized to win the fight because of their lcak of strategies and the unorganized, inexperienced fighters. In this battle Algerian women played important role. I see throughout the entire movie the determination, the voluntary and the struggle of one people, as one nation to end the french imperialism in their country and conduct the destiny of the nation by the Algerians people. The decolonization war was similar to every french colonies where certain leaders were eleimnated  and their bodies never been recovered. I think of Patrick lumbouba from the Congo. The Algeria war was the worst one in Africa because too many people were killed by the French army and the no sanctions were taken to punish the french for that genocide.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/world/middleeast/06kuwait.html 

I noticed the women played a huge role in the battle. Because their culture prevents them to show their bodies, head and face which suggest respect, the French army couldn’t control them or check them. They were involved in arms and bombs trafficking. In one scene, some of the Algerian men dressed up with the tunics to disguise themselves as women to get close to the enemy and attack.

The Algiers lost the battle of Algiers, most of the organized guerrilla was broken down to nothing and many Algerian lives were lost. This seemed to have encouraged the people to work together and revolt against the imperial control of the French, resulting in the victory of Algiers in the War of Independence. The pressure from the army helped startle the civilians. Too bad the people had to go through intense struggles to unify their courage and fight. But it is also important to mention the significant difference in strength of both sides. So many countries in South America, Africa and Asia are going through similar struggles but don’t have the support to fight for them. The U.S. in the other hand, has so much power as a country, but the people are not motivated enough, or have too many individual motivations, resulting in their inability unite to fight for their rights and make a difference.

Alain Deneault, a post-doctoral student at UQAM (University of Quebec in
Montreal), is being sued by Barrick Gold because he mentionned in his book
reports by official organizations and NGOs alleging that, in Tanzania, the
appropriation of a mine by the company resulted in death of many workers. In
this academic work, the author also mentions the position of the company and of
the Tanzanian governement who claim that those events never happened. However,
the mining company considers that simply citing reports from organizations like
Human Rights Watch or Rights and Freedom should be considered as defamation.
Please take the time to consider how important this suit is in regards of
Academic Freedom.
Barrick files suit against publisher
KIRK MAKIN
From Thursday’s Globe and Mail
May 1, 2008 at 4:57 AM EDT
The world’s biggest gold producer, Barrick Gold Corp., has sued a non-profit
Quebec publisher for $6-million over a book that alleges the company was
complicit in the gruesome deaths of 52 Tanzanian miners in 1996.
The lawsuit also accuses the publisher, Les Éditions Écosociété Inc., of
exploiting Barrick’s anger over the book in recent weeks to reap more publicity
for it.
In a statement of claim, Barrick accused the authors of the book, Noir Canada:
Pillage, Corruption et Criminalité en Afrique, of engaging in a carefully
orchestrated campaign to smear its reputation. It said the book falsely claims
that Barrick was involved in “involuntary homicide and genocide” at a mine site
in Tanzania.
“Their campaign of defamation has been carried on in Quebec and elsewhere in
Canada, and they intend to extend it to Europe,” the lawsuit alleges.
It also states that the authors - Alain Deneault, Delphine Abadie and William
Sacher - have attempted to apply a veneer of academic legitimacy to their
accusations by claiming the book was impeccably researched.
“Noir Canada is highly polished and heavily footnoted for the purpose of
conveying the misleading impression that the book resulted from extensive,
thorough and objective research concerning the business affairs of Barrick,” it
alleges.
Écosociété distributed 1,700 copies of the book last month, notwithstanding a
threatening letter from Barrick. The book reviews a series of abuses and crimes
in Africa allegedly committed by Canadian-owned companies.
Mr. Deneault said the lawsuit is an attempt to chill free speech: “It is a way
to intimidate small groups by using legal procedures,” he said.
The alleged tragedy at the Bulyanhulu mine site occurred in 1996, and involved a
group of independent workers known as artisanal miners. The Tanzanian government
issued an order forcing the miners to vacate the site, allegedly moving so
quickly to fill in mine shafts that 52 were buried alive.
In its statement of claim, Barrick says that, not only did the incident take
place three years prior to its purchase of the property, but the Tanzanian
government was acting legally at the time to remove a group that had no right
to be on site.

Tom Delay also proposed the re-distribution of districts in the state of Texas. His reason for this was to have more republican than democratic representatives in congress. President Bush loved Tom Delay! Texas Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle was responsible for the indictment of Delay in 2005 on criminal charges of conspiracy to violate election laws in 2002. Other more serious charges were dismissed, including money laundering and conspiracy to engage in money laundering.

I didn’t understand the film entirely. Some of the political and law language was difficult to follow. But I can see how this film relates to this sociology class. Tom Delay is one example of who knows how many profit driven politicians have taken and are taking office today = George W. Bush. Government forces us to become dependent on oil knowing all its disadvantages, and only because the big oil companies that contribute to their political campaign are greatly profiting from the market. Meanwhile we cut back on de Department of Education, Department of Energy, Medicare… etc.

Texas’ DA Ronnie Earle stated “The root of all evil truly is money” and “this isn’t about Democrats and Republicans, it is about cops and robbers” and I agree with him.

[1] Wikipedia.com  Tom DeLay

[2] Wikipedia.com Soft Money

The movie interestingly shows how the market forces set boundaries for the poor countries to export, or even to sustain their domestic needs, making it dependant on foreign products. How I basically understand it, is this whole idea of the survival of the fittest. The well prospering economies tend to determine bank’s lending policies, at the same time pushing countries like Jamaica into poverty. Speaking about poverty as we saw during the movie the outrageous contrast between Americans coming for vacation, and local communities. In other words the poor education system, lack of hospitals, and a very primitive hotel sewage systems and only few of the things that the tourists usually don’t see.

Another very important part of the movie is agriculture that could possibly provide people with income, only if it wasn’t competing with American products that are much cheaper. Having to agree with IMF terms Jamaica was required to charge higher interest rates to local farmers, therefore the costs of production were so high that many had to resin. One of many reasons why Jamaican economy is in such a terrible state is ultimately its exploitation of the labor force. The movie pictures horrifying working conditions at factories, where U.S products are manufactured. As a result of protest the country had to face large number of lay-offs, due to a vast influx of Asian workers. Nearly 18,000 jobs were list. Once again the movie “Life and Debt” presents the world battle over markets, in which the United States and its corporate clients are leading winners.