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Tales from the Jail

Diego Ibarra/4SEE


" after all these years of absence I hope to recover you, my son. Meanwhile, I delegate to you the responsibility of being the family head, "

The above quote is from Hussein's letter to his son, and is marked by feelings of hopelessness and helplessness, but at the same time with  hope to be be reunited with his son gives him new strength.

Hussein is a fisherman. He belongs to the District of Janjisar, at the port city of Karachi, Pakistan. He has been arrested for 11 years in Ahmedabad central prison, in Gujarat, India.

One morning in November 1999, Hussein was fishing with six fishermen, from the same family, in the disputed sea territory called Sir Creek. A violent storm threw their boat towards the neighboring country waters. After that, all these men were arrested by the Indian Patrol without any trial.

There are about 200 Pakistani fishermen arrested in Indian jails these days and, at the same time there are also 400 Indians in jails of Pakistan, according to the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PPF).

The bad relations between Islamabad and New Delhi have made the unlicensed fishing in foreign waters into a political issue with serious implications for families of detainees,. Officials from both countries are indifferent to this drama.

The Pakistani fishermen community, whose daily earnings are not more than six euros per day, are facing very hard situations that force them to leave in their small boats from the overexploited coast of Karachi to fish in Indian waters.

 

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The Chase

Patrícia de Melo Moreira/4SEE

In a country where hunting is a tradition, men and women continue to practice one of the oldest and increasingly controversial human practices.

In the portuguese territory, season after season the hunting of species such as wild boar and partridge persists and the chase in done by passion or sport, bloodshed or conflict, depending on the views.

From the old Portuguese colonies we found professional hunters that are active today on the safari industry, hunting species such as elephant, lion, leopard or  buffalo, and leading groups of enthusiastic hunters from around the world, hungry for a clear shot on African soil.

 

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Cavemen

Jordi Pizarro/4SEE

In the city of Granada (Spain) there are around 11 795 people still living in caves. Many with water and electricity stolen from the municipality, some with nothing but four walls. Formerly the Gipsy neighborhood, a place famous for flamenco dance and where Hollywood celebrities, the Kings of Spain or the Duke of Windsor could be spotted. Today many of the Gipsy still live in caves, but now their neighbors are bohemian painters, young Flamenco musicians, immigrants without papers, etc.

The decision of Granada's city council to remove people from their caves, many with more than 400 years of history that have been inherited from father to son, is creating controversy.

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