[Peace-discuss] balata update

[rohloff at uiuc.edu]

Here's an email update I just received from our friends working in Balata--
Peter

Hello everyone! 

First, we need to send our apologies for not sending regular updates.  Due 
to the Ramadan and Eid holidays, and delays as a result of the passing of 
Arafat, we were not able to start moving on the projects as soon as we 
hoped.  Hopefully the updates will be more consistent in the future. 

As some people might know, there has been a general strike of UNRWA 
employees for the last 40 days.  In the refugee camps, this means that 
there 
was no school, no garbage pickup, no medical clinic, and no other basic 
social services that the camp depends on.  The striking workers were all 
Palestinians, demanding basic benefits and an end to the pay 
discrimination 
between Palestinian and foreign employees.  For example, an UNWRA 
employee 
from Balata might receive 100 JD in 'hazard pay' every 4 months, while 
their 
foreign colleagues working in Jerusalem would receive 400 JD in one 
month.  
The strike ended today, undoubtedly with the strikers' demands barely 
being 
met, but the services are back running again in the camp.   Children are 
back in school and the mountains of rubbish covering the streets are 
slowly 
being cleared. 

Concurrently, there are a number of exciting projects happening with the 
balatacamp.net projects! 

Practical media trainings have begun; teaching children, teenagers and 
adults basic skills in journalism, website editing, photography skills and 
basic computer skills.  We are placing an emphasis on working with 
women, 
and on acutely socio-economically disadvantaged children and teens that 
are 
not already involved in youth projects in the camp.  The aims of these 
courses are to give people the skills they need to create their own 
independent community media. 

In addition, the Balata Film Collective has begun to take shape.  
Individuals have begun working with the video cameras; filming 
demonstrations, incursions by the army and individual stories.  Currently, 
we are training people how edit film on computers.  Unfortunately, some of 
our promises for equipment fell through, so we have less to work with than 
previously thought.  Regardless, people are enthusiastically working with 
the equipment that we do have. 

There is a new draft of the balatacamp.net website.  Go to:  
http://www.balatacamp.net/~balata/website/english.htm

Part of the touring exhibition (including art, photos and film) is archived 
and available on the site. 

Members from balatacamp.net are also currently involved with a new 
children's cultural project.  A group of very talented children have put 
together an amazing performance involving political drama, traditional 
music 
and dance (dabke).  Details of this will be sent in an upcoming email. 

Finally, all projects are in the beginning stages and much help is needed 
and appreciated.  Residents from the camp are always open to new ideas 
and 
projects.  People are encouraged to come to Balata with any skills or 
assistance they can offer in the creation of new or assistance of continuing 
projects.  For more info, email:  info at balatacamp.net 

in solidarity,
balatacamp.net
_______________________________________

Peter Rohloff, PhD
Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology
Medical Scholars Program
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
217-333-4766