text:
Interview | Saw A---, (male, 40), B--- village, Lu Thaw Township, Hpapun District (April 2015)
The following Interview was conducted by a community member trained by KHRG to monitor local human rights conditions. It was conducted in Hpapun District on April 15th 2015 and is presented below translated exactly as it was received, save for minor edits for clarity and security.[1] This interview was received along with other information from Hpapun District, including ten other interviews, one situation update, 301 photographs and 15 video clips.[2]
Ethnicity: Karen
Religion: Animist
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Farmer
Position: Villager
What is your name?
My name is Saw A---.
How old are you?
I am 40 years old.
Where do you live?
I live in B--- village.
Which village tract is B--- [located] in?
B--- is in Baw Thay Hta village tract.
What township are you living in?
Lu Thaw Township.
What about district?
Mu Traw [Hpapun] District.
What is your ethnicity?
Karen ethnicity.
What is your religion?
Do you take on any responsibilities in the village?
I do not take on any responsibilities, but I was elected to the school committee.
What do you do for a living?
I work on a hill farm. I work on a hill farm each year.
Do you have your own family?
Yes, I have a family.
How many children do you have?
I have six children.
How many girls and boys?
Two girls and four boys.
What is the age of your youngest child?
My youngest child has not yet turned one year old. My youngest child will turn one in the ploughing season [May/June].
Does everyone in B--- village work on hill farms or do most of them work on farms in the plains?
Most villagers work on hill farms and a few of them work farms on the plains.
How many households are there in your village?
There are [censored for security] households, including widows and orphans. I just counted [the households] in the mountain side, but did not count [households in] the other parts of the village.
You said most of them work farms on the plains?
No, most of them work on hill farms.
Do they produce enough food each year?
Most of them do not produce enough food. For me, last year we grew two baskets of paddy seeds and collected only ten baskets of paddy. Poh[3] C--- [a villager] grew ten baskets of paddy [seeds] and he collected only ten baskets of paddy too.
What made you unable to collect enough rice?
The paddy did not grow well because paddy seedlings were too dry after they were planted.
Are there any other problems?
Yes. The other problem is that insects attack the paddy. The main problems are that insects kill the paddy and that the paddy is infertile [because of the heat].
Has this happened in previous years?
It happened in previous years. It also occurred two years ago.
Which year did it happen?
It happened in 2012.
How many baskets of paddy seed do you plant per hill farm?
Most villagers here plant seven to eight baskets of paddy [seed] on each hill farm.
What about you?
For me, I usually plant three to four baskets of paddy [seed] on my hill farm.
How many baskets of paddy can you produce [harvest] from the seven to eight baskets of paddy seed that you plant per year?
Some years we can produce 100 baskets of paddy, but other years we can produce only ten baskets of paddy. Last year Poh D--- [a villager] planted seven baskets of paddy seed, but he collected only 80 baskets of paddy.
What do villagers do when they cannot produce enough food?
They cannot do anything [on the farms]. They collect fruits [to sell], such as dog fruit and cardamom, but the trees do not produce [enough] fruits. It is very difficult for us.
Do any villagers in B--- [village] have their own cardamom plantations?
None of the villagers have their own cardamom plantation. We just harvest them from the forest.
Do they collect any other types of fruit?
No other fruits.
What about durian?
There are not many durian trees; only a few durian trees. However, there are a lot of betel nut trees.
Do they sell betel nut?
If the betel nut trees produce enough fruits, we also sell them.
How much do they earn per 100 betel nuts?
They earn 1000 kyat [0.74 USD][4] per 100 betel nuts.
Does every villager have their own betel nut plantation?
No, only a few villagers have betel nut plantations.
How many of them have betel nut plantations?
I think more village 20 villagers have betel nut plantations and only a few villagers do not have plantations. Betel nut trees can produce only a small amount of fruits.
How do villagers earn income if they do not have betel nut and cardamom plantations?
They cannot do anything [except these livelihood activiites]. They just work for their daily meals.
Do villagers in B---- village have to buy rice?
They have to buy rice all the time.
Do only a few villagers have to buy rice or do many of them have to buy?
Most villagers in B--- village have to buy rice. Only one or two households have enough food. Last year, only two or three households had enough food.
Do farmers that work on the plains produce enough food?
Yes, farmers on the plains produce enough food.
Where do you buy rice?
We buy rice from Hpapun Town.
How far is B--- [village] from Hpapun [Town]?
It takes us around one hour from B--- village to E--- place.
What about to Hpapun?
It takes about two hours [in total].
Do you transport rice by yourself?
We transport [rice] by boats half of the way. After [the rice] reaches E--- place, we carry it ourselves. The people come to sell rice at [E--- place].
How much do you have to pay per basket of rice?
Sometimes for a basket of rice we pay 15,000 to 16,000 kyat [$10.87 to 11.59 USD].
What about in the previous year?
Last year we paid 17,000 kyat [$12.32 USD] per basket of rice because there were many kinds of rice. For me, I did not have money, so I only bought a small basket of rice.
Are there any small business [opportunities] for B---- villagers to earn an income?
Yes, some villagers in our village hire others to create plots of land [to grow paddy].
What kinds of diggers do they hire?
They hire villagers to make plots of land. Some villagers conducted logging illegally to earn an income, but now there are no logging trees.
How much do they pay them per day?
They pay them 4,000 kyat [$2.90 USD] per day.
Where did people log trees illegally?
They conducted logging in E--- place. They only logged the branches of the trees.
Were the villagers permitted to log?
They were not permitted to log. If they were arrested, they would have to pay the fine.
Where did they sell the logs?
They sold them in Hpapun Town.
When did they conduct logging? Was it many years ago?
They started logging from 2000 until 2014. From 2013 to 2014, we carried the logs by ourselves. Now there are no more mature trees; only branches of the trees that are a little bigger than house posts.
Have you ever conducted logging there?
I conducted [logging] there once, but now I do not conduct anymore. I just carry small [single] logs by myself.
You said you conducted logging once, so did you conduct it at night or during the day?
I used to log during the day and only logged small branches of the trees. The people did not allow us to log mature trees. They only allowed us to log branches of the trees. If you want to log mature trees, you have to log them at night [in order to not be caught].
How much did they earn per log?
They earned 60,000 kyat [$43.47 USD] per tonne of logs. They also have to hire elephants [to move the logs] and the loggers. They paid 10,000 kyat [$7.24 USD] for each elephant and 5,000 kyat [$3.62 USD] to the loggers.
Did they hire the elephants?
Yes, they had to hire them because they could not move the logs by themselves.
Are there any KNU [Karen National Union] armed groups, such as KNDO [Karen National Defense Organisation], [presently] operating where they conduct logging?
Yes, KNDO has been operating there.
Did they know you were conducting logging?
Yes. They knew, but you have to bribe them because they are frontline soldiers. If you give them [money], they will not say anything.
Did you ever bribe them when you were logging?
Yes, we bribed them. The investments [bribes] were given to soldiers based in Qq--- place. The chief of Forest Administration is Poh Kyweh [and] his son-in-law, also known as Paw Mu Khah [works in the Forest Ministry].
Is [Paw Mu Khah] the chief of the Forest Department?
No. He is a forest minister, who is in charge of Baw Thay Hta area.
What is his name?
His name is Paw Muh Khah. Poh Kyweh is the chief of Forest Administration and he lives in Day Poo Noh village. Poh Kyweh appointed him [Paw Muh Khah] to be his proxy. There are two of them [forestry staff], but I do not know the other's name.
When did you bribe the KNU to conduct logging?
At the present time, we have to bribe them if we want to do logging. We have to bribe them even if we log small trees.
Can you tell me how much [money] you had to bribe them [KNU]?
I am not sure, because I do not conduct logging very often. I think they [loggers] will bribe them about 10,000 to 20,000 kyat [$7.24 to 14.49 USD] and if they are allowed to log five tonne of logs, they might try to log ten tonne of logs.
Did you hear if anyone conducted logging in 2015?
None of the villagers in my village conducted logging.
What about other people?
Other people conduct logging because the KNU is now allowing people in Suh Loh Kloh and Maw Loh Kloh [areas] to conduct logging.
Do they conduct logging illegally?
No, they do it legally.
What is the place name where people are logging illegally?
In E--- place, but presently there are no more trees to log. The logging of trees still occurs in F--- area.
Did they conduct logging illegally?
Yes, some of them did it illegally and others did it legally. The people [local authorities] always arrest them [loggers] because they know [the villagers] transport the logs along the river and one of villagers in G--- village died [drowned].
When did the incident happen?
I am not sure whether it happened in 2011, 2012, or 2013.
Did he [the man who drowned] log illegally?
Yes, he did. He transported the logs along the river with his friends during the night, but his other friend can swim.
When did they transport the logs? Was it in the rainy season or summer?
It was in the rainy season, because you cannot transport logs easily in the summer.
Did you see or hear if the [loggers] bribed the people [KNDO[5] soldiers and the KNU]?
I heard about it.
Who told you?
A lot of people bribed them.
Yes, I know a lot of people bribed them, but can you tell me the names of the elephants' owners [who conducted logging]?
Yes, one person is Poh H--- [a villager]. [He] always conducts logging and bribes people [KNDO soldiers and the KNU].
Where does he live?
He lives in I--- village, Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Does he live in Baw Thay Hta village tract?
Yes, he lives in Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Are there any villagers who were witnesses?
Some villagers were witnesses and saw them with their own eyes, but they did not want to tell them [the loggers].
Did they not report the issue?
No, they did not report the issue. They said that if you were able to do [logging], you could earn [money].
Did the village tract, township, and district leaders know that Paw Muh Khah [Forest Minister] was bribed by the loggers?
The village tract leaders and forest ministers were also bribed.
What about township leaders?
I think a few township leaders might know the issue.
Is any logging taking place in other village tracts?
Have the people, who were logging and transporting logs illegally, been arrested?
Yes, they were arrested and fined.
What kinds of fines did they require?
They [villagers] were fined to pay money and had their bamboo rafts [used for logging] confiscated.
How much [money] were they fined for each bamboo raft?
Some of them were fined 10,000 kyat [$7.24 USD] and others were fined 100,000 kyat [$72.45 USD]. If they transported teak logs, they were fined 100,000 kyat for each raft.
Who confiscated the raft? Were they from the KNLA [Karen National Liberation Army] or the Forestry Department?
They were KNU members [from the Forestry Department]. After they confiscated the rafts, they resold the logs. After they sold the logs, I do not know what they did [with the money].
Did they resell the logs after they confiscated them?
Yes, they resold the logs in Hpapun [Town].
Do you know [who] the leaders of the group are that confiscated the rafts?
Poh Kyweh's son in-law, who lives there.
Did he lead that group [to arrest loggers] the previous time?
Yes, he did, he has been living there for five years. Poh Kyweh elected him to be in charge of that area.
Where does Poh Kwyeh live?
He lives in Day Poo Noh village.
Who does he work for?
He works for the Forestry Department.
Is he the chief of the Forestry Department?
Yes, he is the chief of the Forestry Department.
Which area does he control?
Do you mean Bo[6] [Poh] Kyweh?
He controls each reserve forest area under the Forestry [Department].
Have any villager heard about Paw Muh Khah reselling the logs?
They heard about it. For me, I never asked them for more information, so I do not know what they did with [money].
Were villagers happy to pay the fine? Did villagers agree to pay the fines?
Some of them agreed [to pay the fines], but some were not happy about it. Therefore, some of them still conduct logging.
Were they [the loggers] sent to district or township [authorities]?
They were not sent there because I did not see them sent there.
None of them were sent [to the authorities]?
Yes, none of them. However, last year, Poh H--- was sent [to township and district level authorities].
Why was he sent?
He was sent because he conducted logging illegally.
He was sent during the harvest season.
Did he not bribe them?
They said he conducted logging illegally several times, but he escaped arrest [punishment]. He had been informed not to do logging several times, but he never listened.
Who arrested him?
The KNU [KNLA] officers.
Do you know their names?
I do not know. Frontline soldiers and J---'s brother in-law were also conducting logging, but they hid their involvement even though they were the main people logging illegally.
Were any KNU officers involved in logging?
Yes, the KNU officers were involved in logging, because the forestry ministrers were from the KNU. They [the forestry ministers] conducted the logging with Poh H--- [a villager] at K--- place. M--- villagers submitted the case [to KNU leaders] and township leaders. The leaders asked them [the officers] to meet at the township [office].
When did they conduct the logging?
They conducted logging in harvest season, as I mentioned above.
Was it in 2014?
Yes, it was in 2014 during harvest season [approximately September/October]. It was not 2015 yet.
Did he [Poh H---] receive punishment?
I am not sure how many days he stayed there [detention place]. I think [it was] over two weeks. The people who conducted logging illegally were mainly KNU officers. When the villagers also started to conduct logging, they [the KNU officers] only blamed villagers.
Were there any [KNU] leaders involved or only their staff?
The people said Ta Thoo was also involved [in logging].
What does he do for work?
He is a front-line soldier.
Is he an officer?
Yes, I think he is an officer. I think this year he was promoted to three ranks or one star [Sergeant or Second Lieutenant]. In the military, he is the highest rank among the soldiers who are based in Baw Thay Hta place.
Is he a KNLA officer?
Yes, I think he is.
Where is Ta Thoo based?
He is based in Kyeh Leh Hkaw [place], because his barrack is based there.
How many years have they been based there?
They have been based there for three to four years.
Does he have any other names or only Ta Thoo?
I do not know if he has other names. I only know Ta Thoo, and he is locally known as Ta Thoo.
Where is he based?
He is based in Kyeh Leh Hkaw [place].
Did the villagers hear about the logging or see it with their own eyes?
The villagers saw it [evidence of logging] with their own eyes, because they had not completed sawing all of the logs they had cut down.
Where did they illegally conduct logging?
The logging was conducted in L--- place.
Did they [villagers] cut them [the logs] with chainsaws or lumber saws?
They cut them with chainsaws.
You said the villagers saw them with their own eyes, so did you also see [the evidence] or did you hear about it from other villagers?
Many villagers talked about it. For me, I just saw the sawdust left behind from the chainsaws, which the loggers had used. They logged many logs with chainsaws. They conducted the logging in M--- community's protected forest area.
Was it the community's protected forest?
Yes, it was.
It was not the KNU's protected forest?
No, M--- villagers protected forest.
How many KNU officers were involved in logging?
Ta Thoo, Paw Mu Khah and Poh Kyweh's children were involved. Many villagers in N--- [village] were involved in logging, but those people are the main people [loggers].
Who were the main people?
The main people were the KNU officers. Poh H--- went to saw the logs with Naw O---'s father. I told them, "M--- villagers might catch you if you continue logging".
Is Poh H--- a villager?
Yes, Poh H--- is a villager. His chainsaw was taken away by villagers from M---.
Have they already returned [the chainsaw] to him or not?
They have not returned it to him yet.
Did he [Poh H---] get fined?
Yes, they fined him 40,000 kyat [$28.98 USD]. Then they [villagers] returned the chainsaw to him.
What kinds of trees did they log in L--- place?
They logged Hsyeh Per Hee [a type of hardwood tree].
Did they log any other types of trees?
No, [they did] not log any other trees.
Did they construct any buildings after logging the trees?
They transported them [the logs] to Hpapun.
Did they build houses [with the logs]?
I do not know. The people who bought the logs will do something. I think the rich man in Hpapun might buy them.
Where did they transport the logs?
They transported the logs to a monastery in Hpapun [upper part of Hpapun section 4] and to Nauk Bet Ka [section].
Which village tract is L--- place located in?
L--- is located in Kaw Poo village tract.
Is it located in Kaw Poo village tract?
Yes, it is located in Kaw Poo village tract.
After they [villagers who were logging] were arrested, were they seriously punished or lightly disciplined?
They were not seriously punished.
How many days were they punished [forced to work]?
They were punished for ten days [performing physical labour].
Did they send them [loggers] to township or district [authorities]?
They [local authorities] sent them to district [court] not township. All of them were sent to P--- village].
Do they permit villagers to log to build houses?
No, they do not allow it.
We are allowed to log to build houses, but we have to receive a permission letter [from the KNU]. They ask 5000 kyat [$3.62 USD] for a permission letter, which only allows us to log five-tonnes of logs.
How did villagers feel after they heard KNU officers were conducting logging illegally?
Many villagers were not satisfied with the KNU officers, but they did not dare to express it like me. Some villagers felt okay with them.
Do villagers complain about this issue?
Yes, they complain, but not in front of other people.
What did they say privately?
They mainly talked privately and said, "If the leaders can do [logging, then] why are we not allowed [to log]? They were the ones who prohibited us from conducting logging and they were the ones logging themselves." We did not dare to talk, we just talked behind them [privately].
Have any villagers requested permission letters to build their houses?
None of the villagers in B---village requested permission letters. They just cut down the trees and asked people to saw for them.
Do they [local authorities] try to secretly inquire [about these] villagers?
No, they do not.
Have they ever come to the village?
Yes, they have, but they have not said anything [to the villagers who built wood-houses].
Have they ever given permission for logging in Baw Thay Hta village tract?
I have not heard anything about it, but I heard they will be opening an opportunity for logging in F--- area. I am not sure whether they will open the opportunity or not.
After villagers were prohibited from logging, has there been any conflicts happening in your village?
No, I have not seen anything happen. The only other things [problems] were solar panels and water pipe [distribution].
What were the problems with the solar panels and water pipes?
We were not allowed to take solar panels and water pipes. We were not sure whether they [the Lu Thaw Township authorities] themselves took them or not. However, [we know] the authorities took all the rice [intended for the villagers] that was distributed by Burma/Myanmar government. We heard details about the rice distribution very recently. I bought one basket of rice [from the Lu Thaw township authorities] even though the Burma/Myanmar government wanted to distribute that rice to B--- villagers [for free].
When did this happen?
It happened in 2014.
Which month?
I do not remember.
Did the Burma/Myanmar government distribute solar panels and water pipes?
Were they from the Burma/Myanmar government or another organisation?
We were not sure where they came from. I was thinking of asking you.
Did you not ask any leaders about it?
I asked the leaders [Lu Thaw Township authorities] and they said, "do not take the aid from the Burma/Myanmar government. If you take [the solar panels and water pipes] the Burma/Myanmar government will get more members. Then they [Burma/Myanmar government] will submit your list with your names to [higher officials] and they will say that they have people in there [more government party members]. Then you all [villagers] will become SLORC[7] [State Law and Order Restoration Council] members and the KNU will have no more members [followers]". They [Lu Thaw Township authorities] said that they [Burma/Myanmar government] also will campaign for the [2015] general election. If it is true or not we are not very sure.
Did you write proposals in order to get water pipes or were they freely-distributed?
The leaders from Hpapun Section 4 asked us to go and said, "You have to collect water very far from your village. Therefore Burma/Myanmar government will help you. Would you like to receive them [water pipes]?" This is how they ask us. We told them that we really wanted it [water pipes], but the [KNU] leaders [in Brigade 5] did not allow us to collect [aid]. They [Hpapun section leaders] told us, "You will get it for free. If you do not take it, you are very stupid." We said we would go there to check the situation. If they seriously prohibit us, we cannot do anything.
Have you ever written a proposal to them?
No, we have never written proposals. We didn't write proposals to get rice. They [Burma/Myanmar government] just sent it themselves and later monks asked us to take the rice. The people there [KNU leaders] told us not to take the rice, so we couldn't do anything.
Where does the monk live?
He lives in Section 4.
What is his name?
His name is Sayadaw[8] Rr---.
Does he live in the monastery?
Yes, he lives there.
Who sent rice to you?
Burma/Myanmar government.
Did they send it for villagers?
Yes, they sent it to the monastery for the villagers. They kept them [the rice] at the monastery and asked us to take and transport it ourselves.
Did villagers go to take the aid?
No, the villagers did not take the aid, because the people [Lu Thaw Township authorities] did not allow us to take [it]. Thus, we did not dare to take the aid.
Who did not allow you to take the aid?
The KNU did not allow us to take the aid.
Do you know the names of the leaders who did not allow villagers to take the aid?
I do not know their names, but all of the leaders in brigade five prohibited us.
How do you know that they resold the rice?
I heard it from Ss--- after I argued with him and told him that in the end the leaders themselves took the aid. He agreed with me and said, "You are right; Paw Muh Khah also took some aid." No one was happy with them [the KNU].
What does Ss--- do for work?
He is a KNDO commander.
Did he also take aid [from the villagers]?
I do not know, because I have not asked him. I think he [Ss---] knew it [about the aid] because he is a soldier based in Kyeh Leh Hkaw [place].
Did they transport the rice from Hpapun to there [their base] by boats or did people transport it for them?
They [Lu Thaw Township authorities] took the rice from the monastery [of Hpapun Town in Section 4]. After Bo Eh himself came back from Hpa-an, he transported all the rice [from Hpapun to his base].
Who told you that Bo Eh transported all the rice?
The people from Hpapun told us. The monk also told us.
Did the monk [Sayadaw Rr---] himself tell you?
Yes, the monk told us, but we did not note it [the date] down.
Did the monk give them the rice?
Yes, the monk gave the rice to them [Lu Thaw Township authorities]. We were not sure whether they [Lu Thaw Township authorities] bought the rice from monk or not. I do not think the monk would sell the rice, because it belonged to the villagers.
Did they [Lu Thaw Township authorities] not allow villagers to take [the rice]?
Yes, they did not and when they took all of rice they did not inform the villagers.
Did they not let villagers know when they took the aid?
They did not let villagers know.
Did any leaders at the township or district level know about the incident?
If Bo Eh transported the rice, he would have to transport it to the township and district because their offices are based there. We have not asked [villagers] for confirmation. If you ask many people, they will know about the incident. In 2014 I heard Burma/Myanmar supported the KNU with Christmas materials. Saw Q--- said he went to transport it [the materials to the KNU] for them [Burma/Myanmar government], but a few days later they [KNU] returned the materials. However, later Bo Eh came back and he transported all [of the Christmas materials] and did not return them [the materials to the Burma/Myanmar government] again.
What kind of support did they provide?
They [the Burma/Myanmar government] provided materials for the Christmas [celebration].
Did they support them with money?
I think they [might have] supported them with bread, candies and soups when they were celebrating Christmas.
Did it [support] come from the Tatmadaw or the Burma/Myanmar government?
I think it might have come from the Burma/Myanmar government, but I am not sure. I do not think the Tatmadaw would support them [Lu Thaw Township authorities]. Maybe the aid came from other organisations, but I am not sure whether it came from a Karen organisation or not.
Are you the only one who heard the KNU leaders took the rice or did any other villagers hear about it?
Many villagers heard about it, but they [know] as much as I do since they are also not sure about the incident.
Have you ever met with Sayadaw Rr--- [about the issue]?
I have not met him and never kept in mind [thought to ask him] about this issue.
How did villagers feel after they heard about the issue?
Some villagers were not happy about the incident, but some of them didn't care.
The people who were upset about the incident what did they say?
They did not say anything in the meeting. Last time [in the annual meeting] they did not raise this issue. The leaders only talked about Identification Cards. The village tract leader and the sectary of village tract leader asked B--- villagers if any villagers in B--- village made IDs. Villagers told them that none of villagers in B--- village received IDs. The only people who made IDs are the leaders. Thay Wee Heh is a KNDO commander. He said that many of his soldiers got IDs. Many villagers from R--- and S--- got IDs, but B--- villagers did not.
Can you tell me why they [Lu Thaw Township authorities] did not permit villagers to make IDs?
They said it will benefit SLORC when the 2015 general election takes place. They said they [Burma/Myanmar government] would [use the ID cards to] increase their members. If it is true or not, we do not know. The aid also might be used in this way. The KNU leaders in Brigade 5 said that if the government provides ID cards they will record your name and submit it to Naypyidaw [to register you for membership with the government's ruling party]. They said some villagers in B---, T--- and F--- village already have ID cards. They said if the general election takes place there will be no more votes for the KNU [as everyone with ID cards will be registered as a supporter of the Burma/Myanmar government].
Do you know when the election will take place? Did they let you know?
They did not tell us, and we do not know [the election date].
When did they conduct the meeting regarding ID cards?
They conducted the meeting in 2014.
Where did the meeting take place?
The meeting took place in B--- village. It was the annual meeting. They told each household [not to make ID cards].
Who organised the meeting?
The meeting was organised by the KNU. Village tract leaders and KNDO leaders from each area participated in the meeting. The township and district leaders did not participate in the meeting. When they [the KNU] organised the meeting, they asked one person from each household to participate in the meeting, but I did not participate in the meeting. Many people had taken the aid [solar panels and rice], but then they were asked to return the aid.
Who is the Baw Thay Hta village tract leader?
Saw U--- is Baw THay Hta village tract leader and he lives in V--- village.
Who is the village tract secretary?
There are two village tract secretaries. They are the general secretary and the vice-secretary.
Have any villagers made ID cards in previous years?
The Burma/Myanmar government have only provided an opportunity for the villagers to make ID cards once. They provided ID cards for free. They [Lu Thaw Township authorities] told [villagers] not to make ID cards. In 2015, I told a KNDO commander, "[if] you guys [KNDO commanders] said it would only benefit SLORC, then why do leaders and soldiers go to make ID cards?" When they held the meeting, they said that the people who always have to travel made ID cards. I asked them, "don't villagers have to travel?" They said that they [KNDO commanders and soldiers] sometime have to go for urgent traveling. I responded [and said], "I saw many soldiers did not travel after they made ID cards. They just kept the card with them". I said, "When our children grow up, they will also have to travel."
Were there any villagers who wanted to make ID cards before the leaders held the meeting?
Many villagers wanted to get IDs because they provided it for free, but after [the meeting] leaders did not allow us to make them, and so we did not dare to make [ID cards].
Was there a difference in the number of villagers who wanted to receive IDs and those who did not want?
The villagers who wanted to get IDs are fewer than the villagers who did not want to get IDs. If the leaders permit us to get IDs, I think there will be a lot of villagers who want to get [IDs]. I almost went to make an ID card. A villager in my village went to make an ID card too.
Who went to make an ID card?
Saw W--- went to make an ID card. After the leaders held the meeting, he came to ask me whether he should go to make an ID or not. I told him, "If you want to get one just make it because many people went to make". I saw them [the KNLA and KNDO soldiers] with my eyes when they went to make them, but I do not know the soldiers' names. The next morning, he went to make an ID and he got it. He is the only person who got an ID card. He needed an ID card because he wanted to go to Toungoo [town]. After he got an ID, he did not go to Toungoo, because he got married.
When did they provide free IDs?
I think they provided them in 2011, 2012 or 2013. I am not so sure [which year], but it should have been during those three years.
When did the villagers go to make IDs?
The villagers went to make IDs the same year that Saw W--- got married. He has been married for over one year, so I think it was in 2013.
Are there any KNU soldiers who went to make IDs after they held the meeting?
I did not see any of them make IDs after they held meeting, but before they held the meeting many of them went to make IDs. Each year they hesitate to conduct the annual meeting, and this year they held the meeting after [the Burmese/Myanmar government offered] free delivery of ID cards. Forest administrators also went to make an ID card.
You said the forest administer also went to make an ID card?
Yes. Hpah Hsee's son-in-law went to make an ID card.
Did they [KNU] not allow villagers to make IDs?
Yes, they did not allow.
Did any villagers raise this issue in the [KNU annual] meeting?
I heard Thara X--- said that if the [KNU] leaders make ID cards [and the villagers have evidence], then they [the KNU] will know [hear] about it from the villagers.
What about the solar panel issue?
Yes, last time they held the meeting they raised the solar panel issue.
Did they hold the meeting about the solar panel issue, and not the issue about ID cards?
No, they held the meeting about the solar panel issue and not the IDs because they had already held a meeting regarding the ID issue before.
Did you hear that people would distribute solar panels or [did] village heads have to write the proposal [to receive it]?
We heard the Burma/Myanmar government will distribute solar panels [without proposals] and I also heard they will donate money to the villagers.
How much will they donate?
They will donate 300,000 kyat [$217.34 USD] to each household.
Will they donate 300,000 kyat [$217.34 USD] to each household?
How many solar panels will they distribute?
They will distribute one to each household. If there are 30 households [in a village], then they will distribute 30 solar panels. All villagers in Y--- village have already received solar panels.
Did any villagers in B--- village have to write a proposal [to receive] solar panels?
I did not hear if they wrote a proposal for solar panels.
Do you need it [solar panels]?
Yes, I need it. If they distribute water pipes, I will take them, because I already told the village head. We heard that B--- villagers wrote a proposal to receive aid, but in other villages the villagers already took the aid [without writing proposals].
Who took the aid?
The villagers who live in Y--- [village] have already taken the aid [solar panels]. They live very close to the leaders, but they have already taken them [solar panels]. Vice leader of village tract and sectary of village tract leader live there.
Why did they [Lu Thaw Township authorities] not allow villagers to take solar panels and what did they say?
They said that if we take the aid, it will only benefit SLORC.
Did they [KNU] consult villagers in any other ways, or did they just hold the meeting?
No, they just held the meeting.
Did they explain to the villagers clearly [about why they did not allow them to take the aid]?
No, they did not clearly explain this to the villagers and the villagers did not understand [why they could not collect the aid].
Do any villagers want to collect solar panels?
Yes, many villagers want to get solar panels.
Is there a difference between the number of villagers who want to collect [solar panels] and [those] who do not want to [collect them]?
Most villagers want to take the aid, but we do not dare to take the aid.
Do you know how many villages in each village tract have taken the aid?
All villagers in Y--- village have taken the aid.
Do you know any other villages?
N--- village.
What about villages in other village tracts?
In other village tracts, villagers in K'Law Hta village tract took the aid.
Did leaders stop them from taking them?
I am not sure about the other village tracts, but the leaders asked Y--- villagers to return the aid. They returned them when Ss--- got married.
How many solar panels did they send to Y--- villagers?
I do not know how many household are in Y--- village, but people said only two households did not receive the aid.
Which village tract is Y--- located in?
Y--- is located in Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Who did you say lives there at the moment?
I said vice leader of the village tract and the sectary of village tract live there [Y---village].
Did they also take the aid?
One of Ma Z--- 's daughters took a solar panel.
Did she return the panel?
When I went to a villager's engagement party, she had not returned the panel yet. The other villagers had already returned the aid.
Have they all returned the aid?
Yes, because the KNDO Commanders and village tract leaders asked them to return [the solar panels]. Village tract leaders, KNDO commanders, and liaison officers returned the aid for them. The leaders used boats to return the villagers' aid.
Did Y--- village head write a proposal for solar panels?
I don't know whether the village head wrote the proposal or not. I think the Burma/Myanmar government wanted to help the villagers. I think no one had to write proposals. In B--- village, when they were distributing the rice they told us that if we want to make ID cards we can make them for free.
Did they ask for money for the solar panels?
I am not sure whether they asked for money or not. And I am not sure if they will ask for money later or not. They did not tell us clearly.
What do you think about Y--- villagers returning the solar panels? Do you think all of the solar panels reached [the Burma/Myanmar government]?
The leaders returned the aid themselves.
Where did they return the aid to?
They returned them [solar panels and water pipes] to Section 4 [of Hpapun Town].
Did the people [leaders, KNDO, and liaison officers] send them through Section 4 [leaders]?
Yes, they sent it to Section 4 and kept them at the administrator's house.
Who is the administrator?
Aa---'s mother. She is Bb---'s sister.
Is she the village head?
Yes, she is the village head. There are a lot of solar panels at Aa---'s mother house and also near the other part of [Pgeh Loh Kloh] river.
What is other part of river?
The other part of river is Nauk Bet Ka.
Was it [the aid] kept at the village head's house?
Yes, the solar panels were kept in the village head's house.
Did any villagers say anything to the leaders after they ask them to return the aid?
I did not hear them say anything.
Did any other villages take the aid besides Y--- village?
Cc--- and Dd-- villages might have taken the aid. And also the villagers who live close to N--- [village] might have taken some solar panels. I think they also had to return them. They [the KNU leaders] said they asked them to return the solar panels, but I am not sure whether they [the villagers] return them all or not. I do not know.
Did they ask all of the villagers to return the solar panels?
Yes, all villagers were asked to return the aid. I have not met with Ee--- and Ff--- villagers. If I meet them, I will ask them whether they have returned the aid or not. All of the villagers who live in Baw Thay Hta village tract returned the aid.
Did they [Burma/Myanmar government] support villagers with only solar panels and rice? Have you heard if the villagers were supported with anything else?
I heard they [the Burmese/Myanmar government] will also distribute money.
You only heard about it?
Has [the money] not arrived?
Yes, [the money] has not arrived. I heard the people said B---villagers asked about it, but none of them asked.
Who told you about it [that the Burma/Myanmar government would distribute money]?
The leaders told us.
Did any KNU departments come to donate anything to the villagers?
Last year they donated 30,000 kyat [$21.73 USD].
Did they donate it to each person or each household?
They donated it to each person.
Did they donate [money] only to Baw Thay Hta village tract or did they also distribute it to other village tracts?
They only donated it to Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Who donated it? Was it from the district or the township?
It was from both, district and township.
When did they donate it?
They donated it in 2014.
Was it in 2014?
Did they donate it once or more than once?
In the past they donated 500 kyat [$0.36 USD] to each person, but I am not sure about this year.
Is it Kyat or baht?
Have they donated kyat or baht in their most recent donation?
Did they donate it to each household?
Yes, they did, except [they did not donate kyat to] the people who did not submit their names. They did not receive the donation.
Did they [those villagers] ask for a donation?
They asked the leaders and Tt---'s household received the donation. When we received the donation, Uncle Gg--- and his wife did not receive it. This happened when his wife passed away.
So, they did not receive it [the donation]?
No, they did not.
Did they [the KNU departments] not help them?
No, they did not.
Did they [KNU] not know?
Village head leader said he forgot to submit their names because only two people lived in their household.
Did they not tell them [Uncle Gg--- and his wife] when they were distributing the donations?
They did tell them, but they said they did not have any money left.
Did they distribute any donations in other townships or village tracts?
Hh--- villagers mainly complained about it [not receiving donations].
Where is Hh--- located?
It is located in Dweh Loh [Township].
What did they complain about?
They complained that they [the leaders] only distributed donations to B--- villagers. Many Ii--- villagers have also been waiting to receive the donations. Last year they [Ii--- villagers] did not pay their taxes and had to serve as carriers [transporting materials for loh ah pay[9].
Who organised the donation money?
I do not remember the name of the person. They live in the upper part [of Day Poo Noh village]. Puh Maw [Adjutant General] worked with them when they were distributing money.
Are they from B---?
No, they are from the KNDO office.
Was Puh Maw [Bridge 5 Adjutant General] involved?
Yes, Puh Maw and the other one was Pah Daw Khaw. Do you know Pah Daw Khaw?
Pah Daw Khaw lives in F--- [village]. Governor Kyay Baw was also involved.
Governor Baw?
Yes. Many people [leaders] were involved [in organising the donations]. Village tract leaders from four village tracts were there too, such as Poh Htoh Kloh and another person with a high position, but I do not know that guy's name. Soldiers such as Bo Pah Noo also participated in distributing donations.
Where does Bo Pah Noo live?
I guess he lives in Hkaw Poo. He came to Kyeh Leh Hkoh.
Did they come to donate money?
Yes, they came along with other people.
Can you tell me what K'Law Hta villagers said when they were upset?
They said that B---villagers received the donation, so it was not fair for them.
Where is Ii--- located?
It is located in Lu Thaw Township.
Did you say that Ii--- villagers did not pay their taxes?
Yes, they did not. They said that they have been waiting for the leaders to hold the meeting before paying taxes to them. If they [the leaders] do not hold the meeting, then they [the Ii--- villagers] are not going to pay their taxes.
Can you tell me why they did not pay the taxes?
They did not pay the taxes because they said that if they [the KNU department] donated money, they should donate it to each village tract instead of only donating to Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Did they hold a discussion with villagers before they donated the money?
The villagers gathered the same day as they were distributing money. They said that you had to sign your name after you took money. When it was B--- turn they ran out of paper to sign. We could not sign our names because the paper had run out.
What did they do after the papers had run out?
We took them [the donations] without signing.
Did you sign your name?
We could not sign our names since there was no more paper left, but some village were able to sign their names.
Did they donate it [money] to orphans' and widows' families?
We submitted our complaints [to village leaders] that the paddy had died and couldn't produce rice. We faced food shortages, secondly, sickness, and thirdly starvation.
Do any other organisations donate aid or is it only district and township [KNU leaders]?
They only donated to Baw Thay Hta village tract.
Are there any other organisations besides the KNU?
I only know of that group [the KNU].
What about the organisations, which are not a part of the KNU?
I do not know any other organisations.
Are there any clinics in B---village?
[There are] no clinics [there], only in Day Poo Noh village.
Where do you go if you are sick?
We usually go to Hpapun.
Hpapun and Day Poo Noh, which one is closer?
Hpapun is closer.
Does Hpapun have a KNU hospital or a Burma/Myanmar government hospital?
Hpapun has a Burma/Myanmar government hospital. A health worker from Day Poo Noh could not deliver her baby and she also went to Hpapun hospital.
A health worker from the KNU?
Could she not deliver the baby?
Yes, she is Hpah Tee Poh Yaw's daughter in law. She went to Hpapun Hospital to deliver her baby.
What are the illnesses facing villagers in B--- village?
They commonly experience headaches, diarrhoea, and have difficulties delivering babies.
Do they face malaria disease?
Yes, they experience malaria disease.
Do they experience serious illnesses?
Yes, one villager currently has a serious illness.
What kind of illness does he have?
He has cancer.
Where does he live?
He is Jj---s father. He smells very bad because he does not have anyone who [takes care of him]. In the past, he lived with his wife, but after his wife passed away he lives by himself. The people said that sometimes maggots fall off his body. First, it [the cancer] started happening on his jaw, then it moved to the roof of his mouth. He can still eat food.
When did he get [mouth cancer]?
Last year.
Is there anyone [who can] give him medicine to take?
[Villagers have] no hope to receive medicine. Last year [KNU Forestry Minister] Poh Kyweh's son, Saw Kk---, and Poh Ll---'s daughter came once when I cut my leg. They said that we had to beware of AIDS now. I think that if you get AIDS you might [have gotten it] by having sex with someone. I got angry with them at that time when my leg was recently cut. I almost told them off because my wound was still bleeding when they told me [about AIDS]. I asked them, "did you bring any medicine with you?" They told me that they did not bring anything. I asked them, "Should I kill you with a knife?"
Are they health workers?
I do not know. They live in Day Poo Noh.
Why did they come?
They came to organise and to raise awareness about healthcare and diseases.
Who do they work for?
They work for the health [department from the KNU] because they came to distribute medicine. When I asked them they said they brought some medicine with them, but not a lot.
When did they come?
They came in 2013.
Did they distribute medicine or provide any injections?
They did not do anything. They just held talks [to raise awareness] then went back [to their base] early the next morning. They said they distributed medicine, but they only brought pinworm with them. [So] I called her pinworm nurse.
Did any other people come or only them?
Only them.
Have they provided [enough] awareness or distributed enough medicine to the villagers?
No, they have not. They just said that if you are feeling sick, go to Day Poo Noh Hospital to test for the illness and see if it is a urine infection and/or malaria. They said you have to prevent the disease.
Did anyone report the health condition of that grandpa?
No one reported it because even if we report it, no one will come to provide medical treatment for him. As I told you, when I cut my leg I asked them to give me medicine, but they did not have [any].
Has he [the cancer patient] ever tried to report it [his illness] to the Burma/Myanmar government?
I think if he reports it, he might get support.
What kinds of examples did Saw Kk--- and Thara Mu use to show you how you will get AIDS? Did they explain to you what AIDS is?
They did explain it, but after listening to them I cannot explain it to you.
Can you tell me as much as you remember?
I do not remember anything since it took place many years ago.
Did they tell you how AIDS happens?
They did not tell us. For me, I know AIDS is transmitted through sex.
Have any other organisations come here?
No other organisations have come here.
Have any organisations come to support the villagers with education?
Yes, they only came to encourage the villagers to improve the [education] situation.
You said there is no clinic based close to your village?
Yes, there is no clinic based close to my village.
How much do you have to pay for travel fees if you go to Hpapun [hospital]?
Currently, it does not cost a lot. Last year my wife was hospitalized in Hpapun and it cost only 120, 000 kyat [$86.93 USD]. She had surgery and was sterilised.
Do you usually go to Hpapun Town if you need surgery?
For me, I usually go to Hpapun, but I am not sure about other villagers.
Do other villagers usually go to Day Poo Noh?
No, they mostly go to Hpapun. I have only seen Ler Buh Moh go to Day Poo Noh. She was hospitalised for a few days and then she came back. She said that the medics only gave her one or two doses of medicine to take and they never inject patients.
Do they take good care of patients?
Yes, they took good care of my wife. They gave me eggs, rice and salt [when my wife was hospitalised].
Is it a Burma/Myanmar government hospital in Hpapun?
Yes, [it is a] Burma/Myanmar government hospital.
Do leaders prohibit you from receiving medical treatment there?
No, they do not prohibit us from medical treatment.
A few months ago, did any groups come to test for malaria?
No, I never saw it. They asked people to go, but none of the villagers went.
Do they [health workers] do malaria research in any other village tracts or townships?
In Kler Aoo Der. I saw they did research there, but not in Baw Thay Hta. They might have done it in some other areas, but not in my village. I know they did research in Kler Aoo Der and Klaw Hta villages.
What do they do for their research? Do they provide medicine or what do they do?
The health workers visit household by household to distribute medicine.
Do they check for sickness?
Yes, they do blood tests.
They only do blood tests?
Yes. After Peh Poo Luh came back from medical training, she said she does not have medicine to treat patients after they take malaria blood tests. We only take blood tests. Then we have to buy medicine ourselves.
Where did Peh Poo Luh go for medical training?
To Day Poo Noh.
Did they not give her medicine after she finished training?
They did, but not enough. They did not give her much medicine. It was not enough for everyone who was tested for malaria because many people had malaria. I did many blood tests and they came up positive, but I was not given any medicine to take because there was no medicine. Therefore, I have to buy it myself and we buy mefloquine [antimalarial medicine]
Do you know any other groups that have recently been active here or only that group?
I do not know of any new groups since 2014 or 2015.
What about in the past [before 2014 and 2015]?
I saw they came here once in 2012.
Who came?
The health workers.
Did they not let you know the organisation's name?
No, they did not.
Did they not tell you where they were from?
They were from Day Poo Noh.
Are there any schools in your village?
Yes, a school was built in the village and four standards are taught in the school.
How many teachers are teaching in the school?
There are two teachers teaching in the school.
Are they from your own village or others?
One of them is from our own village and the other is from a town in the delta region. They teach together with my niece [who is also a teacher].
When was the school built?
I think it was built over seven years ago.
Does the KNU government support this school?
Yes. They support it by [paying the] teachers' salaries and [providing] note books.
Where is the support from?
The support is from the KNU.
What kinds of support do they provide?
They support them with money.
How much do they pay each teacher per year?
Last year both of them received 9,000 [$257.13 USD]. Do you think this is enough to receive?
Is it baht or kyat?
It is baht. I think they received 3,500 baht [$99.99 USD][10] per person.
Do they only receive 3,500 baht per year?
Do any other organisations support this school?
Kaw Muh Traw from Hpapun supports the school. They support it with money.
How much do they support them per year?
They support them 300,000 kyat [$217.33 USD] per year. In total from both donors they receive 600,000 kyat [$434.67 USD] per year.
Kaw Mu Traw is a Christian organisation, right?
Yes, it is a Baptist Christian organisation.
Who supports the school teachers with food?
The villagers and students' parents support them.
How much do parents have to give each teacher?
Three of my children go to school, but I only pay for two because my other child does not study any grade yet. We have to pay one big tin[11] and forty bowls of rice, one litre of cooking oil, salt, chilli and ajinomoto [MSG].
Are there any parents who cannot afford it?
Yes, some parents cannot afford it, but they try their best to pay at the end of the year. This year the two school teachers did not finish their rice. Therefore, we gave them less [rice] and paid them with money [instead]. So one big tin of rice is the same as 6,000 kyat. [$4.35 USD].
How many standards[12] are taught in the school?
Four standards are taught in the school, just like the KNU School.
How many students are there in the school?
Thirty students are in the school.
How many students were in school last year?
Last year there were over twenty students, but less than thirty.
Do they all live in your village?
Yes, all of the students live in my village.
Are there only two organisations supporting the school?
Yes, only two organisations.
Does KED [Karen Education Department] come to support the school here?
The KED does [support] under the supervision of the KNU.
What kinds of support do they provide?
They provide money, note books, pens, volleyballs, and cane balls [bamboo balls]. We have to go to get school supplies from Meh Nuh Hta.
How far is it from Meh Nuh Hta to here?
We have to stay there overnight. The school teachers go to get the money [their salary] in Day Poo Noh.
Do you have to transport school materials by yourself or do you hire people?
The villagers have to carry the supplies.
You said from Meh Nuh Hta, it takes you one night to come back?
Yes. When we reach there we sleep over night and come back the next morning.
How many people go to carry school materials each year?
Three people go to carry school materials each year.
Do you rotate people each year?
Yes, we rotate people and some villagers go to carry while others do not. The villagers are also not very unified [do not help equally].
Why did they [some villagers] not go to carry school materials?
They said that their children are not old enough to study and some of them said their children do not study in the village and study at other places instead.
How many of them do not go to carry school materials?
Almost seven or eight people.
Are there many villagers that carry materials or are there only a few?
Many of them go to carry school materials and only a few of them do not go.
Did they [the village heads] talk to them?
Yes, they did, but they [the villagers] said their children do not study in the village and some are not free [to carry supplies] or their children have already dropped out of school.
Who is the village head in B---village?
Poh Mm--- is the village head.
How many village heads are there in B---village?
There is only one village head.
Who is the school's headmaster?
Poh Kler Mee is the school headmaster.
Where do students go to study after they pass KNU primary school?
They go to study in Day Poo Noh and some of them go to study in Hpapun [Town]. It depends where their parents want to send their children.
Have you experienced any problems in the past seven years since school was built regarding the teachers' salary or food?
We have not faced any problems.
Thank you very much, uncle, for sharing the information regarding the situation in B--- village, in Baw Thay Hta village tract, that I wanted to know from you. Do you want to add anything that I have not asked you already?
This year the villagers want to upgrade the school, but we cannot afford it.
How do you want to upgrade it?
We want to repair the school.
Is it damaged or is it too old?
They want to repair it because the teak [wood] is not so good and the teachers are not happy to teach in this school.
Why do they [teachers] not want to teach in the school?
They do not want to teach there because the school was built in the middle of the houses. In the past, we built schools outside of the houses. More recently the villagers have built their houses very close to the school. Therefore, now it is very crowded.
You mean the houses were built around the school?
Yes. The people who live in the upper and lower parts of the village poo around the school therefore the teachers do not want to teach in the school.
Is it a problem?
Yes. They prefer to build a new school and keep the old school as a church.
Do villagers agree to build a new school?
Some of them agree, but some do not agree. Many villagers do not agree and only a few of them agree. Therefore, it is not easy to build a new school.
In your opinion, do you think a new school should be built or not?
I discussed it with the school headmaster and we both agreed to build a new school.
Is there a church in here [the village]?
The church and the school are the same building. They teach on the ground floor of the school.
What religion do most villagers believe in?
Most of the villagers in B--- village are animists.
Are there any Christians in your village?
Yes, a few households are Christian, but not many of them.
So most of them are animists?
Are there any problems?
Yes, the problems are related to the water pipes. People wrote proposals to the leaders, but we did not receive them. The Burma/Myanmar will give [them to] us, but we do not feel safe enough to take it.
Have you ever written a proposal to the KNU?
We wrote proposals to the KNU many times, but we did not receive [any water pipes].
How many times have you written proposals?
We wrote a proposal when Thara Poh Hseh came to teach here, but we still have not received anything yet.
Have they [the KNU] ever told you that they would provide water pipes?
No, they never told us. They only told us to "wait and listen, wait and listen."
How many years have you waited and listened?
Since my children were not old enough to study, but now they are already old enough.
You said the Burma/Myanmar government will support you?
Yes, they will support us, but they [Lu Thaw Township authorities] will not allow us to take it [water pipes].
Just [water pipes] that, or is there anything that you left out?
No, only that.
In regards to the water pipes, does the KNU support any other villages?
I think the KNU might support other villages such as, Kler Aoo Der. The villagers there might receive support from the KNU.
Are there any other organisations supporting [villagers] or are they directly supported by the KNU?
I do not [know].
Have you seen any water pipes in Kler Aoo Der?
Yes, they provided water by installing water pipes in the village.
Is Kler Aoo Der the only village? Or are there any other villages supported by the KNU?
Yes, not only Kler Aoo Der. Another village is Klaw Hta. I am not sure whether they bought it [water pipes] by themselves or not, because I have not followed up on this issue with them.
Have you not asked them?
Yes, I have not asked them.
Okay, thank you very much. Do you have anything else to add?
I do not have anything to add; just only that much.


text:
Last Year's Clash
Last September, the inaugural Street Trash Sculpture Clash touched down in Otara, South Auckland, with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability, and to show the benefits of grass-roots community participation and creativity. The event came together wonderfully, and was a lot of fun. Feel free to check out these links -
Video of Last Year's Event
Creations from 2012:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Our boys under fire, or, Maritime volunteers in South Africa /
|Mellish, Annie Elizabeth
|[Charlottetown, P.E.I.? : s.n.], 1900
|page images at HathiTrust; US access only
|No stable link:
|This is an uncurated book entry from our extended bookshelves, readable online now but without a stable link here. You should not bookmark this page, but you can request that we add this book to our curated collection, which has stable links.
|Canada. Canadian Army. Royal Canadian Regiment
|South African War, 1899-1902
|Other copies:
|Look for editions of this book at your library, or elsewhere.
Help with reading books -- Report a bad link -- Suggest a new listing
Home -- Search -- New Listings -- Authors -- Titles -- Subjects -- Serials
Books -- News -- Features -- Archives -- The Inside Story
Edited by John Mark Ockerbloom (email@example.com)
OBP copyright and licenses.


text:
For 100-odd years Foyle's the eponymous bookshop in London's Charing Cross Road employed a system of book purchase that only served – if that is the correct word- to waste customers time and add another two layers of bureaucracy to the simple act of purchasing an item.
Once you'd selected the book you wanted, you had to queue to hand it to an assistant, who would put your book into a bag, place the bag under the counter and give you a chit to take to the cashier.
Next you'd have to queue at the cashier's kiosk, where after paying you'd be given a receipt to take back to the first assistant.
Then you'd have to queue a third time to hand over your receipt and collect your book, simply because sales staff were not allowed to handle cash.
Foyle's proprietor Christina Foyle, daughter of founder William, allowed the shop to stagnate, with little investment and poorly paid staff that could be fired on a whim.
She also refused to install any modern conveniences such as electronic tills or calculators; nor would orders be taken by phone. Equally mystifying to customers was a shelving arrangement that categorized books by publisher, rather than by topic or author. In the 1980s, rival bookshop, Dillons, placed an advertisement saying "Foyled again? Try Dillons" in a bus shelter opposite Foyle's. After the death of Christina Foyle in 1999 and the passing of control to her nephew Christopher Foyle, he has now brought the bookshop into the 21st century and in the last 10 years Foyle's have been the recipient of many awards.
Continuing this fine tradition of multi-layer bureaucracy and distrust of their customers the national census is due to take place on 27th March 2011 but it could be the last of its kind.
The census as we would understand it has been conducted every 10 years since 1801, apart from during World War II, and it has proved to be a valuable resource for historians, genealogists and planners. But now the government is examining other ways of measuring population and other statistics than the compulsory survey of all homes every 10 years.
The 2001 census was the first year in which the government asked about religion and perhaps because this was seen as too intrusive 390,000 people entered their religion as Jedi, hardly surprising after the Nazi occupation and genocide of minority religions in Europe, they just felt it was none of the authorities business.
Next year's census, sent to every household, will cost an estimated £482 million and again the bureaucrats are going way beyond what is reasonable to ask in a survey. They will ask for detailed information including nationality, religious faith and marital status, including new ones about citizenship and how well people can speak English? . . . Very well, well, not well or not at all. They will demand to know the date overseas nationals have entered the UK and the length of time they intend to stay. Citizens will no longer be asked if they have access to a bath or shower but will be asked how many bedrooms their property has and types of central heating in homes. According to a specimen 2011 census on the Office for National Statistics website, they will also ask about 'same sex civil partnership status' for the first time. The specimen census also asks 'how would you describe your national identity?' offering English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish, British or 'other', with space to write in. The section on ethnic groups has also been expanded from 2001, with separate categories for 'Gypsy or Irish Traveller' and 'Arab' for the first time.
Those who do not complete the census risk being prosecuted.
Not trusting our honesty and finding that many people only partially fill in the census or do not return the form, the Government have said it was 'examining' whether changes could be made but no decision had yet been reached.
One suggestion is that in future the bureaucrats could gather the data from records held by the Post Office, local government and credit checking agencies – thought to be more effective- and of course far more intrusive.
The Office for National Statistics claims to have carried out extensive consultations and testing over a number of years to ensure that the questions are justified, both in terms of the need for the information and public acceptability. Well, we shall see next year, I predict there will again be protests about the degree of intrusion into our daily lives.
Hore-Belisha's babiesMarch 29, 2019
Statistics 2018February 26, 2019
Marie Colvin's churchFebruary 19, 2019
Stand out from the crowdFebruary 15, 2019
A Sneak Peek at the redesignJanuary 29, 2019
A match made in HellJanuary 22, 2019
London around the worldJanuary 04, 2019
Christmas Quiz 2018December 25, 2018
Not in my nameDecember 11, 2018
4,821 can't be wrongNovember 30, 2018
About Author
(3) Readers Comments
When I was a lecturer in a London polytechnic I used Foyles a lot. The computing section was particularly good because the assistant knew his stuff and could always tell you where all the books were on a particular topic, even though they were dotted about under the names of publishers.
New books tended to be shelved in front of old ones and once, looking at a book on photography, I found the prices decreased as one went further back on the shelf! I bought the cheapest one, right at the back.
I well remember the payment booths and having to go back with the receipt to collect the book. Despite these perceived annoyances, Foyles did a roaring trade because of its unparalleled range of books. I recall the late lamented Books etc opening across the road from Foyles and I used to go there first in the hope of finding the book I wanted to save braving the eccentricities of Foyles. Dillons may have been a much loved rival to Foyles but Foyles has had the last laugh.
The census is one of those things that people hate at the time, regarding it as "intrusive" etc., but love later on when it proves a valuable source of historical and social information. We don't mind peering into the lives of others but resent others peering into our lives. Isn't that a little inconsistent?
I remember one protest against the census some years ago when a group invited people to gather with sandwiches and flasks of hot drinks to spend the night outside. The idea was that as they were not at home at midnight on the date in question, they needn't fill in the census form as this was required to be filled in by people resident at a particular address. I somehow doubt whether they got away with that but it was an interesting attempt.
I don't think people stated their religion as Jedi in order to draw attention to the absurdity or intrusiveness of asking people about their religion. Just before the census was issued, a rumour went around that if a certain number of people stated a particular religious affiliation, the government would have to accept this as an established religion and a movement gathered to fool the government into accepting Jedi as a real religion. In fact, the proposition in the rumour was incorrect and Jedi was never established as a real religion but a lot of people claimed it as their faith in the census. I don't doubt that many will do so again this time.


text:
|Frequently Asked Questions
We answer e-mails almost every day, and answer many questions time and time again. Please see most of the common questions that we answer in the faq. If your question is not answered here, please contact us!
Which juicer would be best to make frozen banana ice cream?
The Champion, Omega 8001, Oscar, Green Life and Green Power machines makes the best banana Ice Kreem that I have ever tasted. Its even better if you put a few frozen strawberries in it.
Home | Juicers | Wheatgrass Juicers | Citrus Juicers | Blenders | Water Purifiers


text:
Deepa Gurnani
Khloe Cuff
Color: Gun
Statement Luxe Cuff. Cotton, Hand Embroidered with Sheen Beads, Plated Brass Leaves, European Resin, Glass Crystals, Metallic Thread, Silk Cord and Printed Italian Leather. Magnetic Closure w/ Safety Clasp.
Complimentary ground shipping for all domestic orders. International orders $250 or more qualify for free shipping.
Once your product has shipped, please allow 3 to 5 business days for delivery within the US, 5 to 10 for the rest of the world. If you have not received your products, please contact firstname.lastname@example.com for assistance.
You can return your product up to 7 days after receiving your order. RMA# must be obtained prior to returning items by contacting email@example.com. Please make sure that the products are not washed, damaged or show signs of wear.


text:
Kaitz's David Porter on the Move Westward
Walter Kaitz Foundation executive director David Porter recently sat down with Multichannel News programming editor R. Thomas Umstead to discuss the organization's annual fund-raising dinner this week (Oct. 28). Porter outlined some of the challenges facing this year's event as, for the first time, it moves from New York to Denver, and discussed the organization's future prospects in supporting the industry's diversity efforts. An edited transcript follows.
MCN: How will the change in venue from New York City to Denver affect attendance for the Kaitz Foundation dinner this year?
David Porter: I think not being in New York is clearly a challenge. A huge majority of past participants have come from the greater New York metropolitan area, so now all those people will have to fly to Denver to attend the dinner. Also, the people who came into New York for the dinner from out of town most likely had other business reasons to come to New York, but that won't necessarily happen in Denver.
MCN: Having said that, any estimation as to how many people will actually attend the Kaitz Dinner?
DP: I don't know for sure, but we're planning for around 800 or so.
MCN: What was last year's tally?
DP: Last year's tally was approximately 1,200.
MCN: From what I understand the National Cable & Telecommunications Association will meet last year's revenue take from the dinner, even though you might be down in terms of attendees. Is that still the case?
DP: We haven't heard otherwise so we assume that's still the case.
MCN: What are you looking to accomplish this year with the dinner?
DP: We try once a year to get the industry to focus on the fact that diversity is still critical to the industry's ongoing success, and that there's still a lot more work to be done if we really are going to have the workforce and on-air content that fully reflects our customers or a supplier base that reflects the population which we serve. While we celebrate the efforts that [dinner honorees] Comcast and Turner Broadcasting have done in these areas, there's still more work to be done and we try to remind the industry of that every year.
MCN: Is there a concern that the industry changes regarding the major shows and dinners going forward will jeopardize the Kaitz Foundation, in terms of what it can do with regard to diversity?
DP: I don't expect that to be the case. First, our operating budget doesn't come from dinner revenue — that revenue all goes to support [the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications], [Women In Cable Telecommunications] and the Emma L. Bowen Foundation. Even if we didn't have a dinner at all, the industry would still provide us with the dues that we need to operate.
But one of the biggest things we do as an organization is provide support to those organizations, so if we're unable to raise the amount of money we've been able to raise in the past, that would impact what we can do to some extent.
MCN: If the foundation sustains significant losses in attendance and/or revenue over the next year or two, would you consider potentially moving the dinner back to New York? Are you contractually obligated to stay within the Cable Connection schedule of events every year?
DP: The location of the dinner is ultimately decided by the board of trustees for the foundation, who are also the NCTA board of directors. If they want us to stay with Cable Connection, then next year we'll be in New Orleans. If they decide that it makes more sense for us to go back to New York, then we'll be in New York.
We haven't signed any contracts for any locations for next year, so there're still opportunities for people to make the choices that they decide to make.


text:
Jersey Angel
Beth Ann Bauman
Beth Ann Bauman
Genre: YA Contemporary
Hardback: 201 Pages
Publication: May 8, 2012
by Mary Lamb Books
Hardback: 201 Pages
Publication: May 8, 2012
by Mary Lamb Books
It's the summer before senior year and the alluring Angel is ready to have fun. She's not like her best friend, Inggy, who has a steady boyfriend, good grades, and college plans. Angel isn't sure what she wants to do yet, but she has confidence and experience beyond her years. Still, her summer doesn't start out as planned. Her good friend Joey doesn't want to fool around anymore, he wants to be her boyfriend, while Angel doesn't want to be tied down. As Joey pulls away, and Inggy tours colleges, Angel finds herself spending more time with Inggy's boyfriend, Cork. With its cast of vivid and memorable characters, this tale from the Jersey shore is sure to make some waves.
◆ A copy was provided by Random House for review ◆
Jersey Angel is an interesting read. One that I can entirely see people either loving or loathing. The writing is different from what I'm used to in contemporary books. It kind of reminds of The Elementals by Francesca Lia Block in that the writing is somber and gloomy. They're not afraid to delve into the dark side and show how crappy life can be. And both portray explicit sex scenes.
Angel is far from an angelic character. She is a free-spirited character who just wants to have fun—which entails a lot of sex and not being tied down to any one partner. She does a lot of questionable things. She's strung along nice-boy Joey for years, breaking up to sleep with other boys only to keep coming back. She sleeps with her best friend's boyfriend. And she sleeps with skinny, awkward, but sweet Kipper because she feels sorry for him being a virgin. She embraces her sexuality and seems to have charge of her life, but she's so much more than that.
She's also someone who doesn't want to grow up because she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. She can't find it within herself to apply herself to her studies or think about her future after high school. And within, she's a girl who yearns to know what love is but has a hard time understanding it. Angel is such an extreme character that I can see readers' reactions to the book hinging entirely on whether or not they can connect with her. While she may not be entirely likable at the beginning, I recommend giving her a try. She doesn't make any big revelations over the course of her story, but the glimmers of change can be seen.
There are flaws to the story. Time skips forward a lot in the narration, making it hard to keep track of the seasons, and Angel spends much of the first third of the novel mooning over Joey before other plot threads are introduced. The story also doesn't spend much time glossing over character motivation. I'm still not sure how things got started between Angel and Cork. Angel doesn't give Cork a chance to explain himself at the end of the story, so I'm not sure if there's more to him than what we get to see. Many other things happen during the story without explanation. While it's a part of natural life, I do wish that we got to spend more time getting to know the characters because there's so much underlying complexity that isn't fully explored.
I also want to give special note to the use of family in the novel. While Angel's family isn't the greatest—she has a slutty mother and an absent father, as well as a somewhat estranged step-family through her father—they still play a role in the story, and I love how they aren't mentioned in the beginning only to fall off the map later on. I especially like the role that her little half-sister plays in the story. Mimi idolizes Angel and keeps talking about how she wants to be just like her. It made me think about how important it is for us to set a good example for the younger generation.
Overall, Jersey Angel is a unique read that I recommend giving a chance. While there are holes in the writing, there is a lot here to be learned. Just take note that there is a lot of explicit scenes in the story and that Angel may not be the most likable character.
Additional Information


text:
Wondershare TunesGO Crack and Registration Code Retro 4.6Wondershare TunesGO Crack Retro 4.6 Wondershare TunesGO Crack and Registration code is the useful software used for the transfer and sharing of files between different iOS and Windows devices without changing them. It transfer and share the files between devices without changing their attributes. Wondershare TunesGO Crack Retro enables the user to remove the …Read More »
Tag Archives: free download software
Auslogics Driver Updater Crack 188.8.131.52 Full Free Download
Auslogics Driver Updater: Auslogics Driver Updater Crack is the utility that automates the driver installation on your PC in the quite easy way that it prevents the driver conflicts. It is the safe, fast and a tool that should be installed in every PC to prevent the hardware problems related to the driver installation and mismatch or bad driver installation. …Read More »


text:
1/16 Oz. Zig Jig Heavy Duty
1/16 Oz. Zig Jig Heavy Duty
The Zig Jig Heavy Duty is a hand tied marabou jig with a powder coated head and a very sharp, black nickel, extra strong STEELHEAD hook. It is manufactured by fisherman, for fisherman. I designed theZig Jig to withstand the abuse from rocks and gravel and to keep you hooked up when that big fish hits.
Each package contains one dozen (12) jigs. TOTAL MINIMUM ORDER IS 4 DOZEN. A $20 fee is added for orders less than 4 dozen. If you would like to order more than one color, simply add your choice of color and quantity to your cart, then repeat until you have added all the colors you want.
Add To Cart


text:
The New Yorker's Cartoon Bank
Ha-Ha Instead of Ho-Hum
We met a three-fold challenge from Condé Nast: to promote the licensing of images in The New Yorker's Cartoon Bank as illustrations; market New Yorker custom products; and sell framed New Yorker prints as wall décor.
Why give an ordinary gift when you can commission a witty custom product illustrated with specially selected New Yorker cartoons? Media kit and sales promotions demonstrate the unique value of licensing the more than 90,000 cartoons and 4,000 covers in The New Yorker's Cartoon Bank as illustrations for everything from newsletters to websites and PowerPoint presentations.
And which illustrators did we choose to work with? New Yorker cartoonists Ed Koren and David Sipress, of course.
The annual catalog is a "curated exhibition" of selected covers and cartoons published since 1925. Cartoon by Ed Koren.
Photographs of domestic scenes by Kate Mathis help people envision framed New Yorker covers and cartoons as art in their homes and offices and drive traffic to cartoonbank.com.
How about in your home (bar, office, weekend house)? Catalog spreads feature themed compositions of covers arranged in "rooms" populated by characters in famous New Yorker cartoons.
Catalog spreads were written and designed to inspire people to choose framed covers and spreads based on their interests (pets, sports, cooking, romance, fashion) and also by location (kitchen, man-cave, vacation house).
Ads in The New Yorker invite reader to browse the collection online.
For example, a framed cover or cartoon could be the perfect gift for your favorite fashionista.
Full-page or fractional (we specialize in small-space ads that pull big results).
To see projects in more detail, click on any client name below:
Biotechnology and PharmaceuticalAnterios, Inc.
Cerecor, Inc.
ContraFect Corporation
Electro-Biology, Inc.
Sapience Therapeutics
Targanox, Inc.
Financial and ConsultingAmerican Baptist Extension Corp.
American Express
Booz Allen Hamilton
M. Robert Goldman & Co.
Sunnyside Federal Savings
Products and ServicesAndron Construction Corporation
Condé Nast
Down to Earth Markets
Home Box Office, Inc.
EducationAcademy for Jewish Religion
Alphagram Learning Materials
American Technion Society
International Dyslexia Association
Professional Children's School


text:
I've recently taken up a faculty position at City, University of London. Before that, I was a British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford working on human learning and decision-making in Prof Chris Summerfield's lab.
Broadly, I'm interested in the cognitive mechanisms and the neural structures that support our decision-making abilities across a wide range of domains (from sensory, to sensori-motor to more cognitive decisions). I'm also interested in rationality/optimality, and hope that we are working towards a future where research will facilitate ameliorative interventions beyond narrow 'Nudges'.
These slightly out-of-date pages will be updated in the not-too distant future
Last updated a while ago :-)


text:
Robert Nettlefold (1877 – 1946) businessman, company director
Robert Nettlefold was foundation chairman of the Hume Pipe Co. Ltd. he was also Chairman of Motors Pty Ltd, Yellow Cabs (Tasmania) Pty Ltd and of Robert Nettlefold Pty Ltd, he was a director of Mercantile Mutual Insurance Co. Ltd and one of the founders of Commercial Broadcasters Pty Ltd. As an Anglican, he was a churchwarden and parish representative at synod.
Robert Nettlefold was born on 25 July 1877 at Tunnack and was educated at Rev. Gray's grammar school, leaving to gain experience in a succession of businesses before beginning his own in 1904 as a general merchant in Macquarie Street, Hobart. On 29 October 1898 he married 19-year-old Edith Maria Hutchison from Adelaide, at Bellerive. A representative of the Victoria Insurance Co. Ltd in 1905-12, he combined selling fire insurance to farmers with dealing in their wool, skins and produce, later selling them their farm machinery through his franchise from the International Harvester Co. (Australia) Pty Ltd. In 1910 he founded the motor garage business, Robert Nettlefold Pty Ltd.
Pleasant and courteous, with a reputation for soundness, Robert inspired trust. In 1920 he was foundation chairman of the Hume Pipe Co. (Australia) Ltd, elected after Sir John Monash declined; he resigned in 1929. He impressed his successor Alexander McLachlan as a 'remarkably able business man' and by his readiness to listen to argument. Chairman of Motors Pty Ltd, Yellow Cabs (Tasmania) Pty Ltd and of Robert Nettlefold Pty Ltd, he was a director of Mercantile Mutual Insurance Co. Ltd and one of the founders of Commercial Broadcasters Pty Ltd. In 1920 he was appointed O.B.E. for his war-time Red Cross activities: foundation treasurer for southern Tasmania (1914-45), he was chairman of the Lady Clark Red Cross Convalescent Home in 1940-45 and of the Veterans' Trust, a British Red Cross fund. He was a foundation member of the Hobart Rotary Club and committee-member of the Royal Agricultural Society.
Robert was the most versatile and successful sportsman of the family (his elder brother William was a leading amateur billiards and bowls player), holding tennis, royal tennis and table tennis titles, including a Tasmanian doubles tennis championship. When he turned to golf he won Tasmanian titles and the Rotary International Championship at Brussels in 1928. With his son Leonard (Len), who was Australian amateur golf champion (1926) and won the Tasmanian amateur title eight times, he tied for the Australian foursomes title (Adelaide, 1926).
A member of the Royal and Ancient Club, St Andrews, Scotland, he founded the Kingston Beach, Hobart, golf club. He was also a keen cricketer and angler. An Anglican, he was a churchwarden and parish representative at synod. He died of coronary vascular disease on 16 September 1946 at Kingston, and was buried there. His wife, a son and two daughters survived him.
Source : http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110692b.htm
Sale to make a big splash
The Mercury
A treasure trove of art and antiques belonging to a prominent Hobart family will go under the hammer on Sunday (27 March 2011), in what auctioneers describe as the most important sale of its kind to be held in Tasmania. The collection amassed by the late Len and Olga Nettlefold of Sandy Bay is expected to fetch more than $1 million.
The 500-lot sale includes antiques, furnishings and fine art. The Nettlefold family estate on Waimea and Quamby avenues was sold in January to a single buyer in what was thought to be the biggest residential property sale in Hobart history. The estate had been in the hands of the family since 1948.
Len, a successful businessman and Australian amateur golf champion, was the son of Tasmanian Motors founder Robert Nettlefold.
Complete news article : http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2011/03/22/216401_tasmania-news.html
The estate of Len and Olga Nettlefold
Nettlefold Street, Belconnen, ACT
Named after Robert Nettlefold's brother, Thomas Sydney Nettlefold
Mum wants Ed's tale to help others
– suicide is still a taboo subject
– but Lydia Nettlefold (a daughter of Len and Olga Nettlefold) is doing her best to change that.
The Examiner
Complete article : http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/news/general/mum-wants-ed39s-tale-to-help-others/1869408.aspx
Above image
The Nettlefold home – Waimea Ave, Sandy Bay, Tasmania.
Leave a Reply, comments are welcome.


text:
My Favorite Finds: Hammocks
I am so excited (in a very relaxed manner of course…) to share today's post-my favorite Hammocks! As a child, I did a lot of camping with my family. We each had one crate to pack everything we needed for that camping trip. We would strategically load the crates and coolers into our pop-up camper and head off for an adventure! When we arrived at the campground, we would drive around to find the perfect spot. It had to have plenty of shade, plenty of sun, be close to the bathrooms, and most importantly have two trees located just the right distance apart to hold a hammock. This was one of my favorite parts about camping– lying in the hammock for hours with the smell of bon fires nearby and a light breeze blowing through the camp site. Regardless of where a hammock is located, there are sure to be some amazing times of relaxation while lying in it.
This hammock is the epitome of romanticism. The soft cream with the crochet fringe is simply stunning. Thank you Elietsy Corner for setting the style bar in hammocks!
You can never go wrong with the classic hammock. What is great about the below from KW Hammocks is that it is easy to fold up and store and easy to bring along on trips…yay for convenience!
What a perfect addition to a backyard! This red, white, and blue hammock is so charming and can bring some much needed color and character to your outdoor space. (Via Tobi Fairley)
What makes an awesome invention like the hammock even more awesome? Added cushion! This quilted hammock is padded with a polyester-fiber fill and comes with a pillow to make it extra comfy! Plus, this hammock is water, mold, and mildew-resistant. (Via The Company Store)
I know I need to finish this post but I just can't stop staring at this hammock and its picture perfect setting! I want to escape into the woods with a good book and snuggle up in this hammock! (Via Decorology)
Love, love, love this colorful hammock from Veronica Colindres! How can you not smile when looking at it?!
For those who do not have the space outside or for those who simply want to use their hammock year round–bring it indoors! I love the simplicity of this room from Black and White and Loved All Over…the hammock fits right in!
Overall Score
Reader Rating: 0 Votes


text:
We have come up with our top class range of EWF Automatic Pouch Packing Machine. Our Pouch Packing Machine is widely acknowledged for being enduring, performance oriented, and nominal prices. Place the order with us and you will come to know!
More about EWF Automatic Pouch Packing Machine :
Attachments :
Optional :
Technical Specifications
|Upto 60 packets /minutes or more depending upon the product and pack size
|Main Power
|One Operator
|Size change over
|Possible (In 30 minutes)
|Sealing systems
|Continuos heat sealing
|Type of film
|Any laminates which is continous heat sealable
|Reel width
|150 mm minimum, 450 mm maximum
|Core Diameter
|76 mm standard
|Power supply
|440 V , 3 Phase with neutral and double earth
|Dry Compressor air
|100 Ltrs / min at 5 kg/ cm2
Automatic Pouch Packing Machine
Mobile : +91-9566656133
Phone : +91-422-2671655
Fax : +91-422-2930137
Call Us : 08042784092


text:
MONTREAL—When the Conservative government cut funding for the youth volunteer program Katimavik, Justin Trudeau carried the group's orange-and-green colours into a charity boxing match that left his Tory opponent beaten and bloodied.
Now the hobbled-but-hopeful Montreal-based organization is waiting to see if the rookie Liberal prime minister will be its champion once again by following through on a $25-million election pledge in the government's maiden budget, expected next month.
"We are optimistic . . . but we have no guarantees right now," said Virginie Thibeault, Katimavik's director of operations and programs, in an interview this week. "We hope. That's all we have."
Bearing Katimavik's logo on his right shoulder in the 2012 bout, in which a lanky-but-disciplined Trudeau jabbed his way to victory over Conservative Senator Patrick Brazeau, was a political symbol in a larger political brawl.
The program was launched by former prime minister Pierre Trudeau and former Liberal senator Jacques Hébert in 1977. Justin Trudeau later served as its public champion, as well as president of Katimavik's board, before he entered politics.
Funding for Katimavik should be including in upcoming budget: Editorial
Since its inception, the non-profit organization boasts that it has sent some 35,000 young Canadians to distant communities across the country to perform community service, to learn a second language and to become better, more involved citizens.
Patrick Pichette, the Montrealer who now serves as the chief financial officer and senior vice-president of Google Inc., may be its most famous alumnus, having flown out to a British Columbia logging camp in 1982 to restore heritage sites and work with the handicapped. Others include author and Giller Prize-winner Will Ferguson and Dr. Ruth Vander Stelt, a former president of the Quebec Medical Association.
In the spring of 2012, then prime minister Stephen Harper's government abruptly cancelled Katimavik's $16-million funding envelope. Harper said at the time that the program had a "one-third dropout rate" and was spending an unacceptable $28,000 per person.
Around the same time as the organization's funding was cut by the federal Tories, the Sun newspaper chain obtained and reported on a collection of lavish expense claims for hotels, pricey meals and alcohol dating back to 2005 that Justin Trudeau had filed from his time on Katimavik's board.
"Ending funding for Katimavik is one of the easiest decisions I have ever made," then heritage minister James Moore said at the time.
It was the second time that the program had been put on life support. The first time funding was cancelled by Brian Mulroney's Progressive Conservative government in 1986, Hébert went on a 21-day hunger strike, camping out in the senate lobby and only capitulating when an alternate — greatly reduced — funding scheme was worked out.
Jean Chrétien's Liberals restored full funding for the program in 1994.
Katimavik has been subsisting once again on modest funds since 2012. It receives $300,000 annually from the Quebec government to run an environmental internship program for about 40 young people from the province. It also runs two privately funded projects to support and encourage aboriginals and other youth to perform volunteer work.
"We are no longer a very big organization, but we work hard," Thibeault said.
Organizers and Katimavik alumni, who took to Twitter last week with old photos and the hashtag #BringBackKatimavik, see the coming weeks as the likeliest window during which to resurrect the program once again.
Apart from Justin Trudeau's past involvement, the Liberal election platform last fall promised to "restore a modernized Youth Service Program" along with a $25-million budget for young Canadians to gain work and life experience, travel the country and perform community service.
A spokesman for Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly, Pierre-Olivier Herbert, would not say if funding for Katimavik will be fully restored in the upcoming budget, or if the Liberals plan to move in a different direction.
"Our government has committed to invest significantly in a youth service program, to give young Canadians valuable work and life experience and provide communities with the help required for much-needed projects," he said in a written statement. "We will work, in the year 2016, to make that happen."


text:
COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State sophomore Alex Wimmers no-hit Michigan Saturday afternoon, striking out 14 Wolverines in the process, as Ohio State took the first game of the doubleheader, 6-0. In Game 2, Ryan Dew had five hits and Dan Burkhart three RBI to lead the Buckeyes to a sweep over the Wolverines, 9-6, in front of 3,219 fans.
The wins improved 27th-ranked Ohio State's records to 34-10 overall and 13-4 in the Big Ten Conference. The Buckeyes remain in a first-place tie with Illinois for the conference lead as the Illini have taken the first two games in their its series with Northwestern. Michigan drops to 23-21 overall and 6-11 in the Big Ten.
Wimmers, who is on the National Pitcher of the Year watch list, pitched the first nine-inning no-hitter in Ohio State history, and the ninth all-time at Ohio State. He walked four batters, but three were erased by his grade school and high school buddy Burkhart, the catcher, who threw out all three Wolverines trying to steal.
"Wimmers had command of all three of his pitches," Ohio State coach Bob Todd said. "He did not give in to their hitters. There's a method to his madness and he simply was not going to give in to the hitters."
"I go out with an attitude of how I want to pitch and then I'll throw any pitch in any count," Wimmers, who improved to 8-1 on the season with his fourth complete game, said. "Emotions took over right after the game. It still hasn't hit me yet, but some day it will."
Superb fielding shortstop Tyler Engle made the defensive play of the game to preserve the no-hitter in the eighth inning. He ranged deep into the hole behind second base to make a diving stab at a ball hit by Kenny Fellows. He landed and snapped his head off the dirt, but was able to shovel the ball to a waiting Cory Kovanda at second base to get the force out.
"Engle's play was unbelievable," Todd said. "And some of them that he has made the last two years makes you shake your head and go whoa!'"
"I knew the no-hitter was at stake," Engle said. "I gave the play all I had. All I was thinking about was to get one out to avoid the play going for a hit. I was hoping Kovanda would be in the area and he was standing on the bag when I looked up."
Dew had a home run and three RBI to lead the Buckeyes' offensively in Game 1. He hit a two-run single in the sixth inning for the first runs of the game and added his fifth home run of the season in the eighth. Ohio State added three runs off four hits and one Michigan error in the seventh to build on the lead. Zach Hurley had two hits and two runs scored, Kovanda and Burkhart had two hits and an RBI and Engle had two hits in support the heroics of Wimmers.
Chris Fetter dropped to 6-2 with the loss. He pitched 6.2 innings and gave up four earned runs, walked two and struck out five.
Dean Wolosiansky pitched 5.2 innings in Game 2 to improve to 10-1 on the season. He allowed four earned runs, walked just one and struck out five. Drew Rucinski pitched 2.1 innings of two-hit, three-strikeout relief. Jake Hale pitched the ninth for his Big Ten leading 11th save of the year.
Dew, who had hits in his final two at-bats in Game 1, went 5-for-5 in game two, including his second home run of the day to lead off the second inning and tie the game at 2-all. His teammates followed with four more runs in the second inning to take a 6-2 lead. Burkhart had a two-RBI single for the big hit.
Matt Streng's RBI single in the third increased the lead to 7-2, but Michigan would close the lead to 7-6 with a run in the fourth a home run by Nick Urban and three more off three hits in the sixth.
A sac fly by Burkhart and Dew's seventh hit of the day a single plated two Ohio State runs in the eighth to build a 9-6 cushion and the home team would close the game out from there.
The two teams will play Game 3 Sunday at 1:05 p.m. For $7 fans can get a ticket to the game plus a hot dog and a Coke.
Game Notes and Random Thoughts from the Press Box:


text:
*The government's recent review of major projects revealed that the flagship Universal Credit welfare programme will cost nearly six times more than previously billed."
Another widely reported, and expensive, failure where management were sold the idea that Agile Software Development was the magic bullet solution to all. Naturally, in Agilista circles they are arguing that the project only failed because "they did agile wrong", but we don't need to link to any more of that crap. Just the dope:
Universal Credit will cost taxpayers £12.8bn
DWP drops agile from flagship government software project
This was predicted by the same publication in 2011:
Agile will fail GovIT, says corporate lawyer