Ghost Towns Echo the Memory of Rural Migrants
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Over the last 50 years, 800 million people moved from rural areas to increasingly overcrowded cities. The effect of this global trek on cities has been extensively documented. But what of the dwindling villages and towns left behind?
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In this series
Videos
Map view
Grid view
Breathing Life into Argentina's Abandoned Railways
- Argentina
Newcomers Find Meaning in Abandonded Village
- Spain
Former Residents Mourn Lost Mining Town
- Colombia
Dam Project Threatens 3,000-Year-Old Village
- Turkey
Three Generations of Moldovans Cope with Emigration
- Moldova
Cartoons
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Pensaba, mientras leía los comentarios, en los innumerables pueblos de la sierra del Perú que fueron arrasados en los años 80 por la violencia atroz de Sendero Luminoso y la represión indiscriminada de las Fuerzas Armadas. Y como estamos vinculando estos pueblos abandonados con la memoria colectiva pensé que sería interesante mostrar, al menos en el caso peruano, los cientos de lugares de enterramiento colectivos desperdigados por todo el país, fosas comunes, a donde fueron a parar miles de pobladores de la zona andina asesinados por Sendero o el Ejército. Estos miles de lugares son expresiones de memoria colectiva, no reconocidos oficialmente pero que todos saben donde están. Son "cementerios" abandonados porque no suelen estar cerca de centros poblados y representan lo contrario a la memoria histórica, que rescata y alienta, sino que se van tranformando, con el tiempo en auténtico olvido.
06 Nov 20100 -
In the North Eastern part of The Netherlands (in eastern Groningen to be exact) there is a town called Ganzedijk. The government wanted to erase Ganzedijk from the map, telling all inhabitants to find another home. This because there were less and less people that wanted to live there.
12 Oct 2010
After coverage by the regional newspaper "Dagblad van het Noorden" (http://wm1.streamzilla.jet-stream.nl/ndcvbk/20080228Ganzedijk.wmv)the people from Ganzedijk managed to keep their homes and now the town is saved. This all happenend about three years ago. It would be good to go back now and see how the town evolved or if there's hardly anybody left.3 -
Me gusta la propuesta pero no me queda claro si con la privatización, los ferrocarriles desaparecieron y fueron reemplazados por carreteras?. Además me parece interesante conocer que esta siendo esta organización para combatir el problema y qué esta haciendo el gobierno o qué no esta haciendo.
12 Oct 20101
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Video PitchPhilippines overtake India as Hub for Call Centers
Over the last several years, a quiet revolution has been reshaping the call centers business: the rise of the Philippines, a former United States colony that has a large population of young people who speak lightly accented English and, unlike many Indians, are steeped in American culture.
More Filipinos — about 400,000 — than Indians now spend their nights talking to mostly American consumers, industry officials said. Mostly students freshly landed in the labour market, they are better paid answering the phone than a nurse or a teacher.
10 Jan 20130 -
Video PitchProposed divorce bill stirs controversy
After Malta legalized divorce, the Philippines has become the only country in the world - apart from the Vatican – without a divorce law. Several bills on divorce were filed for 30 years in Parliament. Each time, the Catholic Church has successfully fought against it. For Alicia, who have been severely beaten for years by her husband and failed to obtain a legal separation, this situation has a bitter taste.
10 Jan 20130 -
Video PitchHIV spike cause alarm
At a time when most countries saw their rates of HIV infection down a country goes against the current: the Philippines. Over the past decade, the number of people living with HIV has increased by 25% according to the Ministry of Health. Ten people are henceforth infected daily with the AIDS virus. I suggest a story about one of them, facing discrimination and isolation in this very Catholic country where condom use is condemned by the clergy.
10 Jan 20130 -
Video PitchVillage Bar Remains the Main Attraction for Dwindling P
There are no stoplights in Tennessee, Illinois. The lone two-lane road that runs through the village passes by boarded-up buildings and dilapidated storefronts. But a local bar that is still open, The Tennessee Tap, remains the main source of socializing for the dwindling population that lost nearly 10% of its residents in the past 10 years as the United States has become one of the most urbanized countries in the world. In the winter, the Tennessee Tap keeps many of the village’s 131 residents warm when there is no school, hospital or shopping center for miles.
02 Dec 20105 -
Video PitchCementerios de la memoria
Para la mayoría de la gente un cementerio es un lugar de memoria. Pero si viviéramos en una comunidad de los andes peruanos las cosas serían diferentes. Alguna de estas comunidades, víctimas de la violencia política vio como desapareceron sus pobladores, como eran asesinados. Temerosos migraron y la fosa común,,ese cementerio que no es de nadie porque nadie ha visto el cuerpo de algún pariente ser enterrado allí, se pobló de grama. El lugar por excelencia de la memoria personal y familiar, quedó a merced del olvido. Proponemos desde Perú, mostrar estos lugares..
30 Nov 20100 -
Video PitchMIGRACION: OLVIDO Y ABANDONO
DELEG, uno de los pueblos ancestrales de los guerreros Cañaris, se había convertido en un polo de desarrollo colonial y aborígen, hasta que en la decada de los 90 se vino la oleada de la migración hacia U.S.A. y España, por la corrupción en el país y la falta de oportunidades, hoy el 85% de su población que era 85 mil habitantes, estan fuera, solo se ve por las calles ancianas que cuidan a sus nietos, y mujeres que no lograron cruzar la frontera deambulando por hermosas casas coloniales abandonadas, mientras tanto la historia y el espíritu Cañari se pierden en el olvido...
30 Nov 20101 -
Me interesa mucho el tema de las ciudades fantasmas, pueblos con memoria, a pesar de que Pulacayo esta listado como "Industrial Heritage Site" según la UNESCO.
29 Nov 2010
Estaré atenta a esta historia, parece ser que la historia se repite.0 -
Me parece una historia con mucho contenido. Ya quiero verla. Suerte Cecilia.
29 Nov 20100 -
I believe that this is an extraordinay opportunity to show how the different demands for natural resources, transformed in economic resources, change towns, countries and lifes.
29 Nov 2010
Pulacayo is located in one of the poorest reagions in Bolivia. Only hope is starting to transform the town, imagine if real things happen.
I will be expecting for this important story, specially in times when humanity needs to see the world with different eyes.0 -
Sí, Luisa, exactamente. Lo que no se sabe es cuándo. La explotación del litio trasladará, según dice el gobierno, parte del proceso allí. Todavía no ha comenzado. Pero sí se ha iniciado ya la reactivación de la mina. En Uyuni, el pueblo cercano tanto al Salar como a Pulacayo, hay mucha esperanza.
22 Nov 20100 -
Suena interesante, es importante sacar a relucir ciertos temas, sin embargo provoca en mi un doble sentimiento, por un lado la hermosa posibilidad de devorle la vida a un pueblo abandonado y olvidado por (casi) todos, y por otro lado no puedo dejar de preguntarme ¿por cuánto tiempo? hasta que los saqueadores den fin con todo y luego, poco a poco se vuelva a convertir en pueblo fantasma? Sería interesante si hablara de sostenibilidad. Saludos
20 Nov 20101 -
Cecilia, gracias al Litio, Pulacayo podría pasar de ser un ghost town a un pueblo rehabilitado? se habla ya de eso en la región?
19 Nov 20100 -
Fue en el siglo XIX, no X (perdón, error de dedo). En Pulacayo también se gestó una parte fundamental del movimiento sindical minero boliviano de donde surgió la famosa Tesis de Pulacayo que fue referente para movimientos obreros similares en América Latina. Su proximidad al Salar de Uyuni hace pensar a los habitantes de Pulacayo en los años maravillosos. La minería se está reactivando y el proyecto del litio pretende instalar allí una planta.
19 Nov 20104 -
Video PitchComo película del Far West
Pulacayo, al lado del Salar de Uyuni (mayor reserva mundial de litio) fue un pueblo minero de relevancia mundial. Allí funcionó la mina más importante del siglo XX. La caída del precio del mineral primero y el libre mercado después, vaciaron el lugar convertido en pueblo fantasma. Quedaron los abuelos como memoria de un tiempo parecido a una película del Far West: cine, salón de juegos y trenes abandonados, uno asaltado por los mafiosos Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid. Pero el auge del litio trae esperanzas Un viejito minero del lugar contará la historia y su hijo que guía a los pocos turistas.
19 Nov 201020 -
I visited Yeruham a while back - it seemed abandoned, even though it is located in beautiful scenery. I hope the military base - which i hear will open only at 2013 - will encourage some people to move down there and revive the place. Looking forward to see this story produced.
03 Nov 20101 -
Video PitchBen-Gurion's Vision Finally Coming To Life
Israel's first Prime Minister said settling and developing the sparsely populated and barren Negev desert in south Israel, is the most important national goal.
But for 60 years, the Negev towns remained sparsely populated and under developed, while millions of Israelis crowded together in the center of the country - surrounding Tel Aviv.
The relocation of a huge military base to the south (and the public infrastructure that comes with) - is set to revive the forgotten poor Negev towns, and bring to life Ben-Gurion's vision.
This will show a ghost towns - like Yeruham - can be rejuvenated.
03 Nov 20103 -
Cuba no tiene infraestructura para producir las grandes cantidades de azucar que se producian hace algunos anos,la demolicion de la mayoria de los centrales azucareros en la Isla ha propiciado que la industria azucarera Cubana este en franco declive.
27 Oct 20100 -
I like this piece. Politically, I am drawn to how and what the government will do to improve the current situation. Socially, what will be the effects on its people socially and economically: will the have to migrate to another town to find jobs? How will they earn a living? Where will they get the money to buy food?
16 Oct 20100 -
This is incredible. As a result of its isolation, Cuba is a country that remains quite about its affairs, and culture. The Cuban culture seems fascinating to me: the salsa, the delicious food, wow... This is opportunity to show or see the impact it has on its people. Inform me when the piece is finished. I will be the first one to read it!
16 Oct 20100 -
This story is caught my eye... it is very interesting. I have studied the history of Cuba and sometimes I ask myself certain questions and about certain decisions that would promote the country. In this case, why not use your natural resources, sugar cane, to improve in the economic sector. I would also enjoy the cultural side of the story. I would also be like to see the impact it had on its citizens. I am looking forward to this story.
16 Oct 20100 -
Lo que paso y pasa en Cuba lo sabe el mundo entero por eso lo que me interesa es la parte humana de tema en discusion, o sea, que ha sido de esos miles y miles de ttrabajadores azucareros que debieron abandonarlo todo e invertarse una nueva forma de subsistencia.
15 Oct 2010
Tony de la Cruz.1 -
The propperty does not change in Cuba yet. All cubans will like to have the sugar and other agriculture workers to start producing and being profitable. But up today the situation has not improved. He hope it change let´s pray for it.
15 Oct 20101 -
Me encantaria conocer de la vida de esos trabajadores azucareros que han tenido que emigrar. Seguramente muchos de ellos tendran historias muy emotivas que contar. Esperare pues a que publiquen el reportaje
14 Oct 2010
Cary Pagan0 -
This is certainly interesting against the backdrop of the history of the Cuban sugar industry. In the Soviet era Cuba produced as much sugar as possible because they were sure to get a good price for it. But everybody knew that it was not a realistic price. Now that the "periodo especial" goes on, finally the sugar industry is collapsing. My question is: with the new reforms in Cuba making it possible for people to start small enterprises, is there also an incentive for the sugar farmers to do something else? Who owns the land? Look forward to your answer!
14 Oct 20100 -
Video PitchBateyes y centrales olvidados
Históricamente la producción azucarera fue el motor de la economía
cubana. En Cuba hubo casi 200 centrales con asentamientos poblacionales a su alrededor conocidos como "Batey". En el 2002 con la disminución del precio del azucar en el mercado internacional y su ineficiencia fueron desmantelados muchos centrales y con ellos sus bateyes. El nivel de vida en los mismos decayó abruptamente y en estos momentos son pueblos muertos y olvidados donde la gran mayoría de la población joven y especializada se ha visto obligada a emigrar a las ciudades.
12 Oct 201011 -
Video PitchThe present of a Former Sugar mill Town in Cuba
Cuban government have or desmantle half of the sugar mills in the country, cause of the decrease of the prizes of the sugar in the world market and the ineficiency of these factories. Most of the towns desapair too and its population has to look for other cities and places for surviving.
12 Oct 20108 -
Video PitchRallying the Railways Forgotten Communities
80 years ago when Argentina was one of the top 10 economies globally its rail network was one of the worlds largest. When in the ‘90’s a conservative government sold off most train routes immediately 90 rural communities became ghost-towns. According to a census there are now 604 of such communities at risk of total abandonment. The Friends of Belgrano Railway are a community org. that’s come together to combat the problem; the local train buffs are independently trying to refurbish the rail route, the only access to their town. They hope their efforts can build steam behind similar movements
11 Oct 201010
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Photos
Resources
In the media
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Periodico de Aragon: Dam Projects Cause Rural Abandonment in Spain
http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=184323
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Forbes: Ghost Cities of 2100
http://www.forbes.com/2007/06/11/ghost-cities-future-biz-cx_21cities_ee_0611ghostcities.html
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CBC: Revealing Report On Canadian Mining in Marmato
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Smithsonian: Hasankeyf, The Endangered City
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/Endangered-Cultural-Treasures-The-City-of-Hasankeyf-Turkey.html
