"In the court of the Chechen king" - a People and Power report on AJE.

[ConsAreLiars]

This is one of those reports that make AJE essential news viewing for me. The 'People and Power' series is always excellent, and often provides added insights into material any viewer of progressive news sources might have already known to some degree. But this was an exceptional documentary half-hour about Chechnya since the brutal defeat of of the secessionists.

Not some paid talking heads spouting talking points, but real people talking. All walks of life, including a traditional (a practice from before the time Islam became dominant) fortune-teller and an Islamic 'healer' who said she should have her head chopped off and was then filmed performing an exorcism on a woman who failed to obey her husband.

And a lot of just 'normal' people, talking about their lives. Some women with scarves, some without. A lot of focus on views of the recent changes, reconstruction, and the current leader who was formerly a leading separatist.

The program really helped me see Chechnya as a real place, a complex place with real people, rather than just another headline name associated with more bloodshed and suffering.

Take a little time, if you can, and watch: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/peopleandpower/2009/10/2009102193822691695.html

[ConsAreLiars]

1. Kick for the curious. (nt)