Buy a print and you help Johan and Martin!
January 23rd, 2012

“For Every Single Human”. Photos by Photographer Johan Persson.

An exhibition to help our imprisoned colleagues. A picture collection with 10 pictures, selected by Johan´s colleagues. 

The exhibition is shown at Cinema Zita, Birger Jarlsgatan 37, Stockholm, Sweden. If you are interested to buy pictures contact us at info@kontinent.se. Write picture number and shipping info.

Print size: 50 x 33 cm, Technique: Lamba print.

Price: 100 euros / print + shipping costs.

The revenue from the picture sales at the exhibition and on kontinent.se goes to our imprisoned colleagues in Ethiopia, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye.

The Collection “For Every Single Human”. All photos by Johan Persson / KONTINENT.

No 1.

Dadaab refugee camps in Northern Kenya

From war to hopelessness - Daadab, Kenya. In the foreground is Shuab Abdullahi Ali, 14 years old. He was only a coule of months old when he came to the refugee camp Ifo in north eastern Kenya. In the background is his mother Aisho Osman Aden. The Somali conflict continues to deteriorate. The present situation is the worst since the beginning of the civil war in 1991. Years of fighting, plight and extreme weather conditions have made half the Somali population dependent on food aid, forcing thousands to leave. Over 6000 Somalis cross the border to Kenya each month. In north-eastern Kenya, about 100 kilometres from Somalia, you find the biggest refugee camps in the world. 300 000 people live there, in camps built for 90 000. Kenya does not want to see any camp expansions. Water systems and sanitation are about to collapse. Many refugees have lived in Kenya for 18 years, children are born in the camps. They cannot, however, integrate in Kenya. At the same time they have given up the hope of return, only dreaming of resettlement in a third country. That is as likely as winning the lottery. Last year the world received 8500 quota refugees from Dadaab - just slightly above the amount that arrives each month.

No 2.

illegal fishing /Cameroon/Ebodje

Pirate fishing in Cameroon. Outside the fishing village Ebodje, the big vessels can be seen fishing illegally almost every day. They work just next to the shore, in areas reserved exclusively for the artisanal fishermen and their canoes. - When they’ve left, there is really no point in going out fishing, they have their giant trawlers and finish everything. Everything! They throw away the catch that they don’t want, but by then it’s already dead, says 27 year old fisherman Bea. Each year, 11-26 million tons of fish, with a value of 10 billion euros, are caught illegally in the world. The worst fishing pirates come from China South Korea and Europe. The maritime authority in Cameroon estimates that the catch has decreasedwith around 80 percent for the local fishermen since the big trawlers showed up 10-15 years ago. For a country where 50 percent of the consumed animal protein comes from fish, that means a small disaster.

No 3.

Minutemen

Minuteman-USA. Britt Craig owns two caps. One has the American flag on it, the other one says hunter. He lost his left eye in Vietnam and sleeps only an hour at a time. Most days he lives in a blue truck on a dusty hill in the American desert, overlooking the Mexican border. He is part of the Minutemen – a vigilance committee determined to defend the US against illegal immigration.

No 4.

Neo-nazis in USA

Neo-Nazis in USA. The number of hate groups are at record high levels in the US – the increase has been over 50 percent since the year 2000. The National Socialist Movement is the largest white supremacist group in the country. They work for a racially segregated US. Jeff Hall, leader of NSM Southern Californa, here stands in front of his home. 3 rd Price in Swedish Picture of the Year 2011, Daily Life - World.

No 5.

Avatar

Don´t mine us to death. Avatar 2 is already in the works, eagerly awaited by millions of fans worldwide. Meanwhile, a similar story takes place in India, only the characters are not blue, and the attention much more modest. For more than 300 years, the Khond people has been living around the Nyamgiri Mountain, growing crops and harvesting the many fruit trees. But the mountain, which is holy to them, does not only provide food and fertile soils. Its interior also hides great reserves of aluminium. Now the British mining company Vedanta threatens the whole existence of the Khond people, by planning heavy mining activities in the area. Parts of the project have already begun, with devastating effects. Amnesty International is one of several organisations that have documented pollution and violations of human rights in the area. Families have been driven off their land and the Khond people’s languague, culture, religion and unique way of living is under severe threat. And as the Avatar fans keep biting their nails waiting for a sequel, the people of Nyamgiri continue their struggle in silence.

No 6.

Avatar

Don´t mine us to death. Koselia Madhad, 30, bathes his son Jettu , 2, in the mountain stream. It is hard for him to find a reason for why he should move into town. “I am at my happiest at Nyamgiri. On the mpuntain we have everything we need and this is the way I want to live. In the cities it is just hot while I here can go down to the mountain stream whenever I want to cool off”.

No 7.

Heavy metal in Botswana

Botswana Heavy Metal Generation. Augustus rock/metal festival in Gaborone City Hall, Botswana. On stage the band Overthrust. Seen in front on guitar is Spencer Degenerated and to the right on bass is Vulture Thrust. Overthrust is an upcoming metal band on the metal scene in Botswana. They have only played for about a year and come from Ghanzi, a town in the Kalahari Desert. Botswana has one of the most vibrant and fast growing metal scenes in Africa. Only the South African scene is bigger - but in contrast to Botswana, both bands and audiences are almost exclusively white.

No 8.

The face of the militias

The face of the militias - USA. Josh Hartle is a fresh member of the Texas Well Regulated Militia. He moved from Minnesota together with his girlfriend Lisa to look for a job and join a militia.“Minnesota is very anti militia, so they are all underground to avoid the state police. I tried to get in touch with them, I screamed out, but nothing.”The militia movement is marching again. With two crucial ingredients present – economic downturn and a Democratic president – Americans are once again stockpiling weapons. The militias are getting prepared, not for a war with the government, we’re here to defend us against it, says Rick Light leader of Texas Well Regulated Militia that’s our constitutional right and nobody can take it away from us. – If the government comes to take our guns… then they got themselves an armed conflict.

No 9.

Arrowboys

Arrow boys of Southern Sudan. They call themselves Arrowboys – a vigilante’s group of thousands of frustrated farmers of southern Sudan. They earned their name from the fact that they seldom have more than bows and arrows to fight their enemy, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), with. The few guns they have are home made, or stolen from killed LRA fighters. Since the civil war in Uganda ended, one of the world’s most dreaded guerrilla groups has divided into smaller units which now operate in southern Sudan, northern DR Congo and the Central African Republic instead. Here they terrorise the local communities by looting, mutilations, kidnappings and rape. Over 140 000 people have been forced to flee because of LRA attacks since December 2008 in the three countries, according to UN statistics. The Arrowboys have had enough.

No 10.

Skinheads in Beijing

Skinheads in Beijing. In the outskirts of Beijing’s musical underground scene skinhead band Misandao with front man Lei Jun is a growling act of defiance. The skinhead style for them is all about going their own way and playing punk music, no matter what other people say. They speak about their love for China and their contempt for the government, their dreams of the future and how the Olympics make them feel an echo from the Cultural Revolution. Full featuretext is available.

Swedish Picture of The Year 2012
January 19th, 2012

Kontinent are happy to announce that once again have four of our talented photographers been nominated in the Swedish Picture of The Year award 2012. The photographers are in alfabetic order Anders Hansson, Amy Helen Johansson, David Magnusson and Moa Karlberg. Their work was competing against and was selected amongst the 4530 pictures that was sent in to the jury this year.
On the 16th of March the prize ceremony will be held in Malmo, Sweden.

Statement from Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye
January 10th, 2012

Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye has made a short statement from Ethiopia:
-”There is a tradition of grace and forgiveness in Ethiopia and we choose to rely on this tradition”

Kontinent believe that they carefully considered their options and support them in their decisions.

Please show your support for them by sending letters to prison. They must be in English to be read by the staff before they are delivered.

Their adress is:
Johan Persson / Martin Schibbye

Kality Prison Zon 7
Addis Abeba Prison
Administration
P O Box 2436
Addis Abeba
Ethiopia

Johan and Martin convicted to 11 years in prison
December 27th, 2011
Kontinent´s Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye has been sentenced to 11 years of prison in Ethiopia while investigating an underreported story about the people in the closed region of Ogaden in Ethiopia. Their main purpose was to shed light on peoples life in Ogaden and how they have been affected by increasing violence while oil companies, like the swedish Lundin group, explore oil deposits in the area.
Kontinent´s Fredric Alm says:
-It´s a very hard sentence for someone just doing their job as journalists.
Unfortunately they have to take a very tough decision now, either they appeal to higher court or ask for a pardon. It´s a decision that has to be done before the 10th of January. An appeal could take up to till 2 years, but it is a staged political verdict from Meles Zenawi, so it´s hard to see what would change? Tampered evidences presented to the court by the Prosecutor was later clearly shown by the defence, that Johan and Martin were not taking any side. It´s absurd to say that they supported terrorism by interviewing members of a rebel group.
In case of a pardon you have to plead guilty, which is very hard when you are innocent like Johan and Martin. On the other side you have to think of the chances to survive 11 years in an Ethiopian prison, it could be a death sentence. The purpose of the verdict is to scare away all journalists from this area. So now it’s very important to continue reporting from places like the Ogaden region.
Thats’ why Kontinent will continue to support our colleagues Johan and Martin in the best ways we can, together with their relatives.

We ask other journalists and media to help keeping this story alive. As Johan and Martin themselves said:

-This is not only about us, our relatives and close media colleagues, this is about Press Freedom!

Read more about Johan and Martin at CNN and BBC.

Manifestation for press freedom and the release of Johan and Martin
October 6th, 2011

On Friday the 7:th of Oct 5 pm manifestations will be held in Sweden for our colleagues Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, In Stockholm on Södermalmstorg and at Kungsportsplatsen in Gothenburg, at the same time.
On the 25:th of September 2011 a group of friends and colleagues concerned with the well-being and treatment of John and Martin formed a group called Free the Swedish Journalists Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye.
The group demands that the Swedish Government gives the case a top political priority, that the Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt must publically align themselves with the case of freelance journalists like John and Martin, and finally that the issue of protection of press freedom must be addressed at international level.
Anyone who agrees with these demands will be asked to sign the petition at www.ipetitions.com / petition / freejohanandmartin and invited to attend the rally on Friday. The petition will be submitted to the Swedish Foreign Ministry.

The group, together with relatives to Johan and Martin, include among other members Swedish Reporters Without Borders, Swedish PEN, National Press Club and Journalists Association in Sweden.

Upprop till svensk media
September 22nd, 2011

Etiopiensvenskarna – tiden rinner ut!

Bästa vänner och kollegor.

Vi skriver till er för att be om hjälp.

Den 18 oktober hålls en rättegång i Etiopien mot den svenska bildjournalisten Johan Persson och journalisten Martin Schibbye. De står åtalade för terroristbrott och hotas av väldigt långa fängelsestraff. Denna situation är på många sätt unik.

Vi vet att ambassaden i Addis Abbeba gör allt den kan för att hjälpa Johan och Martin, men i det här fallet står den maktlös eftersom frågan ligger på en helt annan politisk nivå. Utrikesdepartementet hävdar att man ägnar sig åt tyst diplomati, samtidigt som UD:s presschef säger i bland annat TV4:s Nyhetsmorgon att Carl Bildt inte är inblandad i ärendet och att det nu har blivit en rättsprocess som man ”inte kan påverka”. Vi hoppas naturligtvis att UD med hjälp av utrikesministern gör allt man kan, vilket enligt oss även innefattar att ta upp frågan på EU-nivå samt att be alla möjliga internationella kontakter om hjälp. Tyvärr betvivlar vi att så är fallet.

Vad vi däremot vet är att det sannolikt är för sent att agera när rättegången väl har inletts. Liknande exempel visar att ingen domare kan eller vågar gå emot det åtal som väckts. När domen sedan fallit är det naturligtvis ännu svårare för regimen att backa.

Det som kan göras, måste därför göras NU.

USA är ett av få länder som har någon makt över Etiopien. USA får loss sina journalister – senaste exemplet är Heather Murdock som gjorde ett uppdrag i närheten av Ogadenområdet för Voice of America. Hon blev snabbt utvisad trots kontakt med den av Etiopien ensidigt terrorstämplade gerillan ONLF.

Enligt diplomatiska kablar (#09STATE47394) har Hillary Clinton tackat Carl Bildt för att han har hjälpt till att få loss amerikanska journalister som har suttit fängslade i Nordkorea. Han lovade då att fortsätta hjälpa USA i liknande fall. Vi tycker därför att det är rimligt att Carl Bildt ber om en gentjänst för att få loss också sina egna journalister.

Det behöver väl knappast sägas, men vi understryker det ändå: Johan och Martin är två 30-åriga, professionella och respekterade journalister – många av er har köpt in deras material. Däremot är de frilansar, vilket innebär att de saknar en redaktion i ryggen. Det gör dem betydligt mer hjälplösa i en sådan här situation.

Sverige har nu tre journalister fängslade utomlands. Dawit Isaak, som nu ingen vet något om, och Johan Persson och Martin Schibbye som det ännu kanske finns en liten chans att hjälpa.

UD:s uttalanden kan tolkas som att man siktar in sig på en benådning efter rättegången. Vågar vi lita på att man klarar detta?Sveriges relation med Etiopien har försämrats ordentligt de senaste åren. Att Etiopien valde att stänga ambassaden här i Sverige får ses som en kraftig protest, på samma sätt som det faktum att den etiopiska regimen lät den svenska ambassaden i Addis Abeba läsa i lokala tidningar att journalisterna blivit åtalade – trots att de hade rätt till konsulärt ombud. Det tog ett helt dygn för UD att få bekräftat att de två journalisterna hade åtalats, från det att den etiopiske regeringstalesmannen Shimeles Kemal meddelat via Reuters och Bloomberg att det blir åtal.

För en tid sedan förflyttades Martin och Johan från häktet på polishuset i Addis Abebba, där de behandlades relativt väl, till Kalityfängelset i samma stad. UD kallar förhållandena där för “något primitivare” – på vanlig svenska kallar vi det att sova direkt på ett kallt betonggolv i ett plåtskjul. Addis Abeba ligger på högre höjd än Kebnekaise och temperaturerna varierar kraftigt mellan dag och natt. Det är ohyggligt varmt på dagarna och kallt och fuktigt på nätterna. En etiopisk journalist som greps ungefär samtidigt och direkt sattes i Kalityfängelset har redan efter två månader varit nära döden på grund av lunginflammation. Många har dött i etiopiska fängelser på grund av epidemier, och generellt sett är vi svenskar mer mottagliga för de sjukdomar som finns i dessa miljöer.

Den här sortens fall innebär ofta utdragna rättegångar. En eventuell benådning kan därefter ta upp till två år. Det är tyvärr inte säkert att Johan Persson och Martin Schibbye överlever så länge under de förhållanden som råder i Kalityfängelset.

Regimen i landet har fängslat sex journalister sedan i juli med stöd av antiterroristlagen. Bara Eritrea har fler fängslade journalister i Afrika.

En av våra källor bekräftar att det är en högt uppsatt politiker inom den etiopiska regimen som genom Johan och Martin vill statuera exempel, så att inga andra journalister eller människorättsorganisationer ska våga sig in i området i fortsättningen. Att de är journalister är regimen fullt medveten om.

Regimen håller effektivt på att tysta opposition och journalister i Etiopien genom att fängsla dem. Amnesty kastades ut ur landet den 31 augusti och etiopier som de har varit i kontakt med fängslades också. En känd skådespelare och oppositionens ansikte under valet fängslades nyligen, och den 9 september fängslades de två journalister som skrev om fallet – samtliga för terrorbrott.

Den som åtalas i terrormål i Etiopien går aldrig fri och det är vanligt att regimen pekar ut misstänkta som skyldiga redan före rättegång (se referens nedan). I Martin och Johans fall rymmer åtalets ”bevisning” mot dem bland annat den manipulerade propagandafilm som redan har sänts i etiopisk stats-tv, där man blandar Johan och Martins dokumentära material med militärens egna bilder. I en kort sekvens som killarna själva filmat tittar Johan i ett vapen, i efterhand har sedan ett skott lagts på. Enligt regimen visar detta att Martin och Johan har fått vapenträning av den etiopiska gerillan. Det är inte sant. Sekvensen är filmad i staden Galkacyo i Somalia där Johan och Martin vistades två veckor före inresan till Etiopien. Johan avlossar aldrig något skott och vapnet tillhör deras säkerhetsvakter.

Vissa menar att domstolarna i Etiopien är rättssäkra, men i det här fallet är det ingen fördel. Johan och Martin har berättat vad de gjorde i Etiopien: att de har intervjuat rebellgrupper. Därmed anses de ha gjort sig skyldiga till brott mot den etiopiska anti-terroristlagstiftningen, som tillåter en så vid

tolkning av begreppet att vem som helst kan fällas. I antiterroristmål i Etiopien tas i nuläget dessutom ingen hänsyn till andra internationella lagstiftningar.

Detta är ingen debattartikel eller nyhet, utan bakgrundsfakta för att ni som läser ska förstå hur allvarligt läget är – och att tiden är på väg att rinna ut.

Vi ber er att lyfta frågan politiskt, och så snart som möjligt förhöra er om huruvida denna fråga verkligen har högsta prioritet på utrikesdepartementet.

Är det rimligt att Johan och Martin tycks behandlas enligt samma åtgärdslista från UD som en person som till exempel rånat sin taxichaufför på utlandssemestern? Hur lätt kommer det att vara för de anhöriga att ens kunna kalla vittnen till rättegången, då det är de som får betala för resor och uppehälle? Hur ska anhöriga ha råd att anlita en svensk professionell advokat?

Johan och Martin har fått ut några brev, och detta är deras egen hälsning:

“Det som händer nu är inte bara viktigt för oss, våra familjer och nära mediekollegor, utan för ALLA som tror på pressfrihet och mänskliga rättigheter.”

Magnus Laupa & Fredric Alm

vänner och kollegor på bildjournalistbyrån Kontinent. info@kontinent.se 0706419125 / 0768349383

Anna Roxvall

vän, kollega och frilansjournalist. info@annaroxvall.se 0739063335

Jesper Bengtsson

Ordförande i Reportrar utan gränser. jesper.bengtsson@reportrarutangranser.se 0702682529

Fakta:

Martin Schibbye och Johan Persson är frilansjournalister, men var på uppdrag för bland andra Filter. De ville rapportera om övergrepp mot civilbefolkningen i östra Etiopien – regionen Ogaden. Johan Persson hade under sina tidigare reportageresor i Kenya och södra Sudan intervjuat och porträtterat människor som tvingats fly från Ogadenprovinsen. Deras vittnesmål sporrade honom att dokumentera inifrån Ogaden.

Martin och Johan greps den 1 juli och hölls fångna först i Jijiga, därefter i häktet i polishuset i Addis Abeba. Den 6 september anklagades de för terrorism och flyttades till Kalityfängelset.

Photojournalist Johan Persson and Reporter Martin Schibbye accused with terrorism by the Ethiopian regime.
September 16th, 2011

johanpersson_martinschibbye1

Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye on assignment.

Ethiopian Court has charged photojournalist Johan Persson and Reporter Martin Shibbye with terrorism. On Tuesday the trail will start at Lideta Federal High Court i Addis Abeba.

Even though they are working as free journalists for several established Swedish newspaper and magazines, they are accused with “terrorism and violation on migration laws” by the Ethiopian court. Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman Anders Jörle reported that Johan and Martins lawyers weren’t present during the initial hearing.

Now media from Sweden and abroad have all gathered to follow the court proceedings in Ethiopia. The hashtag on twitter to follow all journalist there will be #ethiopiaswedes.

It was on Friday the 1:th of July Photographer Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye were arrested by the Ethiopian security forces while Persson and Schibbye were crossing the border from Somalia to Ethiopia in an attempt to make a report in the closed Ethiopian region of Ogaden. The purpose of the trip was to confirm information they previous received from refugees about human rights violations in Ogaden.

Both Johan and Martin have admitted they entered without visas in violation with Ethiopia migration laws but they have denied all forms of terrorist allegations from the Ethiopian authorities. According to Reuters, the Ethiopian Information Minister Shimeles Kemal said that further court hearings would be held on 18 and 20 October. Johan and Martin are now imprisoned in the Kality Prison in Addis Ababa.

International representatives for organizations working with Freedom of Press have raised concern and demanded the release of Johan and Martin, stating:
“These journalists should not be detained for seeking to cover an under-reported story,” said CPJ’s Africa consultant Tom Rhodes. read the latest article here…

“These journalist were only trying to do their job, reporting on a conflict which is not well understood outside the region,” said EFJ President, Arne König. “It is the duty of journalists to provide independent and impartial information which requires access to the location.” read more…

Swedish Reporters Without Borders, together with the Swedish Federation of Journalists launched, on Thursday the 7th of July, a collection to cover any future costs for legal assistance for photojournalist Johan Persson and journalist Martin Schibbye.

To contribute (only in Sweden so far): Bg 5567-3818 (goes direct to RSF Sweden);
Sign the payment “John & Martin”

We, as colleagues at the photojournalist agency Kontinent, are very concerned about the wellbeing and situation of Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye.
And as journalist we are also very concerned and worried of the blatant lack of freedom of press the Ethiopian government are showing, in using terrorism legislation to silence free journalism and press. We at Kontinent think it is of most importance to report from closed regions where human rights violations are a being a reported problem. These regions are often closed to journalists by regimes that commit these atrocities. The Ogaden region in Ethiopia seems to be one of those regions in the world because the government of Ethiopia repeatedly have arrested journalists trying to enter the region.

All journalists at Kontinent Photojournalist Agency are peacefully working and reporting from and about different regions around the world. As journalists we do NOT actively participate in any conflict or take any sides. We make our reports and are as such under international rights regarding freedom of press, which we believe should be respected and upheld by any government. Unfortunately the action of the Ethiopian Government shows that they don’t respect UN International Rights on Freedom of Press.

To get in contact with Kontinent’s official spokesperson regarding developments in this matter.  Telephone:  +46855924030 email: info@kontinent.se  or follow this link, click here.

To download free high-res images of Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, click here.

Press material Persson/Schibbye
July 6th, 2011

Free usage, in relation to publications regarding the arrests of journalists Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye. Click the image to download it in high resolution.

Kontinent’s photographer and journalist wounded and detained in Ethiopia
July 4th, 2011

johablogg

Photographer Johan Persson and reporter Martin Schibbye were on Friday the 1:th of July, arrested during an military operation led by the Ethiopian army against the group Persson and Schibbye were accompanying to make a report in the Ethiopian region of Ogaden.

The data are conflicting as to what happened but Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye were wounded in the fight.

They were first held in Ethiopian custody in the town of Jijiga. The Swedish Ambassador in Ethiopia was granted access to Persson and Schibbye on Monday the 4:th of July. They were, according to the Swedish officials, physically and mentally worn out and tired from the hardships. They had minor wounds that they have received treatment, medicine and X-ray examination by doctor, in Jijiga Hospital. This was later confirmed by official Swedish Embassy personnel in Ethiopia.

On Wednesday, the 6:th of July, Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye was showed in a segment in Ethiopian TV-news. They seemed tired but the segment also showed that their wounds was treated. During Thursday, the 7:th of July, Johan and Martin was moved to Addis Abeba from Jijiga for further investigation into the matter. They are since then held in custody in the federal prison Maikelawi and have received new medical treatment and medicine from the Ethiopian federal authorises. They have also been given food and books from the Swedish embassy personnel. They have not yet been charged with any crime and are awaiting the Ethiopians investigation into what happened. Next hearing are scheduled to take place on the 20:th of July.

Swedish Reporters Without Borders, together with the Swedish Federation of Journalists has, on Thursday the 7:th, launched a collection to cover any future costs for legal assistance for photojournalist Johan Persson and journalist Martin Schibbye.

To contribute (only in Sweden so far): Bg 5567-3818 (goes direct to RSF Sweden);
Sign the payment “John & Martin

We assume that the ongoing investigation will show that Johan and Martin are journalists and consequently will be released. Then the contributions will be placed in a fund for the future when journalists are in similar situations.

Please also read and feel free to spread this: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/freeswedishjournalistsnow/

We at Kontinent Photojournalist Agency are trying to peacefully work as journalists reporting from and about different situations around the world. As journalists we do NOT actively participate in any conflict or take any sides in conflicts and are as such under International law regarding freedom of press, which we believe should be respected and upheld by any Government.

Kontinent Agency are looking forward to hear from our colleagues and are praying for their safe return.

This blog entry in will be updated.

To get in contact with  Kontinent’s official spokesperson follow this link.

To download free high-res images of Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye, click here.

The militia movement is marching again
June 7th, 2011

The face of the militias

Photo by Johan Persson / KONTINENT

According to the 2:nd amendment of the U.S. constitution, the people of the United States have the right to own and bear arms. It also, explicitly says, that a ”well regulated Militia” is ”necessary to the security of a free State”. In a country, born out of an uprising against a powerful and tyrannical government, well armed and well-organized people was seen as a guarantee against authoritarian oppression. That idea is still very much alive today and ideologically motivated to inner circles of The Militia. With two crucial ingredients present – economic downturn and a Democrat president – Americans are once again stockpiling weapons, ready for a war with the U.S. government.

Both analysts and militia groups themselves conclude that all it takes is a spark for the situation to catch fire.
– If the government comes to take our guns… then they got themselves an armed conflict, says Rick Light, leader of Texas Well Regulated Militia.

Watch the story here.





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