Waiting for the Guards

"Waiting For The Guards is the first of 3 films commissioned by Amnesty International to highlight the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA in the “War on Terror”. The Directors approached the making of the film in a way that has never been done before, choosing to show the reality of Stress Positions in as authentic a way as possible. They filmed a person being put into Stress Positions over a 6 hour period. There is no acting on the part of the “prisoner” – his pain and anguish is for real. This powerful film shows without doubt that what the US administrations say is interrogation is in reality, torture and must be stopped."

There isn't much that will have tears filling my eyes at 9AM in an open office space- but this piece confronts one with such a deep well of anguish and sorrow that it's simply overwhelming. It is a rare moment when the reality of the history unfolding around us can punch through the veil of apathy and comfortable ignorance, but as they say "some viewers may be disturbed".

Well tough, the world is disturbing and who are we to pick and choose only the pretty pieces to colour our fantasies of this place in which we live. I think many share this feeling of strong resistance to this raw reality, but what is the basis of this fear? It's not a fear of what this information might do to us or make us feel, it's a fear of what we may no longer be able to do. I think we're afraid to lose our ability to sit there and do nothing.

I suggest watching the higher resolution version, although a Youtube is below. Turn your speakers up.

The actor is Jiva Parthipan, his story is here. Unsubscribe is a campaign by Amnesty UK, welcoming people around the world to join them unsubscribing from human rights abuses in the ‘war on terror’.