BLACKLIST #2
The Global Arms Trade
19:00, May 10, 2017Doors open 18:30
Spektrum, Berlin, Map
Free event. Event full.
BLACKLIST #2 takes a long hard look at the global arms trade through the lens of Shadow World, an award-winning documentary based on the book by Andrew Feinstein.
Following the screening Andrew will join experts in a panel to discuss issues raised by the film, with particular attention placed on drones, nuclear arms and Germany's own role in this dark marketplace. The 3rd largest arms exporter worldwide, German weapons are commonplace on the battlefield, most recently used by UAE soldiers in Yemen. They are also found throughout the crisis zones of the world, evading export controls to end up in the hands of child soldiers, militia and drug lords.
PANELISTS
Andrew Feinstein - author 'The Shadow World', activist and Executive Director Corruption Watch UKLisa Ling - Drone Whistleblower, Former Drone System Technical Sergeant
Otfried Nassauer - Director the Berlin Information Center for Transatlantic Security
Pratap Chatterjee - Investigative Journalist
Dr. Barbara Happe - Political Scientist
Jean Peters - Activist and artist Peng Collective
Xanthe Hall - ICAN Deutschland
The panel begins at 21:00 and will be held in English. We invite audience engagement in English, German and French.
Objectivity takes a backseat to outrage in this damning and artful documentary
about the world of arms dealer payola. At its center is a recent scandal
involving the money trails leading to and from Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan.
Reporters learned that British arms firm BAE Systems allegedly controlled a
slush fund to take care of foreign magnates while deals were being negotiated.
(Prince Bandar received a private jet as one perk, as reported by the
Guardian.) The dirt extends far into the political world, with Mark Thatcher,
son of the British prime minister, allegedly receiving 12 million in cash for
his work as a fixer, for instance.
In fact, many politicians (represented mostly in wince-inducing sound bites)
are tarred by Shadow World’s brush, wielded by a motley band of intellectuals
and activists (including decorated journalist Chris Hedges, formerly of the New
York Times, and writer Jeremy Scahill of Dirty Wars acclaim). Their accusations
are paired with the incendiary prose of Eduardo Galeano, a beloved Uruguayan
champion of the people who died last year. The scope of it all widens to
encompass the complexity of today’s ever-evolving, possibly endless war on
terror. Director Johan Grimonprez has woven a nightmarish tapestry depicting
the military-industrial complex. He has made a compelling argument that the
world is spinning dangerously into science fiction territory. Shadow World is
relentless, intelligent, and urgent.
This event was organised by Crystelle Vu, Julian Oliver and Manon Bernard.
BLACKLIST #4 - What is Democracy?
BLACKLIST #3 - The Real Price of Shipping
BLACKLIST #1 - Militarisation of the Police
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