Affected by this heavy metal. Breathing in air polluted with lead or eating contaminated can damage your nervous system. Its particularly dangerous for children. In the u. S. , an entire town has been affected. The flint scandal is making massive waves. [chanting] at last, their complaint reached the u. S. Capitol. Angry campaigners from flint have been cueing since Early Morning to watch Congress Take michigan Governor Rick Snyder task. Hes the man they hold responsible for the flint water crisis. Mother of three, melissa mays, is among those present at the hearing. They allow him to point the fingers and blame all these other people. I think that congress is going to hit him hard and not, you know, go easy on him. And thats what needs to to put a little reality into system. And shes not disappointed. The delegates grill the for nearly four hours, keuzing his accusing his government of failing completely. These children, when we are dead, when we are dead and these children will suffer for what we failed to do. The stain that State Government has put on this country in the form of flint. Will be a long time being erased. People who put dollars over the fundamental safety of the people do not belong in government. And you need to resign, snyder. And thats exactly what flints residents are calling for. So what happened . The auto industrys departure the 1980s hit flint hard. Almost half of its 100,000 residents now live in poverty. Governor snyder appointed an emergency administrator to streamline the towns finances. In 2014, a decision was taken source Drinking Water from the towns own river rather than buying it in from detroit. But for reasons as yet unclear, authorities failed to add corrosion preventives to the Drinking Water supply. An omission which is not only unusual but also downright dangerous. Many of the towns old lead water pipes began to corrode, leeching lead into the Drinking Water. To illustrate the effects of this, in the neighboring city detroit, 2. 3 micrograms of lead were measured per liter of Drinking Water, an acceptable amount. The u. S. Environmental protection have a limit of 15. In flint, on the other hand, measurements in some households reached 158 micrograms. One was particularly shocking. 13,000 micrograms of lead per liter, making it something that belongs in a toxic waste dump. After just a few weeks, concerned residents began to complain that something was wrong with the water. But it took over a year for authorities to react. In january, this year, a state of emergency was declared, and the National Guard began distributing three filters and bottled water to the assisted by local initiatives and volunteers. This, it seems, is what safe Drinking Water supplies look like in the modern day united states. I want to be angry. I want to be mad. But i cant. Just sad. Just sad. It affected my daughter, my two grandsons. I itch like crazy its just horrible. We got to do something about it or i gotta get out of here, because it aint right. Water tests carried out at melissa mayss house also revealed high lead levels. Since then, the family uses bottled water for cooking. And they eat vegetables said to have detox guying effects. To help mitigate the damage of heavy metals poisoning, as well as its supposed to help rebuild your body and be able fight off hopefully lower the amount that you absorbed. They try to keep contact tap water to a minimum. Melissas children no longer shower but instead pour only cupfuls of tap water over their heads. Think of what youre over your hard. Hard to not think of it, its poison youre putting on your head. Its got to be sick in your mind, as all time. The family began suffering from frequent illness, skin rashes and hair loss. The boys performance at school suffered because they were no longer able to concentrate. You deal with guilt, even though you know that, you know, its not i didnt poison the water, but i handed those glasses of water to my kids, so how do i forgive for that . When pediatricians suddenly noticed conspicuously high levels of lead in blood tests, they raised the alarm. Lead collects in the bones and tissues, which makes it particularly harpful for harmful for children and young people. We expect more chronic, affects a lot more the bones. It has the presentation of abdominal pain, constipation. They can have gum changes. And some behavior issues. Flints Drinking Water now once again comes from detroit. Added phosphates help build a protective film in the pipes. But lead can still enter the water from damaged pipes. Once a week, anxious and angry citizens meet to discuss the situation. Many here are convinced the authorities would have reacted more quickly if the community were richer and more of them were white. Her only ally our government has failed from Governor Snyder all the down. We have been supported, but much more. We are in the united states. Its just such sadness we cant get the money. To get these pipes fixed. They have the money what do we want . Clean water [chanting] when do we want it . Now no pipes . No pipes, no peace [chanting] the residents refuse to be silenced. But replacing all of flints water pipes would be and expensive. Governor snyder has promised to do everything in his power to end the crisis. But for melissa mays, thats enough. Shes now joined a class action suit. It was enjoyable seeing him get yelled. At. But theres no new answers. Theres nothing new coming out. A little satisfaction but it seems there is still a long way to go. And now we head to in mali. This famous oasis town was an important center for traders on their way to the sahara. But then islamist fanatics overran the city, destroying large parts of this World Heritage site. [music] the desert outpost of timbuktu has undergone a rebirth. Four years after radical islamists captured and held the city for a year. U. N. Forces patrol the streets and there are still scattered skirmishes. The islamists have retreated remain close by. Still, residents say they can breathe once more. Zainhab was one of the first victims, after the militants seized timbuktu. She says her young son gives the strength to carry on. [speaking foreign language] i feared id lose my mind. I couldnt talk. I wasnt eating. I only wanted to be alone. What the jihadists did haunts to this day. These images show zainhab she was brutally beaten. She was just 15. And her crying was simply crime was simply having a boyfriend before marriage. Both were subjected to 100 lashes. But zayn says the public humiliation was much worse. The couple were forced to and thats the one good thing that came of it. But the horror was just beginning. The islamists forcibly her husband early to fight. After everything they had tone, they now wanted to force me tow fight alongside them. No way under no circumstances. I fled to algeria and worked there for a year. There were no jobs left here. The selfstyled soldiers of god ruled for a year. Finally, French Forces drove them out of the region and liberated timbuktu. But the jihadists left a trail of destruction in their wake, laying waste to historic buildings, businesses and the Famous Library with its centuriesold manuscripts. At the time we came in contact with abdoulaye cisse, an employee at the library. He was devastated by the destruction. Now, three years later, hes library director. Wed never experienced anything like it in timbuktu. We always resolved our differences peacefully. The memories are horrible for all of us. We watched as our monuments and coliseums were destroyed. They were part of our heritage. And that heritage is being carefully restored. The library is back in business and open to everyone. Many children gather here to do their homework. Most homes still dont have internet access, so those who want to learn do so in the library. I love books, because i to learn more about life and history. I really like being here. Some of the manuscripts back as far as 1,000 years. Those that were damaged are being carefully restored. And all of the books are being cataloged and digitized for safekeeping. Most of the ancient documents were saved, with writings by islamic scholars on physics and philosophy. Abdoulaye cisse and his colleagues risked their lives, hiding hundreds of the manuscripts in their homes and eventually smuggling them out the city. Zainhab also hopes the horrible memories will eventually fade. And ngo specializes in helping women like her. Zainhab and others are learning to dye cloth, an important in northern mali. It may eventually allow her to earn a living. I hope to find work so we afford to send our children to school. That will give them the chance for a brighter future. But everyone realizes that the new beginning is fraught with uncertainty. If the u. N. Forces pull out, islamists would easily timbuktu. These are Police Officers are western germany. Theyre committed to the u. N. Mission for one year. Theres always danger. Were very exposed and could come under attack from both sides of the street. There has been an increasing number of incidents on fridays, which is an important day in islam. Terrorists often choose it to mount their attacks, so its an uneasy feeling. Their mission is to protect civilians and personal are an important part of their job. Its often the best source of information on whats happening in the region, whether unfamiliar people have been spotted for instance. The jihadists are constantly infiltrating the surrounding villages. Another important aspect is keeping the islamists away from young people. Most are poor and have little hope of finding a job. That makes them ideal recruits. And thats part of the reason why young meutions like ousmane perform concerts here on a regular basis, on the same square where zainhab was brutally beaten three years where the islamists cut off their victims hands and stone them to death. Its not easy for me to return to this square and to be in public. Ousmane sings about peace about the free souls of all malians. Zainhab makes a courageous gesture, dancing on the very spot where she was brutally lashed until she almost lost consciousness. Shes proud that timbuktu is rising again and that residents here are regaining their selfrespect, their culture, their civilization. Colombians too are hoping peace. For over three years, the government has been negotiating with the farc, the oldest Guerrilla Organization in latin america, to bring an ends to down an end to the countrys decades long civil war. Its led to six million colombians being internally displaced. The farc is one of the wealthiest rebel organizations in the world. Its income sources include blackmail, kidnapping and most importantly, cocaine. The u. N. Estimates that the owns up to 500 million e. U. S from the illegal drug trades, every year. Thats what makes the peace negotiations so complicated. They include cocaine production and trade, agricultural reform and granting rebels the right participate in the political system. But where are the rebels right now . They made us wait five long days at a village at the edge the jungle. But now they have come to get us, and we are moving deep into the jungle. To a camp belonging to the farc rebels, south americas oldest Guerrilla Organization. We plan to stay with them for two days. We packed our equipment in plastic bags to protect it from the tropical rainfall. These fighters have had no encounters with the army for months now and all seems quiet. But they say they are ready to fight. Were always prepared to defend ourselves, regardless of what happens. Just so you know, the army far away, just a few kilometers from here. So we have to be vigilant. We meet more than 100 fighters at this camp. Marxist rebels. Many countries, including the u. S. And the e. U. , have designated the farc as a terrorist organization. But since 2012, the colombian government has been working towards a peace deal with the farc in cuba, allowing us to film here is probably part of the Charm Offensive by the guerrillas, who hope a Peace Agreement will allow the movement to transform into a political party. An inside view of a guerrilla camp. Many here have lived in the jungle for many years. Some are welleducated. Most are from poor farming families. They tell us theyre not paid here. Theyre committed to the fight. Once a guerrilla, always a guerrilla. Those trying to desert risk being shot dead. Right now, theyre all just waiting around. They dont know what a peace deal would mean for them. Will there be amnesty, a truth commission, a form of Transitional Justice . Were surprised to discover almost half the fighters are women. And they seem to have the same rights and duties as the men. This woman was 12 years old she became a rebel, of her own free will, she says. Her family was poor and were driven out of their home by right wing paramilitaries. The leftist farc rebels were only ones who offered them anything. The fighting is difficult all of us. Its clear that were at war. Its hot. But the women fight alongside the men. People often say the guerrillas are forced to fight, especially the young the soldiers. But thats not true. Yes, were forced to do this, but not by the guerrillas themselves. Rather, by the government, by the suffering that the people are experiencing. Thats precisely what taught in daily political lessons about the revolution. They want to oust big and redistribute the land. The farc want to have power, whether they gain it by force through negotiations. Now theyre hoping the peace talks in cuba succeed, since they began the mood in the camp has grown quiet. Its almost a revolutionary paradise, collective washing in the jungle river. Watching Mexican Revolutionary films on a laptop. Playing volleyball in the afternoon. Or trimming each others hair, when the generator runs for a couple of hours. And, of course, they dont have to give up romance. We saw several couples at the camp. Jack lean and john have been together for the past year. The commanders have nothing against relationships between guerrillas, as long as they dont stand in the way of the revolution. My work comes first and my partner. But love is always present. Its not easy to fight at your partners side, knowing the risks involved. But we are committed. What we really want is for the negotiations to be successful, that they reach an agreement in havana. We want a political solution offering peace, social justice, and equality for all in colombia. And then we interview one colombias most wanted men. Commander Mauricio Jaramillo is a member of the highest ranks the farc administration. Hes lived in the jungle and been a fighter since 1978. He studied medicine. His fighter name is el which means the doctor. In 2012, he participated in the first round of negotiations in cuba. At the time, he said we will down our weapons, but we will never give up. Its one of the most points of the negotiations. We carefully inquire about the massacres and abductions that farc is accused of carrying his answer is diplomatic. We made it clear. In some instances, we may have caused some harm. Thats what we told them in havana. Were prepared to listen to all of the claims against us. Those in which we were involved. And the harm we may have caused to civilians. And then we will respond to the allegations. Were prepared to clarify what happened. Our visit ends abruptly. The fighters suddenly ask us to hurry. The army has advanced they say. Peace has not yet arrived in colombia. But both sides seem determined to seal the deal by the end of this year. Today in our living rooms series, we visit a home in the germany capital, berlin. Welcome to my home welcome to moabit. Come on in. So i like an organic of different things. This is an old picture frame with my son, on the beach in vancouver island. Next to this lovely art for the Electricity Company in orange and yellow. I think on this wall, we can really i can really say that yeah, art is what you make it. And here, we have my fathers artwork. These are all little wooden animals that he made for my children. So theyre all here. They love playing with animals, so i also kept a plastic one. So this is foo. And im learning a lot, because foo is an amazing cook and its really wonderful to be here in berlin and realize that i can learn so much. Not only is she a wonderful young woman, but im also learning about the japanese culture, how they eat, what do. Yeah. So its quite exciting well, its been lovely having you here. Ive got to go off and prepare something for work now. So thank you very much for coming into my home and thats all weve got for on global 3000 for today. Well be back again next week ,and were always available online, of course, at dw. Com global3000. See you soon [acoustic blues m] male narrator memphis, tennessee. It has been written if music were religion that memphis would be jerusalem and sun studio, its most sacred shrine. And you are here with eric bibb. My health is failin me im going down slow hi, im eric bibb and im so happy to be here at sun studios in memphis, tennessee. Hope you enjoy this session. I started playing guitar around age seven or eight. Started taking some serious lessons, Classical Guitar lessons, when i was about 11. Songwriting started maybe around the same time
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