Hristo Rusev photography

четвъртък, 21 май 2015 г.

“A small war” that changed Kumanovo, Macedonia

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

A war-ravaged street “Tode Mendol” in the Albanian quarter of the town of Kumanovo is a sad reminder of the anti terrorist operation held in Macedonia two weeks ago. What happened then in the country’s second biggest town still raises more question that it provides answers. What was proclaimed by the Gruevski’s government as a strike against dangerous terror unit has led to the destruction of tens of houses with hundreds of people left homeless or lost their small businesses. Now all the rooftops in the neighbourhood look like giant craters, with large hole in walls and the smelt of burnt still lingering through the street. A row of smashed and burnt vehicle outside homes is another sad sign of how tense the attack on the neighbourhood was. “My whole family of 12 was in the house when the attack began. We managed to hide in the cellar but then all of a sudden I realized that the house above us is on fire. We somehow succeeded in running into the street with our hand held high to show them we were not criminals. Thank god all my loved ones are alive”, an old man says. He is adamant that there are no terrorist in Kumanovo and the Albanian population is not interested in insurgencies and creating ethnical tension. One of his neighbours has lost his small barbershop and is now determined to move out of the town in search of ways to make a living. “What happened to Kumanovo is politicians’ fault. Now I am homeless, my shop I worked so hard to build is destroyed. No place for me here any more”, the man says. Everyone in the street compare their recent experience to a small war. According to the official date 8 policemen and 14 terrrorist were killed during the operation. But the questioned no one has answered so far is how the supposed terrorist managed to get into civilians’ houses. People in Kumanovo are convinced that the state will help them repair their damaged homes but they are not so optimistic when asked when would that happen. “In 2-3 years”, they reply.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Meanwhile people in the capital Skopie are convinced that the attack of Kumanovo was orchestrated by the government in an attempt to move the attention from the protests. The capital lives a life of pro and anti government protests. But what most of them agree on is that Gruevski and his cabinet owe some explanations of what happened in Kumanovo and how it is going to be justified.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

A war-ravaged street “Tode Mendol” in the Albanian quarter of the town of Kumanovo is a sad reminder of the anti terrorist operation held in Macedonia a week ago. What happened then in the country’s second biggest town still raises more question that it provides answers. What was proclaimed by the Gruevski’s government as a strike against dangerous terror unit has led to the destruction of tens of houses with hundreds of people left homeless or lost their small businesses.According to the official date 8 policemen and 14 terrrorist were killed during the operation. But the questioned no one has answered so far is how the supposed terrorist managed to get into civilians’ houses. People in Kumanovo are convinced that the state will help them repair their damaged homes but they are not so optimistic when asked when would that happen. “In 2-3 years”, they reply.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev/Nur Photo Agency/ 2015

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Photos by © Hristo Rusev 2015

©Nur Photo Agency

неделя, 10 май 2015 г.

Shoot me and you are dead. A walk through Republica - Снимаш ли ме, умираш

AUTHOR MILLENA MIHOVA PHOTOGRAPHER HRISTO RUSEV

A coulee turned into a wasteland shelters more than 300 hundred people in the South Bulgarian town of Haskovo. Creeping out from under the piles of colourful garbage and dirt are the residents of Republica. They are shabby men, women and children widely regarded as roma but convinced in their Turkish origins. Most of them inhabit huts made of mud bricks or wood without running water and often without electricity too. It comes as a surprise to many that the population of this poverty stricken ghetto plays a decisive role in winning or losing every election held in the town for years. Poverty has taught the residents of Republica that everything in life comes at a price, including the vote. “We do sell our vote. It is too tempting not to. When the Election Day approaches all the big parties send their people here. And the buying begins”, says the street trader Ahmed. Unemployed for years he has been making a living from what the Bulgarians call “suitcase trade”. At least once a week he travels to the near by Turkish town of Edirne where he buys small amount of food such as rice, pasta and sweets that he later sells in the streets of Republica.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Because of the state of the building emergency teams often are reluctant to come to the place when called for sick patient. “They are scared as if we are not human! We are forced to take care of our sick relatives alone. And sometimes we drag them to the hospital on foot. Can you imagine how painful that can be?”, argues the 41 year old Nefize.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

“All the parties choose locals as their vote dealers in the ghetto. How to recognize them?! That’s easy. Look for people who made a fortune overnight.”, the trader explains. “Dealers are greedy; they tend to keep part of the money for themselves. For example if their boss wants them to give each voter 50 leva / 25 euro/, they give just 20 leva /10 euro/ and keep the rest to themselves.”, he adds. Usually the payment is done after the elections when the results are announced. It turns out that dealers choose small local coffee shops to make payment. “People wait in a queue to get their money. It is a funny little sum, but still better than nothing”, Ahmed tells.

Most people in Republica are used to the life of unemployment and on benefits. “Bulgaria is for the Bulgarians. No place for us. They often tell me – we can’t give you work because you have no education. To which I reply – we can’t all be doctors, can we?! I have studied to 8th grade only.”, 39 year old Zeyneb says.

The only business that is blooming in the ghetto is the illegal cigarettes trade. Dare to take a walk through the coulee and the near by streets and you will get tens of offers for cheap cigarettes. Shopping in the ghetto is twice as cheaper as it is in the regular tobacco kiosks in town. And slowly but surely this illegal trade is replacing social benefits as the main source of incomes for the locals.

Despite the regular police crackdowns in the ghetto the cigarette business persists. Amongst its clients are people from wealthiest parts of the town. They often purchase the illegal packs straight through their fancy cars’ windows. Not everyone in Republica though is brave enough to get involved in the illegal tobacco trade. But those who are are often hostile towards journalists. “Shoot me and you are dead”, shouts a man in his 20’s at the sight of the camera. The Mayor, this is how he is referred to by everyone in the neighbourhood. The Mayor is quick to take shelter in one of the near by huts.

Another young man, Erdjan /22/ is not so camera shy. “All we want is for the council to take care of our homes. Look at the misery we live in!”, he says. Erdjan inhabits one of the concrete flat buildings in the ghetto. The place under the number of 42 is owned by the Municipality of Haskovo. It is notorious for its basements filled up with fecal waters, its entrance where animals are being slaughtered and for its stolen concretes staircases between the floors. When asked whose fault it was, Erdjan replies: “Why should it be ours!?”. Because of the state of the building emergency teams often are reluctant to come to the place when called for sick patient. “They are scared as if we are not human! We are forced to take care of our sick relatives alone. And sometimes we drag them to the hospital on foot. Can you imagine how painful that can be?”, argues the 41 year old Nefize. For the past 8 years the woman has been working as a cleaner in a London restaurant. Her monthly wage is around 800 pounds, just enough to pay for the place she is staying at and buy her food. “I would love to come back home for good and work for so much less. But there is no job here. We are doomed if we stay”, she explains.

“I would sell my vote. I’m just waiting for the right offer. I have struggled without anything for much too long. I have got two kids to take care of”, tells Nefize’s neighbour. Her greatest fear is that the mud brick hut she calls home will be destroyed by the municipality and she and her children will be placed into a council estate flat where she will have to pay rent.

Photo by © Hristo Rusev 2015

Despite the high level of unemployment most of the families in the ghetto continue to raise three or more children. Most of the youngsters go to school for fear of their parent being left without social benefits. Amongst a few who have given up education is 14 year old Nebie. “Boys were teasing me. They wanted to get married so I quit. I don’t miss it”, explains the girl. Many mothers in the ghetto claim they know exactly what she is talking about. Each day at noon the local school is occupied by parents waiting for their daughters. All of them are driven by the fear of early marriages.

“People here deserve better. They just don’t get that many chances. I was lucky to go and work in Germany. But not everyone is like that. “, says the father of 3 Rasim Ismail who is just preparing a special dinner for the birth of his youngest child. His neighbour Rosa considers herself not so lucky. “I have a sick husband to look for so I can’t go anywhere. I am tired of being lied to by the politicians. I won’t vote again. If the politicians decide to come to the ghetto, let them feel warned that I don’t want them anywhere near me. I can’t stand them anymore.”

сряда, 6 май 2015 г.

The streets of Istanbul - where hunger conquers all - Улиците на Истанбул – където гладът е по-силен от страха

AUTHOR: MILLENA MIHOVA PHOTOGRAPHER HRISTO RUSEV

„Гладът може да те направи толкова смел, че да се изправиш и срещу лъв! Аз си изкарвам прехраната в една особена джунгла – градската. Дали ме е страх?! Не, нуждата ми от хляб на трапезата е по-силна от страха”. Така започва изповедта си 28-годишният кюрд Мустафа. Той е сред стотиците млади мъже, които всяка вечер се изправят срещу хаотичния и бесен трафик на Истанбул, за да продават вода, плодове и сладки на забързаните шофьори. Разходката сред хвърчащите автомобили не е за хора със слаби нерви, но Мустафа и колегите му не се тревожат за живота си, защото знаят че у дома ги чакат семейства. А гладът е по-силен от страха. Равносметката от една нощ в истанбулската джунгла са 50-60 лири печалба, огромен риск от инциденти и сигурността, че на следващия ден пак ще е същото. Повечето улични търговци пристигат от малки градчета в Анадола и са обучени в тънкостите на търговията в трафика още от деца. Опасният занаят е забранен. Но рейдовете на полицията и конфискуваната стока не спират продавачите за дълго. Всеки час пик носи надежда за хляб на масата още една вечер.

English Text

“Hunger can make you brave enough to face a lion”, says 28 year old Mustafa. Every day, to make a living he performs an act that many would consider suicidal. Instead of facing lions, the young Kurd takes on the heaviest traffic in Istanbul. “It’s a special kind of jungle, the city jungle. Do I feel fear?! Well, my need for bread is stronger”, the street trader explains. Mustafa has been selling water, snacks and sweets to drivers in the rush hour for 23 years. “I started when I was 5. Who could refuse a child.”, he adds. Born in a small town in Anatolia, the street trader now regards himself a citizen of Istanbul. It is past 10,30 p m and the last bag of pretzels is nearly empty. The flow of vehicles towards Ataturk bridge is still excessive. Mustafa’s tiny figure disappears between cars and trucks from time to time. Somehow he manages to emerge safe and well every time. But accidents happen. “When they do it is always traders’ fault. Drivers are always clear of charges”, the young man says. While Mustafa has never sustained serious injuries some of his colleagues weren’t that lucky. The list of stories about broken bones seems endless.

“We don’t have much choice, we have to have food on our table”, adds 30 year old Erdjan who is occupying a “working place” right next to Mustafa’s. He looks quiet and chary compared to his colleague. “If you are lucky you can make between 1000 and 1200 liras a month. This is about what you need to get by. Everything is expensive in Istanbul. It is much better to have at least one more working member of the house hold but I live alone.”, he explains. Erjan, who is also originally from Anatolia, has been involved in street trading business for 20 years. He has perfected the art of walking between sometimes speeding cars holding his goods high so they can be seen while guarding himself against the ill fate. Mustafa and Erjan together with a hundred other street traders represent the lowest level of street trading. They work for themselves but are periodically supplied with goods by traders with cars who represents the higher level in the hierarchy.

“A sold box of 100 bananas means 60 liras profit for me”, tells Mustafa. Most of the prices in street trading vary between 1 lira and 3,5 liras. Neither the drivers nor the traders care for a change.

It is not the rude drivers that trouble the traders most it’s the police. “We are not supposed to be here. When the patrolling cars spot us they can confiscate all we have and fine us. It happens. But what we do is a decent way of making a living. They have no right.”, the Kurds say. Both Mustafa and Erjan confess to be devoted Muslims. “Our dignity is defined by our faith. Our needs are simple – we only want bread on the table at night”, tells the 28 year old. That particular night the traffic is disturbed by the presences of the escorts of some authority figures. So the traders are fewer than usual. They all work in perimeters of about 100 meters each and rarely change places from night to night. Most of them, just like Mustafa and Erjan come from poor families from Asian provinces. Due to their social status and not sufficient qualifications they hardly have a choice but to join the street trade. The road to Ataturk bridge and the road to the international airport of the same name are the busiest trading areas. “It is a matter of survival for those people. I know how hard it is. They are not here for fun. But their presence is extremely challenging for us, the drivers. Sometimes when you are tired of working the last thing you need is a human being jumping before your car, trying to sell you sweets”, ponders the Bulgarian businessman Hristo Hristov who travels to Istanbul on regular basis.

Mustafa’s business day begins at noon and never ends before 11 p m. He rarely enjoys the pleasure of having a day off. Busy as he is, the young man never fails to give a smile to anyone who approaches him. “Why should it be otherwise? My needs have brought me here. It is a job like anyone else’s, so why not doing it with a smile”, he says before jumping back into the heavy traffic.

Text: Milena Mihova

Photographs: Hristo Rusev

четвъртък, 21 май 2015 г.

“A small war” that changed Kumanovo, Macedonia

неделя, 10 май 2015 г.

Shoot me and you are dead. A walk through Republica - Снимаш ли ме, умираш

AUTHOR MILLENA MIHOVA PHOTOGRAPHER HRISTO RUSEV

сряда, 6 май 2015 г.

The streets of Istanbul - where hunger conquers all - Улиците на Истанбул – където гладът е по-силен от страха

AUTHOR: MILLENA MIHOVA PHOTOGRAPHER HRISTO RUSEV

четвъртък, 21 май 2015 г.

неделя, 10 май 2015 г.

сряда, 6 май 2015 г.