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| Juliana Ruhfus |
Our job is to uncover the stories of how power is applied, for better or worse, in all corners of society, in all parts of the planet.
Documentaries are the heart of our show.
They're the people part of People & Power - snapshots of human experience which grab you through strong stories and unforgettable pictures.
We work with independent producers and reporters around the world to take you to the grassroots, drawing on their local knowledge and expert understanding of the issues on their home turf.
| Coming up this week on People & Power: |
The Battle with Extremism: Putin's Laws
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| Juliana Ruhfus talks to the mother of a murdered youth in Putin's Russia |
After six years in power, critics accuse Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, of eroding civil society and freedom of expression through a series of new laws passed by the Russian parliament.
Amidst complaints that the Kremlin is returning to the old days of absolute rule,
People & Power's Juliana Ruhfus travels to the troubled Northern Caucasus region, one year after insurgents attacked the security forces in the town of Nalchik, on a mission to find out what impact these laws are having.
She arrives as Moscow stages bombastic celebrations for the 85th anniversary of statehood in the Republic of Kabardino Balkaria, but soon finds out that all is not well when she meets the relatives of the Nalchik insurgents protesting on the other side of town.
As she digs deeper, she finds explosive allegations of human rights abuses and killings – just before the crew ends up being detained by security forces themselves.
Exxon in the Dock
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| Juliana Ruhfus meets Indonesian security guards employed by Exxon Mobil |
In 2001 eleven Indonesian villagers filed a lawsuit in the US against Exxon Mobil for human rights abuses. The villagers say that they and their relatives were tortured, killed and sexually assaulted by a 3000-strong Indonesian military unit hired by Exxon to protect a gas pipeline and liquefaction plant in northern Aceh. People & Power reporter, Juliana Ruhfus, travels to Aceh to hear the stories of four of the villagers.
The case was stalled for five years. Last year, however, a US judge allowed it to move forward under US state law. People & Power speaks with Terry Collingsworth, the lawyer at the US-based NGO, the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF) that is representing the villagers.
Collingsworth says: "If Exxon empowered a group of soldiers who in the course of their duties of providing security for Exxon, murdered or tortured someone, then that meets our legal standards for aiding and abetting."
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| Mary Robinson [EPA] |
In the studio,
People & Power speaks with Mary Robinson, the former UN high commissioner on human rights. Why do large oil, gas and mining companies so often face questions about their respect for human rights in developing countries? And is it any defence when they point out that they are obeying the laws of the land that they are operating in?
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