Exploring life after war with journalist and director Anne Poiret • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• Missing Persons in Conflict: The plight of families, primarily women, searching for missing loved ones in war zones.
• Home Front Realities: The often-overlooked impact of war on families and communities behind the front lines.
• Forced Disappearances: Individuals abducted and their whereabouts unknown, a common tactic in conflicts.
• Prisoner and Corpse Exchanges: The unusual practice of exchanging prisoners and bodies between warring nations during active conflict.
• Limbo State: The precarious situation in post-conflict or de-escalated conflict zones where peace is not fully established, and violence can re-erupt.
• Militias and Demobilization: The challenge of integrating or demobilizing armed groups that emerged during conflict, particularly when they remain active and influential.
• Post-War Coverage: The critical need for continued media attention on the aftermath of war, focusing on rebuilding, justice, and societal healing.
• Trauma and Healing: The psychological impact of war and the long-term process of recovery for individuals and communities.
• Global Security Monitoring: The importance of understanding ongoing conflicts and their potential for re-escalation for international stability.

Ghosts of Ukraine: The Unseen Front Line

The documentary "Ghosts of Ukraine" by the French journalist and filmmaker focuses on the often-unseen human cost of the war in Ukraine, specifically on the "home front." The film highlights the experiences of wives, mothers, and daughters searching for thousands of men who are missing in action or have been abducted in occupied territories.

Key Points:

• The Searchers are Women: A recurring and universal theme across conflicts is that the primary individuals searching for missing persons are women – wives, mothers, and sisters. They dedicate their lives to this search, organizing and pressuring the state for information.
• Shift in Ukraine: While initially, families were left without news, particularly after the conflict began in 2014, a significant shift occurred after 2022. The women in Ukraine realized the necessity of organizing and taking action.
• Unprecedented Exchanges: Ukraine and Russia are engaging in monthly prisoner and corpse exchanges, a practice typically undertaken by countries after a war has concluded. This ongoing exchange offers a glimmer of hope to families, suggesting their loved ones might be alive in Russian prisons.
• The Agony of Limbo: The uncertainty of not knowing the fate of a loved one is described as "driving people women crazy." While many missing in action are likely deceased, the inability to confirm this means families cannot truly grieve or move on. The act of deciding a loved one is dead is unbearable for a mother.
• Active Searching: These women actively search for their missing men by organizing demonstrations, scrutinizing the internet, and sifting through videos on Telegram channels, often taken by Russian forces in prisons or on the front lines. This difficult process sustains their lives and hope.
• State Responsibility: The film argues that states in post-conflict situations must understand that for wives and mothers, simply being told someone is "missing and dead" is insufficient. They require the agency to search and act.
• Colombian Case Study: Colombia is cited as a unique example where a peace treaty included provisions for a strong commitment to finding missing persons, aiming to bring closure.

Iraq: Land of Factions and the Election

The film "Iraq: Land of Factions" delves into the complexities of Iraq, particularly focusing on its youth and the internal factions that heavily influence the country's current political landscape, especially in light of the ongoing general election.

Key Points:

• Militias as a Central Issue: The film highlights the significant role of Shia men who took up arms in 2014 to defend Baghdad against ISIS. Many became involved in militias, which were later organized under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
• Failure of Demobilization: Despite the war against ISIS ending in 2017, these militias were not demobilized. This has plunged Iraq into a state of "limbo" – neither full peace nor active war.
• Influence of Militias: These militias exert considerable influence over Iraqi society and the economy, contributing to ongoing violence.
• Relative Calm, Lingering Instability: While there have been no major fighting in Iraq since 2017, which is a significant relief for the population, the state's failure to address long-term challenges and the continued existence of armed, state-paid but independent militias create an unstable environment.
• The Tishreen Revolution: The Tishreen revolution, occurring 60 years prior, is mentioned as a call for civil society to take action.
• Hope Amidst Uncertainty: Despite the precarious situation, the absence of active fighting allows people to live a more normal life, offering a degree of hope.

After War: Improving Post-Conflict Media Coverage

The organization "After War" is dedicated to improving how media covers situations once the active fighting has ceased. Its core mission is to ensure that stories from conflict-affected regions continue to be told and understood.

Key Arguments and Perspectives:

• The Story Doesn't End with War: It is crucial for the public to understand that the end of military action does not signify the end of the story. Media outlets often withdraw once the violence subsides, moving on to new crises.
• Conflict Persists Beyond Military Action: Even when military action ceases, the underlying conflict often continues in a "gray moment" that is fascinating and vital to report on.
• Complex Post-War Challenges: The aftermath of war involves multifaceted issues such as demobilizing combatants, rebuilding cities and people, seeking justice, and finding missing persons. These are stories that demand continued media attention.
• Global Security Imperative: Monitoring these post-conflict zones is essential for global security. Understanding whether unresolved conflicts might re-erupt is critical for preventing new wars.
• Types of Stories Covered: "After War" focuses on stories related to healing, rebuilding, prosecution of war crimes, the fate of children born during conflict or of child soldiers, and the pervasive issue of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Universality of Post-War Narratives: The stories emerging from post-war situations are often universal, resonating with broader human experiences of trauma and resilience.
• Gaza as a Current Example: The ongoing situation in Gaza is presented as a critical example where continued coverage of the war and its potential post-war consequences is absolutely crucial, despite the immense difficulties journalists face in reporting from the region.

Notable Statement:

• "It's also really important uh to to for the media to keep covering these places because even though the military action is over, the conflict most of the time is not over at all and and it's not peace at all. It's a gray moment and it's a very fascinating time that should be told." - Journalist and Filmmaker.

Conclusion

The discussion with the journalist and filmmaker underscores the profound and often overlooked human consequences of conflict, both during active warfare and in its aftermath. The films "Ghosts of Ukraine" and "Iraq: Land of Factions" highlight the enduring suffering of families searching for missing loved ones and the complex, unstable realities of post-conflict societies grappling with the legacy of militias and unresolved tensions. The work of "After War" emphasizes the critical need for sustained media attention on these "gray moments" to foster understanding, promote healing, and contribute to global security by monitoring the potential for renewed conflict. The journalist's perspective stresses that the end of fighting is merely a transition, and the stories of rebuilding, justice, and human resilience are equally, if not more, important to tell.