Al-Khiyam, Lebanon.

Al-Khiyam is a village in southern Lebanon. It is famous for the prison located there, which the Israelis transformed into a detention centre in which some 3,000 men and women, Lebanese but also Palestinians, active resistance fighters or ordinary inhabitants refusing to collaborate with Israel, were locked up between 1985 and 2001.

The prison was turned into a museum in 2000.

The Israeli air force destroyed the site during its bombing campaign in 2006.

In 2003, the journalist Véronique Ruggirello published « Khiam, prison de la honte » (@editions.harmattan), the testimony of 12 former prisoners.

In 2014, Souha Bechara, a Lebanese activist who was detained for ten years in Khiam, published a book about her imprisonment, « La Fenêtre, camp de Khiam » (@editionselyzad).

The photographs were taken in summer 2004.

Al-Khiyam est un village situé au sud du Liban. Il est célèbre en raison de la prison qui y est située, transformée par les Israéliens en centre de détention dans lequel quelque 3.000 hommes et femmes, des Libanais mais aussi des Palestiniens, des résistants actifs ou de simples habitants refusant de collaborer avec Israël ont été enfermés entre 1985 et 2001.

La prison a été transformée en musée en 2000.

L’aviation israélienne a détruit le site lors de sa campagne de bombardements en 2006.

En 2003, la journaliste Véronique Ruggirello publie dans « Khiam, prison de la honte » (@editions.harmattan) le témoignage de 12 anciens prisonniers.

En 2014, Souha Bechara, militante libanaise, qui a été détenue dix ans à Khiam, publie un livre de témoignage sur son incarcération; « La Fenêtre, camp de Khiam » (co-écrit avec Colette Ibrahim, @editionselyzad ).

Les photographies ont été prises à l'été 2004.

---

---

Herbarium.

The Herbarium, floral and botanical garden, is located in the heart of the old town of Saint-Valery-sur-Somme (Picardy, France). Hidden behind the fortifications of the city, the herbarium was built on the site of a former hospital and it keeps growing medicinal plants today.

The different sections of the garden are dedicated to different kinds of plants: medieval, ornemental, food plants.

The reconstruction of the garden started in 1995 and was conducted by Nicole Quilliot during 25 years. The publication of these nine photographs taken in 2008 is a tribute to her work.

---

---

Wadi Musa.

The city of Wadi Musa is located in southern Jordan, and is the nearest town to the archaeological site of Petra.

I traveled in Jordan for exactly 18 years ago, and was in Wadi Musa a few days between 11th and 14th of February, 2003. The six photographs presented bellow were taken Friday, 14th of February, 2003.

I had a short talk with the guy on the second photograph.

In my travel diary, I wrote:

”Friday, 14th of February, 2003 - Wadi Musa

He is watching me walking down the street and taking pictures. He comes out of his shop.

"What a nice camera! I had one of those once, too. But I threw it away, I couldn’t find any medium format rolls!"

He laughs. I look at him. He can see that my camera is a medium format. That's very unusual – and on top of that, he had one once but threw it away.

I ask him quickly: "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thank you," he answers. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure!" I say, happy to be making contact.

The food shop he keeps is very small. Behind the counter there'sa little gas hotplate with a kettle on it.

"Takes an hour to boil the water", he says with a laugh.

He mixes together some honey and condensed milk in a jar, spreads it on bread, then hands me a piece.

"I pray a lot", he says. "I stay here all day long, listen to the koran on tape, and read it as well. Before, I worked as a guide, down here, in Petra. But it’s finished now. I want to be a good muslim."

My impression is that he's happy. He wears a white djellaba, and his beard is neat. He laughs and smiles a lot.

I ask him"Do you think there's going to be a war in Iraq?"

"Yes, I'm sure there is! It’s going to be a nightmare for the USA!"

I take a picture of him in front of his shop."

The Iraq War began officially on 20th March, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a United States-led coalition that overthrew the government of Saddam Hussein.

I sometimes wonder: where is this man now..?

---

---