My photographs bear witness | James Nachtwey

Translator: Ion Zubizarreta Reviewer: Tania Filgueira

As someone who has spent his entire career trying to be invisible

Bere bizitza profesional osoan zehar ikustezina izaten ahalegindu den norbaitentzat

standing in front of an audience is a cross between

jendaurrean agertzea gorputzaz kanpoko esperientzia baten

an out-of-body experience and a deer caught in the headlights,

eta faroen argiek itsututako oreinak sentitzen duenaren arteko zerbaiten antzekoa da,

so please forgive me for violating one of the TED commandments

beraz, barkaidazue TEDen aginduetako bat haustea

by relying on words on paper,

paperean idatzitako hitzetaz fidatuz.

and I only hope I'm not struck by lightning bolts before I'm done.

Soilik bukatu baino lehen tximista batek harrapa ez nazan espero dut.

I'd like to begin by talking about some of the ideas that motivated me

Argazkilari dokumentala izatera bultzatu ninduten ideietako batzuei buruz

to become a documentary photographer.

mintzatuz hasi nahiko nuke.

I was a student in the '60s, a time of social upheaval and questioning,

Ikaslea nintzen 60ko hamarkadan, gizarte-asaldura eta eztabaiden garai batean

and on a personal level, an awakening sense of idealism.

eta, pertsonal mailan, idealismo sentimendu baten hasiera.

The war in Vietnam was raging;

Vietnamgo gerra goren mailan zegoen;

the Civil Rights Movement was under way;

eskubide zibilen aldeko mugimendua abian zen;

and pictures had a powerful influence on me.

eta irudiek eragin bizia zeukaten nigan.

Our political and military leaders were telling us one thing,

Gure buruzagi politiko eta militarrek gauza bat esaten ziguten

and photographers were telling us another.

eta argazkilariek beste bat.

I believed the photographers, and so did millions of other Americans.

Nik argazkilariengan sinesten nuen, beste miloika estatubatuarrek bezala.

Their images fueled resistance to the war and to racism.

Euren irudiek gerra eta arrazakeriaren aurkako erresistentzia suspertu zuten.

They not only recorded history; they helped change the course of history.

Ez zuten historia erregistratu soilik; historia aldatzen lagundu zuten.

Their pictures became part of our collective consciousness

Euren argazkiak gure kontzientzia kolektiboaren parte bihurtu ziren,

and, as consciousness evolved into a shared sense of conscience,

eta, kontzientzia hau bateratua izatera pasa zenean,

change became not only possible, but inevitable.

aldaketa ez zen soilik posible bihurtu, ezinbestekoa baizik.

I saw that the free flow of information represented by journalism,

konturatu nintzen kazetaritzak dakarren informazio askearen jarioak,

specifically visual journalism, can bring into focus

bereziki argazki kazetaritzak, erabaki politikoen

both the benefits and the cost of political policies.

onurak zein ondorioak nabarmendu ditzakela.

It can give credit to sound decision-making, adding momentum to success.

Erabaki onuragarriei sinesgarritasuna eman diezaieke, euren arrakasta bultzatuz.

In the face of poor political judgment or political inaction,

Erabaki politiko txar edo geldotasun politikoaren aurrean,

it becomes a kind of intervention, assessing the damage

bitartekotza batean bilakatzen da, kalteen berri emanez

and asking us to reassess our behavior.

eta gure jokaera berrazter dezagun eskatuz.

It puts a human face on issues

Giza aurpegi jartzen die,

which from afar can appear abstract

urrunetik, euren inpaktu globalean,

or ideological or monumental in their global impact.

abstraktuak, ideologikoak edo monumentalak diruditen arazoei.

What happens at ground level, far from the halls of power,

Oinarrian gertatzen dena, boterearen korridoreetatik urrun,

happens to ordinary citizens one by one.

herritar arrunt orori gertatzen zaie.

And I understood that documentary photography

Eta ulertu nuen argazkilaritza dokumentalak

has the ability to interpret events from their point of view.

gertakizunak euren ikuspegitik interpretatzeko gaitasuna duela.

It gives a voice to those who otherwise would not have a voice.

Hitza ematen die bestela hitzik edukiko ez luketen horiei.

And as a reaction, it stimulates public opinion

Eta, ondorioz, iritzi publikoa suspertzen du

and gives impetus to public debate,

eta jendarteko eztabaidari bultzada ematen dio,

thereby preventing the interested parties

horrela, interesdunek agenda guztiz kontrola dezaten eragotziz,

from totally controlling the agenda, much as they would like to.

haiek horixe lortzea nahiko luketen arren.

Coming of age in those days made real

Garai hoietan heltzeak egiazko egin zuen

the concept that the free flow of information is absolutely vital

gizarte aske eta dinamiko batek behar bezala funtzionatzeko

for a free and dynamic society to function properly.

informazio askearen jarioa guztiz beharrrezkoa duenaren kontzeptua.

The press is certainly a business, and in order to survive

Prentsa, zalantzarik gabe, negozio bat da, eta bizirauteko

it must be a successful business,

negozio arrakastatsua izan beharra dauka,

but the right balance must be found

baina oreka egokia aurkitu behar da

between marketing considerations and journalistic responsibility.

marketin kontuen eta kazetaritza-erantzukizunen artean.

Society's problems can't be solved until they're identified.

Gizartearen arazoak ezin daitezke konpondu identifikatuak izan diren arte.

On a higher plane, the press is a service industry,

Maila gorenago batean, prentsa zerbitzu industria bat da,

and the service it provides is awareness.

eta eskaintzen duen zerbitzua kontzientziazioa da.

Every story does not have to sell something.

Istorio guztiek ez dute zertan zerbait saldu behar.

There's also a time to give.

Emateko garai bat ere badago.

That was a tradition I wanted to follow.

Hau da nik jarraitu nahi nuen tradizioa.

Seeing the war created such incredibly high stakes for everyone involved

Gerrak bertan zeudenei eragiten zizkien arrisku izugarriak ikusita

and that visual journalism could actually become a factor in conflict resolution --

eta argazki kazetaritza gatazkak konpontzeko tresna bat izan zitekeela jakinda,

I wanted to be a photographer in order to be a war photographer.

argazkilari izan nahi nuen gerra-argazkilari izan ahal izateko.

But I was driven by an inherent sense

Baina berezkoa nuen sentimendu batek gidatzen ninduen

that a picture that revealed the true face of war

gerraren benetazko aurpegia ezagutzera ematen zuen argazki bat,

would almost by definition be an anti-war photograph.

ia definizioz, gerraren aurkako argazki bat izango zela, alegia.

I'd like to take you on a visual journey through some of the events

Azken 25 urteetan sartua egon naizen gertakizunen eta gatazken

and issues I've been involved in over the past 25 years.

zeharreko ikus-bidaia batera eraman nahi zintuzketet.

In 1981, I went to Northern Ireland.

1981ean, Ipar Irlandara joan nintzen.

10 IRA prisoners were in the process of starving themselves to death

IRAko hamar preso, kartzela baldintzen aurkako

in protest against conditions in jail.

gose-greba baten ondorioz hiltzear zeuden.

The reaction on the streets was violent confrontation.

Erantzun gisa, kaleetan istilu larriak izan ziren.

I saw that the front lines of contemporary wars

Ikusi nuen gaur egungo gerrak ez direla

are not on isolated battlefields, but right where people live.

urrutiko gudu-zelaietan borrokatzen, jendea bizi den lekuetan baizik.

During the early '80s, I spent a lot of time in Central America,

80ko hamarkadaren hasieran zehar, denbora luzea pasa nuen Erdialdeko Amerikan,

which was engulfed by civil wars

zeina Gerra Hotzaren zatiketa ideologikoa

that straddled the ideological divide of the Cold War.

lausotzen zuen gerra zibiletan murgilduta zegoen.

In Guatemala, the central government --

Guatemalan, gobernu zentralak

controlled by a oligarchy of European decent --

--europarren ondorengo zen oligarkia baten menpe zegoena--

was waging a scorched Earth campaign against an indigenous rebellion,

lur kiskaliaren taktika hasia zuen matxinada indigena baten aurka,

and I saw an image that reflected the history of Latin America:

eta Latinoamerikaren historia islatzen zuen irudi bat ikusi nuen:

conquest through a combination of the Bible and the sword.

Bibliaren eta ezpataren konbinazioaren bitartezko konkista.

An anti-Sandinista guerrilla was mortally wounded

Sandinisten aurkako gerrillari bat larriki zauritua izan zen

as Commander Zero attacked a town in Southern Nicaragua.

Zero Komandantea Nikaragua hegoaldeko herri bat erasotzen ari zela.

A destroyed tank belonging to Somoza's national guard

Somozaren Guardia Nazionalaren tanke suntsitu bat

was left as a monument in a park in Managua,

monumentu gisa utzi zuten Managuako parke batean,

and was transformed by the energy and spirit of a child.

eta ume baten energiak eta izpirituak transformatu egin zuen.

At the same time, a civil war was taking place in El Salvador,

Aldi berean, gerra zibila zegoen El Salvadorren,

and again, the civilian population was caught up in the conflict.

eta, berriro, populazio zibilak gatazkaren erdian aurkitu zuen bere burua.

I've been covering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict since 1981.

Palestinarren eta israeldarren arteko gatazkari buruz berri eman dut 1981etik.

This is a moment from the beginning of the second intifada, in 2000,

Hau bigarren intifadaren hasierako une bat da, 2000n,

when it was still stones and Molotovs against an army.

noiz harriak eta molotovak zeuden oraindik armada baten kontra.

In 2001, the uprising escalated into an armed conflict,

2001ean, altxamendua borroka armatu bihurtu zen,

and one of the major incidents was

eta gertakari larrienetariko bat

the destruction of the Palestinian refugee camp

errefuxiatu palestinarren kanpalekuaren suntsipena izan zen,

in the West Bank town of Jenin.

Zisjordaniako Jenin herrian.

Without the political will to find common ground,

Oinarrizko adostasun bat lortzeko borondate politikorik gabe,

the continual friction of tactic and counter-tactic

taktikaren eta kontrataktikaren tirabira etengabeak

only creates suspicion and hatred and vengeance,

susmo txarra, gorrotoa eta mendekua dakartza soilik,

and perpetuates the cycle of violence.

eta indarkeriaren zikloa betikotzen du.

In the '90s, after the breakup of the Soviet Union,

90eko hamarkadan, Sobietar Batasuna desegin eta gero,

Yugoslavia fractured along ethnic fault lines, and civil war broke out

Jugoslavia faila-lerro etnikoetan zehar puskatu eta gerra zibila piztu zen

between Bosnia, Croatia and Serbia.

Bosnia, Kroazia eta Serbiaren artean.

This is a scene of house-to-house fighting in Mostar,

Hau etxez etxeko borrokaren une bat da, Mostarren,

neighbor against neighbor.

auzotarrak auzotarren aurka.

A bedroom, the place where people share intimacy,

Logela bat, jendeak une intimoak igarotzen dituen tokia,

where life itself is conceived, became a battlefield.

non bizitza bera sortzen den, gudu-zelai bihurtu zen.

Serbiar artilleriak Bosnia iparraldeko mezkita bat suntsitu zuen

A mosque in northern Bosnia was destroyed by Serbian artillery

and was used as a makeshift morgue.

eta gorputegi inprobisatu bezala erabili zuten.

Dead Serbian soldiers were collected after a battle

Hildako serbiar soldaduak jaso zituzten bataila baten ondoren

and used as barter for the return of prisoners

eta truke gisa erabili zituzten bosniar presoen

or Bosnian soldiers killed in action.

edo gudan hildako bosniar soldaduen truke.

This was once a park.

Hau parke bat izan zen behin.

The Bosnian soldier who guided me

Gidatzen ninduen soldadu bosniarrak

told me that all of his friends were there now.

esan zidan bere lagun guztiak bertan zeudela orain.

At the same time in South Africa,

Aldi berean, Hegoafrikan,

after Nelson Mandela had been released from prison,

Nelson Mandela espetxetik atera eta gero,

the black population commenced the final phase

biztanleria beltzak apartheid-etik askatzeko

of liberation from apartheid.

azken fasea hasi zuen.

One of the things I had to learn as a journalist

Kazetari bezala ikasi behar izan nuen gauzetariko bat

was what to do with my anger.

nire amorruarekin zer egin izan zen.

I had to use it, channel its energy, turn it into something

Erabili beharra nuen, bere energia bideratu,

that would clarify my vision, instead of clouding it.

nire ikusmena itsutu beharrean argituko zuen zerbaitean bihurtu.

In Transkei, I witnessed a rite of passage into manhood, of the Xhosa tribe.

Transkein, Xhosa tribuaren heldutasunerako pasabide-erritu baten lekuko izan nintzen.

Teenage boys lived in isolation, their bodies covered with white clay.

Gazteak isolaturik bizi ziren, gorputzak buztin zuriz estalita zituztela.

After several weeks, they washed off the white

Aste batzuk geroago, zuria garbitu

and took on the full responsibilities of men.

eta gizonen erantzukizun guztiak hartu zituzten euren gain.

It was a very old ritual that seemed symbolic

Hegoafrikako aurpegia aldatzen ari zen borroka politikoaren

ikur zirudien erritual zaharra zen.

of the political struggle that was changing the face of South Africa.

Children in Soweto playing on a trampoline.

Soweton, umeak tranpolin batean jolasean.

Elsewhere in Africa there was famine.

Afrikako beste toki batzuetan gosetea zegoen.

In Somalia, the central government collapsed and clan warfare broke out.

Somalian, gobernu zentrala kolapsatu eta klanen arteko gerra piztu zen.

Farmers were driven off their land,

Nekazariak euren lurretatik bota zituzten

and crops and livestock were destroyed or stolen.

eta uztak eta abereak suntsituak edo lapurtuak izan ziren.

Starvation was being used as a weapon of mass destruction --

Gosetea suntsipen handiko arma gisa erabili zen,

primitive but extremely effective.

primitiboa baina izugarri eraginkorra.

Hundreds of thousands of people were exterminated,

Ehundaka mila pertsona sarraskituak izan ziren,

slowly and painfully.

astiro eta era oso mingarrian.

The international community responded with massive humanitarian relief,

Nazioarteko komunitateak laguntza humanitario zabala eskainiz erantzun zuen,

and hundreds of thousands of more lives were saved.

eta beste ehundaka mila pertsonaren biziak salbatu zituen.

American troops were sent to protect the relief shipments,

Amerikar tropak bidali zituzten kargamenduak babesteko,

but they were eventually drawn into the conflict,

baina liskarrean nahastuak bukatu zuten,

and after the tragic battle in Mogadishu, they were withdrawn.

eta Muqdishoko bataila zoritxarrekoaren ondoren, erretiratu egin zituzten.

In southern Sudan, another civil war saw similar use of starvation

Hego Sudanen, beste gerra zibil batean, gosetea berriro ere erabili zen

as a means of genocide.

genozidio tresna gisa.

Again, international NGOs, united under the umbrella of the U.N.,

Beste behin, nazioarteko GKEak, NBEren babespean elkarturik,

staged a massive relief operation and thousands of lives were saved.

itzelezko laguntza operazio bat burutu zuten eta milaka bizitza salbatu zituzten.

I'm a witness, and I want my testimony to be honest and uncensored.

Lekuko bat naiz, eta nire testigantza zintzoa eta zentsura gabea izatea nahi dut.

I also want it to be powerful and eloquent,

Sendo eta elokuente ere izan nahi dut,

and to do as much justice as possible

eta ahalik eta ongien islatzea

to the experience of the people I'm photographing.

argazkia ateratzen ari natzaien pertsonek jasandakoa.

This man was in an NGO feeding center,

Gizon hau GKE baten elikadura zentroan zegoen,

being helped as much as he could be helped.

eman ahal zioten beste laguntza jasotzen.

He literally had nothing. He was a virtual skeleton,

Ez zeukan ezer, literalki. Eskeleto bat zen kasik,

yet he could still summon the courage and the will to move.

baina oraindik gai zen mugitzeko behar zituen kuraia eta borondatea biltzeko.

He had not given up, and if he didn't give up,

Ez zegoen etsita, eta berak ez bazuen etsi,

how could anyone in the outside world ever dream of losing hope?

nola pentsa zezakeen beste edonork itxaropena galtzea?

In 1994, after three months of covering the South African election,

1994an, Hegoafrikako hauteskundeei buruz hiru hilabetez berri eman eta gero,

I saw the inauguration of Nelson Mandela,

Nelson Mandelaren inbestidura-ekitaldia ikusi nuen,

and it was the most uplifting thing I've ever seen.

eta sekula ikusi nuen gauzarik bizigarriena izan zen.

It exemplified the best that humanity has to offer.

Gizateriak eskaintzeko duen onenaren adibide zen.

The next day I left for Rwanda,

Hurrengo egunean Ruandarantz abiatu nintzen,

and it was like taking the express elevator to hell.

eta infernuranzko igogailu azkarra hartzea bezala izan zen.

This man had just been liberated from a Hutu death camp.

Gizon hau hutuen heriotza kanpaleku batetik askatu berria zen.

He allowed me to photograph him for quite a long time,

denbora luzez utzi zidan berari argaziak ateratzen,

and he even turned his face toward the light,

eta bere aurpegia argirantz bueltatu ere egin zuen,

as if he wanted me to see him better.

nik hobeto ikustea nahiko balu bezala.

I think he knew what the scars on his face would say to the rest of the world.

Uste dut bazekiela bere aurpegiko orbainek zer esango zioten munduari.

This time, maybe confused or discouraged

Honako honetan, agian Somaliako hondamendi militarragatik

by the military disaster in Somalia,

nahasturik edo uzkurturik,

the international community remained silent,

nazioarteko komunitateak ez zuen ezer egin,

and somewhere around 800,000 people were slaughtered

eta 800.000 pertsona inguru sarraskitu egin zituzten

by their own countrymen -- sometimes their own neighbors --

beraien aberkideek eurek --batzuetan euren auzokideak--

using farm implements as weapons.

laborantza tresnak arma bezala erabilita.

Perhaps because a lesson had been learned

agian zerbait ikasi zutelako

by the weak response to the war in Bosnia

Bosniako gerrari emandako erantzun ahulaz

and the failure in Rwanda,

eta Ruandako porrotaz,

when Serbia attacked Kosovo,

Serbiak Kosovo erasotu zuenean,

international action was taken much more decisively.

nazioarteko erantzuna askoz ere tinkoagoa izan zen.

NATO forces went in, and the Serbian army withdrew.

NATOren indarrak erasoan sartu, eta serbiar armada erretiratu egin zen.

Ethnic Albanians had been murdered,

Etnia albaniarreko pertsonak erail egin zituzten,

their farms destroyed and a huge number of people forcibly deported.

euren landetxeak suntsitu eta pertsona kopuru ikaragarri bat erbesteratua izan zen.

They were received in refugee camps

GKEek Albanian eta Mazedonian egokitutako

set up by NGOs in Albania and Macedonia.

errefuxiatu kanpalekuetan hartu zituzten.

The imprint of a man who had been burned inside his own home.

Bere etxe barruan bertan erre zuten gizon baten aztarna.

The image reminded me of a cave painting,

Irudiak haitzuloetako margo bat gogorarazi zidan,

and echoed how primitive we still are in so many ways.

eta oraindik jokabide askotan zein primitiboak garen islatu zuen.

Between 1995 and '96, I covered the first two wars

1995 eta 1996 artean, Txetxeniako lehen bi gerrei buruz

in Chechnya from inside Grozny.

berri eman nuen Grozny barnetik.

This is a Chechen rebel on the front line against the Russian army.

Hau txetxeniar errebelde bat da, errusiar armadaren kontrako fronte lerroan.

The Russians bombarded Grozny constantly for weeks,

Errusiarrek asteetan zehar etengabe bonbardatu zuten Grozny,

killing mainly the civilians who were still trapped inside.

batez ere, oraindik bertan harrapatuta zeuden zibilak erailez.

I found a boy from the local orphanage

Bertako umezurztegi bateko haur bat aurkitu nuen

wandering around the front line.

fronte lerroan noraezean zebilela.

My work has evolved from being concerned mainly with war

Nire lana ia guztiz gerrei buruzkoa izatetik

to a focus on critical social issues as well.

gizarte arazo larrietan ere arreta jartzera pasa da.

After the fall of Ceausescu, I went to Romania

Ceaucescuren erorialdiaren ondoren, Errumaniara joan nintzen

and discovered a kind of gulag of children,

eta umeentzako gulag baten antzeko bat aurkitu nuen,

where thousands of orphans were being kept in medieval conditions.

non milaka umezurtz Erdi Aroko baldintzetan mantentzen zituzten.

Ceausescu had imposed a quota

Ceausescuk kuota bat inposatu zuen

on the number of children to be produced by each family,

familia bakoitzak produzitu beharreko ume kopuruari buruzkoa,

thereby making women's bodies an instrument of state economic policy.

horrela, emakumeen gorputzak estatuaren politika ekonomikoaren tresna bihurtuz.

Children who couldn't be supported by their families

Familiek mantendu ezin zituzten umeak

were raised in government orphanages.

gobernuaren umezurztegietan hazten ziren.

Children with birth defects were labeled incurables,

Sortzetiko malformazioak zituzten umeak sendaezintzat jotzen zituzten,

and confined for life to inhuman conditions.

eta biziarteko konfinamendua jasaten zuten baldintza krudeletan.

As reports began to surface, again international aid went in.

Salaketak agertu ahala, berriro, nazioarteko laguntza heldu zen.

Going deeper into the legacy of the Eastern European regimes,

Ekialdeko Europako erregimenen ondarean sakonago barneratuz,

I worked for several months on a story about the effects of industrial pollution,

zenbait hilabeteetan zehar, kutsadura industrialaren ondorioei buruzko istorio batean egin nuen lan,

where there had been no regard for the environment

ingurugiroarekiko, langileekiko edo biztanleria orokorraren osasunarekiko

or the health of either workers or the general population.

begirunerik eduki ez zuten lekuetan.

An aluminum factory in Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakiako aluminio fabrika bat

was filled with carcinogenic smoke and dust,

ke eta hauts kartzinogenoz beterik zegoen,

and four out of five workers came down with cancer.

eta bostetik lau langile minbiziak jota zeuden.

After the fall of Suharto in Indonesia,

Indonesian, Suhartoren erorialdiaren ondoren,

I began to explore conditions of poverty

pobrezia baldintzak aztertzen hasi nintzen

in a country that was on its way towards modernization.

modernizazio bidean zegoen herrialde batean.

I spent a good deal of time with a man

Denbora dezente eman nuen gizon batekin

who lived with his family on a railway embankment

zein bere familiarekin bizi zen trenbidearen lubeta batean

and had lost an arm and a leg in a train accident.

eta zeinak beso bat eta zango bat galdu zituen tren istripu batean.

When the story was published, unsolicited donations poured in.

Istorioa argitaratu zenean, eskatu gabeko donazioak heldu ziren barra-barra.

A trust fund was established,

Fundazio bat sortu zen,

and the family now lives in a house in the countryside

eta orain familia landetxe batean bizi da

and all their basic necessities are taken care of.

eta euren oinarrizko beharrak asetuak daude.

It was a story that wasn't trying to sell anything.

Istorioak ez zuen ezer saldu nahi.

Journalism had provided a channel

Kazetaritzak bide bat eman zion

for people's natural sense of generosity, and the readers responded.

jendearen berezko eskuzabaltasun senari, eta irakurleek erantzun egin zuten.

I met a band of homeless children who'd come to Jakarta from the countryside,

Landatik Jakartara etorri eta tren geltoki batean bizitzen bukatu zuten

and ended up living in a train station.

etxerik gabeko ume talde batekin topo egin nuen.

By the age of 12 or 14, they'd become beggars and drug addicts.

12 edo 14 urte zituztenerako, eskaleak ziren eta drogen menpe zeuden.

The rural poor had become the urban poor,

Landetako behartsuak hirietako behartsu bilakatu ziren,

and in the process, they'd become invisible.

eta prozesu horretan, ikustezin bilakatu ziren.

These heroin addicts in detox in Pakistan

Pakistanen, desintoxikatzen zeuden heroinomano hauek

reminded me of figures in a play by Beckett:

Becketten antzezlan bateko pertsonaiak gogorarazi zizkidaten:

isolated, waiting in the dark, but drawn to the light.

isolaturik, iluntasunean itxaroten, baina argiak erakarrita.

Agent Orange was a defoliant used during the Vietnam War

Agente laranja Vietnameko gerran Vietcong eta Hego Vietnamgo armadei

to deny cover to the Vietcong and the North Vietnamese army.

babesa eragozteko erabili zen defoliante bat izan zen.

The active ingredient was dioxin, an extremely toxic chemical

Osagai aktiboa dioxina zen, erabat toxikoa den gai kimikoa,

that was sprayed in vast quantities,

zeina kopuru handitan isuria izan zen,

and whose effects passed through the genes to the next generation.

eta zeinaren ondorioak geneen bitartez hurrengo belaunaldietara igaro diren.

In 2000, I began documenting global health issues,

2000an, mundu mailako osasun arazoak dokumentatzen hasi nintzen,

concentrating first on AIDS in Africa.

Afrikako HIESetik hasita.

I tried to tell the story through the work of caregivers.

Istorioa laguntza-emaileek egiten duten lanaren bitartez kontatzen saiatu nintzen.

I thought it was important to emphasize that people were being helped,

Pentsatu nuen garrantzitsua zela nabarmentzea jendea laguntza jasotzen ari zela,

whether by international NGOs or by local grassroots organizations.

nazioarteko GKEen ala bertako gizarte erakundeen bitartez.

So many children have been orphaned by the epidemic

Izurriteak hainbeste ume utzi zituen umezurtz,

that grandmothers have taken the place of parents,

amonek hartua zutela gurasoen tokia,

and a lot of children had been born with HIV.

eta ume asko GIBarekin jaiotakoak ziren.

A hospital in Zambia.

Eritetxe bat Zambian.

I began documenting the close connection

GIB/HIESAren eta tuberkulosiaren arteko

between HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

lotura estua hasi nintzen dokumentatzen.

This is an MSF hospital in Cambodia.

Hau MSFren erietetxe bat da, Kanbodian.

My pictures can play a supporting role to the work of NGOs

Nire argazkiek GKEen lana lagundu dezakete

by shedding light on the critical social problems they're trying to deal with.

eskuartean dituzten gizarte arazo larriak argitara emanez.

I went to Congo with MSF,

Kongora joan nintzen MSFrekin,

and contributed to a book and an exhibition

eta liburu eta erakusketa batean parte hartu nuen

that focused attention on a forgotten war

zeintzuk ahastutako gerra batean jartzen zuten arreta

in which millions of people have died,

non miloika pertsona hil diren,

and exposure to disease without treatment is used as a weapon.

eta tratamendurik gabeko gaixotasuna arma bezela erabitzen den.

A malnourished child being measured

Malnutrizioak jota dagoen haur bat pisatzen dute

as part of the supplemental feeding program.

elikatze programa osagarri baten parte bezala.

In the fall of 2004 I went to Darfur.

2004ko udazkenean, Darfurera joan nintzen.

This time I was on assignment for a magazine,

Oraingoan, aldizkari batentzako ari nintzen lanean,

but again worked closely with MSF.

baina berriro gertutik lan egin nuen MSFrekin.

The international community still hasn't found a way

Nazioarteko komunitateak ez du oraindik modurik aurkitu,

to create the pressure necessary to stop this genocide.

beharrezko presioa sortuz, genozidio honi bukaera emateko.

An MSF hospital in a camp for displaced people.

MSFren erietetxe bat pertsona desplazatuen kanpaleku batean.

I've been working on a long project on crime and punishment in America.

Krimena eta zigorra Estatu Batuetan gaitzat duen proiektu zabal batean aritu naiz lanean.

This is a scene from New Orleans.

Hau New Orleanseko irudi bat da.

A prisoner on a chain gang in Alabama

Alabaman, preso-kate bateko kide bat zigortzen dute

was punished by being handcuffed to a post in the midday sun.

zutoin batera lotuz eguerdiko eguzkipean.

This experience raised a lot of questions,

Esperientzia honek galdera asko ekarri zituen,

among them questions about race and equality

hauen artean, arrazari eta berdintasunari buruzkoak

and for whom in our country opportunities and options are available.

eta norentzako dauden gure herrian abaguneak eta aukerak eskuragai.

In the yard of a chain gang in Alabama.

Alabamako preso-kate bateko patioan.

I didn't see either of the planes hit,

Ez nuen hegazkinen talka ikusi,

and when I glanced out my window, I saw the first tower burning,

eta nire leihotik begiratzean, lehenengo dorrea ikusi nuen sutan,

and I thought it might have been an accident.

eta pentsatu nuen agian istripu bat izan zela.

A few minutes later when I looked again

Minutu batzuk geroago, berriro begiratu

and saw the second tower burning, I knew we were at war.

eta bigarren dorrea sutan ikustean, gerran geundela jakin nuen.

In the midst of the wreckage at Ground Zero, I had a realization.

Zero Eremuko hondakinen artean, gauza batez jabetu nintzen.

I'd been photographing in the Islamic world since 1981 --

1981etik argazkiak ateratzen egona nintzen mundu islamiarrean

not only in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia and Europe.

--ez bakarrik Ekialde Hurbilean, baita Afrikan, Asian eta Europan ere--.

At the time I was photographing in these different places,

Toki desberdin hauetan argazkiak ateratzen nenbilela,

I thought I was covering separate stories,

istorio ezberdinak zirela uste nuen,

but on 9/11 history crystallized, and I understood

baina 9/11ean historia kristalizatu egin zen, eta ulertu nuen,

I'd actually been covering a single story for more than 20 years,

egiatan, istoria bakar bati buruz berri ematen ibili nintzela 20 urte baino gehiagotan,

and the attack on New York was its latest manifestation.

New Yorkeko erasoa honen azken adierazpena zelarik.

The central commercial district of Kabul, Afghanistan

Kabul erdiko barruti komertziala, Afganistanen,

at the end of the civil war,

gerra zibilaren bukaeran,

shortly before the city fell to the Taliban.

hiria Talibanen eskuetan erori baino pixka bat lehenago.

Land mine victims being helped

Lurreko minen biktimek laguntza jasotzen dute

at the Red Cross rehab center being run by Alberto Cairo.

Alberto Cairok zuzendutako Gurutze Gorriaren errehabilitazio zentro batean.

A boy who lost a leg to a leftover mine.

Mina bategatik zangoa galdu zuen haur bat.

I'd witnessed immense suffering in the Islamic world

Sekulako sufrimenduaren lekuko izan nintzen islamiar munduan

from political oppression, civil war, foreign invasions, poverty, famine.

zapalkuntza politiko, gerra zibil, atzerriko inbasio, txirotasun eta goseteen ondorioz.

I understood that in its suffering,

Ulertu nuen bere sufrimenduan

the Islamic world had been crying out. Why weren't we listening?

mundu islamiarra garrasika egona zela. Zergatik ez genuen jaramonik egin?

A Taliban fighter shot during a battle

Taliban gudulari bat batailan tirokatua

as the Northern Alliance entered the city of Kunduz.

Iparreko Aliantza Kunduz hirira sartzen zegoela.

When war with Iraq was imminent,

Irakeko gerra hastear zegoela,

I realized the American troops would be very well covered,

konturatu nintzen tropa estatubatuarrei buruz nahikoa berri egongo zela,

so I decided to cover the invasion from inside Baghdad.

horregatik, inbasioa Bagdad barnetik jarraitzaea erabaki nuen.

A marketplace was hit by a mortar shell

Mortero obus batek azoka bat jo

that killed several members of a single family.

eta familia bereko hainbat kide hil zituen.

A day after American forces entered Baghdad,

Tropa estatubatuarrak Bagdaden sartu eta egun bat geroago,

a company of Marines began rounding up bank robbers

marine konpainia bat banku-lapurrak atxilotzen hasi zen

and were cheered on by the crowds --

eta jendetzaren txaloak jaso zituen

a hopeful moment that was short lived.

--itxaropentsua izan zen momentu laburra--.

For the first time in years,

Urteetan lehenengo lehenengoz,

Shi'ites were allowed to make the pilgrimage

xiiek baimena izan zuten Ashura ospatzeko

to Karbala to observe Ashura,

Karbalara erromesaldia egiteko,

and I was amazed by the sheer number of people

eta txundituta utzi ninduen bildutako jendetzak

and how fervently they practiced their religion.

eta beren erlijioaren jarraipen sutsuak.

A group of men march through the streets cutting themselves with knives.

Gizon talde bat kaleetan zehar doa beren buruei aiztoekin ebakiak eginez.

It was obvious that the Shi'ites were a force to be reckoned with,

Nabaria zen Xiiak kontuan hartu beharreko indar bat zirela,

and we would do well to understand them and learn how to deal with them.

eta onuragarri izango zitzaigula haiek ulertzea eta beraiekin zelan tratatu ikastea.

Last year I spent several months documenting our wounded troops,

Joan den urtean hilabete batzuk igaro nituen gure zauritutako tropak jarraitzen,

from the battlefield in Iraq all the way home.

Irakeko gudu-zelaitik etxeraino.

This is a helicopter medic giving CPR

Helikoptero bateko sendagilea erreanimazio teknikak egiten

to a soldier who had been shot in the head.

buruan tiro bat jasotako soldadu bati.

Military medicine has become so efficient

Medikuntza militarra hain eraginkorra bihurtu da,

that the percentage of troops who survive after being wounded

non zaurituak izan eta gero bizirik ateratzen diren tropen ehunekoa

is much higher in this war than in any other war in our history.

askoz handiagoa den gerra honetan gure historiako beste edozein gerratan baino.

The signature weapon of the war is the IED,

Gerrako sinadura arma “inprobisatutako gailu lehergarria” da,

and the signature wound is severe leg damage.

eta bere zauria zangoetako kalte larriak.

After enduring extreme pain and trauma,

Sekulako mina eta trauma pairatu eta gero,

the wounded face a grueling physical

zaurituek borroka fisiko eta psikologiko neketsu bati

and psychological struggle in rehab.

egin behar diote aurre errehabilitazioan.

The spirit they displayed was absolutely remarkable.

Erakutsi zuten adorea guztiz apartekoa zen.

I tried to imagine myself in their place,

Nire burua euren tokian jartzen saiatu nintzen,

and I was totally humbled by their courage and determination

eta erabat apalduta utzi ninduten zeukaten kuraiak eta tinkotasunak

in the face of such catastrophic loss.

horrelako galera katastrofikoa jasan eta gero.

Good people had been put in a very bad situation for questionable results.

Jende zintzoa oso egoera txarrean jarria izan zen emaitza zalantzagarri batzuk lortzearren.

One day in rehab someone, started talking about surfing

Behin, errehabilitazioan, norbait surf egiteari buruz mintzatu zen

and all these guys who'd never surfed before said, "Hey, let's go."

eta sekula surfeatu ez zuten mutil hauek guzteik esan zuten, "Aizak, goazemak".

Eta surfeatzera joan ziren.

And they went surfing.

Photographers go to the extreme edges of human experience

Argazkilariak giza bizipenen azken muturreraino joaten dira

to show people what's going on.

jendeari gertatzen ari dena erakusteko.

Sometimes they put their lives on the line,

Batzuetan euren biziak arriskuan jartzen dituzte,

because they believe your opinions and your influence matter.

zuen iritziek eta indarrak merezi dutela uste dutelako.

They aim their pictures at your best instincts,

Argazkiak zuen sen onenetara bideratzen dituzte:

generosity, a sense of right and wrong,

eskuzabaltasuna, onaren eta txarraren arteko sentimendua,

the ability and the willingness to identify with others,

besteekin identifikatzeko gaitasuna eta desioa,

the refusal to accept the unacceptable.

onartezina dena onartzearen ukapena.

My TED wish:

Nire TED nahia:

there's a vital story that needs to be told,

kontatu beharreko bizi-istorio bat dago,

and I wish for TED to help me gain access to it

eta TEDek bertan barneratzen lagun nazan nahiko nuke,

and then to help me come up with innovative and exciting ways

eta baita modu berritzaileak eta zirraragarriak sortzen laguntzea

to use news photography in the digital era.

prentsa argazkilaritza garai digitalean erabiltzeko.

Thank you very much.

Mila esker.

(Applause)

(Txaloak)