TIMECODES |
SCENE
DESCRIPTION |
SCREEN
TEXT |
DIALOGUE
+ VO |
00:00 – 00:50 |
Pre-title Moody and empty shots of Bagram prison. |
|
Moazzam
VO: Moazzam
Begg: In 1993, I saw this dream. I saw myself walking with a group of
prisoners inside a prison. And we're walking around and there are soldiers
above us pointing guns towards us. The soldiers start to shoot and everybody
starts to get killed. And I start to cry in the dream. And I woke up next to
my wife actually in tears, And then eight years later, when I'm in
Bagram, with soldiers above us pointing guns, I wrote back to my wife and
said, “The only dream I've ever relayed to this came true. This is Bagram.” |
00:51 - 00:58 |
Title & intro Continued over
shots of Bagram. Fade to white. |
ECHOES OF BAGRAM A FILM BY MICHAEL MCEVOY
& HORIA EL HADAD |
|
00:59 – 01:36 |
Archive sequence Missiles are fired in the sky. Bombs lands on mountains in Afghanistan.
Shots of barbed wire at Bagram prison. Shots of prisoners being walked by U.S.
guards at Guantanamo Bay prison. Archive footage of Moazzam Begg walking
out of a mosque in Birmingham and greeting a friend in a car. |
During the U.S. led
so-called war on terror, Moazzam Begg was
imprisoned in Afghanistan in 2002. Secret detentions,
enforced disappearances and torture were widespread. After a year in Bagram
prison, Moazzam was transferred to Guantanamo. In 2005, Moazzam was
released back to the U.K. under strict travel conditions. |
|
01:37 - 02:35 |
Durham University Moazzam gives a talk to a group of students at
Durham University. |
DURHAM UNIVERSITY UNITED KINGDOM |
Moazzam: Good evening. Salaam alaikum. My name is Moazzam Begg. I am the outreach
director for Cage, an advocacy group that fights against policies of the war
on terror. I'm a former prisoner of the United States, held at Guantanamo
without charge or trial for three years. And I'm very pleased to be speaking
to you all here this evening. For me,
my life's work since my return from Guantanamo, has been about advocating for
people in such places, people that you don't know about. So, there
were all these different groups of people, Libyans, Saudis, Europeans and so
forth that I wanted to know their stories and I wanted to know how many these
guys could I do something for? And so, I found that this. And I began to
engage with it and joined. And I've never left since. |
02:36 – 03:44 |
Drive around Spark Hill Drone shots of
residential area in Spark hill, Birmingham. Moazzam drives
around Birmingham and talks about his upcoming trip to Afghanistan. More drone shots
of Birmingham. |
|
Moazzam: After years
of applying for a passport, I now finally have one. I’ve decided to go back
to Afghanistan. Moazzam: Yeah, some people are nervous. My daughter was saying, “Oh Baba, are
you sure you want to go?”. For me, it’s a very, very, very personal journey.
It’s something that I have had sleepless nights about since that time until
now. And they haven’t ended. In fact, I often say that the experience for me
of Guantanamo was not as profound as Bagram was. Not even as scarring. So,
Bagram scars are very deep, intensely deep.
|
03:45 – 05:45 |
London, Cage Office City shot of London. Moazzam walks into a building, before
entering an office. He greets his colleagues and sits down to
talk about Muhammad Rahim, as well as his upcoming trip to Afghanistan. Moazzam’s voice continues over travel shots
to Afghanistan. Moazzam walks into the airport, boards his
plane, sits by the window and looks out onto the changing landscape. |
LONDON |
Moazzam: Salaam, how
you doing bro? Moazzam: So, Cage has been working on this case of
Mohammed Rahim directly for at least ten years, but indirectly on the
Guantanamo cases since 2003, with all that, all the prisoners who were held
there without charge or trial. So, here’s this man, this Afghan, held in
Guantanamo without charge or trial, coming up to 22 years. And that
really underlines my connection to this whole story of Cage and being
connected directly to this story of Mohammad Rahim. Moazzam: This is Wazir Akbar Khan in Kabul.
For me to return here is going to be emotional. The intensions of this trip
is to underline my experience with Afghanistan. For the whole story to come
full circle. And to
see where the process that changed and impacted my life so dramatically,
actually began. To go back to that place. |
05:45 – 06:44 |
Arriving in Afghanistan Establishing wide shot of Kabul. GVs of the street. Moazzam is riding in a car and taking in the sights of Afghanistan. He comments on how much the city has changed. |
KABUL AFGHANISTAN |
Moazzam: So, now we're entering Wazir
Akbar Khan. Saleh: This is the roundabout. Do you remember it? Moazzam: Yes. Salah: The memory is coming back. Moazzam:
So, we came here yesterday but I drove past it and I didn’t recognise it
because it is so different. Moazzam: That wasn't there before, right? Saleh: This roundabout? No, it's new. Moazzam: Coming back here to Afghanistan has
been so surreal. It’s the same me, the same place, just 20-odd years later. |
06:45 – 09:39 |
Meeting old friends & new GVs of Kabul
streets. Moazzam greets
Ismail Rahim, the son of Muhammad Rahim. The two men walk
into a building, where they meet Farhad and Saleh, two men who were
previously held with Moazzam at Bagram prison. Moazzam speaks to
Ismail about his father. Ismail breaks down, unable to answer the question. |
ISMAIL MUHAMMAD RAHIM’S SON FARHAD EX-BAGRAM & GUANTANAMO PRISONER |
Moazzam: I hear some voices. Who is inside? I didn't
recognise Kabul. Farhad: It has changed a lot. You won't
recognise Bagram, either. Are you planning to go there? Moazzam: Yes, and you should come with us. Farhad: Praise be to God, the old
prison is still there. Moazzam: I want to see it. Farhad: The one we were held at. Farhad: It's still there but there's so much
junk inside. Moazzam: It's fine. Farhad: We'll go anyway. We'll go and find
the place where we were kept. It's a huge place, Bagram. Moazzam: I have talked to the U.S. military, with the
lawyers and some of their politicians and I hope that they'll soon release as
many [Guantanamo] prisoners as they can. Ismail: Yes, so first of all, we need to raise this
issue with the [Afghan] government because my father is the last Afghan. So
maybe they also want him
to be released. Farhad: I have many friends from Guantanamo who are
now in the Ministry of Defence. We'll get in touch with them to make
arrangements. We also
have friends from Guantanamo who are
in the Ministry of Interior. Moazzam: God willing, when your father is back, how will
you feel? How will you and your family feel? Or is it still outside your
imagination? Moazzam: Please be assured that he will come
out. And keep this in your heart, the
thought that he'll be released. You have to believe it. |
09:40 – 12:29 |
Moazzam’s Old House GVs of Kabul. Moazzam is driving around with Saleh and they two
men look for Moazzam’s old house. They eventually find his old home and get out to
explore. Moazzam remembers some memories of the U.S.
invasion and breaks down in tears. Farhad comforts him. The men eventually leave. |
|
Saleh: Your house was on this street. Now
it's all changed. Moazzam: This street? Let's get out and take a
look. Moazzam: So, I think this is the road I used to
live on, I think. Moazzam: My last day in this house was when the
bombing had begun. The cruise missiles landed on the hill behind. That's the
way that we saw The cruise missiles did land and the windows in my house,
they cracked from the aftershock. And we got. The kids of the neighbours and
the women and we hid in the basement and we covered the windows with
mattresses because we thought maybe one of the strikes will hit here and then
within a day or two, we were out. We left this place. Moazzam: I never cry. I’ve been filmed for 20
years about the worst abuses. I never cry in front of a camera, or everybody.
Moazzam: Everything has changed except the
memory. The memories don't change. |
12:30 – 12:51 |
Transition: Moazzam reflections Establishing
shots of a mosque in the distance. Shots of Moazzam
looking at the scenes below. GVs of children
playing nearby. |
|
Moazzam: Everybody
in Afghanistan has a shocking story to tell, but on the rare occasion when we
get good news and good news is somebody freed after 20 years, that's like a
win. If Mohammad Rahim gets released, that's
going to be a victory. |
12:52 – 15:00 |
Muhammad Rahim’s Lawyer Establishing shot of Kabul. Shots of Moazzam Sitting inside a tea
house. He video calls James Connell, the lawyer for Muhaammad Rahim to get an update about his case. |
|
Moazzam: Hello, James. James Connell: How Moazzam, how are you? Moazzam: I'm fine, thanks. Yeah, James. So
thank you very much, first of all, thanks for doing this. I know we've not
spoken directly, but I know about your work in particular in relation to
Mohammad Rahim. Could you just tell me, when was the last time you saw him
and how he's doing? James: So, I'm at Guantanamo Bay now, and I
saw him yesterday. He was in high spirits. He's a he's a man who really tries
to overcome his circumstances and keep a positive outlook no matter what. Moazzam: What does he expect, considering all
the other Afghans have left Guantanamo? James: Rahim has been held for over 15 years
in Guantanamo without any charges at all, without any opportunity to spend
himself or disprove any allegations against him. He still doesn't have any
charges against him and no opportunity for a trial. But he does have is an
opportunity for a administrative board composed of
members of the intelligence community who will assess whether they believe
he's a danger to the United States. Of course, he knows that other people are
being released. He knows other people have been cleared. He does have hope.
The team that we've been able to put together will be able to convince the
members of the Intelligence Committee what is obvious to anyone who knows
Rahim, which is that he poses no danger to the United States. He's not an
extremist in any way. He's not a radical. He's a 57-year-old man with severe
health problems who deserves to go home. Moazzam: Thank you. Thank you very much indeed.
It's I actually didn't know you were in Guantanamo and you just kind of told
me. Off the cuff that took me a little bit by surprise, but actually was a
good surprise because you are in the most appropriate place to talk about the
subject. James: Absolutely. |
15:00 – 16:07 |
Bagram Permission & Market Montage Moazzam
and Farhad are driving around when Farhad confirms that they have secured
access to Bagram. Moiazzam walks
around Kabul, preparing for the trip. He walks through the market and get
clothes tailors. He also gets a haircut. |
|
Moazzam: Did
you speak with the person in charge
at Bagram? Farhad: Yes,
I did. He said we can go today or tomorrow. I told him tomorrow. Moazzam: So
he's expecting us? Farhad: Yes,
he's waiting. Moazzam: Now
that I'm here, many doors have opened up. I believe fate, destiny has had
a lot to do with it. It feels like this was meant to be. |
16:08 – 21:35 |
Bagram Prison Dawn wide shot of Kabul. GVs of streets below. Moazzam gets out of a car at a petrol station and
greets Farhad and some other men. They fuel up and Moazzam speaks about how he is
feeling about the trip. They drive to Bagram. The men arrive at the facility and Farhad speaks
about his own experiences at the U.S. base. They walk into the prison and Moazzam struggles to
remember it. Farhad guides him through the prison, reminding him. Moazzam goes down a hatch and explores a dark
room, where he finds old U.S. military food packs. Moazzam leaves the room and takes a deep breath,
struggling to compose himself. Farhad takes him around a corner and tells him a
story of when he heard the voice of a woman. Moazzam breaks down. Farhad comforts him. He recounts the story of the murder of Dilawar,
the taxi driver, who he witnessed get killed by U.S. military personnel. Moazzam composes himself and walks through the
prison, before leaving. Shots of Bagram over Moazzam’s VO. |
|
Moazzam: Hello. Salah: Hello. Farhad: Hello. Moazzam: Farhad said that when he visited a
couple of years ago, he couldn’t do anything. He was incapacitated. I
remember I broke down outside my old house so I can’t imagine what I’m going
to do here. Farhad: I still don't know why they brought me here
or why they took me. Moazzam: And if you asked them, they
wouldn't know either. Farhad: No, they wouldn't. One of them asked
me, "Why are you here?" I said, "I don't know why I'm here, why
don't you tell me." Moazzam: Oh my God. That’s it. That’s Bagram
prison. Moazzam: Are you sure this is the place? Farhad: Yes, I'm sure. Look, they've put wood
panels on the sides, where the guards would patrol. And the interrogation
rooms were up
here. Moazzam: Are you sure, brother? Farhad: I'm sure. Moazzam: Moazzam: This is what we wanted to see. Moazzam: This is the actual pack. This is the
full pack. That’s the MRE. I remember this one. The Department of Defense. Farhad: Come this way. Sa'ad was over there. And
you were here in front of the wire always translating, talking with the
soldiers. They brought me here. And when they took off my blindfold, I said,
"Oh my God." They said, "No talking." That's when I heard
the voice of a woman and children and so on... Moazzam: Tell them, in cell number one they
brought someone, Dilawar, a taxi driver, in 2003. That was
a year [after we arrived]. They tied him like this. With handcuffs. And they
put a bag over his head. And they left him like that for five days. Then they
opened the door and started beating him and beating him until he was dead. Moazzam:
I can send messages back to former
prisoners I know who were
here with me and say, I walked in this place again and you know, the people
that did the torture and abuse, they no longer here have a god. It's just
cobwebs. |
21:36 – 22:06 |
Mosque reflections Shots of
a mosque. Moazzam
walks into the mosque and begins to pray. |
|
Moazzam: I think there's different ways in which this country can heal those
who are in power have a far greater onus than anybody else to lead the way.
They lead the way by showing and proving that there's no retribution, no
vengeance. |
22:07 – 23:49 |
Haroon meeting Shots of
garden in a café. Moazzam
walks in and greets Asadullah Haroon. The two
men sit down for a chat. |
ASADULLAH HAROON |
Moazzam: So
now, quite fittingly, we’re going to see the last Afghan who was released, last
year and hearing from him will be a different perspective because he spent a
huge amount of time in Guantanamo and can tell us what it’s like to
reintegrate into this society. Moazzam: You’re
the latest person to be freed from Guantanamo. What would you advise, if
Mohammad Rahim returns. What advice would you give him? Haroon: We were thrown into a hole. We didn’t
know when or how we would get out. The situation was completely desperate. The
experiences and the pain of the past will remain forever but if we are able
or if we try to
minimise this pain hopefully God will help us with this. So, I would advise
him the same as I advised myself. That he returns to Afghanistan, re-joins
his family, and live with them and this
live shall go on, and forget the past. Whatever
happened to us, it’s done, it’s in the past. But we must look to the future and
forget the past. Moazzam: Brother, Haroon, thank you (may
Allah reward you with goodness) and may God ensure the release of all those
detained in Guantanamo. |
23:50 - |
Bibi Mahro Hill
reflections Driving
up Bibi Mahro hill. Shots of
Moazzam riding in the back of a truck. Moazzam
gets out and takes ophotos. He
eventually sits on a ledge and looks out onto Kabul. Wide shot
of Kabul landscape with end text. |
UPDATE TEXT: [Update on Muhammad
Rahim] |
Moazzam: In the end to live with anger and bitterness and hatred. It eats you up inside. And I can tell you
that from personal experience. You have to be able to let go to go forward. The journey was a great success, but
there's no success until you've achieved the actual thing that you set out
for, and that is the release at least of the one prisoner that we've been
focusing on. On a personal level, I think returning
to this place… it's just a dream. The
Bagram part of it was a nightmare. So, it's a nightmare and a dream come
together but I think the dream has overtaken the nightmare. |