>> hello. welcome to brussels and welcome to "european journal." let's take a look at what we have for you in this weeks program. in russia, the sochi olympics trigger an avalanche of new protests. from the u.k., benefits street -- documentary or demonization. and belgium, a small country with a big a be boom. the sochi winter olympics are getting under way, and yet

another controversy is rearing its head. the slopes with the games are being held were once the ancestral homeland of this are cash and people, and sochi itself, their capital city. 150 years ago, the ethnic group was driven out by a brutal military campaign led by the russian czar and large numbers lost their lives. now, those scattered around the world say the olympic athletes will be skiing on mass graves. with the eyes of the world on sochi, the sarcastic ends are calling on the world to recognize the sochi games as genocide. folklore evening in the caucasus and russia, the master of ceremonies is battling against forgetfulness. he said most russians no longer know about how the czars conquered his forebears. the olympics could have been an opportunity to take an honest

look at the past. >> these olympic games are being held in a place that is very significant and tragic for our people. to have these games in sochi without speaking about these things is just not right. >> only about 700,000 circassian s still live in russia today. the russian army brutally subjugated circassia. not far from where the winter games will be held, thousands died in the last stand against the russian army. most of those who survived were driven away across the black sea into turkey. a circassian who lives in sochi today has called on russia to acknowledge that the conquest was genocide. that's why the authorities have summoned him several times for preventive talks, as they have many who think like that.

>> we want respect also for these places. there are countless graves here. we wish that more archaeologists have been engaged before they built the olympic structures, and now it's too late. >> about 1000 circassians live in a mountain village near sochi. the village school teaches them the language and culture of what the circassians call themselves in their native tongue. today, it is spoken only at home and the family. in russia, it's tolerated but not fostered. >> our village is surrounded by russians, armenians, and people of many other nationalities. russian is the only language we have in common. >> but we are not going to

abandon our traditions and our language. >> to prevent the traditions from being lost, children start coming to a weekly cultural group when they are in the first grade. the youngsters hear tales of heroism, freedom, and limitless hospitality. their parents want them to be proud of their heritage. the circassians are considered one of the oldest nationalities in europe. they were already living in the caucuses and classical antiquity . when russia annexed circassia, the people were scattered throughout the world. official russian history books have no place for their tragedy, although the circassians still here learned long ago to consider themselves part of russia. all the peoples of the caucuses are still stereotyped as being unyielding and dangerous.

>> the circassians were almost wiped out in the 19th century. today, they are in danger of being wiped out of european caucuses, and i think that's almost worse. something has to be done against us. something has to be done to commemorate them and to preserve their culture and their language . that is very difficult, considering how fragmented their dias barrette is today -- there diaspora is today. >> they need better streets in a new athletic field. this is a circassian, who required -- considers the scheduled olympic games a step forward. >> so many roads, train stations, and airports have been built. sochi was always a beautiful city, but now it is blossoming a new.

villagers are a bit remote, and all the children who grew up in this region will benefit from the games. >> there were high hopes that the olympics would be advantageous for the circassians , but now he is afraid that circassian traditions will be nothing but a folklorist at backdrop or the olympic for graham. >> the olympic games are being held in a place that had a very negative aura in the 19th century, but that was 150 years ago. these games could have been used to put old ghosts to rest and to send a signal of peace and reconciliation. >> many circassians are disappointed. they do not demand concept -- they do not demand remuneration, but they want answers about the

killings and expulsions. they are proud of their history. >> here is the question -- fact or fiction? documentary or manipulative stitch up? we are talking about a program on for this television called "benefits street." the program takes us into the lives of people living on one particular street where more than 90% of residents claim some sort of welfare benefit. the channel four program makers say they were simply showing people struggling at the bottom of the social ladder. the people living in james turner street are furious and say they been made out to look like welfare scroungers. newspaper columnists, politicians are all talking about it. take a look and see what you think. >> unemployed. unemployed. unemployed. >> this was one of the best streets. >> unemployed.

unemployed. >> now one of the worst. >> james turner street in birmingham is not your average street. there are 99 houses, 13 nationalities, and most of the residents are claiming benefits. >> channel four, which commissioned the series, claims it is showing the reality of life on benefits. that reality apparently consists of crime, mystery, and helplessness. many say it's an aspect of british life that has been too long neglected. >> benefits street opens a window into the nature of british poverty. it's a fairly ugly site, one which is shocking, certainly disturbing. but it is one in which we see far too rarely.

do these represent the benefits for the vast majority of people? >> the program focuses on various of life on james turner street. one of the protagonist is this woman, a single mother of two. here, the so-called mother of the street, is shown advising an illiterate neighbor how he can claim more benefits. >> you cannot actually read and write. >> another person featured on the program is danny. he began shoplifting when he was 12 years old. he's been caught 200 times and has 80 convictions. boasting about his haul at a nearby shopping center, he claims he has a talent for slipping by security. the series depicts those in

receipt of social welfare primarily as criminals and scroungers. before the commercial break, viewers are invited to share their thoughts on twitter. some of the online responses have been particularly vicious. the program has triggered a great deal of hate speech. when user claimed that all residents of benefits street should be shot. another wants to see them eaten alive by pigs. residents claimed they were duped into making the show. they feel betrayed and save their lives have been grossly misrepresented. very few are still willing to appear in front of the camera. they say the makers of the show claimed to have good intentions. >> the television crew told us they wanted to show how we lived , that it was supposed to help us, but the opposite has been the case.

>> this man says there's nothing but poverty to show. the program has caused a stir throughout written -- britain where the government has announced plans to cut welfare benefits. "benefits street" was even mentioned in a debate at the house of parliament. >> watch a program like "benefits street," and if so, you like me have been struck by the number of people on their complaining about wealth their reforms while being able to afford copious amounts of cigarettes, lots of tattoos done, who cannot afford this kind of luxuries themselves. >> i would say to my honorable friend, that he is right, many people are shocked by what they see, but the reality is that is why the public backs our welfare myrrh for -- our welfare reform package. >> critics say the representation of welfare claimants as chain-smoking tattooed people who are too lazy

to work is unfair. they say politicians should know better. >> the vast majority of people on benefits are on pensions. the next largest is people who work receiving some sort of support. there are people on disability with injuries who cannot work, and of course, there are child benefits. these are the big, big numbers in the benefits system. >> now a new wave is coming from the east. >> the second episode of the program focuses on the arrival of immigrants from eastern europe. it follows a rainy and family as they try to start a business selling scrap metal. tension mounts as other residents complain about the families searching through their rubbish searching for material. >> of course you will get some people saying these are scroungers. they are lazy, taking money off the government, but i think it is worth this because more people will think to themselves, "the terrible thing we are asking these people to do and what a terrible system we have set up."

>> that plays straight into a political agenda. we live in austerity times. there is pressure on government spending, and the government has made no secret of its desire to enact further very significant cuts. >> "benefits street" has divided the country. more than 100 charities have condemned the program for distorting reality and reinforcing stereotypes. they have called for the program to be scrapped, but the numbers tuning in our enormous, and the final episode is almost certain to air. >> as you can imagine, a whole new debate about social welfare and immigration has been ignited by the program which perhaps is not a bad thing in itself. these are issues which affect practically every single european country these days, but debating is one thing. actually imposing bans on foreigners is another. switzerland, which is not part of the european union, allows eu

nationals to live and work there freely, but now, the far right swiss people's party has forced a referendum, which could seek quotas set for immigrants coming into the country. italians are the biggest group of incomers, followed by germans. minty international -- many international companies headquartered in switzerland say they need international talent, but now, the swiss people are to decide for themselves at the ballot box. >> the streets of zürich are a bit more crowded than they once were. the population of switzerland is increasing by 80,000 a year. that's too many, say the supporters of this initiative. they inc. switzerland is drowning and foreigners. >> it switzerland takes an ever more people, then prices will rise and the quality of life will fall. >> they have to pay and pay. switzerland is too small. enough is enough. >> the swiss people's party launched the initiative against immigration. it opposes an envisioned

agreement with the european union that would allow eu citizens to live in switzerland, provided they find a job within three months. >> the problem is simply that everyone can come. we have the very same problems that the germans and the french have. if you can no longer say these people and these people can come but we are closing the door on some others, you will have poor people immigrating for the social benefits. >> nationalistic slogans are gaining adherents in switzerland . at first, only a third of the swiss supported the initiative. now the figure is 40%. when an issue is controversial, swiss politicians often launch referendums, and the balloting often ends in a big surprise. >> when it makes a suggestion that touches a nerve, even a minority can mobilize large parts of the population. that's not only true of the

right wing, but also of the unions and the social democrats. they don't have more than 20% or 30% of the voters, either, and yet, they sometimes mobilize as much as 70% of the voters in referendum. >> the other swiss parties say the anti-immigration initiative is populist it. they all agree that the migrants have it fitted switzerland. people from 75 different countries work at the basel university hospital. -- they all agreed that immigrants have benefited switzerland. people from 75 different countries work at the basel university hospital. this doctor is responsible not only for patients but also for hiring new employees. he often suggests colleagues from germany. >> some people wonder why these positions are not filled by swiss people. that is a legitimate question,

but the background is that we do consider all swiss applicants -- at least here, we do. i can speak for myself. the fact is there are not enough good swiss applicants to fill all the positions we need to treat so many patients in such a big hospital. it's just not possible. >> is not the only field in which swiss applicants cannot meet the country posse needs. employers cannot find enough i.t. specialists or cooks, either. immigrants contribute to the countries economic string. studies show they pay more to the social insurance than they received. nonetheless, more and more swiss wish to remain among themselves. >> people reject migration, especially with lots of immigrants come in a short time. that entails major changes, and people are simply afraid or are not familiar with the group, so they react negatively. >> language is one of the keys to integration.

in this course, foreigners learn the zürich i a lot of swiss german -- a dialog of swiss german. they want to understand and be understood by the local people. they come from hungary, argentina, germany, and spain, and the anti-immigration initiative disturbs them. >> i think it's normal that people move between countries and find work there. >> the initiative is more emotional than well-founded. >> but even their teacher is worried about what he sees as an onslaught on switzerland. >> no other country is just wrong. you could even say overwhelmed. this has nothing to do with xenophobia. these people who come from abroad -- i like them. >> if the anti-immigration initiative succeeds, the consequences could be

far-reaching. up till now, switzerland has probably benefited more than the european union has on the agreements between the two. >> it would mean that swiss companies might have very limited access to the european market and the e u is, by far, the biggest sales market for swiss exports. >> the opponents of immigration are still a minority for now, but the heated debates of recent weeks have taken a toll. other european countries have lost some trust in switzerland. >> why should the birth rate we so different between two neighboring countries -- germany and belgium? the standard of living is not too different. yet, while german women are having fewer and fewer men -- children, there's a real baby boom and belgium. there seems to be one simple answer to the question, and that's the fact that families and belgium have access to

affordable full-time daycare, and germany is lagging far behind. >> this is a kindergarten in the corner of eastern belgium where german is spoken. the first babies and small children arrived at quarter past 7:00 in the morning. in belgium, daycare is available for babies from the age of three months. some of the little ones stay here for up to nine and a half hours a day. so the kindergarten has its own cook to make them fresh meals. in belgium, most parents work, both fathers and mothers. that has been the norm in belgium for almost redecorate. the child care system is financed by the state, so that everyone who wants to can afford to send their children to daycare. it's a comprehensive support system. in neighboring germany, women who put their infants into daycare and return to work may

be stigmatized. >> yes, but here in belgium, women are not accused of being bad mothers and their young children go to daycare. here, it is considered perfectly acceptable. you find a child you can trust or a kindergarten you can trust, and the assumption is that the carers and teachers can do their job, that they really do take care of the children. the children are not harmed or neglected. they are the center of attention . >> such attention is not reserved for preschoolers. in this part of eastern belgium, all the children -- older children are also collected from school and taken to daycare centers for the rest of the afternoon and even into the evening, so parents who work late do not have to worry about their offspring. the carriers are qualified and certified. after school, instead of

unhealthy snacks, the children get a nutritious meal. then the kids can play unless they have homework to do. >> half an hour of homework? that's too much. but if you wait to do it after your mother picks you up, it will be too late. then i will do 10 minutes here. look, the others are doing their work. >> ok. >> not all the children have to do their homework here, but some parents insist on it. if they work until 6:00, they do not want to supervise homework when they get back. they are happy if it is donald ready. >> all children are welcome, whether their parents work or not. the care system is about equality of opportunity and developing self-reliance in the young. this system may be one reason why the birth rate in belgium is higher than in germany. many women have three or more children, even if they work

full-time. still, balancing the demands of a career and child rearing can be tough. >> i feel bad if i come late for them, after 5:00 p.m. for me personally, that's too late. >> the care center is open until 6:00. sally does not miss her mother yet. she is too busy letting off steam. 20 kilometers from the belgian border on the german side now, we meet a family, and a lena is too. her adoring grandparents offer -- often look after her while her single mother is at work. >> when i told my mother i wanted her to go to kindergarten, she told me the next day that she had not slept all night worrying about it. thinking it over, how that is supposed to work.

>> we watched a program last night about female executives always on the go, until six :00 or 7:00 in the evening. often, the husbands are at home, so the children are being looked after, but still. we were shocked. >> this is her kindergarten, and it is expanding. they are adding an area for very young children. it is garnering much attention in this rural area. the little ones here at pier to be happy about it. the center is well attended, not because there are so many children living in the area, but because there are not enough kindergarten places and teachers . this kindergarten opens at 9:00 and closes at 4:00.

the teacher would love to offer the children and their parents more. >> pay for kindergarten teachers for -- should the -- pay for kindergarten teachers should be quite a bit higher considering the demands placed on the nowadays, and the groups should be smaller. >> the profession should be made more attractive. there is a huge shortage of staff. >> maybe that will have changed by the time these kids grow up. >> that's it for another edition of "european journal." thanks for being with us. go to the "european journal" facebook page if you would like to make any comments on the show. for now, from all the team here in brussels, goodbye. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org--

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02/13/14 02/13/14 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] >> from pacifica, this is democracy now! it is a climate emergency. governors have declared states of emergency from louisiana to new jersey due to the massive snow and ice storm. this comes as california is facing possibly its worst and is in 500 years temperatures top 60 degrees fahrenheit at the winter olympics in sochi, russia. as 100 olympians call on world