World Press Photo: "collective energy" of Sudan's award-winning revolution

It is pitch dark. Only the lights of mobile phones light up the scene. In the center, a young man, hand on heart, recites a poem in the middle of a group of men, women and children. Taken on June 19, 2019 in Khartoum, among peaceful protesters calling for a civil revolution in Sudan, the photo, almost mystical, is worth to its author, Yasuyoshi Chiba, the photo prize of the year of the World Press Photo 2020.

The most prestigious of the international photojournalism competitions announced, Thursday, April 16, the winners of its 63rd edition, including the best photo and the best series - won by the French Romain Laurendeau for his work on Algerian youth. The competition includes eight categories: contemporary issues, environment, general information, magazine, nature, portrait, sport and "spot news" (actuality). 

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"It's a great recognition, now people will trust me," reacts to France 24 Yasuyoshi Chiba. The Japanese photographer does not lack credibility: ex-photographer for the big Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun, he is now head of photography for Agence France-Presse (AFP) in the East Africa and Indian Ocean region , and he has already won two World Press awards, in 2009 and 2012. "But never the Grand Prize", he rejoices, proud also for his country. "It is the first time that a Japanese has won this award in 40 years," he said. 

Based in Nairobi, Kenya, Yasuyoshi Chiba will not be able to exhibit his work in his native country this year, at least for now. While a traveling exhibition that visits 40 countries is usually organized after the announcement of the winners of the World Press Photo, it was canceled this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, explains the Dutch association which organize the price. 

"I thought I was arriving too late"

Confined to Kenya, Yasuyoshi Chiba will not be able to share his prize with his central character either as he would like. "I hope to meet him again the next time I go to Sudan to be able to thank him," he said. The photographer has the feeling of having shared, this evening of June 19, 2019, a moment of grace with this crowd of demonstrators. However, for this regular in hot news, this mission in Sudan seemed to him to have started badly. 

"It has been two months since I stamped to leave," he says. Yasuyoshi Chiba was ready to jump on the plane after the fall of President Omar al-Bashir, dismissed by the army on April 11, 2019 after several months of popular protests. "I saw that there was a nice atmosphere, people were happy, united, peaceful. I was very excited to go there," says the photographer. In the absence of a visa, he only leaves in June. "I thought it was all over and I was arriving too late."

During this time, a military transitional government was put in place in Sudan, while protesters settled in front of the Ministry of the Armed Forces to demand the handover of power to civilians. On June 3, armed men of the regime attack this democratic sit-in, shooting civilians, burning their tents and throwing their corpses in the Nile. More than 100 people have died, hundreds have been injured and hundreds have disappeared. 

Capturing collective energy in the revolution

Yasuyoshi Chiba does not arrive in Khartoum until after. "When I arrived, there was silence. There were no more demonstrators on the streets," he recalls. The repression has hardened, the opponents are hiding and the military authorities are preventing the rallies, notably by cutting the means of communication, telephone and Internet. But if the street is silent, the people whisper. Opposition meetings are organized secretly in the evening and at night. And that's what he photographed on the evening of June 19. 

They are only two journalists, a photographer and an AFP videographer, to be present that evening. "People started to come together, hold hands and repeat the word 'revolution' in Arabic. (...) We were in complete darkness, I thought it would be impossible to take a photo. But the protesters took out their laptops to light the scene and this teenager started reciting a poem. That's where I took the photo. "

"It was a very special moment. I wanted to capture this collective energy, this solidarity in the revolution. It was the first time I experienced this. It was very intense. I was fascinated by the scene. Japan, we don't recite a poem like that during the demonstrations! When we feel a strong emotion like that, we know that the photo will be good, "said Yasuyoshi Chiba.  

"I was leaving for 'news', but this photo tells much more than an event. It says something about the cultural context of this country, he concludes. It is sometimes in the moments less exposed and less covered than the magic works. " A good lesson for journalists: it is never too late, when you know how to see and tell stories. 

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