New York Times chief foreign correspondent John Burns has written a blog about Sultan Munadi (pictured), the Afghan interpreter and journalist killed when the paper's reporter Stephen Farrell was freed in a military operation after they were kidnapped by the Taliban.
The blog considers the vital role of local staff who help journalists cover war zones.
Burns writes: "We have to go out of our compounds to experience the conflict at first hand if our reporting is not to quickly descend into “hotel journalism.” Some of that, indeed much of it, has been done on embeds, where our protection comes from the military units we cover. But an essential part, too, comes from going in search of the war that embeds don’t reach – the “other side” of the war, often enough; the war as it is experienced by ordinary Iraqis and Afghans, the civilians who have done most of the dying.
"That was what Stephen Farrell was doing when he and Sultan set out on Saturday for the site of the fuel-tanker bombing south of Kunduz. "
He adds: "If we are to tell the story of the wars, we have to engage local staff who can accompany us as interpreters and drivers, and who can “scope out” the landscape, political, geographic and cultural, to help us fix the context of what we see and hear. That’s not an option, it’s a necessity, and one that is common to all major news organizations at war. And it means, ipso facto, that our journalism involves venturing into dangerous places with local staffers like Sultan."
The New York Times has set up a fund for the family of Sultan Munadi. Contribution should be sent to The New York Times, 680 Eighth Avenue, 3rd Fl.New York, NY 10018. Attn: Cynthia Latimer. Cheques must be made payable to “The New York Times,” noting Sultan Munadi’s name in the memo field.
Thank God Farrell is alive, but it is awful the interpreter had to die in the process.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr. Munadi, for being so courageous. I'm sorry for his loss, but Afghanistan should be proud of such a hero!
ReplyDeleteThis is war: totally unjust; civilians are 75% of the victims.
ReplyDeleteHopefully this case will have an impact on the leadership of the involved countries to find a less barbaric way to solve these complicated problems involving - cultural, religious, political, economics.
Michel Reymond / Geneva, Switzerland
www.upf.org
There are rumours going around that British government has close ties either directly or via Pakistan with the Taliban. It doesn't sound very far from truth since UK is/has always been a strong supporter of Pakistan and Pakistan supports tha Taliban. I am very sorry for the loss of a carigeous journalist and a brave soldier.
ReplyDeleteAs a professional translator/interpreter, I would like to thank you for spreading the word about Mr. Munadi's story. It chills my blood to think about civilians such as he being put in such dangerous situations.
ReplyDeletetranslation-blog.trustedtranslations.com
ferrel was orking as a spy fo UK government .
ReplyDeletesiltan munadi's killing was one of there plan.
cus the uk government had a deal with the taliban here sultan munadi interepret between the taliban and ferrell so he got aware of the deal so they killed him . .....now be aware that we ask his die from all the ones who panrtisipate in his killing.....
we know what is ware and how the the people die in a ware, but the invistigations shows that Sultan Munadi was not killed during the ware between UK Special Force and Taliban, he was killed when there was no Talib and he was shooted under his chin a little on left side and also we have prove that the house owner who had Steven Farrel and Sultan Munadi at that night in his house, said that after the escape of taliban Both of them Steven Farrel and Sultan Munadi left the house and went toward the UKSP halicopters the next morning they found the dead body of Sultan Munadi at the place were the halicopters were landed, and after the crimenal invistegations and body check up it was clear that Sultan Munadi was not killed by Taliban, he was killed by UK Special force when all the operation was ended and Sultan Munadi was just at the foot of halicopter to get in at this time he was shooted and they left the dead body on the spot. we should try to undrestand the realities and facts, I follow the story of Sultan Munadi and I realize that some people are trying to hide the realities and try to change the story of Sultan Munadi in a different way, as a Friend and Family member of Sultan Munadi I thank all the people who are trying to see the facts specially what happened to Sultan Munadi.
ReplyDeleteThanks for undrestanding God will safe all of us from these kind of accidents.
regards
Shukoor
Sultan Munadi Family member and childhood friend.