Reporter's Notebook: Working in the Swat Valley
Thu, 02/05/2009 - 16:19
- Length: 6:21 minutes (5.82 MB)
- Format: MP3 Mono 44kHz 128Kbps (CBR)
Pakistan's Swat Valley was once probably most famous for its natural beauty, when hordes of people descended on the region during the summer holiday. But in the last year, extremists have taken full control of the scenic valley, destroying some 180 schools, banning education for girls, and establishing their own courts. Afridai Afridi is our reporter in the region – he's covered stories in an area that Western journalists have been banned from even entering. He shares some his experiences on today's Reporter's Notebook.
Click here for the full newscast for Thursday, February 5, 2009
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Excellent Access
Der kha. I think it is wonderful to hear these reports from someone who knows the local culture and has such excellent access to the local people too. Thank you, Mr Afridi.
A strange war
Listening to Afridi's report was quite insightful.
Now that he was sitting within the elders of the tribal areas, what he heard was so close to heart and quite moving.
Good Job Afridi! That was brilliant
( I do know of the area, and it takes quite many guts to sit among these 'inner circles' with reporting intent).
Foriegner Vs Local Journalist
News from a journalist from that particular area is more authenticated than the news from a foriegner journlist about that particular area. A foreigner giving news from a subculture could be inaccurate due to the cultural gap. Or he/she may misinterepret the news to people.
Regards,
I have just heard this
I have just heard this wonderfull story,
Hearty congrats and hats off for this courageous reporter,
Regards,
Jasvinder
What are "extremists"?
In the introduction to this "Reporter's Notebook" on Pakistan's Swat Valley, we are told that "extremists have taken full control of the scenic valley".
But "extremist" is not in itself a meaningful description. There are "extremist" "free-market" capitalists, "extremist" monarchists, "extremist" communists of various varieties, "extremist" Zionists and "extremist" anti-Zionists, etc., etc..
Moreover, the people who determine who is called "moderate" and who is called "extremist" in this culture are generally extremist defenders of the U.S.-Israeli Empire, which is why thugs like Egypt's Mubarak and the Saudi royals are referred to as "moderates" while those who won't bow down to U.S.-Israeli dictates are "extremists", "militants" and "terrorists".