IP: British journalist Robert Fisk beaten up by Afghan refugees in Pakistan

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2001 06:46:08 -0200
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> From: Michael Stanton <michael () rnp br>
>
> Dave
>
> You have previously included some of Robert Fisk's journalism in the IP 
> list. Fisk is a veteran reporter of events in the Middle East and South 
> Asia, and his work, published by The Independent of London, tends to 
> reflect the deep roots of present problems. Recent articles of his can be 
> found by searching the Independent site for his name 
> http://www.independent.co.uk/search.jsp?keywords=robert+fisk&submit=Go. 
> Today's report from the Independent on Sunday reveals some of the perils 
> journalists expose themselves to.
>
>                 Best wishes
>
>                 Michael Stanton
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=109163
>
> Robert Fisk beaten by mob
> By Raymond Whitaker
> 09 December 2001
>
> The Independent on Sunday's Robert Fisk, one of Britain's most 
> distinguished journalists, was attacked and beaten by a crowd of Afghan 
> refugees in Pakistan yesterday.
>
> Fisk suffered extensive cuts and bruising to his head, body and hands in 
> the attack after his car broke down outside the village of Kila Abdullah, 
> between the city of Quetta and Chaman, on the Afghan border. He said the 
> experience was "very frightening", and that but for the intervention of a 
> Muslim cleric, he would have been killed by the crowd of about 100. At 
> first people were friendly but after children started throwing stones, 
> Fisk was punched, kicked and hit around the head with rocks. His 
> spectacles were smashed and blood was pouring from his head when he was 
> rescued by the cleric. Doctors from a Red Cross and Red Crescent convoy 
> treated him and took him back to Quetta.
>
> Fisk said: "I later found out that the village housed lots of Afghan 
> refugees, whose relatives had been killed just last week in the American 
> bombing of Kandahar. It doesn't excuse them for beating me up, but there 
> was a real reason why they should hate Westerners."

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