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Eight weeks ago, on March 5th, skyreporter.com went online. With your help, the launch has been a success – and one of this reporter’s most fulfilling experiences in 34 years of working the keys and rolling film. So many thanks to everyone who’s surfed by.
Allow me to describe where we’re hoping to go with skyreporter, and also to point out a few features of the website you may not have noticed. You’re reading this in our daily feature window, which alternates day to day between articles like this one or film reports.
Past films and articles are stored in the Recent Stories list to the left. Currently you’ll find more than 40 stories spread over 9 back-pages, and each one can be clicked on and viewed at any time. Have you seen Indira, above, the star of the snow leopard story?
When there’s something urgent to see, you’ll find the Breaking News section above the stories list. Sometimes I’ll use this as a place to post notices about developments that might need greater reflection than they’re getting in the mainstream media.
For instance, you might have noticed that for two days this week, Breaking News featured a warning about Afghanistan’s new media control law. That’s because I find it alarming that George Orwell’s visionary Nineteen Eighty-Four, written in the 1940’s, should be revived in present-day Afghanistan by a gang of grasping warlords and authoritarians, empowered by our western governments, none of whom have shown a scrap of interest in the day to day plight of the population they presume to rule.
But I digress.
At the top of the home page, there’s some background information about myself, and a section called Archives where we look back at some favourite stories from the past. Right now there’s an excerpt from a short documentary I filmed in Bosnia in 1992, together with a written record of the story behind the film. Soon, I’ll be adding a look back at the Tienanman Square massacre in June, 1989.
Just across from Archives you’ll see On The Record, which is intended to provide a kind of background check on yours truly. Just to be clear, it didn’t take a crystal ball reader or a genius to read the indicators on Iraq and Afghanistan very early on. Similarly, today, all a reporter needs is a clear, critical eye to see that the west’s great powers have once again backed themselves into a corner in both these challenging territories. And have run out of ideas on what to do next.
In the coming weeks, we’re going to continue with a sharp focus on Afghanistan, but gradually we’ll open up into other story areas. By all means, let us know where you think skyreporter should be digging, filming and revealing.
It’s been terrific to read your contributions in our comments section. And remember, as I said in the intro on March 5th, skyreporter’s soon going to be on the lookout for film-making contributors.
Anyway, enough from me. Please roam around the site and let us know what you think. This space is free. And open to us all.
10 Comments
I use a pretty good browser and have your page as one of the pages that open up when I start my computer.
Your honesty and integrity in what you believe is important to the world has struck a cord deep within me.
I have said that the internet is a tool that will create a global village in each of our living rooms and your site and opinions and observations just solidify my perceptions.
Thank you for taking the time to look into the future today.
Tony D ... a kid that grew up in the military .. joined it and had the advantage of always seeing the world as one big place that we all live on.
Tony, great to have you with us. Judging by previous comments here, your sentiment is widely shared. Against that, the rogues and villains you'll find in skyreporter's stories have an equally clear worldview: it's one big place to cash in on, by warlording it over the people. Everything suffers, from free reporting to free enterprise.
What about creating a "Your Story Ideas" submission spot somewhere? I have some ideas that I would love to see explored.
Stories on how deals and policies are made at international levels between powerfull interests and personal alliances
The "Bohemian Grove" if it is real ? Bilderberg meetings etc
Good Luck with your site .
Ron Hartley
How about making the videos available to purchase? Either as downloads or in DVD format?
KLM - excellent idea. We'll act on that suggestion.
Ron, right on the mark, too. Bizarre, isn't it, that when some people get elected or appointed to a government post, they behave as though they've joined an exclusive club - rather than facing up to their responsibilities as public servants. Secrecy, conceipt and high-flown schemes take precedence over effective policy making.
And Kamran, agreed. We're working on podcast and download ideas now.
Are the people/groups who are buying Afghanistan opium known? Are there any connections between Afganistan and Burma?
Great site! The best press is a free press!
As an Afghan I am not making excuses for the cultivation of the drugs, but what about the consumers? The Europeans and Americans and other Westerners that as CUSTOMERS have made Afghanistan and Colombia the biggest drug producers?
Even if Afghanistan stops growing, there will another country and another country that will grow it. The supply is TOO MUCH in the West.
Afghans can be blamed as the growers, our politicians can be labeled as "drug dealers" and our fields can be sprayed with poison for decades, in the end nothing will change. and the fact remains that the problem is with the West. The biggest customer base is here. Declare the war on the USERS.
No Afghan is forcing anyone to buy or use the drugs in Europe or USA. They are supplying for what there is a big demand.
Thank you so much for creating this site. I saw your interview on The Hour and immediately started to take an interest in what's going on.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to find any site which gives a "Coles Notes" overview of what is going on over there. Since I have not paid any attention to this conflict over the past number of years, I find it very difficult to understand what it's all about.
Can you recommend a very basic source which supplies information for people like me?? :> OR, even better, would you consider preparing a section with some background information??? I don't just want to jump on the band wagon without really knowing the facts, but I feel that Canada's involvement is of increasing concern to all citizens.
Thanks for your efforts!
Regards,
Alison
I just finished reading "American Fascists" The Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges and it is truly scarey. I had no idea of how big this movement is and wonder how many others out there are unaware of the of what is going on out there.
Jesse, you bet our governments know the key heroin-trafficking kingpins on the Western-supported side of the conflict. The Bush administration granted these old brigands commanding places at the table after the Taliban were sent packing in 2001. It was a short cut solution to the White House's inability to come to grips with al Qaeda - and a brain-dead method to keep the powder dry for Iraq. Mercy.
Kamran makes a good point: there'd be no heroin trade without the demand side - us. Have a look in Recent Stories at our film reports titled THE BRITISH CONNECTION, parts 1 & 2.
Alison, I hear you. I'm going to post an overview article here next week.
And Helen, absolutely, the more we pull back the curtain on the funding and commercial aspects of these movements, the better we recognize ideologies that are out of control - and heading for a fall.
Arthur.
Finaly though Skyrepoter we are getting an accurate picture of what is happenening on the ground in Afganistan from a .credible source.
The Afgan mission has been blown by Washington. However hope springs eternal and it now important for us Canadians to stand up for the many courageous Afgans who want a better life and a civil society free from the tyrany or Warlords.
Sadly many of these Warlords being supported by the democratic West.This must end.
Yeah, freaky-deaky Bongo, and don't you forget it. What's your 20?
CBC radio Cross Country Checkup, a Canadian Current Affairs phone in show, hosted by Rex Murphy, on Sunday, April 29th, @ 4:00pm - 6:00pm, in Ontario (not sure of the times in other provinces) the topic is Afghanistan and Canada'a role.
It is a good chance to inform Canadians of this site and let our government know we want more open channels to Afghanistan. Not the American style of reporting.
Sudbury,ON
Alison has written my thoughts almost exactly, so won't repeat them. I have tried to follow what is happening in Afghanistan but my source of information is mainly CBC television news and some newspaper & magazine articles. I can see by what is posted here, the information I'm getting is tailored and very likely biased. It seems this is where to get the facts but, other than sending messages to the email addresses posted on Thursday, what can an old granny in tiny town B.C. do to help alter the misguided, dreadful path we're on which is causing so much hardship and heartbreak to the people of that region?
My father was in Afghanistan with the British in 1921/23, probably for no more just cause than why we're there now, but I remember his stories and have some fascinating pictures, so beyond the moral, humanitarian interest I have now, I also have some historical interest in what is happening.
I admire our troops and believe they are doing their work in an exemplary fashion, but it seems they are sacrificing their lives only to please selfish, egotistical, greedy politicians, including those who simply nod their heads in agreement (puppets?). These young people's lives are too valuable to waste, and what is happening to the Afghan population with loss of life and quality of life is reprehensible.
Thanks for developing this website. What is posted here is very interesting and informative, but leaves one feeling outraged and frustrated.
Hi,
Saw you on CBC the other night, good to hear what you had to say and find this site ! Just need to link a few guys like yourself together or other regions of the world and/or topics.
You have the stories, we have the choice and we all now have the technology (or are getting it).
Lesley - following Alison's suggestion, I'm going to post a longer kind of Afghan backgrounder to skyreporter tomorrow, Sunday the 29th, round about 7 am UK time. This past week marked the 29th anniversary since the event that started the Afghan wars: the communist coup of April, 1978. We are now entering Afghanistan's 30th consecutive year of warfare.
In that contest, it's especially discouraging, as you say, that our politicians are squandering the good will and trust of our soldiers and officers - and, more tragically, of the Afghan people. They're the only ones who can really secure their country from terrorism. But shackling them to gangsters in the guise of political leaders is exactly the wrong way to proceed.
Anyway, thanks for surfing by - and as Jeremy suggests, as more and more of us around the world become aware and share our views, the more difficult it is for the suits to reign over us, abroad and at home.
Lesley - following Alison's suggestion, I'm going to post a longer Afghan backgrounder to skyreporter tomorrow, Sunday the 29th, round about 7 am UK time. This past week marked the 29th anniversary since the event that started the Afghan wars: the communist coup of April, 1978. We are now entering Afghanistan's 30th consecutive year of warfare.
In that context, it's especially discouraging, as you say, that our politicians are squandering the good will and trust of our soldiers and officers - and, more tragically, of the Afghan people. They're the only ones who can really secure their country from terrorism. But shackling them to gangsters in the guise of political leaders is exactly the wrong way to proceed.
Anyway, thanks for surfing by - and as Jeremy suggests, as more and more of us around the world become aware and share our views, the more difficult it is for the suits to reign over us, abroad and at home.
Just came across this site yesterday.Very informative.I'm assuming-hoping-that sooner or later Harper or someone will give us the answer why Karzai's man is connected to Montreal while the US denied him entry.
Very good site Arthur.I,ll be looking forward to more great credible reporting.
One quick question though.Doesn't this whole scene make you fear for your safety,or,indeed your life?
Ted, our Afghan colleagues persevere under the greatest threats, as you'll see in the AFGHAN NEWS BLUES and NEWS MEDIA film reports in Recent Stories here at skyreporter, and in my articles about the Tolo TV raid.
But the real news is for the warlords. You can't let a little of the genie out of the bottle - free journalism is on the loose and flourishing, it's a fact of Afghan life. And an article of faith for us all, as is the goal of exposing those who kill or threaten journalists. Where one falls, the rest of us will investigate.
I am enjoying your site as much as I enjoy any news presentation.
Thank you.
I got here in a most cyber mode ..from one link to another link to another to here ....
As a coincidence, today, 29 April, is the date (in 1991) of the official cease fire in Gulf War #1.