Freed Freelancers Spark Debate

The release of Canadian Amanda Lindhout, and Australian Nigel Brennan – who had been held captive for 15 months in Somali – has set off debate over the role of freelance journalists reporting in danger zones. Their capture in August, 2008 – reported here by the National Post – happened near the Somali capital of Mogadishu. Lindhout and Brennan along with their Somali fixers were on their way to a refugee camp when they were taken.

Toronto Star’s Michelle Shephard asked; was Amanda Lindhout a gutsy reporter or naive thrill-seeker? It seems as though talk around Toronto Star surrounds Amanda’s professionalism as another recent article illustrates:

Her Facebook site is filled with glamorous photos of her reporting from around the world… Local journalists had reportedly warned her against going into Somalia.

Though it is not clear what Facebook ’site’ Toronto Star is referring to, this group set up on Facebook (boasting 8750 members at time of writing) shows several photos of her. It’s important to remember these are personal photos – posted by friends and family – and perhaps shouldn’t be used as a basis to pass judgement on her credibility.

In contrast this Guardian article chose to focus on what hurdles there are for freelance journalists like Lindhout and Brennan.

The kidnappings of Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan underline the risks faced by freelancers who run into trouble abroad. Freelancers are unlikely to have insurance cover to bring them professional assistance if they are abducted.

Lindhout and Brennan have no doubt spent plenty time considering all the actions that led to their capture, but they are unlikely to be the last freelance journalists to head to dangers zones in pursuit of a story.

As a side note to this debate, the local fixers and local support acompanying Lindhout and Brennan have been somewhat overlooked through this ordeal. There is still no definitive number given on exactly how many others were captured with them. It is clear that Somali journalist Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi was one of them, and was subsequently released in January of this year. What is not clear is whether there were two additional security guards, or one other driver. Almost every article that covered this story had a different account of who the Somalis were.