Tuesday, June 9

In the News Tuesday

As an author and freelance writer, my heart goes out to Laura Ling and Euna Lee. These two courageous journalists braved the terrors of the Chinese/North Korean border to bring the world a story on refugees fleeing North Korea. It's unclear what actually happened on the border-- Family members say had no intention of crossing over into North Korea-- but both were arrested and recently received 12 years of hard labor.

I have a feeling hard labor in North Korea is a wee bit different from making license plates.

US diplomacy experts believe the women are being held as a bargaining chip in the increasingly tense talks concerning North Korea's use of nuclear weapons.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee aren't the only journalists who have been detained or killed in the line of duty. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 738 journalists have been killed since 1992. Hundreds more have been detained, with more than 100 a year since the year 2000.

The detention or murder of foreign correspondents in unstable nations make big news, but it often overshadows how dangerous these areas are for local journalist. Five Somalian journalists have been killed so far this year and just this week a Guatemalan journalist was shot in Chiquimula.

My typical writing day includes a few interviews with doctors or other experts via email or phone, lots of coffee and petting my kitties.

These people are HEROES.

In lighter news, the winner from my cheesy contest two weeks ago is Joyce Lanksy!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's almost too much to comprehend that while we drink our coffee, watch TV, and go about our daily lives, the suffering of other people around the world...these two women included.

Kelly

Jessica Burkhart said...

It's so true. I can't even think about what it must be like for their families. That's TRUE courage to do what they do and I send much love and respect their way.

Delilah Marvelle said...

What's even worse then them being journalists, or Americans, is that these are women. North Korea is anything but progressive toward women's lib, and I foresee horrible, horrible things will be done to them by men because they ARE women. They'll be degraded but mistreated based upon that alone. My heart and prayers goes out to their families and to them. Long live the written word and the human spirit.

girlrockingguna said...

So true
It is quite sad :(