17-19 Year Old Freelance Photgrapher Killed In Syria

[Art Of War]

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I am sad to report that a young freelance photographer was shot and killed in Syria.
I have been following his work for the last few months and he had really good style and I could tell by his pictures he was really skilled and on his way to finding his own unique style as a photographer.

When I was age I was still too busy trying to be perfect by being too technical with focus and apertures and wish I was as good when I was his age.

Molhem Barakat was 17-19, depending on the reports. He was originally from Istanbul. He was with his brother a fellow rebel fighter when he and his brother were killed.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelzarrell/chilling-photographs-taken-by-the-teenage-reuters-photograph
http://hannahluci.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/on-the-death-of-another-syrian/
http://coreypein.net/blog/2013/12/22/reuters-molhem-barakat/


In journalism, a good story is not worth dying for and a good journalist is one who makes it out alive.

The questions posed in the last link, I strongly suspect some or most of the answers will be no.
Questions I have in mind, is how was it logistically possible to give him hostile environment training when he is still in Syria, how did get around the tricky issue of insuring him and the organization he is working for. How did the organization legally accredit him as a journalist working for them. These are the questions I am stuck on.

Do you take the organization to court for breach of international laws and regulations governing the safety of this freelance photographer. Whether or not it was all legal, I am confident he would have found another way round it.

Was he foolish to risk his life for it?

What good did his picture accomplish? eg, You can lead a horse to water, but you can not make them go into that water or drink it or they will interpret it entirely different to what the photographer wanted to state.

What negative by products did his pictures create? eg, Instead of informing the world of what was going on and a subtle way for help, he might have inspired more people to join the wrong type of rebels.

Was he murdered on purpose like other reporters? eg, Marie Colvin

How has this inspired others whether for good intentions or foolishly to smuggle themselves into the danger zones?To date at least 8 foreign journalists have been detained in Syria somewhere.


These and other hard questions are very hard to answer. It is up to the individual journalist how far they are willing to go. I am grateful for his pictures and Marie Colvins reports.

AOW

 

[demon007]

It depends many media networks in my country are incredibly biased.. Assad might be a dictator but many of the rebels are extremists for Al'qeada. It seems in my country at least journalists are prepared to support a terror organization just because the leader is evil but the answer would be first to stop Al'qeada and then stop Assad and help the country become democratic and free.. Or stay out of it 100%

There are many reports and videos out there that shows rebels dealing their own warped justice on Syria's people.. Executing without trial men, women and even children. I would support journalists that go there and report the truth but it seems that many have their own support for a side and will only show the good of that side and villify the other and I think that's wrong because every story has 2 sides and British media doesn't cover the rebellion's crimes only that of Assad.

One thing I will comment on is "soldier's of Allah" leaving our country to go to Syria and fight and kill.. If they want to be soldiers they should join the British army and fight for queen and country but to leave the way they have and to fight without the Geneva Convention and international laws makes them no more than terrorists and I dont believe they should be able to come back to this country as they may be a threat and may take their anger out of British people for not aiding the rebels.

 

[KiltedSoldier]

Fully agree 007 If a young man wants to fight we have just the job got them The Army apply at any ACIO although Crapita took them over We have room in the Scottish Regts for many more fine young soldiers. To answer Art I think it is good journalists report war so everyone can see what it is like and civilians suffering as well as show the deaths of soldiers sent to fight - but it is very dangerous no way round that I think the West should stay out of Syria - there are no good people in this war , only bad and worse. , the Arabs should help their own We can help the refugees. As for Brits who go there and fight - many will not come back - no great loss , those who do should be carefully watched as a security risk or kept out if there is a way to do that

 

[Art Of War]

Thank you both for your feedback.

I totally agree on that they should not be allowed to come back due to security risks.

The correct demographic strategy is for the Western Goverments to team up wtih Assad goverment to eliminate al'qaeda, but alas they are supproting the moderate rebels (FSA), this stumped me very badly. Then I strongly suspected via more research on middle east history that one of the main reasons for this is RUSSIA.

Part of this answer goes all the way in part, back to the Crimean War (Eurpoe bascially united to halt Russia territorial pursuits). I suspect that them supporting the rebles is in part stopping Russias future territorial pursuits due to the close buddy nature of Russia and Syria.

I do not believe the world should stay of middle east completly, it will be foolish, as each region of middle east wants to implement their version of a untied Islam/Muslim Empire (like they had in the past). You have the Gulf Nations (Saudia Arabia and all the countries below it wanting to be Arabia again, Perisa (Iran) wanting its empire back again and becoming the dominant Muslim/Islamic force in the middle east, you have got Sham (Syria) especillay the militants wanting a Levant state (Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel) once again and becoming the dominant force and on top of that Sunnis vs Shiites.

This is becoming a regional conflict in epicness. It is the militants who are the most threat to world security as they will not settle for just a Muslim/Islamic Empire, they want the whole world.

The world must be vigilant from now on as the militants are spread all the way from Morrocco (North Africa), all the way to China and Russiam which is basically over half the world. North of Northern Africa is Spain, and also next to Syria is Turkey. Turkey is another wild card and a country that must not fall to the militants.

The militants are brilliant!!!!
Having cells over over these regions, involves so many countries, which in turn can stop countries uniting effectively to combat them.

I choose to believe the certain governments of the world at this moment are trying to contain it to a regional conflict in order not to lead it to a global conflict.

If this assumption of mine is true, then not matter how many governments changes hand in certain countries the western governments are committed to doing everything they can to contain it. I strongly suspect eventually the west will send more troops into the middle east as this is the only possible outcome.

The events of the middle east has been hundreds of years in the making and I strongly suspect it will last 100 more years at least.
A beautiful chaotic butterfly effect.

AOW

ps:- Let me know if you guys want me to ZIP UP and refrain from posting these post, after all this is suppose to be a site about CDGs!!!