Festival Books
www.list.co.uk/books
Rocky road
Heavyweight new author Craig Davidson is used to fighting puns by
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Cry freedom
John Pilger has been attacking government tyranny for almost half a century. He tells Brian Donaldson that he will never give up on exposing
the West's war of terror
n this day and age. journalist is a job title
which is afforded a disdain from the
general public on a par with estate agent. parking attendant and serial killer. Trust is a commodity that is lacking when it comes to relations between newspaper people and those in the public eye who are written about on an all-too frequent basis. In such a context John Pilger is that rarest of beasts: a journalist who can be relied upon to come tip with the stories which will hurt those in authority. but written
purely from the perspective of the facts rather
than with any salacious motives or barely hidden agendas in mind.
So. what does his job title mean to the Australian-born investigative writer'.’ ':\ journalist is a representative of the public] declares Pilger. “His or her job is to keep the record straight and truthfully to pursue facts and. if at all possible. the meaning of those
facts. A journalist is not a representative of
authority in any form. and the task of looking
62 THE LIST FESTIVAL MAGAZINE .‘3 Aug-45 Set‘
behind the official version of events and in\ estigating and challenging them. is a dutyf
In the course of his duty. l’ilger has evposed the hell of Pol l’ot's Cambodia. revealed the suffering in liast 'l‘imor and shed a light on little known atrocities such as the enforced dejmpulation of the (‘hagos Islands by Britain for largely military reasons in the late (ills. To his credit. l’ilger has never been afraid to have a pop at those whom liberals wished to put faith in: he describes Tony Blair as the most ‘anti- freedom prime minister in the modern era' and believes that ['5 presidential candidate Baraek ()bama ‘is a classic right-w ing liberal democrat. who currently "doesn't rule out" attacking lranf With his latest small screen work about America's relations with its Latino neighbours. Hill“ on [)cmm‘mcv. haying recently aired on l'l‘V. l’ilger shows no sign of becoming any less of a thorn in governmental sides.
John Pilger, 24 Aug, 6.30pm, £8 (£6).
now. He talks to Doug Johnstone