Perhaps it’s the measure of a time when a respectable – if critical journalist become a dissident? Robert Fisk is the Beirut based Middle East Correspondent of The Independent, who has lived in the Middle-East for almost three decades, and talks tomorrow at the Glasgow launch of Doc 3 – the International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival. He has criticized other journalists based in Iraq for their "hotel journalism", arguing that they were out of touch with the events and atmosphere of the Baghdad streets. Only a few weeks ago Us Immigration officials stopped him boarding a plane from Toronto to Denver en route to speak to a packed crowd.

 http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/32812.html

Everybodys mooching around figuring out how to do alternative media. Here’s an anomaly: a writer who has retained a sense of political perspective, and integrity and who writes text for a mainstream newspaper – but has credibility.

He is a launching not only the festival but his book ‘The Great War for Civilisation : The Conquest of the Middle East’ at 11am, Friday 14th October, Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street, Glasgow. If you can’t make it or its full up…there will be a LIVE AUDIO STREAM of Robert Fisk's talk 11am 14/10/05 at:  http://stream.nodel.org:8000/sofafisk.mp3 or  http://stream.nodel.org:8000/sofafisk

“What we were actually doing to "keep the peace" in Basra was to turn a Nelsonian "blind eye" on the abuse, murder and anarchy of Basra since 2003 (including, it turns out, quite a bit of abuse by our very own squaddies). When Christian alcohol sellers were murdered, we remained silent. When ex-Baathists were slaughtered in the streets - including women and their children, a civil war if ever there was one - our British officers somehow forgot to tell the press. Anything to keep our boys out of harm’s way.

But this is what has been happening in Basra. As the locally recruited police force (paid by the occupation authorities) sucked into its ranks the riff-raff of every local militia - as it did in Sunni areas to the north - we ignored this. Even when an American reporter investigating this extraordinary phenomenon was murdered - almost certainly by these same policemen - the British remained silent. We were "controlling" the streets. In Amara - by awful coincidence, the very same Kut al-Amara with whose name, I’m sure, my favourite prime minister will soon be ennobled - British soldiers now operate just one heavily armed convoy patrol a day. That is the extent of our "control" over Amara. Now we are reducing our patrols in Basra. You bet we are.

And a familiar bleat is rising from the sheep pen. "Outside powers" are interfering in southern Iraq. Thirty-five years ago, it was the Irish Republic that was assisting Britain’s IRA enemies. Now it is Iran that is supposedly urging the Shia of Basra to revolt. In other words, it’s not our fault - yet again, it’s the bloody foreigners what’s to blame.”

Organised by Rebecca Gordon Nesbitt, Klaus Jung, Mona Rai and Paula Larkin, Document 3 co-ordinators, in collaboration with Variant magazine. The organisers have issued a statement saying:

“Due to the large numbers expected, and for people only free at lunch-time, Robert Fisk will also be doing a book signing (with a bite to eat) after his talk at Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Gallery 167 Renfrew St., Glasgow 1pm-2pm, Fri 14 Oct.

If you should miss the talk, or it's really busy, Radio Ramadhan Glasgow 87.7fm (a community-based radio station which runs for the duration of Ramadhan, broadcasting within the Glasgow area) will be airing the talk. And you will be able to download the audio file from all sites listed here.”

SoFA Talks  http://www.sofatalks.net  info@sofatalks.net
SoFA (Glasgow School of Art, School of Fine Art) and Document 3

Read Robert Fisk's daily comment from the Middle East at:
 http://www independent.co.uk

Links to articles by Robert Fisk will be posted on:
 http://www.sofatalks.net

Document 3 : The International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival......will screen 90 films from 47 different countries over one weekend - a truly international selection of feature-length and short documentaries past, present and recurring issues with regard to human rights from every corner of the world....opens at the Glasgow Film Theatre on the evening of Friday 21st Oct and runs to Monday 24th Oct at: GFT, CCA and Gilmorehill....check out the web site for full programme of films and talks:
 http://www.docfilmfest.org.uk