The Correspondent, April - May 2003

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Editor's Column

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From the President Club Activities

Prisoner at the Bar

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lîï""# -tÄt"*r*:Ji:ff ffi'ff' If journalist dies, is the editor guilty?

Vox Pop

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er'orography- POYA raises the Bar

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Ps¿tu¡s

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Media

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Around the FCC

APV Triumphs Again

-

Letter from New Zealand

-

Club Speaker

The Region

-

Books

-

Bishop Zen Hanoi Press Club

-

Watering Hole

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-

Istanbul

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r\l,t{ | t. / ì\t,\y 2003

-

A View into Asia

Paddyfield.com Market Panic Memoirs of a (Western) White House Correspondent

Club Activities

-

Sars and Security

Dark but Hardly Dreary FCC Charity Ball

Professional Contacts

Out of Context

-

$¡sys Fallon

Main Cover Photograph

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-

-

by

Graham Uden (FCC staff )

& AFP (GullWar)

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journalists had lost their lives and two were missing.

I'rofcssi¡r¡¡¡rl ñ l:rì((Ìl t¡rinilìcnt Cornmittee I t,¡t¡¡¡tu¡: Iìr(tt II l)cckcr Ilerrrber shi¡r Conr¡nittee

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- even though a number of members, journalists and health

care

workers alike, have in the course of their duties had to risk potential exposure. With the pathology of this epidemic only now being unravelled, much cledit for keeping our

premises safe has to go to the swift implementation of extra-stringent cleaning and hygiene-related rneasules and the dedication of the staff in carrying them out.

We've had several enquiries from absent members wanting to subscribe to the magazine or wondering why they no longer receive it. In part this was due to a hole

that needed filling - there was no mechanism in place to remind absent members to re-subscribe after the first year's subscription, payable when going Life Absent, expired. The Club is rectifying this. More soon.

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So far, and fingers crossed, SARS has not infected anyone at the Club, whether

staff or member

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apparent. We're glad, however, to be able to insert a late line or two to record with relief that FCC past and present members covering the hostilities have returned unscathed. Others, however, were not so lucky. At the time of publication, nine

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This edition of The Correspondent went to bed just as U.S.-British forces enteled Iraq and the full horrors of the Atypical Pneumonia outbreak were only just becoming

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Diane Stormont

Editor

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Corrections, Clarifications and 0missions:

Thc Colrcspondent I

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Zoan Ðate Í-lr¡u

Apologies to Alyzon Mayoh whom we failed to

credit for the Wig and Pen photographs on page 25 of the February-March 2003 issue.

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Shanghai FCC Gala Relaunch Postponed

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The organisers were sorry to announce that this event,

originally scheduled for April 26-28, was postponed due to the war with lraq. New dates have yet to be decided.

I

From Arthur Hacker #712

Have any other FCC members noticed a dramatic rise of SPAM in their incoming e-mails since the

the word "sPouse" as in "sPouse member". I think that wife, mistr-ess, partner, lover, amah or friend, i'e' someone who

publication of the new FCC Directory'i In the previous directory the editor got

my e-mail address wrong and I

appropriate.

addresses are listed conectly for the

first time in the new directory

have

suffered the same fate.

Getting my e-mail right is about the only thing right about the new directory. The pagination is confusing' Perhaps "bizarre" is a more suitable word. David Gilhooly is listed although he has been dead for some Years and does not seem to have appeared in the last two FCC directories. This is

forgivable, as his friends have always

regarded the Great CilhoolY

Who was resPonsible for checking the proofs of this aPPalling

If it was the outgoing board they have alreadY been

publication?

adequately punished by a double page spread of their mug shots, the quality of

which would make anY competent picture editor shudder.

About the onlY decent Pictures are Jennifer Janin O'Nell (sic).

The FCC is meant to be à professional bodY. PerhaPs the incoming board could give some priority to producing a professional FCC directory. I understand that the production of this book was put out to tender. There is a bar rumour that the

is a bit short of funds' In mY opinion the board would be totallY justified in withholding payment for this publication. If PaYment has FCC

Ms'

are doing remarkably well at

in the nick of time and is paying dividends in increased takings.

Members who want to do their bit

To

In the plevious issue of Tl¿e Corresponclent I enumerated the nrarry achievements made by the

From Keith ShakesPeare #26?B

fìoarrl of Governors

These are interesting times to be Treasurer of any club. Our budget for

2003-04 alreadY indicates that at current membershiP levels (after economic attrition) we will onlY achieve marginal profit. This assumes

recession continues.

'W'e expect a rough year financially

and

Mowing: F o..t A to B.

I hope to remain in office

to

in the last year.

visiting the mainland. Thanks to the

Club's efforts, Hong Kong-based foreign correspondents now have easier enlry lo China, sometimes even getting visas in a matter of

The banquet department, which organises hundreds of events each year, is headed by the highly capable

Sandy Chan. Our accounts are kept

in great order by Alex Lee, our financial controller. Edmond Siu, our Food and Beverage controller, works hard to control costs and get the best

price for supplies. Philip Poon greets guests and runs an efficient main

dining room as Restaurant Manager.

Alan Chan, lhe [ive-slar executive

My valeclictory column as President is rlerlicated to thanking those who the Foreign really run

membership, a photograph of Hugh van Es does NOT aPPear in the lalest

Corlesponclents' Club: Our highly

the board of governors, Mr. Kong was

rlerlir:aterl ancl long-serving staff.

gently urged to further

edition of the magazine.

Many of us are involved in the Club specifically for its role in

reslrictions. Among lhe

raised in the discussion was that the

produces our delicious and wideranging menu. Sammy Cheung, our long-serving bar manager, does an excellent job of keeping the beer cold

atlvocating for the interests of foreign

Foreign Ministry set uP

and snacks hot.

colres¡rontlents and supporting free ex¡rression. The Club serves as a

accreditation system for multiple re-

Letters for publication should

be

e-mailed to fcc@hongkongnorv'cotn' 'We reserve the right to edit all correspondence,

perlect platform from which

to

accomplish these objectives thanks to the well-run colonial-era

Relocating, F

ott AtoZ.

Clubhouse.

()ur fantastic venue

clearly

intpressetì China's foreign ministry s¡;okesrnan, Kong Quan, when he rlro¡rperl by the Club in late February

lo tliscuss the situation for

Hong Kong-basecl foreign correspondents

Helping you tegin li{.'s nett ckapter' ContactCrownRelocationsat2636.3383orvisitourwebsite:www.crownrelo.com.

4

tireless

My congratulations to the Editor of The Correspondent and staff. For the first time in my twenty-six years of

we hold monthly dues and menu prices

at pïesent levels and we have little choice on those scores as long as

ent

rCSL

possible and all suggestions n'ill be given serious consideration. Let's

e-mail.

our

Administration Officer, Rosalia Ho.

cost savings and economies rvherever

should endeavour to recover the fee

Treasurer

front office is

for social and business Purposes.

Rest assured that the Board ancl Managemenl ale actively studying

<nedders@nedders. com> please.

FCC

Gilbert now leads an excellent executive team, many of whom he hired himself: Supporting him in the

promotion scheme and, needless to sa¡ using Club facilities whenever possible

that

drunk

members).

more new members under the bouus

have

paid.

serve more alcohol to

should be keenly seeking to introcluce

already been made, the incoming board

From Tony Nedderman,

Club as a busboy on June I, 7972, Gilbert rose to become the Club's first Chinese General Manager. He earned the nickname Tiger whiÌe working at the bar (thanks to the fierceness with which he refused to

present compared to other clubs; our ground floor refurbishment came just

as

immortal.

of Mr. Thomas CramPton and

pumps!

'We

is saving moneY bY not

paying a monthly subscription, would be rather more informative and

received about four pieces of SPAM a week, mainly from Nigeria. In the last couple of months I have been getting about 40 pieces of SPAM a daY' I wonder if other members, whose e-mail

provide some continuity - better a firm hand on the tiller than all hands to the

am not too haPPY with the use of

Welcomed

by a delegation from ease

suggesl ions

an

entry visas similar to those visas extended to journalists based in Shanghai or Beijing. While China may or may not ease visa restrictions

in future, Mr. Kong's visit marked a positive step in the Club's role of advocating on behalf of foreign correspondents.

Credit belongs to the FCC stafffor the positive impression of the Club

expressed

by Mr. Kong and

others who visit the Club for the first

Kong-based journalists

General Manager. After joining the

'THT: (ìoRRESPONI)ENT

APRIL,/MAY

2OO3

chef we poached from the Shangri-la,

I would like to thank

these

managers and our entire staff of one

hundred personnel for making my year as President a fantastic and highÌy rewarding experience. On behalf of all our members I thank the staff for maintaining a Club in which

members can safely embed themselves in what indisputably remains Asia's best bar.

manY

covt:ring the mainland. Mr. Kong's visit rvas largely inspired by the Club's eflor.ts over the last year in pressing for. eased visa regulations

for Hong

2003 THE CORRESPoNDENT APRIL/lvt\Y

hours.

time.

The most important member of our staff is clearly Gilbert Cheng, our

l¡*- C.r 5

FCC MAY FAIR

ris ner |

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/

il

2

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nr

C eck out the new ran$e of

Come to uisit our Main Dining Room or Chinese Restaurant and

at the

":{

...

Special Amazin g Restaurant Sauin'gs

FCG

goodies on sale at the main office

Bottom-Squeezing

- lt ill-befits

For your diary:

receiue LLp to 207o discount off your total

I see that recent FCC members to be sensitive' joumalistic art o{ around the ancient

*^^{

have centred FCC disciplinary hearings _ name years ago when in the some matter this raised I Now bottom-squeezing' like the guys' demanding to be treated

o{

food, ll ll

MAIN DINING ROOM A

t

bill!

tA

CARTE MENU IOTO OFF

CHINESE RESTAURANT ZOVA

The winners of the 8th Annual Human Rights Press Awards will be announced on June 1-4, 2003. Response to this year's awards was excellent.

OII

Monday to ThursdaY onlY

were stridently equality lady members football on TV will the manly sport of American watched has who anyone As in that pastime' at and squeezing goes un-remarked bum-slapping have observed,

Valirl for tlinner-in the Main Dining Room, Verandah & Chinese Restaurant

leastonthefieldofplay.NoworsethanpoofterishUKsoccerplayerspractically in a frenzy of scorer as they indulge

Not applicable for private functions

Cococabana Al fresso dining in Mo Tat Wan

S¡recial plotnotions or vouchers excluded

goal around a successful wrapping their legs

l'ol leselvations, pÌease caII2523 7734 ol e-rnail to <mailto:banquet@fcchk.org>

kissing'

to put FCc they're going to have treated as equals in the be to want ladies if So

banquet@fcchk.org

upwithanoccasionalsqueezeandas{arasmostofus(male)bar-{liesareconcemed you like' of our bums any time you can have a squeeze Bad Times

-

Shorter Lunches

- Bad times are here all right'

You know that the

out of the members of the FCC tottering when you see veteran economy's in a mess

rHE

CLUB'S SECOND ANNUAL CHARITY BALL

to two in the afternoon' bar and Bert's at ten minutes

and the topic reminiscing at the bar recently were farts old of bunch Long Gone - A

Club Volvo came up' of the dear departed (and few of those remain) memories than their members longer with Members

willrecallthatacertainSwedishautomakertookexceptiontowhatwasinthosedays in vain' hall" taking their brand name a euphemistically called "dance

ThenotoriouslyhumourlessScandinavianssuedtheClubVolvoforrvrongfulll usingtheirname.Clearþthesemaritimevandalshadforgottenthatitwasn'tallthst of raping the fair maidenhood robbing' pillaging and long ago since they were

FoR;..*;;;;-'ENrs,

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER

The Charity Ball tickets have been sold out.

We are now accepting waiting list bookings.

Pllease call FCC banqueting aI2S2t t5LL or

e'mail banquet@fcchk.org for further information.

becustomersknowwhattoexpectandyetnotrrskupsettingtheoversensitive æd Club Vulva' The Hongkong The included Vikings' The names suggested

portunity to show that ndents' Club cares and further education

ShanghaiWankingCorporationandonebasedonaloca]supermarketchainù¡t

ren.

retained the "Park" element

more information on sponsorship, please Sophia Hariteta at 9689 :ll.9tcharitybal 7625 or e_ mall l@fcch k.

lHt THE CORRESPONDENT

6

AIfÙ

Hong Kong's most beautiful t'enuc for al fresco dining and great partìes.

back Meditcnancan stylc Cuisinc and atmosphcrc. Enjoy our exotic sunsct cocktails and balcont,dlnìnf¡ sct asatnst the soft sound ofu'avcs, For resen'ations ple ase call 2328 -2138 Timetables. Boat Hire. t0 reserve online or mole info.

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Come to Nlo Tat \\ran on Lamma lsland and discot'cr

Located almost on thc beach, Cococabana offcrs a laid

SPONSORSHIP

WagsattheFCCbarimmediatelystartedmakingupnamesthatwouldletwould.

-

2OO3

HONG KONG CONVENTION CENTRE

seaboard regions of England' Yorkshire and other eastern

Ted Thomas

27,

@RtåSp()Nt)l:NT

org

¡\pRt t.,/ ì\tr\\, t00.ì

Bar Picante

2869-9631 Cubana 2869-1218

E

AFp,s Luke Hunt was pulled out of his comforrable billet in Phnom a Penh and packed off to l(uwait to cover the war in the Gulf' Luke,

o o p

process former FCC Board member, reports on the military "embedding"

a nce embedded, you're in for the duration and the military will take a dim view of any journalisl who

a welcome

addition to the victory parade down Pennsylvania

Avenue.

backs out early. Your company may not get that space back. The only way home is through Baghdad and you will be AFP PHOTO

military muscle.

Amid the earnest military indoctrination sessions, describe but dubbed the

journalists had to bureaucrats who d

vi watch U.S. no bee¡ jos ahead of th

lost our

Ps to order' ranks

of all'

backpack and four mini-sacks stocked with flak vest, helmet, satellite phone, laptop, cell phone, NBC suits and canteens with NBC-compatible nozzles. We had to tuck away seven hypodermics for use in the case of a nerve gas attack plus stocks of the drug cypro for use after an anthrax strike, along with decontamination wipes. Anti-anthrax and smallpox shots were dispensed prior to embedding.

Those who wore glasses had to get special corrective Ienses for their gas masks flown in from the U.S. Other odds and ends included red light torches, sand goggles, anti-septic hand wash, a shovel, GPS, electrical adaptors for the four to five different types ofplugs, Ì2 and 24vol¡ power inverters to charge off Humvee batteries -- plus plugs for car cigarette

detection units and arrived on March I1 at the Hilton Hotel to pick up 400 journalists who were to be permanently embedded rvith the military. It was surreal and likened, in a very black way, by photographer Todd Heisler of the Scripps Howard news service with the day his mum had sent him off lo summer camp. "All those hugs and kisses and fond farewells and see you in Baghdad when all this is over. Bye honey."

Lindsay Murdoch ol The Age in Melbourne arrived in a chauffeur-driven BMW with on-board computers and television, his first assignment after 12 months of paid leave.

Some of the few l(uwaiti journalists in the group had Hilton staff, mostly Indian, ferry them across the hotel's grounds in golf carts.

The average age of the

Once embedded, you're in for the d'uration...

The only way bøck, is through Baghd'ad

press corps was probably

not too far off 50

and

despite the stereotypes they

were physically fit, lighters in case taxis are available in lraq. Add to this a small gas stove, snap lights, compass, maps, winter and summer clothing, a month's supply of cigarettes and chewing tobacco for the troops, a sleeping bag and a bed roll. V/e also had to

shofi-wave radio, first-aid kit, lots of notebooks, pens, tapes and, most importantly of all, cash.

Photographers needed an extra pack for cameras and television crews were overloaded with Pelican cases. Only TV could expect any help in carrying their kit. The rest of us lvere on our own when the buses passed through mine

find like Vietnam.

Tooling-up was tiresome and made l'01-lt r'rp.,tne the militai¡ ihi"tr hud apparently bought

cylinders entire stock of electrical åå'dt, ptopute and wet wipes in Kuwait latge The average ¡o,tr.riitt required one THE CORRESPONDENT A?RIL/MAY

2OOå

space

for a

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

although there were some disturbing elements. There were those who appeared all too ready for Uncle Sam's call-up and

had acquired almost complete military uniforms. Some carried American flags -- the size of a small table cloth -- and in doing so lent the scene the air of a boy scout jamboree' This group was then split between the First Marine Expeditionary Forces and the Third Infantry Division. The l0lst Airborne had already arrived with embedded

journalists while those attached to the Fourth Infantry Division were wallowing in Texas after Turkey decided

'Washington's

billion dollar aid package wasn't enough. Guy Taylor of the Washington Tirnes consoled himself by noting he could at least get cold beer in Texas while researching stories.

Others journalists were despatched to air bases and the six

To

aircraft carrier battle

not to

embed

groups

embed?

II

il;

^"-li--"^ t" frnrrilin"

Alisha ltYu' wno was iscusses the Pros and

the earlY settling in

period before the invasion of Iraq started' Embedding ß what the Pen rnilitary openness with the me

military to ease decades of hos Ieft journalists largely on the

embed'd'ed'

journalist

use

it

And

of

belieues

conditiotls means experienci,n'g the søme

the

in

tentn,oeniluring sand' oes in the wan

storms

;;;;:' wee embedded'

During thefi.rst units, hopes the

system

on both

the idea of the military and

troops

and sharing

a working Part of the outsid'e her as stictlY as an

sides.

the-National Journal James Kitfi'eld, a corresponilent for years of míIítary with Weekly magazíræ io tt , Unä'd' State's !5

Dery reportíng experience, said' the military .uas giuen uere. being accotwnod,ating, but that not all journalßts They are credit' them the access they wanteil. "But I giue

making a goodfaith The

military

ffirt."

also dnwnPl

Bryant, a public affairs ffice søid the initial process uent number of media requests al

IO

show

';::ri

that

obseruen

Kuwait got

the South Korean military would neuer

journalßts. "That's a big dffirencefrom our country. In Korea, ue cannot do that."

The Pentagon pledged not to cerLsor stories and ord'ered unit comrnanders not to hid'e informationfrom journalists who haue been approuedfor embedding. In return, each embedded journalßt sígned a set of ground rules, promising not to dßclose any information related' to operational security.

The satírica| writer P.I. O'Rourke said he fuIly supported'

'ä,i"r,^a¡r'

uni

embed'd'ed'

journalßts frotn uariotts other countries as well- For most of them, like correspond,ent CarI Dinnon from Brítaín's Chantæl Four, thß was the fi'rst chance to get to know U'5. troops fi'rst hand,. Dinnon said hß aiew of Amerícan soldiers changed by interactíng with them. " People haae been extraordinarily ftienrtly. People are easy-going' There ß not much of this sort of gung-ho sort of attitude that you might thinh there would be

American cotnmanders haue shown him sercitiue equipment he

gas maslts and, ch

experience: Iiuíng

from the United States. But there were 100

units were wíth tlæir embedded journalists. He said the

photograph ani, aideotape a he or she liues with them as we

the

north, despite us tellíng them that there are going to be large períods of boredorn."

The majority of the embedded mcdía gathered ín Kuwait

if you watched too manY moaies."

Other joumalists, Iihe South Korean neu)spaper reporter Ahn Sung-ky., were surprised by how open the U.S. military

Wan It ß also a chance to Prou of people around the world,

An

front line positiot*. He achnouledged, that it was more dfficuh trying to m,eet jounalßts' expectatíons rather than needs.

"Most journalists expected, when they arriued at their unit, to immediately jump on a tanh or jwnp on a truck and take off

the media forging a

better

relationship. But he ß not sure the two sídes can be eaer ¡nore than friend,ly aduersaries' "Reporters and soldiers haae uery little in comÍnn in their attitudes, in their backgrounds, but møinly just share in their experience of what we're experiencing right here ín Kuwaít. Somcthing like this brings in all sorts of people with no prior experience of couering conflícts, combat or the military and it can be a reøI eye-opencr for them." How the media and the military get along together ín wartim,e will be the subjectfor debate and analysísfor some timc. But what has happened, will largely determine uhether the U'5. military giaes thß kind of access to the news media in the future.

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

corner.

in January and it's on the folÌowing

t'

of planning, access was unfettered and the men at

Outside the higher levels

level appeared genuinely pleased to have us

had

journalists been embedded for the life of the campaign but unlike Ernie Pyle we would not be subjected to any form of censorship.

We boarded the buses and

correspondents has ow that the embedding of of the coverage of il;; fart of the language nonnal' IJUI the war ìn lr"q, it almost seems or is killed' ;;;h la.Ptured over "o.."'pond"nt battles the debate

Quada-linked terrorist

unit

assembled in the Gulf. And we were constantly reminded that

not since World War

next right where the American civilian was shot dead by an al

on board. Three sergeants and Lieutenant Minh Tran didn't flinch when, with

press present,

they

discussed what to do about a marine who wanted out

immediately and had

e-

were told that for security

mailed his wife asking her to

reasons we journalists wouldn't be told where we were going.

congressman

W'e were

contact his uncle

then driven in circles

the

could

organise a swift exit route.

Cit¡ with curtains drawn behind blacked-out windows, to a around l(uwait

could name him, but

I

who

wants to embarrass a man whose only real crime was

secret camp which our hosts didn't realise had been visited

by a few of us two

who

not wanting to shoot a fellow

human being, although this attitude, and his uncle, were not good for morale?

weeks

earlier, and was only two klicks down the first left turnoff on the

Equally bad for morale was lhe difficulty of staying clean. The 26 men in my

Abdali Highwa¡ 40 kilometres north ofthe capital.

The camp was also a 90-

marine unit brought their

minute drive from Basra in

own toothpaste, as one does.

southern Iraq where cold beer could be acquired. U.S. plans for the Shi'ite city were another well-flagged secret. A Kuwaiti

Nevertheless, the senior brass allotted us enough

order for 5,000

contractor had received

install showers. Smelly marines indulged in some

conditioners

lateral thinking and Gunny

in

military-issue toothpaste to last five years but forgot to

an

airmid-February

to be delivered to the U.S. military in Basra by April.

Sergeant Jeffrey Johnson

ordered the chemical warfare squad to set up the

Someone forgot to inform the Kuwait Stock Exchange that this contract was a secret and the story broke in the Phnom Penh Post.

Although the military failed to confuse the press about their location some, who by this stage had gathered far more desert experience than the average marine and didn't need a GPS to realise where they were, further tested their hosts. On disembarking the

hoses needed water pumps and

the

problem was resolved.

The first

casualties the war

occurred before began.

A trooper committed

suicide after being ditched by his wife. A female marine lost both legs when a tractor being unloaded from a trrck

slipped off the side and

bus, one journalist unwittingly

crushed her.

teased troops who

were moaning about the lousy food by mentioning that the nearest KFC was just 20 minutes down the road and that there was a McDonald's a further 15 minutes on from that. "I(eep going, take the left towards Camp Doha, THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL,/MAY

for

decontaminating tanks after a nerve gas dusting to fresh

2OO3

Then there was the marine who used his Zippo one night to illuminate his way through a fuel dump. He suffered fourth degree burns and lost his tongue.

Acts of stupidity are not uncommon in any military 11

dinners since have consistently been deep fried "meat" with stale 'W'e'd heard Islamic militants bread. had been trying to poison the food

supplies down at Camp Doha.

'Bring them up here,' we said. 'It's got to be better than what's on offer'. "

Food aside, the scene was All night and all day jets screamed, tanks thundered and

awesome.

helicopters blasted dust across the camps in a battle-ready scene that looked like Mad Max and is about to be fought on the scale of Gone With The Wind.

In mid-l\4arch the marines moved to Mopp (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) One and broke

out the NBC suits. This mattered because once opened, the suits

Iast for only 45 days, and the troops sensed a significant step closer to war had been taken. The

next bone of contention between the media and military then arose:

this was over kit. The

U.S. government had issued journalists with suits pleasantly designed and coloured in desert sand camouflage, prompting grunts lvho had arrived with jungle green

NBC gear to moan that correspondents got a better fashion deal. They quietened down and scratched their heads after being told the hacks were last in line hence they received the latest issue.

But the problem remained for us. We independent journalists would be wearing an American uniform once we'd donned our NBC suits -- and that threw up a potential nightmare if confronted by Iraqi troops' the American enemy but our subject, whom George W. Bush and partner Tony Blair desperately wanted us to

journo'lists lvot since world war II had cümpaign' embed,ded for the life of the ccvs so Ðqrr ""

in a two-page

handout given to the 150'000-odd deserls, detailing how to behave

' troops in these northern around journalists'

""iã

sr,rre ho.r,v ro hehave ru¡"kunas of AFp wasn't roo yarn: a "'We were driving had he he thought of thick black plumes huge saw "ir;;-;;"" and ffi;t ;; Iraqi border still hadn't Kuwait said thai article an tn just read

.r"4.".

l99l' I uti ttt" damage to their oil fields from tll:: blrnr¡s be canlt^.1111, ,iã'*r',, surelv thev 'll:ii*u"''i an oil field' but our food supplies' our

i.*t.¿

ilf;;;;";Jt

bee

n ffih f:*i:,äîi"-,îü: in full U.S.

military

camouflaged NBC suits. We had no choice.

We knew the invasion was nigh when the marine chaplain, Lieutenant Commander Travis Moger, held a final baptism service for troops who had converted to Christianity. Amid cries of "Praise the Lord" and "Amen" he baptised his new flock and told me: "I think this has a lot to do with lraq. You do a lot of soul searching before going into combat." Then he leant for-ward and asked me "Don't journalists think of the same thing before they go into combat?"

The next morning we bugged out for Iraq as the grunts played Hell's Bells by AC/DC.

f

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

T2

2OO3

journalist chooses to remain then the agency / editor should remind them that

The

Crln'esllonrlent ¡tolled u, groLLp 0/' jountrtlí.st rmrl non-

they are on their own, uninsured, uncovered medically and unlikely to receive future assistance.

journttlist, ntent lters .fìn' t,heir uiew,s on tlte Jennifer Janin O'Neil

qu,estJort: As edit,or oJ'u u,

/

b I ir: t tt, i o rt u g

e. r

rc

y /b

Reporters go to war because it is not only their job, but also it's invigorating,

rleci.sion on u¡hellter [o leurc or sÍrt1' to tlrc journul,i.st 0n the grountl or u,ou,ld, yott

exciting, vibrant

- and

makes them

famous. Show me ONE examPle where

an editor forced a reporter

or

cameraman to go to war'

I would leave it up to

the

experienced reporter on the spot' If he

decide?

felt it feasible to remain, that would be

Walsh

.¡\

Voice

of

America

News

Accountant

to fly, I

Jordan from our India News Channel.

Our guidelines are straightforward. Áll a.rign-ents are voluntary. Three news executives lake assignmenl decisions jointly with the reporters. I advise.

In the end, I believe, the reporter on the scene should be best able to assess

word

I

a

would use.

The situation is inherently risky and should be undertaken with that understanding.

Responsibility is more apt. The first job. If the editor lets an inexperienced journalist or a reporter who does not

forces ot lmqn Anos, neor Bqsrq, Morch 22,2003

have the instincts for conflict situation

londmine neor Kifri ¡n northern lroq. Apr¡l 2,2003.

relationship is and should be very much a

lnfonlry Division. April 3,2003

staff reporter, the

patnership. Discussion and consultation

Christion liebig. Focus (Germony). Germon. Killed during on lroqi missile

about how, when, angles, context, access

ottock soulh of Boghdod. April

to information, and risks need to be part

Julio Anguito Pqrrodo.

of the daily conversation. On the ground,

missile ottock south of Boghdod. Both Liebig ond Porrodo were embedded

the editor is dependent on correspondent's judgment and

the

with the

the

Ioreq Ayyoub. Al-Jqzeero (Qotor). Jordonion. Killed when q

-I

ultimate

responsibility rests with management.

Jim

Laurie

-

The

editor-correspondent

International Risk Ltd

good as that information.

decision of the person on the ground and no matter what the editors sa¡ if

both sides of the

Setting aside the

íssue. In April

you feel that you are in real danger it is

1975, NBC News

individual's emotional a of decision to "hang

I've been

on

all reporters out (for whom I was NBC I told of Saigon. management ordered

I would stay on.

New York management said "we don't recommend it" and as an incentive to

under contract) that

No, and the is question The ridiculous. editor is not responsible.

14

leave, they informed me mY life insurance policy would have to be cancelled. I stayed. I covered the fall of Saigon. The reporter took the decision.

I am happy I did.

Nearly 30 years later I am involved in sending other people to cover the

Iraq war. Here in Mumbai

we've

gratification

around and report the news", the hard reality remains that under many

circumstances

it is much better

to

" repott another day". Also in this region (especially in the southern Philippines) there have been numerous incidents of reckless endangerment of self and more evacuate and to live to

But the be controlled. If a

variables cannot joumalist in the field is over-zealous in that they become singly focussed on "getting" the story the editor must temper

Lhat. If this consultation process is undertaken on these terms and the correspondent gets killed - it is tragic. If the corespondent disregards advice to take a cautious approach, there is little the editor can do and guilt is nol- an issue.

If a reporter

hesitates or is reluctant to

enter a certain situation, the editor should respect that. It is the reporter's life and

it

importantly consequent endangerment of those who will have to go in and

should ultimately be their call. ff an editor insists and "forces" the reporter

extricate them.

into a situation and he/she gets killed

if

the

THE CORRESPON DENT A?RIL/MAY

2OO3

Out should mean out and

...shame on the editor.

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

M¡chqel Kelly. Atlontic Monthly ond Woshington Posf

(USA).

Americon. Killed

when o Humvee in which he wos riding come under lroqi fire ond croshed

I'd fly even quicker than the - which is probably why I'm an accountant. No, it has to be the

Journalist

lrqniqn. Blown up by o

a large degree belongs to the editor.

bullets

-

BBC TV (UK).

combat area must be taken jointly after careful consultation. Ifthe reporter is a

kiÌled - blame to

decision how and where to go is onÌy as

Kevin Sinclair

Koveh Goleslqn, Freeloncer for

Cought in gunfire opporently from U$Brilish

ultimate and overwhelming danger -

go to war and they get

President and CEO of

consequences.

ITV News (UK). Brilish.

goes or whether he/she should leave a

Decisions on where the reporter

Star News Asia

up to you to decide - and take the

Khormo, lroqi Kurdiston. Morch 22,2003

Tery Uoyd.

Steve Vickers

expect

Poul Morqn. ABC ry (Austrolio). Austrolion. Killed by o cqr bomb explosion in

decision -WHO to send - is the editor's

Executive Producer,

started

KII.LED:

risks.

a

journalist and was instructed to stay when the bullets

dispatched four reporters to Kuwait and

War correspondents killed in action or missíng in the course of duty

his choice. Naturall¡ the situation would be discussed. In a stage of fall of Phnom Penh, for examPle would advise he/she urgently leave.

If Iwas

^r.]\ 'ra¡

Asia Senior Editor,

Guilty is not

y0IL del,egrLte t,lt,e

Julian

-

is the editor guilty?

r ortrkttst s|rt,tiott. ruul itt Lhe t:a,se oJ'turr, u,otild

p

into o conol outside Boghdod. He wos trovelling with the

US

El

US

Army's 3rd

7, 2003.

Mundo (Spoin), Sponish. Killed during qn lroqi

Army's 3rd lnfonlry Division. April 7,2003.

US

missile struck

the stotion's Boghdod heodquorlers. April 8,2003

José Gouso. Telecinco (Spoin). Sponish. Died from inJurles coused by o US lonk firing q shell qt the Polestine Hotel where he ond mony Boghdod-bosed journolists were stoying. April 8,2003.

lqros Prolsyuk.

US

Reulers W (UK). Ukroinion. Died from injuries cqused when o tonk fired o shell qt the Polestine Holel where he ond mony Boghdod-

bosed journolisls were sloying. April 8,2003.

Missing: Fred Nerqc. lW News (UK). French. Cought in gunfire opporently fiom U9 British forces

ql lmon Anqs, neor Bosro with Lloyd, Demoustier ond Osmon.

Mqrch 22,2003.

Hussein Osmon. lry News (UK). Lebonese. Cought in gunfite opporenlly from U$British forces ol lmon Anos, neor Bosro wilh Lloyd, Demoustier ond Nerqc.

Mqrch 22,2003.

Sources: The Commil-tee fo Prolecf Journolists ond Reporters Without Frontiers

15

FCC Photographer of ,nr"ii"Ï Oward's

(P}YA 2oo2)'

Tirne Magazine's Pulitzer prize nominee John Stanmeyer says that the FCC has

"significantly raised the bar" with the second,

expanded, awards. But he is definitely not talking about the fact that he won the 2002 top title, after being

1st

Runner-Up

the previous year.

Rather, speaking as someone of photograPhic contests

both aspiring PhotograPhers

and energy to enter these Awards. It's been tough for all ofus just keeping our jobs, let alone finding work."

Duckham also paid tribute to sponsors who were able to dig deep into their much-diminished budgets and supply a great line-up of prizes. "Without the sponsors we cerlainly wouldn't be able to do this." The consistent backing of the Hong I(ong Tourism Board from the birth of the Awards came in for special mention.

are going to get," he tolcl his award for his series " for thought for the POYA or interesting if the FCC thro

Given the high quaÌity of entries, and the addition of

Commenting on the fact that the same names filled the top

seven Awards categories from last year, the final judging was very close. For the title of Photographer of the Year, Stanmeyer beat out freelancer Christian Keenan - last year's

two slots, Duckham said: "It's not that we don't want to see John and Chris on the rostrum again, but I do hope we see more of you battling it out for the top awards next year."

unconditionally imPressed POYA in its short caree¡ and established. He highlights in presentation of the entries at "Now the great challenge level. The more You do it, th

winner. The fact that Stanmeyer and l(eenan were again in

catchment area of contestant entries "' - to Hong Kong photographers' .t^ -ext POYA,

a;;"r"i..v."t'å

hopes to

"k":'ì:ii::ni '-::."

t" even though he is planning to move

i"åi,Hî?i.'å:ì r''l",lli:i;iäü," ".

contention came as a surprise to the judges, who employed a

blind-judging system to rule out any suggestion of

rndonesia

favouritism.

l(ong. t" Hong Hnne l(ong in vears THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

The 2002 Awards were expanded to include

a

comprehensive cross-section of Hong l(ong's photographers, with invitations sent to camera clubs and students of Hong Kong schools. "We will again expand this next year," said Duckham.

17

"The Pen is mi$htier than the sword, but a picture is worth a thousand words' ' Vind'eb.ank' FCC rnember' Andry Peace o¡rna ,:n, Wilhinson Sword' Millenníum Trophy Io' 'h', Sword #lB8I as the Perpet'ual seueruL Awards' Year the of FCC Photographer debarcd' its POYA Committee members

when

'*rr*rr"**ss'

Dong Ting Lahe whichfocuses on a'World Mldlife Fund (WWF) project to restore the wetlands along the Yangtze in China's Hunan province, was one of three films made for the WWE, says FCC Member and APV co-founder, Mark Erder' The latest award, in the category of 'Environment & Ecology', was received on the 15th of January from The New York Festivals Television Programming and Promotion

POYA motto BuJ as the adapted

bitt well

sword' fits ùe øboue demonstates' t'he certain FCC tongue-r'n' and, ß ín keeping with a cheeh sauoir

Competition.

cinematography from

faire'

of a lími;ted' The troPhY is one

ed,ition

sLart

and a Highly Commended Best Direction Award in the Asian Television Creative

sculp'tor'

that

in

talent'" I

its projects all over the to do several documentaries in the region -- this one on China, one in Vietnam and another in the Philippines.

It made an interesting change from our usual

Three Graces, in the cel

race'

r-^)

'tl)olh'Ú hasn'L qwte White the peace aspecl

there

n.ot

,*ri,,, r,rrrn*, the sword is best peace and pu*oæ ol promoting world'

.xlith:u:)

harmony'

their

for poets, painters and writers.".

The lake area has been encroached upon for 50 years by farmers reclaiming the wetlands for agriculture' By the 1990s, that reclamation was proving disastrous -- the river

FCC and' d'ebate of the euen amid, the t'urnLoiL

Main Bar.

-

in the field carrying out their work. And

dedication is breathtaking," Erder said.

The local hero in Dong Ting Lahe is Dr Lei Guangchu, who grew up in the area. He narrates the film and recalls a time when "you could swim in the lake and simply catch fish in your hands -- there were so many."' Lei wants to see the lake restoled to its former glory, when it "was the inspiration

lefL to iß intended

flooded again and again, the remaining waters became

TerrY Duckham THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

The initiative, "PartnershiP for a Living Yangtze," aims to restore 15 per cent of the original wetlands and to develop new land-use and flood plain management approaches to replace the failed polder

Adrian Brown and Mark Erder with the Dalai Lama

annuøI award are in P Sorne wags arottnil

ß

damage

caused by Yangtze flooding and the reduction of natural wetlands around the lake.

news-oriented work," said Erder, who is APV's Managing Director and Direclor of Operations The documentary which was shot by Jamie Hamill and produced by Michael Barrett, was filmed in just seven days' "The WWF specify exactly what they want, in terms of they want a certain project covered and one ofwhat they call their local heroes narrating' These local heroes are the people out

hangs on the facíng entrance. While that suggeslion

18

help reverse the

word *oh:-: out so far this century' the ,"and' also seru-es,t'n trophy perpeLual hondroi" Critchon ;r;;r; o¡'ondr'' father' Percr Sw-ord's were w¡na"íoni. hther Miltenniurn leo'ilers aniJ lurninart'es' or"r"n eO to world' of the P}YA inclurling BiIl Clinton, so winners

that a notice reading, " glo,ss", should, acco

bird

population.

Lei now leads the WWF pilot project designed to

world. They approached us

of the Greco-Roman

hurnan

the once huge

Y/WF commissions short films of

d'ecorated'

and Asíanfi,gures

population and driving awaY

"The

rhe sword"s b,l.a'd'e 200 Languages along with a mod'ern rend'ition

on¿ rlt, hitt ß

polluted dwindling the fish

and Technical Awards.

word' "Peac1'-' 7 of the 2lst Cenlury' The

etched'

about the FCC aired bY the BBC, has been horuoured for its documentary Dong Ting Lake, Teri Fitz ell reports.

rth

Cinemal-ographers SocietY

Wilkiwon Suords d'esigned bY Peter designer and hístoriøn'

iot"ur, ond celebrated' international to wøs forged' Ronald, Cømeron' The series brotherhood' at celebrate world' peace anil 'the

for

the

all the Gin Joints, the fly-on-the-wall

Australian

of 2,000 lllillenniurn

Sword"s resid,ent

Last yeat, it won a Gold Príze

Asia Pacific Vision (APV), best knoun utithin the Club for shooting Of

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

(reclaimed land) system.

Two years after those projects started and already things have improved at Dong Ting. Says Lei: "We counted 34 species of migrating birds on the restored wetlands'" And, since the film was made, the bird population has increased so

much that the local authorities have just hosted the first national China birdwatching competition on the lake'

Erder and Adrian Brown, who was then Asia correspondent for TV-AM, founded APV in |991' The company acts as Australia's Channel Nine bureau for Asia, and in recent years, Brown's news coverage has included the war in Afghanistan, the birth of democracy and independence

in East Timor and the Bali bombings. Major projects have included The Last Gouernor -- APV followed Chris Patten around for five years for Jonathan Dimbleby's series aired by the BBC -- and of course, Of All the Gin loints' Tapes are available at the FCC front

office.

I 19

New Year Lantern Festival over three nights, which, given the size of Auckland's population, is pretty good going.

Many spread a rug on the grass under the hanging lanterns in the warm night air and enjoyed a Chinese picnic from the food stalls.

Already we are working on next year's Festival. But there

is a footnote to this year's Festival. The old puppeteers, who had been puppeteering for 50 years together, told us they

We chose to do a Lantern Festival because we thought it would have wide appeal to families. And we wanted to help the burgeoning Chinese population of Auckland feel at home by bringing their culture into the mainstream. To achieve our aims, it was important to keep the Festival traditionally held on the 1Sth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year - as authentic as possible. Hence the association with ZhejiangProvince which boasts a centuries-old tradition of lantern making.

This year Mr Hu and his team o{ craftsmen excelled themselves. Their glowing sheep lanterns were made of white silk and Mr Hu had put synthetic wool on their coats. Off his own bat he had added a special surprise inside one of the sheep - a small mechanism that made a

It had been a long drive and the hard folding chairs in the ramshackle concrete building deep in Zhejiang province were anything but kind to our large, foreign posteriors' But within seconds our aches were forgotten. Dragons flew across

were worried that the art of shadow puppeteering would die out in China. "Children these days just want to watch TV," Sun Tahai the minder explained.

It transpired that the old wooden box ofpuppets - some of them made over 100 years ago - had been one of 30 such boxes before the Cultural Revolution in China. Toda¡ so the puppeteers sa¡ theirs is the only original box left.

One of the old men looked at me curiously. He said before China's open door polic¡ he and his family had always been poor. But since 1976, he had managed to make a lot of money

through business. Now he had all the material things he needed, and all he wanted was to help ensure the survival of his puppetry. Could the Asia 2000 Foundation find a New Zealander who would like to come to Xieqiao, stay at his house, and study the art of puppetry with them all?

I am happy to report that we could. Peter Wilson, artistic director of the children's theatre Capital E in Wellington, will take that long drive to Xieqiao later this year. I

baa-ing noise.

The mystery sheep had a black silk face and black feet, and looked a bit nervous. It was, Mr Hu noted in his

the small screen and engaged in an energetic battle. Cymbals crashed; the puppeteers wailed. It was magical. I knew instantly that the show had to be parl of our Chinese New

instructions, a Suffolk.

As dusk fell on Frida¡ February 14, Prime Minister Helen Clark was led by the thrashing Lotus Lantern Dragon to

Year Lantern Festival in New Zealand.

Three and a half months later, the puppeteers - the oldest of them 76 -- embarked on the l3-hour flight with sponsor Cathay Pacific to New Zealand' It was the first time the old

the main stage where she dotted the dragon's eyes and formally opened the Festival. Much to the joy of the sent Mr Hu a Picture book of

puppeteers, she also made her way over to the puppet theatre tent and watched a few moments of the performance before

howing front, back and side ne that looked the easiesl lo

having her photo taken with the five

one Breed' So it was w";;*;;t t;to Aucklanrl thr

Hu to make puppet theatre and an old wooden box containing over 200 O"nn" heads and bodies made of boar leather - travelled ahead of them, courtesy of Chinese shipping line COSCO' Also packed into the container were 15 lifesize sheep lanterns to mark the Year of the Sheep, made to order by Zhejiangmaster craftsman Hu Jinlong. Being patriotic New Zealanders, we thought it important to make a special effort on the sheep front.

"Do you think Mr Hu knows what a sheep looks like?" my colleagues at the Asia 2000 Foundation of New Zealand had enquired nervously as we debated how many new lanterns we

would need for the 2003 Lantern Festival' "Do they have

in Zhejiang?"

It was a good question, and one I didn't know the answer

sheep

as well," I said. "We'11 get Mr can run a'Guess the

MysterY

due to start'

"""ü"";'r;"

that we flew from efore the Festival was

partnership with Auckland 2000 Foundation' in rn Festival in the Year 2000,

g

others, HSBC, American and Lee l(um Kee. We chose the centre of the citY -- a

f big Moreton

BaY fig trees, Festival e one-day Proved an move without at you couldn't gamble took a we year owing :. ì-^^ ..^*-;-^l remained' it has

ano so and ran it for three nrghts'

THE CORRESPONDENT A?RIL/MAY

2OO3

I fl

l

proud old men. Their minder, Sun Tahai, ìater clescribed the occasion as "the best wonderful in their life" And the sheep were a great hit. The mystery sheep competition was eventually won -- somewhat unfairl¡ we thought -- by u visiting sheep farmer from the South Island.

In hopes of raising some extra funds, we had also ordered a large "Auspicious Sheep" to be made by a local modelmaker in the form of a sheep-shaped money-box. A notice alongside it invited spectators in Chinese and English to invest a gold coin and make a wish for the Year of the Sheep.

So successful was this plo¡ that several passers-by were witnessed - somewhat to our shame -- actually praying to the auspicious sheep. But when we came to empty the sheep, it yielded a mere NZ$350, most of it in 20 cent coins.

In all, some 120,000 people visited the fourth Chinese THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

21

clltllclr on, lhe Mairriand Io stale ir' ,i.'",,t"tt to he a rlanger list of a lound Beijirrg :Ïì,,'',t. rrr,.l rulttlergtottrrrl

that ì,i""-',,' u lrislrops' - conference lea'le's such as

i,,"t* l(orrg church local chu'ch iìiìì,,'i"",Ï"'* rof e' then the lvell' ¡5 hann"d ,'."i,i r,,,''' l'.-irrg 23 "rrl"

,i.i,l,' f'oilr lhe

A

ll

icle

critical of the ,,rn,.ul.r,rr' ZeL was also

lor a valietv of U,,,t* lt,,,,tg govelllmenl irrclucling its hantlling of betting' The Church's own

,iir.i i.','Ã -

ir"rl,utt rvas .'ntt,'l,,riu,, orl such gambling said he But no' or yes sinrple u.i,lt"t ir to collect ,1," *nt'",,,nt*t just seemed football againsl or fatour irr ,,rri,tì,,,,* lhing l,"tti,'g. "1 tlrirrk lhe unlortunale

th¿rt thele \\¡as not much

is

goocl

rl ist'ttssi olt."

also came out against the tax levy olr <lonlestic helpers' "Surely our

lle

weak' and really ,"i,f,i,,,,.; irrstinct is to be on the side of the targeting the always the governrnent is

it *""tt," that

to be rveak...\\ie think thai the domestic helpels deselve

result of these ancl othel'

folrvarrì-

rnoving developments, he arltlerl, the current situation cannot lasl too lorrg.

That being said, Zen, l'ho has not been allowed to make an oflìcial visit to the Mainland sir.rce 1998, painterl a hleak pictule ol evel' tttote te¡rlessive measures facing tl.re Catholic Chulch, clespite obvious plogr-ess conrpat'etl

tleaterl lrelter'." may r\¡rart lì'orrr aitning brickbats at the governmenr'Zen for plaudits offering by sorne FCC members ha"" ",,,1rri."cl the llong Kong ar.rcl intelnational media' ,\*ketl il the rneclia had clone a good enough job in their

characteristically down-to-earth comment duling a lunchtime speech and question and answel session that scorecl headlines in both the local English and Chinese-language press.

Nevertl.reless, the man who has repeatedly spoken out against the Beijing government saw evidence for optirnism following last year's elevation of Hu Jintao to head the

Communist Pa'-ty. Zen said Hu was showing "good intentions", for example by saying that everybody should lespect ihe constitution and the Party should listen to people's voices. "That's a very good attitude."

He said the present situation, including the replession of the unclerground Catholic Church on the Mainland ovel its allegiance to the Vatican, was difficult to understand since it ran countel to a genelal cÌimate that has inclucled

China's entry into the World Trade Organisation

and

rvinning the right to host the 2008 Summel Olympics. As

22

a

whereas previously the Cornmunist govemurettt rttight ltave

taken two steps forward and then one step ltack,

it

also

sometimes took one forward and one back. "Artcl tlo\v \ve are obviousl,v going back."

Zen said the Chinese governnent had

l;econle

increasingly nervous in view ofthe open secret that tuo thirtls ofbishops in the officially recognized Catholic Chult'h on the Mainland rvere already reconciled with the Holv See. rvhicll

does not recognize Beijing diplomaticall¡'. He ciletl

Zen took the Hong l(ot'rg gov"rtt-ent to task ovel'the s'ell-

of the pro out proscribed groups on the it't Ho.tg Ko.tg. He hel THE CORRESPONDENT

-sttllveLstolr

rvorrld link lganisaliotts

that

if

the

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BOOK¿òËì Earn reward Points when /ou shep.

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an

patriotism."

The Bishop saicl he personally had tried to avoirl having increasecl relations with the Catholic cortnttt.titf irr China "because just to meniion my name is dangerous trorv'"

legislation, sing-ling

The Bishop added: "We leally have to be grateful to the media for doing their job so well because without this free press I think Hong I(ong wilJ be finished." I

have the chance

attempted "brainwashing session" for Cl.rinese bisho¡rs al official church i", in Beijing aucl instattces of ""r"trrot persecution, inclucling a case of seminaliatls beirlg folcerl to sign documents confessing to a lack of "sufficient

rvorn topic

each other."

OVETS

with 20 years ago. He saitl th¿l Bishop Zen may not normally be regarded as a betting man, but he is willing to offer a tip to arlyone contemplating a punt that China would achieve major progress on social freedoms and human lights in the next three years or so.

co\¡elage of issues of social and human rights, the Bishop saicl: "Some good people in the Church tell me 'Bishop, be careful, you are being used (bv the media)'. I think we ale using each other, but in a good sense: I mean we are helping

TI.I l1 ( ]O RR¡ìSPONI)DNT

APRIL/]\IAY

2OO3

Garry Marchant ls pleasantly surprised by the bør scene in Istanbul

o

Like the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Cambodia, the Press Club in Hanoi is uttconnected with the mediu,. Does that make tt good or bad? FCC member and Hanoi resident George W. Russ eII reports.

The first noticeable thing about Hanoi's Press Cub is the total absence of connections with the press. The elegant (though not original) building is first and foremost an eating establishment. There are no front-page displays, no Vietnam War-era mementoes, nothing at all to suggest a relationship with local or foreign media representatives.

In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a member of Hanoi's

tiny press corps in the place. "There was absolutely

no

encouragement for us to frequent the Press Club," recalled Paul Alexander, a former Associated Press bureau chief in Hanoi, now stationed in Manila. Alexander said that when the building opened in the mid1990s, not one member of the media was invited.

Part of the reason is the

foreign media's difficult relationship with Vietnamese

authorities.

Correspondents must be based in Hanoi and

must seek permission from

national and

provincial authorilies to pursue stories outside the capital. Activities, including phone calls and

interview subjects, are monitored. In such an environment, there has been no encouragement to open an

official press club

and Vietnam's relative obscurity since 1975 has meant there was never a sizeable contingent of international media.

Despite

its apparent lack of press credentials, no one

doubts the Press Club's ability to succeed at its main role: providing quality food and beverages. The elegant, colonialstyle building is divided into several areas. Downstairs is The Deli, an informal lunch gathering place much favoured by

Hanoi's expatriate community. To be sure, The Deli outdoes the more established competition in Hong Kong and Bangkok with its replicas of Western food. One highlight is the pastrami on rye (HI($39), perhaps the best example of its kind to be found in Asia. Other expat favourites include croque madame (HK$31), meatloaf (HK$39) and Australian-

style meat pies (HK$27). Thanks to the Press Club's Canadian Executive Chef Donald Berger, The Deli even boasts poutine (HK$13.70)

24

Upstairs

is a normally deserted bar

ideal place,

-the and the centre's Berger produces a range o{

incidentall¡ to locate an actual press club

up-market Le Restaurant. There, clever East-West fusion dishes such as Nha Trang oysters

served with chives, smoked salmon and Beluga caviar (HI($140) or this correspondent's favourite, Annamese sea bass with stir fried mustard greens, mandarin oranges and coriander butter (HI($137). The Canadian theme continues with Nova Scotia lobsters done several ways. even Hanoi's burgeoning middle For Vietnam out of range. It's expensive by remains CIub Press class-the

local standards filet mignon starts at HK$310 and its rich expatriate -cigars-and-port image is a turn-off for those few who could afford to dine there.

Still, the Press gets

Club

its share of publicity. A

We had not expected to find many good bars in the Levant. Yet here we were, sitting in the sun sipping chilled Efes beer and watching the passing parade of pleasure boats,

The vista is the bar's real attraction. The waterside terrace

of this European bar proves a fine venue for al fresco imbibing, with the scent of sea air, grey and white gulls

freighters and ferries along the Bosphorus. Istanbul, happil¡ dashecl our preconceptions. In a dedicated one-day quest we found a good afternoon, an evening and a night time bar' A tip from a fellow bar aficionado, and a desire to get out of the crowded cit¡ led us on a taxi ride to the nearby suburb

squawking overhead and the view of Asia across the narrow strait. The only downside is the over-priced beer.

Back in Istanbul, we head for the Pera Palas Hotel in the colourful old Pera (now Beyoglu) neighbourhood. The hotel opened in IBSI to accommodate passengers arriving by rail

of Bebek, a lS-minute scenic drive awav with views of the sea and numerous stately but rundown brrilding..

from Paris on the legendary Orient Express. And that

costume party held there in

June outraged officials.

Hanoi's substantial but largely invisible gay community (think Hong Kong, circa 1970s) saw the

Blue FantasY event as a chance to dress uP and have a ball. Police and cultural

watchdogs

pounced though no arrests as were made. One state-run newspaper described the party

"an illegal crazy carnival" of "young Vietnamese

men

an dressed ás girls." Last Febmar¡ the Press CIub hosted international wine festival, but Port of Hai Phong customs

officials seized all the promotional material, citing Vietnam's advertising code. well' Despite these hiccups, the Press Club soldiers on

The atmosphere of the Bebek Hotel bar, with its polished dark-wood floor, walls, tables is redolent of a

and chairs,

a dowrr-ru everything visiting media could want: low prices'

of war-e.ra relics' collection ;;;;iäffiä "i;,""'ui ''"'-"u nirt'' - rear ;;î::iïi.åüJtÏr"'"10""# tr r +^ll..i-c tn you' VOU. I -,^- talking to intoxicated journalists who won't stop

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OOT

pleasant club. Brass and glass wall sconces and prints of ancient Turkey decorate the walls. Large mirrors at each end of the bar are angled to give a view of the Bosphorus, the strait connecting the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. T}TE CORRESPONDENT

APRIL/MAY

2OO3

explains the charm of this historic hotel overlooking the old European quarter and the Golden Horn.

With serious renovation, the century-old rococo building

could be the Peninsula of Istanbul. But despite

several

attempts, the Pera Palas, which dates back to the Ottoman decÌine, retains an aura of shabby gentility. The l9th-century furnishings in the lobby, halls and public rooms give off an ambience of decay straight out of the pages of an early

25

the hotel from'international mystery novel. Clippings about and' I-1m tlld' the ladies' wall publications hang on the lobby * of Botticelli's Venus' washroom fèatures a mural we find tt utt"l"nt caged elevator' " patterns' ar' Elaborate'-arabesgle the and a few ancient firearms walls

roc

adorn the high-ceilinged room Settling in with a rak

local tipple,

I

check out

bottles, but wandering ab spy Mata Hari frequented the

the more N"-"'o" luminaries from and hotel' the also patronized genteel world of art ut¿ tît'-*

traitor IGm Philby' no doubt the bar'.

Ag";;

Orient Bar boasts an intriguin while Cnrirtl" stayed at the hotel

úiG

lat". d"r"'ibi"g

ih"

Dos Passos on"the Orient Express' John

the citY seen from

was harder to find, in part due to the locals' insistence on giving things Turkish names.

We finally tracked it down (Siraselviler Caddesi No. 6911, Taksim) along a grubby, smelly corridor, then up some stairs to the second floor. It was worth finding. A coat check booth stands at the entrance, like in an old gangster movie nightclub. Vivid þerhaps garish) experimental contemporary Turkish artwork hangs on the entry walls. (One pleasant

surprise, especially for lady imbibers: we found no Turkish toilets in Turkish bars. Can't say the same for Paris.)

The Taksim Art House is bar, restaurant and cabaret in one large room. Antique musical instruments (a violin, a saxophone and some horns) hang on the wall, along with bronze wall sconces with glass lampshades resembling frilly bonnets. W'e have a choice of sitting at a long bar, at about 10 tall tables and or at perhaps 20 dining tables, which have the places of privilege near the windows.

This is a pleasant place, with a good atmosphere and

Paddyfield.com focuses on what it can do best: making more than 800,000 English-language books available to Hong

$lgls3rrna

tu P*ldyfield!

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I(ong residents.

When Leung and Gordon started up, drey decided not to go running for the money that was being thrown at anything with a hyphenated 'e' or'7' in its name. "We didn't think getting lots of money was the way to go," said Leung. ".When you go that way you often don't see what you need to do to survive," And as the dot.con companies fell to the wayside.

Paddyfield.com kept on.

Buying books on the Internet is one of the easiest things to do, said Leung. There are no concerns about fit or colour or defective wiring. "Books are books and you can go to company A or company 8," she said. The difference is in customer satisfaction.

I(eeping the customers happy TG

*l .hlldm ðndtào.

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the early Hemin gwaY:at"""*.tt Orient Expres s (I922)'Ernest correspondent 1920s when he was u to'"ig" '|'h"-f"':::o^ town rtse through lhe Dailv Star,was unimpressed] "scattered no candles sticklng up for

fÏ

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one olhis dispatches' apparent reason," he wrote i''t

This grand old hot"i

it

a setling in numerous'

diverse

ih"'" inãlud"' uTotq others' the thrillers and travel u"toono' The Eunuch of Stamboul The Great RailwaY

books (1935), Bazaar

0966)'

ities (1985)' proper' but a good spot for bit a The bar today is reserved' going on to evening starter before

l"¿ in "u'ly "".åili" Iocales' Iivelier

haunt' we sought out For a more contemporary' active

íf'" T*.'lÏ

O:l

another recommended ¡"'' best bars of Europe' claims it is listed ut o""-of Newsweeh's

Ty;:"1"1

friendly staff. As he pulls a draft the bartender tells me the Taksim Art House has been here for 22 years. The restaurant menu, which he calls "intemational," lists standard steaks and schnitzels, as well as something called Keep Up. I must

the company.

Even before the question could be asked, Leung said the search engine at the Paddyfield site is as good as Amazon's.

"And I do not make any excuses for it," she said. The emphasis for Leung and the company is to build its customer base and improve its ordering and delivery system. As demand grows the search engine may be tweaked to include

WMWruþW NDSMY&À glììl1wßY N4 Loe.dhryd ¡Ã dghlsb6hry lnÛ¿fr!

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more features.

ask him what that is next time around.

Best of all is the stiring view. You can imbibe in Europe while watching Asia across the Bosphorus - the domes and minarets during the day, the lights of the ferries crossing between the two continents after dark. Tonight, the staff ignores the view and crowds around a giant screen watching a local soccer game.

From midnight to 4 am, they have live Turkish music, the bartender boasts. But Turkish food and drink

closs the cultural divide better than its music so the arrival of the musicians is a signal for all sensible bar crawlers to move

on. I

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

is a prime concern of

Leung. She said some ofthe people who have been on slafffor less than a yeat have already seen at least three major changes in how the firm handles queries, orders and follow ups. She says being a small company it is easier to make changes as quickly as needed to ensure customer satisfaction.

It helps that Leung and Gordon also write the software for

Itt not your usual Hong l(ong bookstore. There's no glitz and glitter. But in one respect Paddyfield.com is a typical Hong I(ong company. It is a mom and pop operation. Mom is Elaine Leung and pop is Peter Gordon who also edits and publishes the Asia Reuiew of Books.

"W'e don't pretend to be Amazon," said Leung, who is chief operating officer for Paddyfield.com. "Amazon sells everything and have set the standard for e-tailing. And they have the money to do it. We don't have that luxury." Instead, TH E CORRESPON DENT APRI L/ MAY

2OO3

In the meantime Paddyfield is working to satisfy book buyers'needs by tapping into the wholesale-buying power of companies in the United States, England and Australia.

Paddyfield uses the same supplier that got Amazon.com started.

Each week Paddyfield receives two to three shipments of books each from Britain and the United States. Every couple of weeks a shipment of Australian books arrives. What that means to the buyer in Hong l(ong, she said, is a good chance

of having the order completed and delivered within

two

weeks. Seventy percent of the orders, she says, are delivered within 10 days of the order being placed.

27

schools. She admits that running these programmes can help develop new customers but it is

not something that works

out easily in a cost-benefit analysis.

The bottom line for Leung

-

besides making the rent and salary

payments

- is that Paddyfield

makes books available

people

the

that

otherwise would never be sold

more than one store'

With better access to

hoPes books, Leung sard she

here. Because Paddl4ield has no issue shelf space or storage needs for large quantities ofbooks, it can help an architect or a teacher find just the right reference book that

more

lo see

l¡""*'f**ã book reading habits ;;-å;. s"h" .ir"d a surueY taken the il;; ;" years aso showingread **"r:ur" Hong Kong resident

;;fu; il";;

to

of Hong l(ong

that a Y"ear' She stressed

,"1""d to

onlY book

and ."uafug and not newsPaPer tn SingaPore lhe

-"-J'i"1",¿ing' to four books a vear and Ï"åi".ï;;t',ã"-un¿-u-t'ulf Taiwan' five books ayeat'

in

to increase the Hong l(ong time in the communitY and

egular supPorter of the Hong says she also helPs arrange for ganisations. The comPanY also any of the English-Ianguage

otherwise would never be found on a Hong Kong store's shelf.

Maybe as more books are made more readily available, she said, more people will read more books.

And for Leung the point is more than just a successful company. She says it is important for a successful society because success can only come with creativity and books provide that spark. "Perhaps people in Hong Kong think they are too busy to read books," she said, "but if you want to be creative you need to read fiction' You need to let your mind drift into a book. To experience the story' You can't get that

from a newspaper or news magazine."

I

Jake van der Kamp reaiews former F

CC President Stephen

Vines

latest book, Market Panic

rì

Isn't it funny

lon,,rN v,Nri

How a trader makes money, Buzz, buzz, buzz,

I wonder if he does And in case you wonder why this corruption of a Winnie

madness that goes with money and finds its victims among

the Pooh ditty should have started bouncing round my head

people who treat money too seriously. Distance yourself and

while reading Stephen Vines' book on investment, all

I

can

plead is that money and an element of madness go well

last ÚÍme I had somethÍng ru,í¡¿Led at the ùty eleaneÍs wa,s ten veats aglo. Thatrs w-hen I 'openeù

66The

¡t', Íun !

Da)'

ing dering

deliverY servlce courúeous O FríendlY'

i ¡rr""a"ne

Elsie Edenhall - Ip .

@ Gre ShoP Shop A' 2/T,

43t

kl

www.hon gkon

ay

evidence on the shelves of

manuals on how to make yourself rich by people who are not. books find buyers but they do, just as

go

o

ard.c

o

make money, he points out.

It is

tr-ue and now, Stephen,

will you please tell us how you

buy if a panic has just wiped you out and you have no money

to buy or how you can know that panic today will not

do not tell jokes.

followed by more panic tomorrow and wipe you out

if

be

you

have not already been?

is considered expensive at $5 the next. This is the category

If the strength of this book is that it distances itself from the market its single defect is the same thing. It is written from the outside looking in, a worthwhile perspective, but to

in which Market Panic falls.

know the fear of the market you have to be

is trained to write for a general readership, of the

a

history

of market panics and the state of current thinking on what

: +852.9733.8303 nb

high theme. People who buy when markets panic generally

overpriced investments do, jokes self-inflicted on people who

journalist. It gives you a very readable overview

induces them, nothing new but certainly better presented

Aberdeen . Hong Kong

ShoP

in

bookstores these days, brzz, buzz, btzz, yel more weighty

someone who

Cøll Now !

Prices

There is plenty of this

will not offer his own advice

there' I

Its strength is that is written for a general readership by

Pqrties . Big Banana . Wakeboarding . Watersküng

5hings+Ru$s xR'e-weavingi

the market. Stephen tries it with a variant on the buy low, sell

question of why something considered cheap at $10 one day

"Junk Junk"

on how to make money from

yourself.

to stand back from the marketplace and address that vexed

emieals súnin nemoval

But that author of investment books has yet to be found who

Among such books you will find a few titles that attempt

London!t' úhe lifc of your c.loúh,es let ffi-r-¡ 'ä""¡*¡o" Úake care of t'hem'

this book is right for you.

together. Treat money too seriously and you become a joke

It is a wonder that such

Goodwins of

(.

rn

than other recent books along that line.

And nothing new in these matters is a plus point. It is the

ETIEET

buzz,brzz books that tell you they have something new for

Market Panic by Stephen Vines ISBN

I 86197

403 5

January 2003

Price $260 HB / 288 pp Profile Books

you. There is nothing new in market panics, just the same old

email: drycleaning@goodwinsoflondon'com THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

29

I'll put your name on lhe 'friends list' and that will really hurt your

White House news briefings, or from the "sewer beat to the Nixon beat," as I once told an interviewer' Not the most

you don't stop bugging me about the enemies list,

felicitous quote, it seems in retrospect' The White House press corps, which at that time included

credibility. "

such luminaries as Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw, congregated

in the town's largest hotel, the

San Clemente Inn' The

briefings usually took place in the hotel's basement ballroom' I remember Ziegler had an attractive, blond-haired aide, who passed around the handouts. Her name was Diane Sawyer, later of 60 Minutes [ame.

one of four John Dean recently claimed that Zie{'et was mysterious the Throat," people who might have been "Deep latesecret source who gave Woodward crucial information in

night meetings. That seems rather implausible' Ziefl'er was loyal lap dog to the boss and one of the few members of the staff who accompanied Nixon back to San Clemente after his resignation on August 9,I974.

Unlike many of his colleagues, Ziegler

John' Deøn recerltl)f claimed th r,tr&s one of four Peoqle who m

been "Deep Throatr" the mysterious source to lisren ro or read anvthing rrom a who gaae Wood,ward crucial information il'"#irt.r,ä;:-".":"ïi'ií" åïui? trade association public The San Clemente Inn was located close to Nixon's villa, so that we journalists could quickly clamber on to buses to go there for "photo-ops." The pencil pushers were there to lap up

any bon mots that the president might happen to drop' I remember crowding into the president's office in a kind of trailer as he was meeting the first (though still unofficial)

have to give non-answers. But

Chinese envoy.

Only a few months previousl¡ Nixon had made his groundbreaking trip to Beijing. John Schmitz, our local congressman and member of the John Birch Society, had remarked that he didn't mind Nixon going to Red China so long as he didn't come back' That was a little much even for the denizens of conservative Orange County who were proud of their local boy. Schmitz became a one-term congressman' But the scandal by this time overrode almost everything' -Watergate

the White House had a chance to observe Zíeglet, and

administration. Previous spokesmen (and they had all men) had been more mature. Many at the time thought it was been

a deliberate snub to appoint a man in his early Q0s, and one who seemed rather callow, to such a visible post' But then Nixon's animus towards the media was well known'

home during his years

in office and for a while

ignominious deParture' Zíegler was a relatively minor figure

after his

in an episode that

long receded into gnpped the United States for months but has puzzlement detached history. The rest of the world watched in ,,third-rate burglary" of the offices of the Democratic as this apartment complex Party National Committee in the Watergate ultimately led to the in Washington ballooned into scandal and first and so far only presidential resignation'

to 30

Intheearhlg70sRonZiegletwasarelativelyyoungman the Nixon be holding such a highly visible post in

Zíegler was part

of the so-called SC (University

of

Southem California) "mafia" ofyoung Californians who staffed much of the Nixon White House. Some of his "training" for

was, of course' a Washington story' We reporters in California did what we could to pick up the crumbs on the far side ofthe country mostly digging up nit-picking stories about

public money being spent on improvements to Nixon's vacation home, grandly called the W'estern White House' It must have been a trying experience for Ziegler, who apologized to Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Robert Woodward the day after the April 30, 1973 resignation of White House counsel John Dean and Nixon's senior aides

John Ehrlichman and H.R. Haldeman. After that he

was

was said, came from working

seldom seen on the podium, turning routine briefings over to

summers as a guide at Disneyland's Jungle Cruise' He used to regale the White House press corps with his spiel -- watch out

his deput¡ Jerry Warren.

He did not, however, Iose his sense of humour' I remember eavesdropping on a conversation he had with veteran UPI

handling the press pack,

it

for the lions, "they're always looking for a hand out."

These were heady and sometimes disconcerting experiences for a cub repoder. When the presiclent was in residence, I would have to juggle small town news with national news, moving from the local sanitary district board to THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL,/MAY

2OO3

relations'

becoming chief executive of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, from which he retired in 1998' What he said in aWct'shington Post interview in 1981 may

White House correspondent Helen Thomas' The big story of the day was the so-called "enemies list" of Nixon opponents, who might be harassed by the government in various ways' Ziegler wrapped an arm around Thomas, and said, "Helen, if THF, CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

be considered an epitaph for a press secretary: "It's necessary to fudge sometimes. You have to give political answers' You

I

never walked out on that

l-^-+ +L- +-'+1" o li+rla I podium and lied." No. Just bent the truth a little' ,^+

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2OO3

J C staged thefi,rst eaer birthday celebration

ng Kong for American writer

arud poet

en Poe, organíser Dan Kubiske reports The decision to hold the party had nothing to do with the Burns Supper that was held in the same room the next night and to send up an American writer before the Scots. Rather it

originated with

a

challenge from Club President Tom

Crampton.

For years I have worn a small raven on my label in honour of Edgar Allen Poe. Crampton, a graduate of the University of Virginia (UVA), one of the schools Poe attended, said if I enjoyed Poe so much I should organise a birthday party for him.

conspirators was a logical move. The

leave immediately for seven days if they show any symptoms of flu or

co-sponsor the party and association chairman, Peabody Hutton, came up with a brilliant suggestion: rather than ruin the night with amateur readings

-

Measures addressing terrorism

Safetv Awareness training sessions have been scheduled with membeq Tracy Walton.

All department heads, staff at

air

conditioners and air cleansers are now

cleaned twice

the FCC implemented additional security and hygiene measures on March 26 as a precaution against possible terrorist attacks and to protect

the Club against the outbreak

of

Acute

Respiratory Syndrome

-

All kitchen workers

and stewards must wear masks during duty

hours and their masks should

be

changed on daily basis.

-

All

week and sterilized. exhaust fans, venliìalion

systems and air cleansers turned on at all times

will

be

staff have been provided

with a mask and should wear the mask whenever at risk of infection, particularly when taking public transport. Extra masks are in stock and will be provided to staff on request.

- The Club telephones and door

Staff Terrorism

supervisor levels and security guards to pay high attention to strange parcels, misplaced

have been instructed

baggage and odd smells. Ary

-

The Ìatest advisories from the Health Department has been posted on

the Club Notice Board and

atypical pneumonia, They include:

Measures addressing Severe

All

a

coPies provided for members to take with them.

- The latest advisories from the Health Department has been posted on Staff Notice Boards and copies have

suspicious strangers approaching the

Club should be reported to

the department heads or duty managers.

- The water tank supply will be locked at all times.

-

The Club's closed circuit

been given to each of our 100 staff

television system has been put into full operation and we may consider

members.

upgrading it.

A memo has been issued to all

department heads calling for high attention to the disease and personal hygiene. If anY staff or member of

his/her family or relatives symptoms

of

shows

Pneumonia theY must

report this immediatelY'

-

Staff are also advised to wash

- For emergency situations, when people get hurt or sick, department heads or duty managers are instructed to call 999 whenever necessary.

-

Frequent fire drill

and

evacuation training for alÌ staff and fire alarm testing will take place. I THE CORRTSPONDENT APRIL/MAY

UVA Alumni Association agreed

to

from fans of Poe's work, Hutton

The filters

the

2OO3

successes.

with the "autobiography" were samples of

Interspersed

While many know Poe as the writer of The Raven, the poem that made him famous, and the short stor¡ The Tell Tale Heart - both of

whenever possible.

Staff are advised to take sick

in

and his literary Poe's works.

cleaned with sterilizers three times per da¡ in time.

and

Calling in the UVA crowd as co-

hands with liquid soap at all

pneumonla.

the tragic death of his wife

finally to his own mysterious death.

He discussed Poe's ìiterary enemies

So challenge accepted.

handles are now

the morning, after lunch and at dinner

After the meal was concluded the few remaining modern lights were dimmed and as they came back up Baker walked to the riser dressed as Poe. Pausing ever so briefly at "his" coffin, "Poe" then delivered his own eulogy.

Baker took us from Poe's troubled childhood through his problems with his adopted father to

proposed that we get an actor to do the

honours. After much searching we hired Strategic Entertainment to prepare a one-man show for the evening.

The celebration was for a writer that created a new form of literature -- the detective novel -- and whose poetry went from the heights of passionate love to the darkest reaches of a human soul wracked with depression and self-doubt.

The crack team at Strategic Entertainment researched and wrote a performance for local actor and drama instructor Doug Baker.

The dress code for the evening was black and most guests accommodated that request. The tables were draped in black and the room was darkened. A few candles at the tables mingled with the subdued house lights to provide a sombre atmosphere. On the riser was a small table with a bottle of cognac and a rose. Next to the table was a casket.

Even though this was to be a birthday celebration, we were clearly in for a wake.

The mood was set and the guests arrived.

To add a more festive touch - after all it was a birthday celebration - word puzzles related to Poe's life and works were distributed. Whoever could answer the most questions by the end of the evening won a case of Raven beer. The libation was flown in especially for the event. It is a microbrew from Baltimore, the city where Poe is buried.

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

which were read at the "wake"

- Poe a poet of great passion.

Baker sharpened this point throughout the monologue. He

was also

delivered selections from Annabel Lee and The Bells with such emotion that even those who were lukewarm to Poe as a poet were moved. (Or so they said after the performance.)

Will the Poe birthday celebration become an annual event at the FCC? That is hard to tell. It will be up to Mr. Crampton and his UVA compatriots to make sure Poe's 195th birthday is celebrated in Hong Kong. As for me, I will be arranging a similar party on the beaches of the Dominican Republic. Or maybe I'll fly to Baltimore where the largest Poe celebration in the world is held each year. I Orrce upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Ouer many a quaint and curious uolumc offorgotten lore, While I nodded, nnarly napping, suddenly there catne a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my

chamber d,oor. ''Tis some uisitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber d,oor -

Only this, and nothing more.

- Thc ßøoen bg Ddga,r Allan Poe

tt

club activities

Speakers in the House

sponsors such as you to help cover the

costs of food, beverage

and

entertainment through provision of your

products

or services. We are also

seeking prizes to entice guests to buy raffle tickets. AII sponsors receive publicity according to their level of sponsorship for details.

-

please see the attached

To donate cash, a raffle Prize, products or services please contact Sophia Harilela on9689-7625 or email charityball@fcchk.org. For more information on Po Leung Kuk or the FCC, please look at our websites: www.poleungkuk'org'hk and

The extremely successful inaugural

FCC Charity Batl 2002 raised an amazing $800,000 to endow the FCC Scholarship Fund for underprivileged children from the Po Leung Kuk orphanage. Select students from Po Leung Kuk - otherwise unable to pursue higher education due to financial constraints - will now attend university this year. In addition, more

www.fcchk.org.

advance, thank You for committing your suPPofi to the 2003

In

fund raising charity ball for the Foreign

Correspondents'

Club

ScholarshiP

Fund.

From top: Financial Secretary AntonY Leung (second from right). Jonathan Anderson Senior Greater Chinese Economist for Goldman Sachs' The Hong Kong Tourism Board's chairman, Selina Chow. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Kong Quan, addresses the Board.

i I

Photos by Terry Duckham

I I I

than last year. Martha Reeves, who had the dance floor filled before the end of her first song' is a tough act to follow, so we have planned aî exlravaganza starring Motown legends The Supremes

I I I I

I I

1

I

with Mary Wilson, and rock and roll

L

I

i

great Bobby Hendricks.

than I00 children will benefit from financed tutoring programmes to help them prepare for further education.

Booked into the stunning glass gallery of the Hong Kong Convention Centre, the second charity ball promises

to be even bigger, better and more fun

The FCC CharitY Ball Committee invites your involvement in this high profile fundraising event.

Your cash donations go directly into

scholarshiP fund and are tax deductible' To keep ticket prices at $1,488 per person and $17,256 Per table we need corporate and private

the

Sincerely,

4u*C*l ÐP? Thomas Crampton and Dave Garcia Co-chairs, Foreign Correspondents Club Charity Ball Commitlee

FCC Pool

Select Service donates $2O,OOO

Players SocietY

to FCC

ScholarshiP Fund Select Service Parrner (SSP) donated $20,000 to the FCC Scholarship SSP Getæral

Inu,

Mannger of Operatioru, Daren

presents the d'onatíon to FCC President,

Tom Crarnpton. The Scholarshipfun'ds high'er

eduration for talenteiJ but un derpriaile ged childrenfrom the Po Inung l(ult'.

34

24th Fund raised by its two new airport outlets, which opened on the combined profits' September last year and donated 507o of their first week's and other The outlets are Ajisen Ramen, which serves Japanese noodles dishes, and Hui Lau shan, which sells healthy desserts and drinks.

35 THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

THE CORRTSPONDENT APRIL/MÄY

2OO3

rrr.,1O Years On

Half Century Gelebrations lt

Derek

seems that the boys are

all getting older. Last

Davies's 60th

month the Big 50 was celebrated in bulk

birthday party in Phuket (where Derek and Sumi now live), Satwday 22

birthday bash for 'old ' members Paul Bayfield, Steve Fallon, Basil Pao, Chris Champion, Karl

March.

'Wilson

and Terry Duckham in the Main Dining Room. Also turning 50 and joining the festivities were resident band members Allen Youngblood and Flynn Adams along with the FCC's Mitch Davidson and Peter Mann.

Photos by Philip Nourse

Top teft: Derek Top right lert n right): Ken Dauies (son), Hannah Daaies (daughter), Angie Thurston, Philip Nottrse, Surni Dauies, Derek Dauies, Dauid, Thurston.

Barry Kalb's book s¡gn¡ng and 60th birthday party

Photos by Bob Davis

Left: celebrating his 60th' bírthday with u,ife Susie

and daughter Vicky.

Below and, left: Book signing in the FCC Photos by Bob Davis

Peter Mann and friends Peter enjoyed the first 50th party so much he threw his own a month later and everyone got to play again, including Allen Youngblood and the band.

Photos by Terry Duckham

The Garcia's w/ some friend's from South Africa

THE CORRESPONDENT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

THE CORRXSPONDE,NT APRIL/MAY

2OO3

Peter Berry andfriends celebrate his 40 years ín Hong Kong

37

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39

FUJIFILM Andy Chusorowsky tallts to......

ijir:

government's own publications.

One article pointed out that Fallon

had written thal air pollulion was the worst in the summer months, when in fact the air particulate levels are the highest in the winter.

"That may be strictly true," admits

guide's cover shot.

Instead of portraying "blue sk¡ white clouds, clear water and fine sand, depicting comfortable and relaxing scenery" - as Legislative Councillor Cyd Ho suggested it should -- the photo chosen was a cobalt blue tinted image of the Bank of China building wreathed in an early morning haze. Or, um, was that

it

certainly SEEMS worse when you add in the heat and humidity."

writing that the smokestacks of contribute to the air

Board

they should have been consulted before the choice ofthe cover shot

f CC Life Member, Trauel Writer ond .... Accidentol

Enuirontnentalist

those perceptions was a little put out, but Fallon, who has been writing Lonely Planet Guides for over 10 years, was a little mystified by the depth of the reaction. "Although I was not really part of the decisionmaking process for the front cover, I was shown the short list of the shots they were considering, and I suppose this one would not have been my first choice, but I hardly think the shot is all that damaging. To me, it's an evocative image that reflects the emphasis that Hong l(ong places on business. I

never would have interpreted the picture as highlighting Hong l(ong's pollution problem."

The government and the local press disagreed. The initial fuss over the cover led some of the local newspapers to pick

40

belching factories

pollution

In the end, the Guide relent somewhat, and for

the

cover.

Fallon, who returned to Hong I(ong (and his favourite haunt, the FCC Main Bar) for several weeks this spring to update the Hong l(ong and Macau guide' is no stranger to these sorts of uproars. In 1995, when he was compiling the first English language guide to Slovenia, a

in the

Slovenian

President's name, Milan l(uðan, being misspelled as l(urðan.

This would have been bad enough, but unfortunatel¡ in Slovenian Kurðan translates as a rather crude epithet. Years after publication, Fallon, talking to some backpackers from Slovenia, let it be known that he wrote the Lonely Planet guide to their country. "Aha," cried one of them. "You're the man who called our president a dickhead!" I THE CORRE,SPONDENT APRIL/MAY

Digital Data Storage

did

second print mn they lightened the shot slightly so it wouldn't look quite as gloomy as the original

hastily made editing decision resulted

)t!

/,A\

&/

problem. The newspaper pointed out that Hong I(ong hardly has any more factories -- belching smoke or otherwise. Fallon retorts: "Sure, but the factories ARE there right over the border, and they certainly do still add to the problem."

even went so far as to suggest that

with managing

"iÍ;'.*'J'

He was also called to task over his

marketing manâger, Anna Bolger,

charged

SuperDLTtape"l

an and, to me, expert, environmental

According to Lonely Planet's

hypersensitivity to Hong Kong's image overseas, it is, perhaps, understandable that the body

@lÏÊ

Fallon, "but I'm not

smog?

was made. A suggestion Fallon finds ludicrous. With the current

t

apart Fallon's environmental section of the guide - most of which he gleaned fi'om the

Few travel guides (or indeed travel guide writers) purposely set out to cause a furore, but Steve Fallon author of The Lonely Planet Guide to Hong I(ong and Macau, found himself embroiled in controversy over the latest

the Hong Kong Tourism

^.q

100'200

Photograph by Bob Davis

2OO3

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