RECORDING for posterity events on this Passing Parade must be an interesting assignment. It is also quite a hazardous one.
Last year, there were 37 journalists killed in the front line reporting the news. So far this year, 11 have died.
Taking the numbers involved that must be the highest mortality rate in any profession in the world. Still, there seems to be always plenty, willing and able to go out to faraway places and see for themselves what is happening and report the news to the rest of the world.
One journalist who has done this with great distinction is Christiane Amanpour who gave this year's lecture in the Broadcasting Society and the Law Series held annually in the O'Reilly Hall, UCD on October 16, 2002. This series is sponsored jointly by RTE and the Facility of Law in UCD.
Christiane Amanpour is CNN's chief international correspondent, based in London. She was born in London in 1958, the eldest of four daughters of an Iranian businessman and his English wife.
After spending her early years in Iran, the family moved to the United States. Ms Amanpour attended the University of Rhode Island, from which she graduated with a degree in journalism.
She joined CNN, one of the world's leading broadcasters, in 1983 and then spent several years on some of the most dangerous assignments that journalists have faced in recent history, including the Gulf War, the break up of the Soviet Union, the crisis in Somalia and the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.
Her reporting from these areas made her reputation as a world-class correspondent.
Ms Amanpour has received numerous national and international awards for her work, including an Emmy Award, two Peabody Awards, the George Polk Award and a Courage in Journalism Award.
Recently, Ms Amanpour was named a Fellow of the Society of Professional Journalists, in recognition of her major international contribution in this field.
She is married to James Rubin, former Assistant Secretary of State and chief spokesman for the State Department during both Clinton administrations. They have a two-year-old son, Darius John.
There was a fine attendance at this lecture including former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds and Chief Justice, Ronan Keane. U2 frontman Bono and his wife, Ali, were there and there were many representatives from the various embassies in Dublin.
There was a good sprinkling of law men from both the North and South.
Professor Paul O Connor, Dean of the Faculty of Law in UCD chaired proceedings and there was a few words of welcome at the beginning from both the heads of UCD and RTE.
Dr. Art Cosgrove, President of UCD, stated this annual lecture has developed into one of the highlights of the academic year, through the distinction and quality of the speakers that have accepted the invitation to address the series.
"Each posed a different and challenging perspective on the varieties of issues at the interface of the relation-ship between law, society and the media.
"Issues such as freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, the ethics of journalism and the relevance of informed public debate, which issues remain centrestage in both Irish and international affairs," he said.
RTE Director General, Mr. Bob Collins, spoke on the relationship between broadcasting and the law, "two spheres that make a central contribution to sustaining and advancing liberty and justice. Freedom of expression, the right to know, to reflect, to question and to debate these are the fundamentals of democracy and the preconditions of all other democratic rights and responsibilities."
Christiane Amapour s lecture was entitled "Afghanistan, Iraq Bombing But what comes next."
And in the course of her interesting talk she pointed out that the vital role of the journalist is to help people understand what is happening.
On October 7, 2002 the US campaign began in Afghanistan during which they routed the Taliban and actually freed the people in that country from the terrible regime that held power there.
Civilan casualties were a lot less than claimed and the people there appreciated very much the freedom they got - women could only go around fully covered looking through a peephole in a cloth that was actually covering their heads.
Americans don't just bomb, she stressed. They build schools and roads and help to put the country on the its feet so to speak. America has already spent 1.8 billion dollars on schools and roads in Afghanistan and have helped to put that country on a level playing field.
Afghanistan could not get out of the trouble it is in without aid. The people there like foreigners to come along and help them.
They all have radio and keep in touch with what is happening. The country needs security now to continue to prosper, she maintained.
Christiane Amapour was there when the invasion took place and reported back the actual events following the invasions as they happened.
It is difficult to get news out of Iraq. This is a very dangerous time in the Islam world.
A Gallup Poll in Moslem countries recently showed that the natives in these countries have a feeling that they are being left behind by the rest of the world.
Ms Amapour had in her possession a book entitled The Crimes Of War. This book gives a briefing on the guidelines on how to report wars properly. The war in Bosnia was a massive failure - the rapist and the person raped are not equals. Genocide is the worst crime that can be committed.
Christiane Amapour brought out an interesting point - should journalists be compelled to give evidence in war trials?
What should they do? They are in a tricky position. They could be murdered by a bad regime if they were compelled to give evidence in case their evidence was used for convictions. The journalist had his or her job done by already reporting what had happened.
The position of war in Iraq arises. It would be much more senseless for Saddam Hussein to allow this to happen.
Christiaine Amanpour paid a tribute to the many Irish journalists, including Maggie O'Kane, who were reporting from the various trouble spots around the world.
At the end of her fine lecture questions were allowed from the audience and proceedings ended with a person from Bosnia who paid tribute to Christain for her great work out in Bosnia when she was reporting from there.
After the lecture there was drinks and savouries provided at a reception where all present got a chance to mingle and chat.
It was nice to be there and hear it all first hand. Here's wishing Christiane Amanpour every success.
I hope she'll be out there telling the world what's happening for many years to come.
Abusing clerics need to be punished now
SEX abuse by clerics has dominated the airwaves and the media in general ever since the Prime Time programme on the subject in the Dublin Archdiocese was shown on RTE on Thursday October 17.
It is a sad state of affairs that the leaders in the Catholic Church were found wanting in bringing these errant clergy to justice.
The litany of priests abusing children is frightening and seems to be getting worse every day.
To clear the air, the full rigours of the law must be brought to bear against sex abuse clerics and, hopefully, this will be done.
