ADDING to the onslaught of unfortunate news hitting us in 2020, the passing of great British journalist Robert Fisk and best-selling author of "The Great War for Civilisation – The Conquest of the Middle East" marks a great loss in the world of media reporting.
The veteran journalist had a long-standing career as a foreign correspondent dating back to the early 70s when he was based in Belfast, reporting developments of civilian unrest from Northern Ireland.
Those familiar with Fisk's work know that he has never shied away from high-risk conflict zones, where he was in his element.
His fearlessness in delivering war stories – mostly covering conflict in the Middle East – gained widespread recognition over the years since his days in Belfast, with multiple award wins over his work.
Surely, his close encounters with one of the most notorious enemies of the West and Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden – for not just one, but three interviews – is a statement of his courage and dedication to deliver news straight from the source despite how hostile conditions could be.
In his 9/11 memorial article published for the Independent UK, he recalls his meeting with the Al-Qaeda leader: “Dissident [bin Laden] may be, but moderate never”.
Equally, the British Press Awards International Journalist of the Year and Foreign Reporter of the Year had also been critical of the Western foreign policies, namely United States and United Kingdom, and Israeli forces.
This has led most of his supporters to regard Fisk as being uniquely unbiased – due to his likeness of not being like 'most Western journalists’, while his critics called him controversial.
On Friday, October 30, Fisk, 74, suffered a suspected stroke at his home in Dublin before passing away at St Vincent’s hospital later.
Many of Fisk’s peers and admirers took to social media to express their appreciation over his accomplishments when the news of his death broke this past weekend:
“Legendary and at times controversial: but always great journalist and foreign correspondent...” – @RayKennedyNews
“Way too young. I liked and respected Robert. One day in South Lebanon when I arrived from the wars in former Yugoslavia he sniffed my flak jacket (he wasn’t a fan of body armour) and claimed he smelt slivovitza. I retaliated by saying I’d read his reports at school. RIP Fisk” – @BowenBBC
“I had lunch with Robert Fisk as an MA student in 2005, Australia. I was awed by his bravery, resilience, writing style, and passion for the truth. Then came post-2011 Fisk who whitewashed Assad’s crimes. It saddened me. I could not reconcile the two Fisks” – @_amroali
Twitter threads with the hashtag #robertfisk are flooded with tributes pouring in from supporters from around the world, signifying the objectivity and impact of his work. – The Vibes, November 2, 2020
