American journalist found shot dead in Basra
03 Aug 2005 05:35:08 GMT
Source: Reuters
BAGHDAD, Aug 3 (Reuters) - An American journalist and author has been found shot dead in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, a Western diplomat said on Wednesday.
The diplomat told Reuters the next of kin of Steven Vincent had been notified and an investigation was underway to determine who was behind the death.
The diplomat said he believed Vincent's body was found on Tuesday.
Vincent was the author of a book on postwar Iraq and was researching another book about the history of Basra, where British troops are based.
An opinion piece he wrote criticising the rise of Shi'ite Islamist fundamentalism in Basra was published in The New York Times four days ago.
Link
Steven and his translator Layla were kidnapped by Shi'ite thugs and shot. Steven was killed, Layla was wounded and in the hospital.
Steveen also kept a blog The Red Zone.
Below is an excerpt from one of his entries - needless to say the entire article and others are recommended reading.
June 24, 2005
FALLEN VIRTUE
[Note: Readers interested in an investigation of Basra politics--in particular, the push toward federalism, or de-centralization--might want to check out my piece in June 28th's Christian Science Monitor. Hope you enjoy.]
Dear Lisa--
What's one of the main source of the problems afflicting Basra these days? Pull up a chair, habibitie, and I'll tell you...
...so there we are, Layla and I, chatting one recent afternoon in the funduk coffee shop with Dr. Basma, a history professor at Basra U. Over cups of chai, the conversation meanders from the Battle of the Camel to the Dutch East India Company and the Sublime Porte to today's religious conservatism among Basma's students. Outside, the day is hot and dry enough to dehydrate a sponge, overriding the funduk a/c system until, growing uncomfortable, Layla divests her abiya to carry on the interview in a scarf, long sleeved blouse and blue jean flairs. All perfectly modest, of course, nothing like the T&A jigee-jiggling on the Arab music videos blasting from the television behind us.
In walks a man, who plants himself in front of the TV. Even as Dr. Basma recounts how increasing numbers of students are shrouding themselves in hejab, this worthy sits transfixed by the televised bevy of dark-eyed houri prancing and dancing and rotating their heads until their long, thick, black-as-the -Kaaba tresses spin like propellor blades. The irony is not lost at our table, although we don't mention it.
The man, however, feels no such discretion: soon, instead of Lebanese teens in adornment-revealing half-cut tees and crotch-level jeans, he's staring at us--staring with the same blank, dull, malevolently stupid glare I've encountered so often in this country. I tense; Layla, sensitive by now to my misplaced gallantry, cautions, "I know, I know, just ignore him..." while Dr. Basma talks gamely on, trying to blot the intrusive gaze from her consciousness as well.
But I can't restrain myself, it's hackle-raising, this constant stare. "Eindak mooshkelah?" I snap, ("You have a problem?"), the man starts, garbles something in Arabic, looks back to the TV for moment--then turns to glare at us once more. By now I'm thinking, What would happen if I punched this guy? when fortunately, Layla leaps up, murmurs with exasperation, "It's me, it's me..." and proceeds to re-abiya herself. Muslim dignity restored, the man returns to oggling the video vixens in their chadorless abandon, hair, limbs, hips moving with the freedom Iraqi women experience only in their dreams.
Ah yes, I think, the tanker truck men all over again, the same gutfull of squelched anger shot through with helplessness and frustration. And once more, I'm reminded that the real agents of Iraq's fate are not media-friendly issues like the "insurgency" or the "Occupation" or even the upcoming constitutional convention--but rather subtle, ephemeral, non-documentable social norms and cutoms that permeate and regulate the lives of nearly every person in this country--especially females. I've railed about this topic before, but it never ceases to astonish me, the ways in which Iraqi men subjugate and control their women with their obsessions on "reputation," "honor" and that all-purpose cudgel, "proper Muslim behavior."