APD Campus Reporters| Lesotho in Africa, a correspondent’s turning point

LIYou |HongKongBaptistUniversity

“Foranydemocracytothrive,itsmediamustactaswatchdog–holdingleadersaccountablefortheirwordsanddeeds.And,yes,takeabiteiftheyfailtodeliver,”MichaelJ.Jordan,aU.S.foreigncorrespondentwroteinonepieceofhisnewsarticletitled”TheToothlessWatchdog:WhyElectionCoverageMatters.”Michael J. Jordan is teaching journalism class in Hong Kong Baptist Universtiy,

Photo by LI You

Butitishardtoimaginethatjustseveralyearsago,hewasfamousforhisdispassionatewritingstyleinreportinginternationalnewsinsome“terrible”issues,suchasrapesororphanages.

Heworksfor20yearsasaU.S.foreigncorrespondent,reportingfrom30differentcountries.

Beingdispassionate,whichmeansstayawayfromopinioninnewsarticle,hasbecomeapartofhiscareercriteria.

ButhisexperienceinthetinyAfricankingdomofLesothowherehedescribed,“democracyhasprevailed–andacriminalcover-upcontinues”,washisturningpointinhiscareer.

Journalist’smission,ononehand,istobetterinformandeducatepeople,ontheotherhand,istoraiseawareness,hesaid.

Jordanworkedasaforeigncorrespondentinfourcontinents:NorthAmerica,Europe,andAfrica,nowinAsia.BeforeresidinginChinasinceAugust2015,JordanlivedforthreeyearsinLesotho.

LesothoisamountainouslandlockedcountryinAfrica,butalsoacountrysufferingtheworld’ssecond-highestrateofHIVinfection,at23percent.Michael J. Jordan's notebook, Photo by LI You

Peopleliveinhutsbuiltbythemselvesandsufferfromthedeadlydiseasesilently.Clinicsarehardtoreach,especiallyinsomeremotemountains.HIV-infectedwomencarrybabiesontheirback.

Despitethehardshipofthepeople,thecountryisputtinglimitsoninternationaldevelopmentassistance,andisreluctanttotackletherealissuesthatplagueordinarypeople,accordingtohisnewsarticle.

Whatmakesthesituationevenworseisthatahandfulofgovernmentofficialswereaccusedofcorruption;andthepatienceoftheinternationalcommunityiswearingthin.

Therefore,inhopeofmakingadifference,hedevotedmuchofhistimetherewritingabouttheextremesituations,thecorruptionofthegovernmentandalsoworkedasaHealthJournalismTrainerandHealthCommunicationsConsultant.

AtfirstfewmonthsinLesotho,hewasaneutraljournalist,andtriedtobedispassionate.Butthenhewasseeingwhatwasreallyhappening.Hesawtheinjusticearoundhim,andhowdeepthecorruptionreallywas.

“Ibecameangryasahumanbeing,”hesaid,”oneofourjournalists’missionsistogivevoicetothevoicelessandtoempowerthepowerless.”

ThenhedecidedtowriteaboutopinionpiecessoastoraisetheawarenessoutsideLesothowhat’sgoingon.Hestartedexploringalltherootcausesoftheviolence,suchascorruptionandmilitary.

Butthen,hewaspubliclyaccusedoflyingafterinterviewingatopgovernmentleaderandhewasforcedtoapologize.

Hedeniedanddecidedtofightbackbywritingabouthowhewasbeingintimidatedduringthattimeandthenhebecamemoreactiveafterward.

“Themountainkingdomneedsarobust,confidentmediatocovereventswithoutfearorfavor,”hewroteinthat“revengearticle”.

Butthingsgetcomplicatedafterward,hiswife,workingforamajorinternationalorganizationinLesothoatthattime,wasaccusedofprovidinghimnewsinformation.Andtheyhadthreechildrenatthattime.

Atthesametime,thereweremoreandmorefriendsofhimwarninghimabouthissafetyandalsohiskidswhilethesecuritypeopleinhislivingplacewerenotarmed.

LikemanyjournalistsinLesotho,theyhadtothinkabouttheirownsafetyandthesurvivaloftheirfamily.

“Someoneinthemidofthenightjustspreadbulletstotheir(journalists’)home”hesaid,“Nooneisgoingtoprotectjournalists.”

Andhebecameworriedabouthischildren,ashewasthennolongerasinglemanbutawoman’shusbandandthreechildren’sfather.Sohefollowedhiswife,leftLesothoandarrivedinBeijingfinally.

HeisnowlivinginBeijingandteachinginRenminUniversityanddoingsometrainingininternationaljournalisminHongKongBaptistUniversity.

Mostrecently,healsoproducedastorytelling-and-photoprojectontheplightofHIVOrphansandVulnerableChildren--whichwillsoonbepublishedasabookandtriedtofinishhisstoriescollectedinLesotho.Michael J. Jordan's notebook inside, Photo by LI You

“LesothoandChinaaretwoveryverydifferentsituations…inLesotho,Iactuallyfeltprofessional,butalsoevenethnicalandmoralobligation,theduty,tospeakup…inChina,therearethousandsofforeignjournalists,thereisplentyofcriticaljournalism,”hesaid.

HeisnowplanningtofindsomemeaningfultopicstoworkonandcaringaboutBeijing’sairpollutionandplanedtowriteastoryaboutit.

“Itwouldbeeasy,nowjustwithinBeijing,toblamethegovernmentforthepollutionandlookintotherealityhowdangerousthepollutionis,butthat’snotfair,”hesaid.

Hehasseenmanyseeminglyunfairphenomenaduringhiscareerasaforeigncorrespondent:thebabiesdidnothingwrongbutborntohaveHIV;theFilipinoshavetoworkinHongKongashelpstoraiseotherpeople’sbabiesinsteadoftheirown;thebiggersistercleaningtoiletstopayforherbrother’swedding…

“IcanseehowfortunateIam,andthenIseealltheunfairnessandinjusticeandIhavecertainobligationtogivethevoicetothevoiceless,”hesaid.