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make a difference in nearly welcome from people and filming voting as it took documentary about Congo,
impossible conditions. I working in Baghdad. place at a polling station. Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan
wanted to tell their story, or Nicholas Haysom, who was or other places. It's one of the
at least give a glimpse into Nelson Mandela's former This enabled me to show confronting and sad realities
the kind of lives they were legal adviser, and who was both the behind-the-scenes of today that many, many
leading. head of the UN constitution stuff at the UN, but also to missions now have an
team, said that he felt it was get at least some idea of the element of danger - and aid
Q: How was the support important that the UN's lives of Iraqis in Baghdad. workers, and the UN itself,
of the United Nations? work was documented. I are a potential target. That's
ended up spending around I did the documentary as a why the UN bombing was a
After the bombing, the two months in Baghdad, completely independent, watershed - in that at the time
United Nations took a very with a break in Jordan in the journalistic project. The only it was the largest, deliberate-
low profile in Iraq. They middle of it. Most of my condition - one which I ly targeted attack against
didn't want to attract atten- time was spent in the Green readily agreed to - was that civilian aid workers.
tion to what they were doing Zone - where the UN head- UN security could view the
for obvious security reasons. quarters was moved after the final product to make sure I wanted above all to pay
But eventually, I think a 2003 bombing, but I mana- that none of the footage tribute to the courage and
decision was made that it ged to get on a helicopter actually put staff in danger. dedication of many UN and
a
trip up to Erbil in northern
s
w In the end, I was only asked NGO workers around the
important for people to Iraq, where the UN was in to make a few small chan- world who put themselves at
know more about the UN's the process of expanding its ges. I hope the documentary risk, as they try to help
role there - and eventually I operation there. I'd been is interesting to all people improve the lives of people
was given permission to go hoping to go out on convoys who are involved with the wherever they live.
out there in late 2005. I with the UN, but because of UN, or in the aid industry
went out during the period the security situation, there generally. Francis Mead
when the UN was advising were virtually no convoys 520 West 2l8 St, Apt lB
the
on One of the points I wanted to New York, New York
outside the Green Zone at
drafting of a new constitu- this time. I also employed a make is that the world gene- 10034, USA
tion for the country, and also local Iraqi crew to do some rally has become much (001) 212 942 9377
helping prepare for a natio- filming for me in Baghdad. more dangerous for aid wor- francismeadairpost.net
nal referendum on the They did a good job - inter- kers. I could have made a
constitution. I got a warm viewing two Iraqi families, similar

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3 2007 Diva 27

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