John Richard Pilger Australian film director, screenwriter, journalist and social activist Date of Birth: 09.10.1939 Country: Australia

1. Early Life and Career
2. War Correspondent and Documentary Filmmaker
3. The Quiet Mutiny and Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia
4. Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy and The Secret Country
5. Stealing a Nation and The War on Democracy
6. Views and Legacy

Early Life and Career

John Pilger was born in Bondi, a suburb of Sydney, Australia, in 1939. Of German, Irish, and English ancestry, Pilger's brother, Graham, was an activist for the rights of disabled people and an advisor to the Labor government of Gough Whitlam.

Pilger's interest in journalism began at Sydney Boys High School, where he was part of the school newspaper, "Messenger." He started working as a courier for "The Sydney Sun" in 1958 and became a reporter for "The Daily Mirror" in the early 1960s.

War Correspondent and Documentary Filmmaker

Pilger became one of "The Daily Mirror"'s leading reporters, specializing in social issues. He covered the Vietnam War, Cambodia, Egypt, India, Bangladesh, and Biafra as a war correspondent. He produced dozens of documentaries that often brought tragic events to light when mainstream media remained silent. Pilger witnessed the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968.

The Quiet Mutiny and Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia

Pilger's first documentary, "The Quiet Mutiny," examined the psychological state of US soldiers in the Vietnam War. In 1979, after the Khmer Rouge regime was overthrown, Pilger, David Munro, and photojournalist Eric Piper entered Cambodia. Pilger, who called Pol Pot "the Asian Hitler," was on the Khmer Rouge's death list, but the crew escaped harm due to their alertness.

Their work resulted in a series of exclusive newspaper articles and the documentary, "Year Zero: The Silent Death of Cambodia," which highlighted the consequences of the Pol Pot genocide and humanitarian crisis. The film raised approximately $45 million in donations, one of the first instances of humanitarian aid for the Cambodian people. Pilger and Munro went on to make four more films about Cambodia.

Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy and The Secret Country

Pilger's 1993 film, "Death of a Nation: The Timor Conspiracy," explored the crimes committed by the Indonesian military during the occupation of East Timor from 1975 onwards. The film brought global attention to the Timorese people's struggle for independence, which they achieved towards the end of the decade.

Pilger also criticized the Australian government's policies towards Indigenous Australians in his books and films, including "The Secret Country: The First Australians Fight Back" (1985) and "Welcome to Australia" (1999).

Stealing a Nation and The War on Democracy

Pilger's 2004 film, "Stealing a Nation," examined the plight of the indigenous people of the Chagos Archipelago, who were forcibly removed from their homes by the British government in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for a US military base on Diego Garcia. Despite the UK Supreme Court ruling that the eviction was illegal and the UN International Court of Justice calling it a "crime against humanity," the UK government has denied the islanders the right to return home.

In his first theatrical release, "The War on Democracy" (2007), Pilger investigated Washington's history of intervention in Latin America, including military coups and the role of the US in destabilizing governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Chile. The film exposed the CIA's covert operations to remove democratically elected leaders who were seen as unfavorable by the US, such as Salvador Allende in Chile in 1973.

Views and Legacy

Pilger has been a vocal and persistent critic of Western powers, especially the US, since his early days as a reporter in Vietnam. He was a prominent critic of George W. Bush and Tony Blair's policies, including the Iraq War. He also criticized Barack Obama, arguing that his aim was to solidify the US as the world's bully.

Pilger supported Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who he viewed as a leader who challenged US dominance.

Recipient of numerous journalism and human rights awards, Pilger has been named UK Journalist of the Year twice. His documentaries have won awards in the UK, US, Australia, and other countries. His most recent award was the Sydney Peace Prize in 2009. He has been granted honorary doctorates from several universities, including Staffordshire University and University College Dublin.

John Pilger's films, articles, and books are renowned and acclaimed worldwide. As Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter remarked, "John Pilger is fearless. He unearths the truth, wields it, and delivers it to us. I salute him."