Is Journalism Worth Dying For__ Final Dispatches - Anna Politkovskaya [201]
Dmitriy Muratov: Madam Secretary of State, we will of course continue our work, but this is our newspaper’s third terrible loss in the last six years. In 2000 Igor Domnikov was killed by hitmen, who are presently on trial. He was murdered because of his professional work, and the contract on him was taken out by a corrupt official who is the Deputy Governor of one of Russia’s provinces. Three years ago the Deputy Editor of Novaya gazeta, Yury Shchekochikhin, Deputy of the State Duma and Chairman of its Commission for the Struggle against Corruption, also died in mysterious circumstances. The case has yet to be investigated. Now Anna has been murdered. Is this not too high a price to pay for the right to do your job?
Condoleezza Rice: You have recalled for us a very sad history of the last six years and one with which I am familiar. There have been many tragedies for Novaya gazeta, and you must feel it very personally. We have told the Russian Government that these murders and the murders of other journalists must be thoroughly investigated and people must begin to understand that those who have done this will pay the price.
It’s hard for me to answer your question because I know these have been great personal losses. It’s difficult to step back and give an abstract answer to a very personal human question. But I think that if you look at history and struggles in many different countries under many different historical circumstances, there have been people who sacrificed on the basis of principle, people who sacrificed for a cause and those sacrifices are never in vain because ultimately freedom will win out.
In particular, investigative journalists are very often in danger because by their very nature they expose the truth. Very often they run afoul of those who have a lot at stake and a lot to lose if the truth comes out. I recognise that it’s a very dangerous profession, but without investigative journalists who are willing to seek the truth, it’s very hard for a democracy to function.
If it is any comfort at all – at a personal level I’m sure that it’s not – at a professional level if it is any comfort you should know that these murders have received world-wide attention. People are watching. People are pressing for a full investigation and for punishment of those who have committed these crimes. You are not alone in your struggle.
Novaya gazeta: How important is it for a politician to have strong emotions? By that I mean feelings of kindness and openness.
Condoleezza Rice: It is important for people who are engaged in politics to have human emotions, compassion, and most importantly to have principles. I watch very carefully the influence and tremendous effect that political leaders can have on the lives of ordinary people, and they need to be people who understand their impact.
It’s very important for politicians, particularly in democratic societies, not to lose touch with the people that they represent. Even the President of the United States leaves the White House and visits with schoolchildren, or goes to a retirement home and sees the effects of our policies on older people. I think it’s very important for politicians, and I know that when the President does this it has a big effect on him.
Ultimately I think a politician has to lead people and not be led by them, and that very often means making difficult, sometimes unpopular decisions. People expect their leaders to do exactly that. If the job were only to make easy decisions, anyone could do it. Because it’s often a matter of difficult decisions, I think it takes a very special person to be a politician in a democracy. I admire very much our people who have entered political life. I admire people who want to serve their country in that way. It’s not easy because you’re very often making difficult, unpopular decisions for the good of a