17 November 2006

Channel 4 finally has the spine to broadcast Saddam’s Road to Hell

Back in July, I picked up on an Observer article by Nick Cohen regarding a film called
Saddam’s Road to Hell. Made by reporter Gwynne Roberts it focuses on massacre of 800 Barzani clan members as a collective punishment for the Kurdish revolt against Saddam.

The film follows Mohammed Ihsan, Kurdistan's Human Rights Minister, as he sets off to find the bodies of the dead. His journey takes him to backstreet shops where lawyers looking for evidence can buy documents looted from secret police archives, skeletons being dug out of mass graves in the desert and snuff videos of torturers blowing up prisoners or throwing them from rooftops. All the time the threat of assassination hangs over the investigation.

a victim of the Barzani clan massacre

After sitting on it for months Channel 4 finally shows some backbone and will broadcast this film on Monday 20 November at 8pm. Why Channel 4 has not shown it before is incomprehensible but it is good to see that it has given it a prime time slot.

If you cannot get to see the Channel 4 showing The Road to Hell is to view here. I would highly recommend you watch it: its facts have been triple-checked, the producers present other points of view and the reporter shrinks into the background allowing Iraqis to speak for themselves.


7 comments:

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I can withstand watching violent movies and action T.V. shows because it's Hollywood drama. The real life stuff, with real life suffering.....no, thank you. I know the atrocities, and I am glad that this film is seeing the light of day. Graphic film is the only way to make some people "get it", and I hope this hits the mark.

jams o donnell said...

I hope so ewbl. I cannot understand why Channel 4 has sat on this documentary for months, They wouldnt have sat on a guantanamo documentary for that long I wonder...

jams o donnell said...

Channel 4 used to be worth watching. It has dropped massively in quality over the years

Agnes said...

"in to Gitmo to get Chicken with Noodles and Baklava." - I wonder why don;t underpaid and underfed people hijack more planes in order to get such an excellent room service. Jesus. The far right and far left are very much alike, and idocy is definitely a common nominator.

jams o donnell said...

I looked at it Red and I just shook my head!

Mizgîn said...

Hello Jams. In the meantime, Channel 4 did a pretty good piece of reporting on North Kurdistan, which is definitely worth watching. I posted something about it back in July, and you can watch the video here:

The Unreported World of Kurdistan.

jams o donnell said...

Thanks for the link Mizgin, much appreciated.