Lu Qiuwei's Course in the Iraq War

/dispbbs.asp？ boardid = 33 & ampid=206 1

At 0: 00 a.m on March 27th, Phoenix.com dialed LUQIU LUWEI's telephone in Baghdad as agreed yesterday. We heard Lu Qiu's tired voice on the other end of the phone, and the interview began for half an hour.

I dare not take off my clothes and sleep.

Phoenix: What time is it in Baghdad?

Qiu: It's half past six in the morning.

Phoenix Network: Did you sleep well at night?

Lu Qiu: I can't sleep almost every night since I came here. Because of the constant bombing, we have to get up every hour or half an hour. We have to get up as soon as we hear the bombing, and we dare not take off our clothes and sleep. We are afraid of what will happen, so we should be ready at any time. If there is a large-scale bombing, everyone will have to shoot.

Phoenix. Com: can the shooting work be guaranteed to go on normally?

Lu Qiu: The management here is very strict. You can't shoot on the road yet. Iraq basically adopts unified management measures for interviews, so you must first get a press card and get permission. For example, if we want to bomb places and hospitals, we must get permission from the government and have strict management.

Phoenix. Com: Is the local government also responsible for your safety?

Lu Qiu: He doesn't care.

Phoenix. Com: Are you prepared in Xiaojiang River? Do you need to prepare a gas mask or something?

Lu Qiu: Yes, when we came ... we had these things at hand, because Hao Zheng left a gas mask and bulletproof vest when he left.

The people of Baghdad happily defended their country.

Phoenix. Com: Do you often communicate with some western media? What are you most concerned about now?

Qiu: Actually, we are still concerned about when the war will end and what is the current situation in Baghdad. For myself, like our media, I think if you stay in Baghdad, the progress of the war situation you get may only be the statement of the Iraqi government on the one hand. I think we are more concerned about the Iraqi people, especially during the bombing. What do the Iraqi people think of this war?

Phoenix. Com: So do you have any difficulty in getting some foreign reports in Baghdad now?

Lu Qiu: Not bad. If you are in the news center, you can watch the BBC, and you can receive all these. The problem is that the news center is not open 24 hours a day. It can only be opened from 8 am to 5 pm local time, and then everyone has to leave the news center. The telephone can only be used in the news center. Where we live, it is difficult for me to make a phone call like you, so I can't go there, and then I can watch the report on Iraqi TV because we can't understand it.

Phoenix Network: Can you still contact the citizens of Baghdad?

Lu Qiu: There is no problem for the citizens, because it is free and convenient to contact the citizens.

Phoenix. Com: Have you asked them whether they considered Saddam Hussein's possible use of chemical and biological weapons when protecting him? Will they be worried about this?

Qiu Qiu: I've already talked to them. They all feel that they don't believe that this will happen. I asked them if they had prepared masks. He said they never thought about it. Many people said that they hadn't thought about these things. They told me that although many people may support Saddam's rule and some people oppose it, now after the war, most people have a mentality of defending their country. As a result, even those who don't usually support Saddam stood on his side, so they said that they never thought Saddam would use such weapons against them.

Phoenix. Com: It was reported the other day that the people in Basra were revolting. Do these Iraqis you contacted believe this report?

Qiu Yan: Because Basra is a big city in the south, in fact, the Iraqi government clarified it yesterday. He said that Basra is not as reported by the United States, because we can see a very interesting phenomenon here, just as the United States accuses the Iraqi government of lying. The Iraqi government keeps accusing the western media of exaggerating this victory and lying to the world. So what is the situation? I think the more correct view is to compare the reports from both sides, so the news I got from Baghdad is that Basra is not controlled by Coalition forces at present. According to some reports I read from my side, the local people, like the people in Baghdad, are ready for the battle.

The elderly, women and children are the biggest victims.

Phoenix Net: Can you get in touch with the soldiers there?

Lu Qiu: Actually, many of their officials are soldiers, so they still have the opportunity to contact. Another is that soldiers patrol the streets, but there are not many opportunities to speak.

Phoenix Net: Have you seen * * * and the National Guard and elite force?

Lu Qiu: I saw these, because around important government agencies, as well as some major roads and main roads leading to the suburbs of Baghdad, we can see * * * and the National Guard guarding there.

Fenghuang. com: Can you interview soldiers from * * * and the National Guard?

Lu Qiu: None of these will do. These must be approved by the government.

Phoenix. Com: What projects has the Iraqi government arranged for your interview so far?

Lu Qiu: Generally speaking, for example, after the bombing at night, they will take us to the bombed place to shoot the next day, and then go to the hospital to interview the injured civilians. They (Iraqi government) have also made some progress. For example, yesterday, some western media said that wherever you bomb, we will organize it. Yesterday, the director of information said that you are open to the outside world and can go whenever you want. So yesterday afternoon, we ran to the place where the big explosion just happened yesterday morning. In the east of the city, no one stops you, so you can interview as you like, and no one cares about you in the hospital. Because that place is a residential area after two bombs exploded yesterday morning, which killed 20 people and injured more than 50 people. This place was badly bombed.

Phoenix. Com: What did you see when you interviewed the citizens who were injured by air strikes in the hospital?

Qiu Qiu: Actually, they are all helpless. For example, there was a 4-year-old boy yesterday. He happened to be in the yard with his father. Because they were washing the car after the sandstorm, the explosion suddenly happened. He is lying in the hospital and can't move, but his father's condition is more serious. He is having an operation, and he doesn't know whether he can get out of danger. There are many examples, all of which are injuries to his family. Because the explosion happened just after 9 o'clock local time, they just got up according to their habits, and some people were still eating. Because men would go to work at this time, most of the injured were these women and children, as well as the elderly.

Make full preparations for entering Baghdad.

Phoenix. Com: We want to ask you now, was it a coincidence that you first entered Baghdad, or did you make full preparations and then suddenly entered?

Qiu: I think I'm fully prepared. I'm halfway through the interview. When I left Beijing, the company asked me to go to Jordan first and stand by. At that time, I walked the border in Jordan for about three or four days. I can't remember. At the same time, (I) keep abreast of what is happening in Baghdad, especially with people who pass through Baghdad every day, including journalists and Baghdad people, to see what is going on in Baghdad. At that time, I decided to come in because I thought the war had lasted for three days. According to western media (reports), it seemed that Baghdad was going to be taken, so I thought it was almost time to come in, and then I was looking for a car or looking for someone to bring us in. We trust each other with drivers in Jordan these days. He is very kind. He helped us find a driver and signed a contract with their company. In other words, you must not lie to us. We must be sent to Baghdad. When we arrive in Baghdad, we must cooperate with us. When we leave, he will send us back. Coincidentally, a woman in Baghdad has no money to go home. She can speak a little English. She wants to go with us. I think it's good to have her with me from a safety point of view, so I came in when these things were arranged.

There were also some accidents on the road. For example, our first photographer had an accident on the road and injured his neck, so he had to go back. I have to wait for the arrival of another photographer. Another photographer came to work with me across the border as soon as he got off the plane, and then went through customs immediately. But as a result, another thing happened. The photographer got off the plane and found that his luggage was still in Dubai, but the airline didn't deliver it. I wanted to pick up my luggage the next day, but I thought there might be many variables when you waited, so when he got off the plane, we bought him some daily clothes and some daily necessities, and then came in as planned. I thought it was an opportunity, and I was almost prepared, so I decided to come in.

Phoenix Network: When you go to the border, are you ready to enter Baghdad at any time?

Lu Qiu: Yes. In fact, from the beginning to Amman, before I left Beijing, I was ready to enter Baghdad. It is precisely because of this that I applied for a visa to Iraq during the interviews of the two sessions. It took a long time, so it was difficult to get it. I think all this is a preparation for doing some prelude work.

Phoenix. Com: Yesterday, Hu Yihu said in an interview with Phoenix. You are so brave. You hung up and went in without telling anyone, and then suddenly said on TV, "I'm Fengqiu, and I'm in Baghdad now." Everyone was shocked by your behavior.

Lu Qiu: Thank you.

The bomb flew over our heads.

Fenghuang. com: Compared with your first trip to Afghanistan, did you have any special feelings when you went to Baghdad for an interview?

Qiu: Actually, I think it's different. From my feeling, it may be more difficult and uncertain this time, because you don't have to worry about the daily bombing when you interview in Afghanistan, because the Taliban withdrew peacefully, and you are worried about the cold shot, or you may meet some thieves or robbers when you enter Kabul. For this time, we are most worried about whether there will be an American plane bombing on the way in, because along the way, we can see that once we enter Iraq and then Baghdad, we can constantly see the bombed bridges and bombed cars. After driving for an hour, we went to a small town because it was already night. In the morning, dozens of people died and seven others were injured. They just went to Baghdad. Every night, you have to worry about whether this bomb will fall on your residence, and when your car is driving in Baghdad, you do have this worry when you go to the news center. Just like yesterday during the day, local time 1 1, we were working in the news center, and as a result, a bomb fell and exploded almost two or three hundred meters away from our news center. You felt the bomb fly over your head. I was in the news center at that time, and later I learned that they were going to blow up the studio of the Iraqi Information Bureau, just two or three hundred meters away from the news center, because they had already blown up the TV station. You feel that this bomb is right above your head, and you will feel that this bomb is different from that in Afghanistan. In addition, there is another difference. I think that when I was in Afghanistan, because he experienced a long civil war, the people longed for peace. Moreover, although the U.S. military helped the Northern Alliance to fight in, after all, it had a part of the Northern Alliance. This war is completely allied with Britain and the United States, and foreigners also want to fight in this country, so the people feel completely different.

Phoenix. Com: I want to ask you again carefully. What were you doing when fighter planes bombed the TV station in the news center yesterday? Do you feel the vibration?

Lu Qiu: Actually, when we lived in the bombing, the whole house shook every night. When I flew in yesterday, I happened to be waiting for a connecting flight at the Associated Press. I remember chatting with my colleagues in the Associated Press. As a result, as soon as I heard a sound flying over our heads, I ran to see it and immediately heard the bombing. The distance of this bombing sound is the closest to my current interview, and my heart jumped with it.

Phoenix. Com: How did you feel at that time?

Lu Qiu: There was nothing at that time.

Phoenix Network: Afraid?

Qiu: We are used to it. We have no fear. Common sense tells us that if you hear the sound, the bomb flying over your head will definitely not explode in your place, but I didn't expect it to be so close.

There is a shortage of medicines in Baghdad.

Phoenix Network: I heard your report a few days ago, and now the supply of materials in Baghdad is beginning to be limited. When you go to the hospital, can you see that their medical drugs can last as long as they say?

Lu Qiu: I don't think so. Although their hospital was cleaner and orderly than I expected, the doctor told us that the injured in the explosion poured in at once, unlike the usual way of receiving medical treatment, so for them, their equipment could not operate on so many injured people at the same time. Second, their medicine reserves may only last for a few days. They are worried that if the bombing continues every day, they will feel that their medicine is definitely not enough. You know that Iraq has been sanctioned for a long time. We also met with two Belgian doctors representing NGOs. They said that they only came to pay attention to the current drug supply situation in Baghdad, but they complained that under the current situation, it seems that no American media, international media and society are willing to pay attention to this issue, so they feel helpless. Yesterday, they talked to me and asked if you could call more in such a situation, because many people would face a shortage of medicines.

Phoenix. Com: You have come into contact with "human shields" from the United States, and it is reported that most of them are from the United States. What do the Associated Press reporters around you think of these human shields? Do they think they are as brave as you?

Lu Qiu: Actually speaking of "human shield", I haven't talked to western journalists about this issue. On the contrary, I talked to the local Iraqis about this problem. They say "human shield" is just a joke. If you really want to be a human shield, why do you stay in such a safe hotel? All of them are concentrated in several hotels where reporters live. He said that if you want to be a "human shield", I believe (human shield) is a meaningful question, because after all, there are a group of people holding anti-war slogans to express their opinions in this city, many of whom come from Britain, the United States and Europe, so it is quite interesting.

Iraqi women's psychology is "strong"

Phoenix. Com: We all find that every time you make a movie, you are paying attention to the problems of women and children. Can you talk about whether women have different views on war from men, especially because of their sensitive feelings?

Qiu: I came here to meet women. I found that women here are very strong, I mean their psychology, because when you go to many places to interview, you will find that a man has gone to the army or worked outside, and he needs a woman to support him at home. For example, after the bombing, after we go to interview, there will often be an elderly woman in her fifties and sixties, who will be very attractive with a gun.

Phoenix: What about their children?

Qiu: I feel very innocent and helpless about the children. If we go to the suburbs for an interview, like the day before yesterday, we went to a small village 28 kilometers away from the city. You can see many children along the way, probably 14 or 5 years old. They are also equipped with guns. They should belong to the militia. They followed their families and stood in the bunker with guns, although they would greet us when they saw us.

Phoenix Network: Do you think there is hatred in your child's heart?

Qiu: I don't think these Baghdad people are talking about hatred. They always want a more stable life. As I said, although they don't agree with Saddam's actions, some people tell us that if you drive Saddam away, who else can control the country, and then those who follow will lead to civil war and ethnic conflicts. Isn't that even scarier? In fact, for them, it is because of such a war that something suddenly stimulated brought them together. The children are still naive. I met a child where I live. He is not as fearless as an adult, but every time he hears the bombing, he seems to be worried. He is 15, 6 years old. I think this is something they have no choice.

Phoenix Network: Are they worried about their lives? Or, as they say, worried about the fate of the country?

Qiu: No, for these children, they are still worried about their own lives. If people like their own families pick up guns, I think most children will follow their families.

The patriotism of Iraqis has been completely aroused.

Phoenix. Com: What do you think has shocked you the most since you entered Baghdad? From your personal feelings alone?

Qiu: My personal feeling is the mentality of people here, because you will hear a lot of reports about Iraq before you come, and you will feel that people here are eager to let them have a new regime. After Americans call, they will have a chance to have a new regime, democracy and more freedom. They, like Vice President Cheney, said they would welcome the American and allied forces with flowers and music, but when they came, they found that this was not the case at all. Everyone I meet here, even if he is a moneymaker or just an ordinary citizen, is usually just a neutral person, and he is not so affectionate to the country. They are very patriotic psychologically and were completely aroused (this time). So you will feel that the people here, their thoughts, their thinking, and I think the Iraqis give me the impression that they are very friendly and polite, especially those in their forties, who are very educated. I feel that such a country and such a person do not know why there is such a war. I think you can let the Iraqis do it themselves ... If they really think there is something wrong with such a regulation, then let them do it.

Phoenix. Because of the time, we will finish the interview soon. Many netizens of Phoenix. Com also cares about you. They send us hundreds of letters every day. I wish you an early return and hope you can pay attention to safety.

Lu Qiu: Thank you.

BEIJING, March 28 (Xinhua) Due to the tense Iraq war, the situation is getting more and more severe, and the top management of Phoenix instructed LUQIU LUWEI to evacuate immediately. The following is the telephone connection with the Hong Kong headquarters' Baghdad studio before her departure (March 28th 14: 25):

Chen Xiaonan: I know you're pressed for time, and you're leaving soon. Yesterday, Baghdad suffered the most violent bombing. What was the situation yesterday? In addition, I know that because the situation is getting more and more serious, the top management of Phoenix TV has informed you to evacuate immediately. What are your preparations now? What route are you going to take to quit?

Qiu: Actually, this bombing was the most intense when we came, because the bombing in the middle has not stopped since five o'clock last night, and the density is stronger than that of our recent nights. In the place where we live, we can basically hear guns but can't see the fire a few nights ago, and this bombing is just two or three hundred meters away from us. We can film the heavy bombing and the thick black smoke. The whole house could feel two violent vibrations, and the glass was almost shattered. The local telephone was found this morning, and some communication points have been paralyzed. Even the locals said that last night's explosion was the densest. Now I hear the sound of bombing all around.

We have just been informed to leave here. We have a lot of formalities to go through, but the situation is very serious now. The local people told us never to take the road that came in from Jordan, because first, Jordan has closed its borders and Iraqi vehicles cannot enter Jordan. Another big reason is that in the middle of this road, American troops are competing with Iraqi soldiers for the control of the viaduct, so the battle is very fierce, so they told us that it would be very dangerous if we took this road. The other road we tried to take was Syria, which was once taken by journalists who had been evacuated one after another. But mainly because the situation changes every hour, we are not sure about this road ourselves, because we have never walked before. In addition, we had a little trouble before we left, because the local police and military warned us not to shoot when we were at work, so let's check our videos as soon as possible and let them know what went wrong, so that we can release them. So time is pressing now, and even the driver himself says that he is not confident because he is taking this road for the first time.

Chen Xiaonan: I remember you said that when you entered Jordan, 200 kilometers belonged to the bombing zone and the danger zone. So how long will it take you to take this route now, and how many kilometers belong to this dangerous bombing zone?

Qiu: This road is in the northwest of Baghdad. So far, the news we have received is that there is no war. So far, we haven't heard that civilian vehicles have been bombed, but it may take a long time, about seven or eight hours to reach Damascus, Syria. We are still a little worried about the visa, because we didn't prepare the visa to enter Syria in advance at all, but a local driver told us that in order to facilitate the entry and exit of journalists, we should be able to take landing visa, because now everyone knows that Jordan Road is closed. Locals say that if there is no choice, this road should be relatively safe. In fact, there was no bombing in the daytime these days, or the bombing place was far away, but today, from the early hours of the morning to now, the bombing sound has been happening near us, so we don't know where it was bombed, or whether it was going to bomb the road and bridge in the middle.

Chen Xiaonan: I just heard the latest news that a reporter from the American news daily has disappeared in Baghdad. We also know that the situation is indeed quite serious. So when are you going to leave, or at night?

Qiu: We hope to complete all the formalities as soon as possible, because the border crossing procedures are very troublesome and their working hours are uncertain. Just like we arrived at the news center on time, but they haven't gone to work yet, so we hope to complete the formalities in the shortest time, say, an hour or two. In this case, we can guarantee that we can travel during the day, so we think it may be safer to travel during the day.

Chen Xiaonan: What bus will you take?

Qiu: We rented a local jeep. In order to protect ourselves, we put the words "big, long and eye-catching" on it. I hope that if a plane flies by, they will understand that there is a camera team car driving below.

Chen Xiaonan: Just now you said time was tight. Do you still have time to keep in touch with us, or do you want to leave right away?

Qiu: We can talk for a minute or two, because our attache is urging us. Because our attache accompanied us out to shoot yesterday, he received a phone call from the secret police at night to check the content of our shooting. We don't want to leave him any trouble, because he is really worried and looks scared, so we need to spend some time for the local police to check what we took yesterday, and we can tell him.

Chen Xiaonan: I think there is still a little time left because I will leave Baghdad soon. We don't know if you can keep in touch with us along the way, so is there anything I really want to say when I leave Baghdad? Any friends want to say goodbye?

Lu Qiu: We hope all journalists from China can leave safely together. I think there are many journalists staying here. I hope they can stay here safely and finish the interview task. I know that the management and the government are very concerned about our safety. I would like to thank them here and all my colleagues and friends in the company.

Chen Xiaonan: I know you are pressed for time, so you have to go. Finally, all our colleagues wish you all the best and look forward to your early return.

In the early morning of 24th local time, LUQIU LUWEI and cameraman Cai Xiaojiang became the first China journalists to enter Baghdad from Jordan. During this period, they overcame many difficulties and dangers and sent back a lot of frontline reports, which were known as "roses on the battlefield".

On the evening of 27th local time, another group of reporters from Phoenix TV, Kun Jing and Xiao Yan, were allowed to continue to interview the US military.