Iraqi Interpreter Series by Deborah Haynes

BBC correspondent Andrew Marr presented the first inaugural Tony Bevins Prize for investigative journalism, also called “Rat Up A Drainpipe Award” to Deborah Haynes, a journalist who reported on interpreters in Iraq. Marr told the Society of Editors [on 11 November] that the newspaper industry needs to do more to “market itself” and explain “why newspapers matter”.
Of course, my mission is to explain why interpreters matter, and expand the marketing on our behalf. All of the following links are to articles by Deborah Haynes (either solo or in a team), below are additional articles by others.

Deborah Haynes on Iraqi Interpreters:

US, British Firms Win Iraqi Contracts (13 March 2004), first mention of the death of a interpreter in Iraq

Letter from Interpreters working in Language Support (3 March 2007) and Denial of Refugee Status (22 June 2007) [resource provided by Deborah Haynes]

Abandoned – the 91 Iraqis who risked all (7 August 2007)

‘If we stay when the British troops pull out, then the militia will kill us’ (7 August 2007)

Interpreters beg for asylum as militants show them no mercy: Britain has rebuffed appeals from Iraqis who risked their lives helping the Army (7 August 2007)

Britain employs 600 Iraqis who might need asylum, not 20,000 (9 August 2007)

Interpreters caught in the middle (10 August 2007)

Prepared to stay and work to the end – despite the dangers (11 August 2007)

This is the story of two brothers who worked for the British: one is dead, the other fears for his life (15 August 2007)

Britain has a moral duty to Iraqi staff, says Baghdad envoy (17 August 2007)

Sectarian militias seek revenge on interpreters’ family and friends (21 August 2007)

Britain ready to back down on asylum for its interpreters in Iraq (23 August 2007)

Exiled interpreters left in limbo as they wait for salvation from Britain (21 September 2007)

Scared and alone, interpreters are finally offered a way out (6 October 2007)

‘If we get asylum we will live. If we do not we will die. It is that simple’ (8 October 2007)

Interpreters who helped troops will get aid to relocate with families (9 October 2007)

Relief turns to anxiety as interpreters fear betrayal (11 October 2007)

‘I don’t want my kids to watch me slaughtered like a useless sheep’ (19 Nov 2007)

Visa red tape ‘blocking road to freedom’ for Army’s Iraqi interpreters (19 November 2007)

Britain’s breach of honour over Iraq interpreters (12 December 2007) also posted on The Project on Defense Alternatives, The Commonwealth Institute’s “War Report: Iraq Archives – Humanitarian Crisis and Human Rights”

Iraqi interpreters seeking asylum in Britain will be refused entry until 2009 (13 December 2007)

Hundreds of Iraqi Interpreters Denied Chance to Live in the UK (9 Jan 2008)

Iraqi interpreters and families prepare for new lives in Britain (14 March 2008)

Iraqi interpreters fly out to a new life in Britain (8 April 2008)

A life spent waiting (13 June 2008)

Interpreters stranded in Jordan fear they’ve been forgotten (13 June 2008)

Other nations are showing the way, with compassion and respect (13 June 2008)

Amnesty award for interpreter series (18 June 2008)

No softening of asylum rules for the Iraqis who risked their lives (11 September 2008)

Case study: son was sent tape of murder (11 September 2008)

Outrage at ‘cynical’ manipulation of scheme to resettle Iraqi aides (12 September 2008)

Iraqi who risked all for Britain is left to his fate in Basra (9 December 2008)

Related:
Outrage over betrayal of Iraqi interpreters (7 August 2007) by Michael Evans
Do the Right Thing: Britain must not abandon its bravest allies in Iraq (7 August 2007)
Brown intervenes over the Iraqi interpreters denied political asylum (8 August 2007) by Francis Elliott, Greg Hurst, and Michael Evans
‘Interpreters for the British will be killed if they are left behind’ (11 August 2007) by Ben McIntyre
What’s Arabic for ‘we’ll stand by you’? The Iraqi interpreters are tainted as collaborators (17 August 2007) by Ben McIntyre
Get out or die, security force chief tells interpreters for British Army (14 September 2007) by Martin Fletcher
Matter of Interpretation: Britain should be as generous as possible to Iraqis who have risked their lives (6 October 2007)
Ministerial statement on Iraqi interpreters
Statement issued by David Miliband, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 9 October 2007
Interpreters can choose cash for resettlement or new life in UK (10 October 2007) by Richard Beeston
Iraqi interpreters – once more by Oliver Kamm (28 February 2008)
Iraqi interpreters and families prepare for new lives in Britain also posted at Signs of the Times which includes a timeline stating:

• “August 12 An interpreter claims that about 60 colleagues have been killed working for the British” and
• “September 16 A man believed to be an interpreter is beaten in front of his pregnant wife and killed”
• (note: both lack link or reference).

Britain shamed as Iraqi interpreters are resettled in squalid tower blocks (13 June 2008) by Michael Evans and Sam Coates
Comment added to blog reposting of Iraqi who risked all for Britain is left to his fate in Basra

This is absolutely despicable. The British are no better than the Bush Administration for not harboring Iraqi interpreters who helped them when they needed them.
The Iraq Veterans’ Refugee Aid Association is going to do everything we can to help brave Iraqis like Mohammed.~Luis Carlos Montalvan

Where are your tributes to justice and courage now, Gordon Brown? (12 September 2008)

Tangential:
Top Ten UK-US Words Lost in Translation (15 August 2008)
Amnesty International UK Awards for 2008 also posted via the Women News Network Breaking News Portal.
Deborah Haynes wins award for Iraq reports (11 November 2008)
Facebook Group: Asylum for Iraqi Interpreters & Employees of Armed Forces
Nominations for 2008 Intrranet Linguist Awards include Deborah Haynes and Eric Camayd-Freixas, who I blogged about on 11 July 2008, on his Breaking Role to Serve Justice. The list is also posted at PR-USA.net.