This International Dateline episode includes four segments: Iraq - On the Road, Senator Amanda Vanstone Interview, India's Mini Marathon Man, and Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta Interview.
Iraq - On the Road
In late April, Dateline cameraman/producer David Brill was on a lone assignment in Iraq, specifically Baghdad and Australia's base in the southern province of al-Muthanna. As a member of the so-called coalition of the willing, Australia's principal role is to train and provide protection for non-combatant Japanese engineers in the south. If and when the Japanese leave, of course, all that will change. Dateline's report offers a snapshot of what Australia's forces are now doing in Iraq.
Senator Amanda Vanstone Interview
The local Internet lobby group GetUp launched a new television ad condemning the Federal Government's plans to alter Australia's immigration laws so that all unauthorized boat arrivals - aka asylum seekers - will be transferred to offshore detention centers where their claims for refugee status will be assessed. The main spark for the GetUp protest is that this harsh new law includes the detention of children. The dramatic change was prompted of course by last month's granting of temporary protection visas to 42 West Papuans - a decision that's sent the Indonesian Government into political paroxysms. Dateline takes a look at the GetUp ad and speaks with the Minister for Immigration, Senator Amanda Vanstone.
India's Mini Marathon Man
Recently, Budhia Singh, a youngster from the slums of one of India's poorest cities, entered his country's record books after he completed a gruelling marathon run of 40 miles. Budhia ran for seven hours and his coach said he would've kept running if he hadn't been interrupted by supporters and television crews. He's clearly a rare natural talent, but he'll have to wait another eight years before he can compete in real marathon races. Why? Because believe it or not, Budhia's only four years old. In fact, he's just enrolled in kindergarten. What makes his story all the more remarkable is that, as an infant, he was sold by his impoverished mother, then bought by the man who became his coach. But as Aaron Lewis reports, understandably, some Indian officials are asking whether young Budhia is being nurtured -- or abused?
Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta Interview
East Timor's esteemed Foreign Minister, Jose Ramos-Horta, is in Australia to promote a tourism initiative; a new bike called Tour de Timor-Leste. As it turns out, his government is having a rough ride at the moment with several deaths during the recent riots and rebel soldiers held up in the hills out of Dili. Ramos-Horta was in Dili last week when the violence broke out and Dateline spoke with him about the cause of the unrest and the measures taken to douse the flames.
About International Dateline
SBS Dateline, which began in 1984, is Australia's longest-running international current affairs program. It has a well-earned reputation for authoritative and incisive reporting. Dateline has taken the traditional way of producing TV current affairs and turned it on its head. Reporters who used to travel with a cameraperson and sound recordist now travel alone and have the responsibility of both filming and reporting their stories. The reporters became video-journalists, gaining access to people and places that the conventional camera crews cannot.
