John MacDougall: 1970-2023

Published on Dec 30, 2023 by Luke Hunt

John MacDougall, an American Academic in Indonesia, has Passed AwayA brave and intelligent man, and scholar of all things Balineseby Luke HuntJohn MacDougall, a cultural anthropologist from Princeton University in the United States who dedicated his life to Indonesia and all things Balinese, died on December 30 after a long suffering illness, a sad finale for 2023. He was 52.Over a career that spanned almost 30 years, McDougall’s writings and influence would reach the highest ranks of governments struggling to cope with Islamic terrorism across Southeast Asia which was borne out of 9/11 and the murkyties between al-Qaeda and its regional affiliates.He arrived in Indonesia in 1988 and quickly became a recognized specialist, universally known as Johnny. He spoke the....

John McBeth: 1944-2023

Published on Dec 7, 2023 by Luke Hunt

New Zealand-born John McBeth, one of Asia’s pre-eminent journalists with a record of scrupulous and ground-breaking reporting, has died after a short illness. He was 79.Over a career spanning more than 62 years McBeth’s reporting helped shape events in countries including South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia.McBeth was a blunt-speaking “old school” reporter and author whose writings pulled no punches and influenced many of the region’s policy-makers over decades.John McBeth was born in Whanganui New Zealand on 31 May 1944, the son of Taranaki dairy farmer Sandy McBeth and Isla Dickenson.After attending New Plymouth Boys’ High School he commenced his journalism career on the Taranaki Herald on 8 February 1962 and moved to the Auckland Star in....

Marc Carnegie: 1963-2023

Published on Feb 7, 2023 by Luke Hunt

Marc Carnegie, an American foreign correspondent who has reported from Iran, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan and dozens of other countries around the globe, passed away on Feb. 7 from complications of the liver and a brief illness. He was 59.His work in Iraq was lauded by his peers for many years afterward. Marc had worked the desk but knew where his correspondents were and did everything he could, and more, to get them across the line safely.Long time friend and colleague Susan Stumme wrote: "I’ve struggled to find the right words to describe this devastating loss. Marc Carnegie was so many things: dear friend, brilliant wordsmith, music lover, gifted drummer, obstinate pain in the ass, booze hound, complicated soul.".

Shirley Shackleton: 1931-2023

Published on Jan 16, 2023 by Luke Hunt

Shirley Shackleton, who passed away aged 91 on Jan. 15 was an author and tireless campaigner for Timor-Leste, she was best known as the wife of Greg Shackleton, one of the 'Balibo Five' journalists.The ABC reported she was an unlikely hero.A new mum and TV segment presenter from Melbourne, she suddenly became one of Australia's most vocal human rights advocates after her journalist husband Greg and four other Australian newsmen were brutally murdered in 1975 by Indonesian forces.They came to be known as the Balibo Five, having gone to Timor in the weeks leading up to Indonesia's occupation, to film the military invasion for Channel 7 and 9.But days after they arrived in Balibo, they disappeared.Read more here..

Nate Thayer: 1960-2023

Published on Jan 10, 2023 by Luke Hunt

American journalist Nate Thayer, who died on January 3 at the age of 62 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, left behind a trail of good friends and colleagues and a wealth of stories that spanned from Cambodia and China to Iraq and the United States.by LUKE HUNT / Phnom PenhThe obits were many and deserved. The New York Times, NPR, Asia Times, Voice of America, NK News and Sour Milk were just a few to publish his exploits alongside the international news wires. Nate Thayer arrived in Cambodia as a reporter with Associated Press.He then worked as a freelancer for the Far Eastern Economic Review and by the early 1990s had become a consistent contributor to the Phnom Penh Post. He covered....