Miguel Gil Moreno de Mora
Encyclopedia
Miguel Gil Moreno de Mora (June 21, 1967–May 24, 2000) was a Spanish
cameraman and war correspondent
, working for Associated Press
.
After a successful career as a corporate lawyer
in Barcelona, Spain, Miguel became a freelance war correspondent
first in Sarajevo
and later, an award winning cameraman for AP Television
.
Leaving behind his career as a corporate lawyer in Spain, Miguel became a freelance war correspondent in Sarajevo and later in Kosovo, where he was one of the few Western cameraman to stay in Pristina
during the Nato air campaign. His images of Albanians being herded on to railway carriages changed our understanding of what was happening in Kosovo
.
After that, he went to Grozny
(Chechnya
). His pictures from Chechnya
were the people of Grozny
's only window to the world. He also was in Congo
, Liberia
, Ruanda, Sudan
and Sierra Leone
. However, as he wrote himself, he experienced the most dangerous moments of his life in Chechnya
. Miguel's images were some of the few informative documents registered by an international agency in that conflict.
Miguel was awarded as cameraman of the year by the Royal Television Society in 2000, recognizing its outstanding job in conflict areas.
Miguel Gil Moreno de Mora and Reuters Correspondent Kurt Schork
were shot to death in an ambush
to a Sierra Leone Army (SLA) convoy by the fighters of the Revolutionary United Front
on May 24, 2000. In the attack four SLA soldiers were killed and two other journalists, South Africa
n cameraman Mark Chisholm and Greek
photographer Yannis Behrakis
, were injured.
Miguel, 32, was "a big man — big of heart," in the words of AP photographer Santiago Lyon.
“I am filled with overwhelming sadness and grief, but in the end I find solace in the fact that Miguel was doing the job he loved and died doing the work he felt ordained for”.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
cameraman and war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
, working for Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
After a successful career as a corporate lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Barcelona, Spain, Miguel became a freelance war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
first in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
and later, an award winning cameraman for AP Television
Associated Press Television News
Associated Press Television News, abbreviated as either AP Television News or APTN, is a global video news agency.-About:AP Television News is the video division of the Associated Press. It provides many of the world's broadcasters with a round-the-clock continuous feed of news, sports,...
.
Leaving behind his career as a corporate lawyer in Spain, Miguel became a freelance war correspondent in Sarajevo and later in Kosovo, where he was one of the few Western cameraman to stay in Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
during the Nato air campaign. His images of Albanians being herded on to railway carriages changed our understanding of what was happening in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
After that, he went to Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
(Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
). His pictures from Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
were the people of Grozny
Grozny
Grozny is the capital city of the Chechen Republic, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the preliminary results of the 2010 Census, the city had a population of 271,596; up from 210,720 recorded in the 2002 Census. but still only about two-thirds of 399,688 recorded in the 1989...
's only window to the world. He also was in Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
, Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
, Ruanda, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
. However, as he wrote himself, he experienced the most dangerous moments of his life in Chechnya
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
. Miguel's images were some of the few informative documents registered by an international agency in that conflict.
Miguel was awarded as cameraman of the year by the Royal Television Society in 2000, recognizing its outstanding job in conflict areas.
Miguel Gil Moreno de Mora and Reuters Correspondent Kurt Schork
Kurt Schork
Kurt Schork was an American reporter and war correspondent. He was killed in an ambush while on an assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone together with cameraman Miguel Gil Moreno de Mora of Spain, who worked for Associated Press Television...
were shot to death in an ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
to a Sierra Leone Army (SLA) convoy by the fighters of the Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
on May 24, 2000. In the attack four SLA soldiers were killed and two other journalists, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n cameraman Mark Chisholm and Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
photographer Yannis Behrakis
Yannis Behrakis
Yannis Behrakis , is a Greek photojournalist and Chief Photographer of Reuters.- Biography :Yannis Behrakis was born in 1960 in Athens, Greece. He studied photography in the Athens School of Arts and Technology and received his BA from Middlesex University. He worked as a studio photographer in...
, were injured.
Miguel, 32, was "a big man — big of heart," in the words of AP photographer Santiago Lyon.
From Miguel's Mother
“Miguel was a truly extraordinary person, as a son, a brother, as everything. Miguel fought all his life for his ideals and has died for them. He lived the stories he covered, because he felt his mission was to give voice to those who did not have one”.“I am filled with overwhelming sadness and grief, but in the end I find solace in the fact that Miguel was doing the job he loved and died doing the work he felt ordained for”.