Whose line is it anyway?

I have learned that Melise van Kemp has raised strong objections to my article on John Pilger's films (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 1, 1994). Though I do appreciate her comments, I must stress that there is really nothing "personal" in writing that complaints and libel suits have been brought against Pilger (by DeNormann, Geidt, United Nations Border Relief Operation, and Rupert Allason MP), for this is merely a statement of fact, not opinion.

In earnest, given the hard evidence of Pilger's problems with the legal courts and complaint commissions and given the doubts cast upon his works by respected figures (among them East Timorese) and international journalists, I fail to understand why van Kemp should direct her attack towards me as opposed to using this information to place Pilger's films in their proper context.

She was also incorrect in asserting that I personally accused Pilger's work of being "full of misrepresentation, half-truth, exaggeration and extreme tendenciousness"; my article made it clear that this was a comment made by Australian journalist Greg Sheridan.

Regarding van Kemp's point that my article suffers from a tendency that "if one quotes a few fellow thinkers, this should be enough", I fear that this is a credit that should be lavished on Pilger's himself.

DINO PATTI DJALAL

London