On the weekend, I was lucky enough to be in the audiece at TEDx Brisbane (in independently organised TED event), where Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan spoke publicly for the first time just 100 days after being released by the Somalian kidnappers who had taken him and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout 462 days earlier in Mogadishu. This timeline of events gives a summary of their ordeal - http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/26/2754724.htm

It was one of the most powerful events I've ever been a part of, and 2 days later, I'm still reeling from it. Nigel was clearly still very traumatised, and was torn between wanting to tell as much as he could, but just not being able to talk about the mental and physical torture that he and Amanda endured.

It really drove home to me the importance of photojournalism in bringing people's attention to often overlooked conflicts and injustices in the world - Nigel knew the danger he was putting himself into, but felt he needed to highlight the situation in Somalia to the world. Certainly made me appreciate the freedom that so many of us take for granted, too.

One funny point in the talk - when the ambush happened, like any good photographer, Nigel was more worried about his cameras and equipment than anything else :)

There should be a Youtube video up in the coming days. I'll post a link when it appears, and encourage all of you to set aside 25 minutes to watch.

Honestly? So much pain and suffering for something that doesn't interest anyone, and now he is probably expected to talk about his respect for their captors and call their ideology a religion of peace... otherwise racism.no way will come and get him :)