Karen Maron

Karen Marón is a journalist and as international correspondent she realizes coverages in Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Europe, including Iraq, Lebanon, Colombia and the Arabic-Israeli conflict.

Career

Marón is an Argentine journalist specialized in the coverage of armed conflicts and international politics. She continues to carry out her work as a freelance correspondent from Iraq, since April 2004 up to the present, for "NBC"-"Telemundo" (United States), "BBC World" (United Kingdom), "Radio France International", "El Universal" (Mexico), "El Tiempo", "El Espectador", "Caracol Radio" (Colombia), "Folha de São Paulo" (Brazil), "El Mercurio" (Chile), "Perfil" weekly magazine, and "Télam" of Argentina. Besides, she has contributed to "Radio Cooperativa" (Chile), "Espectador Radio" (Uruguay) and "Azteca Television" (Mexico).

Marón is recognized widely by her professional labor in Iraq during the military American occupation. From this risky coverage, speaker has spread during the last four years all the news events of the country for the Hispanic world. Her works spread fromthe coverage of the fourth anniversary of the invasion in 2007 [ [http://www.rfi.fr/espagnol/actu/articles/087/article_3824.asp Radio Francia Internacional. (Rfi) Iraq, 4 años después.] Marzo 20, 2007. ] [ [http://espectador.com/1v4_contenido.php?id=91463 Radio Espectador de Uruguay. Reporte desde el infierno.] March 20, 2007. ] [ [http://www.brasilnews.com.br/News3.php3?CodReg=14796&edit=Mundo&Codnews=999 Brasilnews. 4 anos de invasão no Iraque: caos e medo.] April 9, 2007. ] [ [http://www.el-universal.com.mx/internacional/53577.html El Universal. México. "Una explosión estremece al secretario general de la ONU".] March 23, 2007.] , , the Saddam Husein`s trial and his execution, the first elections to make up the Constitutional Assembly, the Constitutional Referendum and the Parliamentary elections during the military occupation in 2005.

Later during 2004 to 2008, she gave coverage to the successive changes in power, the first elections to make up the Constitutional Assembly, the Constitutional Referendum and the Parliamentary elections during the military occupation.She met with different Iraqi groups, including Mahdi Army, led by cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr and in secrecy, with Ba'ath Party members. Her work stands out for her written and broadcast reports on the humanitarian, economic, social and general situation of the country during the occupation period, with special emphasis on the war victims.

From April to August 2004, and during the whole of 2005 she has been the only Latin American journalist in Iraq working simultaneously for up to 12 different communications media. Her coverage of the tortures in the Abu Ghraib jails, in May 2004, were published exclusively and for the first time in Latin America by Colombia’s El Espectador. She worked in the cities of Baghdad, Najaf, Kerbala, Kufa, Falluja, Kirkuk and Suleimania in Kurdistan.

Before that, she was witness to conflicts and the post-conflict periods in the Middle East, Colombia, Peru and Cyprus for several international media.

In the Arab-Israeli conflict in the Middle East during 2000 and 2001, she dealt with topics such as the peace process, the second Intifada and the visit to Bethlehem of Yasser Arafat during Christmas on Jubilee year, interviewing the top Israeli and Palestinian dignitaries. She also covered the confrontations in Ramallah and Beit Jala.

In Colombia her interview with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), when they declared themselves to be a “State in the making”, was considered by specialists as the “interview of the year for 2001” and her work done with women guerrillas won international recognition for its humanitarian content.

There, she also covered the drama of those internally displaced and, in the Putumayo region, worked on the topic of fumigations with glifosate that affects thousands of rural and indigenous people. Amongst her outstanding special investigations is the one on the links between the FARC and International Terrorism.

In 2003, she worked in Peru on Sendero Luminoso’s/ Shining Path’s possible resurgence, interviewing members of that organization. She did special research regarding the Truth Commission and the consequences of political violence.

In March of the same year she gave coverage to the Peace Keeping Operation in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in the light of the possible peace agreement between Greece and Turkey, sponsored by United Nations, to restore peace to the Island in a conflict which has been going on for 37 years. She extended the work to study the bringing about of peace in the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish communities.

She carried out specialized studies in different parts of the world and she has three diplomas for war correspondents. She obtained two grant from the New Journalism Foundation of Colombia, is a member of the Media Corporation Network for Peace of Colombia, the International Journalist Federation, the Latin American Journalist Federation and the International Press Club of Madrid, among others.

She teaches and lectures on, journalists in high risk areas and is author of the Curricular Program of the International Course for correspondents in conflict zones and Peace Operations. She held the position as Co director of the above mentioned academic activity and gave lectures in Argentina, Spain, Colombia, Cuba and Israel.

In 2003, she was selected as tutor of the First Virtual Seminar New Journalism, prevailed by the Gabriel García Márquez, Literature Noble Prize and organized by the Monterrey Virtual Technology University and the Latin American New Journalism Foundation which has its seat in Cartagena de Indias,Colombia.

Awards and Recognition

In February 2003, she received the prize for the best written press work published in the Southern Cone, for her article “Women Guerrilla”, in the Henry Dunant Contest on Humanitarian Journalism, organized by the International Red Cross Committee.

In August 2004, she was named Illustrious Citizen of the Moreno District –her place of birth. The Prominent Young Woman of 2004, and a recognition on Professional Excellence were both awarded by the Rotary Club. In 2005 she received the Oesterheld for her work on armed conflicts and a special distinction, awarded by the Moreno Business Association (UEM).

Besides, Honorable Senate of the Province of Buenos Aires named her Prominent Person in the province for the year 2005, in recognition of her international journalistic work in conflict zones.

In February 2006, the International Press Club of Madrid, which groups together foreign correspondents in Spain, awarded her the 2005 Recognition Prize for her outstanding work in Iraq.

In 2007 she was honoured by The House of Senators from Argentina on the Journalist´s Day for her outstanding international development. Same year the Rotary Club appointed her as Honoris Causa Member as she has fulfilled the principle of "offering herself to those who are in need and Giving of Her before Thinking of Her". In October same year Marón was awarded with the Ugarit Distinction for the Youth Revelation of the Year Award at the Legislative House of Buenos Aires City, a prize which was also received by Diego Torres –the worldwide famous Argentine musician.

References

External links

News and Media

* July 18, 2008: [http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/07/19/comunicacion/1216476398.html Diario El Mundo. XII Encuentro Intermacional de Fotoperiodismo. Gijón. España. "Los fotoperiodistas demandan el compromiso de la prensa con los derechos humanos", por Javier Bauluz, Eduardo Meneses, Karen Marón, Eduardo Márquez, Walter Astrada, Jesús Abad Colorado, Juan Medina y otros.] (Spanish)

* June 4, 2008: [https://www.cruzroja.es/pls/portal30/docs/PAGE/2006_7_FR/ACCIONES%20DE%20SENSIBILIZACION/JORNADAS%20MUJERES%20ANTE%20LA%20GUERRA/POSTER.PDF Cruz Roja Española. Madrid. España. " La protecciòn de la mujeres en los conflictos armados" ] (Spanish)

* June 3, 2008: [http://www.alnap.daraint.org/noticias 23 ALNAP Biannual Meeting. Madrid. España. Conferencia "Periodismo y Crisis Humanitaria con Peter Arnett, Karen Marón, Giuliana Sgrena, Alan Nairn y Leslie Crawford" ] (Spanish)

* April 15, 2008: [http://www.altapolitica.com/n235 Alta Política. Primer Observatorio de las Relaciones Exteriores. Argentina. "Reconocimiento a Karen Marón. Periodista y corresponsal de guerra". ] (Spanish)

* March 1, 2008: [http://www.seinforma.ca/seriesesp.html Se informa. Canadá. "Karen Marón: El proceso de escuchar a las víctimas".] (Spanish)

* October 19, 2007: [http://www.ian.cc/notas/noticias_ian.php?id=1332 International Armenian Network. "La corresponsal de guerra Karen Marón distinguida con el premio DISTINCIÓN UGARIT 2007".] (Spanish)

* August 21, 2007: [http://www.periodismo1837.com.ar/index.php/corresponsal-de-guerra-karen-maron/ Periodismo 1837. TEA. Argentina. Conferencia: Coberturas internacionales.] (Spanish)

* June 14, 2007: [http://www.revista-semana.com.ar/ed_1130/nota_01.htm Revista Semana. "Karen Marón: La Voz de las Víctimas"] (Spanish)

* June 7, 2007: [http://www.rfi.fr/actues/articles/090/article_4565.asp Radio Francia Internacional. "El Senado homenajea a la periodista Karen Marón"] (Spanish)

* February 1, 2007: [http://www.defdigital.com.ar/2007/18-numero/nota_actualidad.htm Revista DEF. Argentina. "El laberinto iraquí"] (Spanish)

* May 30, 2006: [http://es.geocities.com/cronicasehistorias/paginas/cronicakaren.htm Caracol Radio. Colombia Universal. "Karen Marón: Historias humanas detrás de los conflictos"] (Spanish)

* March 21, 2006: [http://www.jornalistas.online.pt/noticia.asp?id=4461&idselect=410&idCanal=410&p=0 O sitio do Sindicato dos Jornalistas. Brasil. "Repórter argentina premiada em Espanha"] (in Portuguese)

* February 14, 2006: [http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/internacional/38797.html El Universal. México. "Premian a periodista argentina por labor en Bagdad" La periodista Karen Marón, corresponsal de EL UNIVERSAL en Irak, obtuvo el Premio Reconocimiento 2005, que concede el Club Internacional de Prensa de España] (Spanish)

* January 9, 2006: [http://www.farodevigo.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=2504_19_39491__Deza_Tabeiros_Montes-cancer-Irak-aumento-1200-uranio Faro de Vigo. España. Entrevista a la corresponsal de guerra Karen Marón: "El cáncer en Irak aumentó un 1.200% por el uso de uranio"] (Spanish)

* October 25, 2005: [http://www.periodistadigital.com/periodismo/object.php?o=210563 Periodista Digital. España. "En el Palestine está el recuerdo de Couso"] (Spanish)

* April 23, 2005: [http://claudia.abril.com.br/edicoes/523/fechado/atualidades_gente/conteudo_131444.shtml Revista Claudia. Brasil. "Karen Marón:O dia-a-dia de uma correspondente de guerra no Iraque"] (in Portuguese)

* March 1, 2005: [http://www.bohemia.cu/2005/mar/01/SUMARIOS/nacionales/articulo3.html Revista Bohemia. Cuba. "Ir al infierno para buscar el paraíso"] (Spanish)

* January 30, 2005: [http://www.fenaj.org.br/materia.php?id=409 Federação Nacional dos Jornalistas. Brasil. "Mesmo sob fogo, é preciso ficar"] (in Portuguese)

* January 4, 2005: [http://www.mujereshoy.com/secciones/2730.shtml Mujeres Hoy. Internacional. "Karen Marón: Corresponsal de guerra"] (Spanish)

* January 2, 2005: [http://observatorio.ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/artigos.asp?cod=314IMQ004 Observatório da Imprensa. Brasil. "Direto de Bagdá, receita de pão crocante"] (in Portuguese)

* December 19, 2004: [http://www.newssafety.com/stories/miscagencies/iraq19.htm International News Safety Institute. Estados Unidos. "Periodistas en Iraq: el infierno tan temido" by Karen Marón] (Spanish)

* May 18, 2004: [http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elmundo/4-35486-2004-05-18.html Página/12. Argentina. Entrevista a Karen Marón. "Irak: Un desastre humanitario"]
* March 8, 2004: [http://www.icrc.org/Web/spa/sitespa0.nsf/iwpList138/F89FD080C5503F7C03256E4E00526268 Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja. Homenaje a Karen Marón en el Día Internacional de la Mujer. "Mujeres y conflictos armados: una lucha en todos los frentes"] (Spanish)

* January 17, 2004: [http://www.ppba.org.ar/articulos/nacion/nacion07.htm La Nación Line. Argentina. "Pasiones que desafían el miedo: La otra cara de los conflictos"] (Spanish)

* January 7, 2004: [http://www.mujereshoy.com/secciones/1630.shtml Mujeres Hoy. Internacional. "Karen Marón: Una mujer que va al frente"] (Spanish)

* August 20, 2003: [http://www.libros.com.sv/edicion22/karen.html La Librínsula de los Libros. El Salvador. "Una periodista humanizando los conflictos"] (Spanish)

See also

* [http://busca.folha.uol.com.br/search?q=karen%20maron&site=jornal Folha de Sao Paulo. Algunos artículos.] (in Portuguese)
* [http://www.gloobal.net/iepala/gloobal/fichas/buscador_rebelion.php?words=karen+maron Otros artículos de Karen Marón]