Matthew VanDyke

Matthew VanDyke
Matthew VanDyke
Born June 11, 1979
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Nationality United States of America
Other names Matt VanDyke
Education UMBC, Georgetown University
Organization Ali Hassan al-Jaber Brigade, National Liberation Army (Libya)
Known for Freedom fighter in the 2011 Libyan civil war
Religion Christian[1]

Matthew VanDyke (born June 11, 1979) is an American journalist, and documentary filmmaker. He gained notoriety during the 2011 Libyan civil war as a freedom fighter and prisoner of war (POW).

As a journalist and documentary filmmaker, VanDyke traveled throughout North Africa and the Middle East by motorcycle from 2007–2011. His experiences and observations during these four years, led him to join as a rebel fighter during the 2011 Libyan civil war. VanDyke has publicly announced his support of revolutions in the Arab world, and stated his intention to assist them using a variety of means, including participating as an armed combatant.[2][3]


Contents

Early life

In 2002 VanDyke received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).[4] VanDyke graduated with a 4.0 GPA.[5]

At UMBC, VanDyke first began to study the Arab world. VanDyke later studied in the Security Studies Program (SSP) at Georgetown University's Walsh School of Foreign Service from 2002-2004. He received his master's degree in Security Studies with a Middle East regional concentration in 2004.[4] As a graduate student at Georgetown University he wrote a political column for the campus newspaper, The Hoya, and co-hosted a radio talk show on the Georgetown University radio station, WGTB.[5]

VanDyke suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a condition that he has struggled with since his teenage years.[6]

2011 Libyan Civil War

In February, 2011 the Libyan Civil War began, and VanDyke was in contact with several of his Libyan friends in Tripoli, Libya via email and Facebook. “My friends were telling me about family members being arrested or disappearing or being injured. They would say to me things like, ‘Why doesn’t anybody help us?’ So I said I would be there.”[7]

VanDyke went to Libya with the intention of joining the rebel force opposing the government of Muammar Gaddafi. At the time, there was no international military support for the rebels, and it appeared that NATO would not intervene. Gaddafi had air superiority and his military was significantly stronger than the rebel force.[8] "I knew that they needed people to go fight. There was no NATO at that time. It didn't look like there would be NATO involvement or foreign involvement. It was a very, very desperate situation of Gaddafi's army moving towards Benghazi, and it was an all or nothing situation."[9]

Prisoner of war

On 13 March 2011, VanDyke was struck on the head during an ambush in Brega and lost his memory of what happened. VanDyke regained consciousness briefly during his transport from Brega to a prison, which he believes was in Sirte. He was interrogated and told he would never see America again.[10][6]

Sometime within the next 24–48 hours VanDyke was flown to Tripoli, where he was imprisoned in the Maktab al-Nasser prison in the Abu Salim district of Tripoli. VanDyke was held in solitary confinement, in a 1.2m x 2.2m (4 ft x 7 ft) cell with a small skylight in the ceiling. He was fed and allowed to use the toilet three times a day, but was not allowed outside or given anything to read or other materials. VanDyke also suffered the psychological effects of solitary confinement.[1]

After 85 days VanDyke was blindfolded, handcuffed, and transported to Abu Salim prison, where he would spend the next 81 days, also in solitary confinement. The psychological torture of the solitary confinement was made worse by VanDyke's obsessive-compulsive disorder.[11][12] On August 24, 2011 prisoners broke the lock off his cell and he escaped prison.[1] Free from prison, VanDyke stayed at the home of a fellow escapee for a few days before relocating to the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli as a guest of the National Transitional Council, and spoke to reporters about his experience as a prisoner of war.

International media coverage

Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also attempted to pressure the Gaddafi government on his behalf.[13] On May 25, Deputy Libyan Foreign Minister Khaled Kaim said he had no information about VanDyke.[4] In early August, after nearly five months of denials, the Gaddafi government finally admitted that VanDyke was in custody, but would not allow anyone to speak with or visit him, and would not reveal which prison he was being held in.[14] Human Rights Watch visited Abu Salim prison and asked if VanDyke was being held there. Prison officials denied that he was there, when in fact he was.[13]

VanDyke also stated that he would not leave Libya until the country was free and all cities were liberated from Gaddafi's forces.[12][2][15] He also said he would not leave until all rebel Prisoners of War (POWs) being held by Gaddafi forces were rescued from prison, including the three rebel fighters he was captured with.[16][1]

Joining the National Liberation Army

VanDyke went to Ra's Lanuf, meeting with the commander of the Ali Hassan al-Jaber Brigade, who allowed them to enlist in the National Liberation Army.[17]

VanDyke remained on or near the front lines as the rebels advanced from Harawa to Sirte. At the Battle of Sirte he took part in heavy fighting on the eastern front, most notably near Jazeera, Sirte Hotel, Sirte University, Dubai Street, and the Emirates apartment complex, as well as other engagements.[18][19] During this time VanDyke used a variety of weapons in combat and served in a variety of roles, but was primarily a DShK (Dushka) gunner. When not in combat, Fonas and VanDyke often gave tours of the battlefield and assisted the international press to help them safely and reliably report on the Battle of Sirte.[20] During one such mission they escorted CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey and his crew to the front lines in Sirte, at which time VanDyke was filmed in combat. This was aired on the CBS Evening News in the United States, and was the first combat footage of VanDyke to emerge.[21] Additional footage of him fighting in Sirte would later be made public in American television broadcasts and online.[3][22]

Reception

VanDyke claimed he was given an award by the Ali Hassan al-Jaber Brigade for his service.[2] He has faced no legal action by the United States government for his actions in Libya. VanDyke has been compared to revolutionary Che Guevara by the media, and to foreign fighters of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.[16][6]

VanDyke was criticized in a blog posting by Joel Simon of the Committee to Protect Journalists for the confusion about his status as a journalist or fighter during the time he was a prisoner of war.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Pickup, Oliver (30 August 2011). "U.S. film-maker released after six months in solitary in Gaddafi hellhole jail". The Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2031730/Libya-American-filmmaker-Matthew-van-Dyke-held-Abu-Salim-prison-Colonel-Gaddafi-forces.html. 
  2. ^ a b c Brumfield, Sarah (7 November 2011). "American Who Joined Libyan Fighters Returns to US". Associated Press (Baltimore). http://www.military.com/news/article/2011/american-who-joined-libyan-fighters-returns-to-us.html. 
  3. ^ a b "Baltimore Writer Matthew VanDyke Speaks Out About His Time In Libya". Denise Koch. WJZ 13 Eyewitness News. CBS. WJZ-TV, Baltimore. 2011-11-10. 2:57 minutes in.
  4. ^ a b c Brumfield, Sarah (4 June 2011). "Md. Writer Among Journalists Missing in Libya". Associated Press (Baltimore). http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=13760893. 
  5. ^ a b Russo, Glenn (19 May 2011). "Alumnus Missing in Libya". The Hoya (Washington, DC). http://www.thehoya.com/alumnus-missing-in-libya-1.2237508?pagereq=1. 
  6. ^ a b c Bahrampour, Tara (7 November 2011). "Marylander proud he joined Libyan rebels' army". The Washington Post (Washington, DC). http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/marylander-proud-he-joined-libyan-rebels-army/2011/11/07/gIQAZ16gxM_story.html. 
  7. ^ "Baltimore Writer Matthew VanDyke Speaks Out About His Time In Libya". Denise Koch. WJZ 13 Eyewitness News. CBS. WJZ-TV, Baltimore. 2011-11-10. 2:57 minutes in.
  8. ^ Little, Allen (March 17, 2011). "Libya: Gaddafi forces 'bomb rebel-held Benghazi'". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12775824. Retrieved November 14, 2011. 
  9. ^ "American POW Turned Libyan Resistance Fighter Matthew VanDyke Tells His Story". John Hockenberry. The Takeaway. Public Radio International (PRI) and WNYC-New York Public Radio. WNYC-New York Public Radio, New York. 2011-11-07. 8:37 minutes in.
  10. ^ James Foley (2011-08-31). Former prisoner Matthew Van Dyke tells of being jailed by Gaddafi (Website video). Boston: GlobalPost. 
  11. ^ Lyons, John (30 August 2011). "US filmmaker Matthew Van Dyke free after six months in Libyan 'hell'". The Australian (Sydney). http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/us-filmmaker-matthew-van-dyke-free-after-six-months-in-libyan-hell/story-e6frg6so-1226124790685. 
  12. ^ a b "Filmmaker: 'We were all Gadhafi's prisoners'". Richard Engel. NBC Nightly News. NBC. NBC, New York. 2011-08-26. 3:09 minutes in.
  13. ^ a b Bahrampour, Tara (5 November 2011). "With Gaddafi dead, Matthew VanDyke, who joined Libyan rebels, finally returns to Md.". The Washington Post (Washington, DC). http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/with-gaddafi-dead-matthew-vandyke-who-joined-libyan-rebels-finally-returns-to-md/2011/11/05/gIQAipAoqM_story.html. 
  14. ^ Brumfield, Sarah (9 August 2011). "APNewsBreak: US rep says writer in Libyan custody". Associated Press (Baltimore). http://news.yahoo.com/apnewsbreak-us-rep-says-writer-libyan-custody-205310372.html. 
  15. ^ Maryland's News Now with Mary Beth Marsden. Mary Beth Marsden. WBAL. 1090 AM WBAL, Baltimore, MD. 2011-11-07. 14:44 minutes in.
  16. ^ a b Marbella, Jean (8 October 2011). "Baltimorean taking up the Libyan rebel cause". The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore). http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-10-08/news/bs-md-vandyke-libya-20111008_1_libyan-rebel-libyan-war-international-aid-organizations. 
  17. ^ El Gamal, Rania (October 7, 2011). "American fighter makes Libya's war his own". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/07/libya-american-fighter-idUSL5E7L730J20111007. Retrieved November 15, 2011. 
  18. ^ Beaumont, Peter (7 October 2011). "Anti-Gaddafi troops meet fierce resistance in major assault on Sirte". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/07/anti-gaddafi-fierce-resistance-sirte?INTCMP=SRCH. 
  19. ^ Beaumont, Peter (13 October 2011). "Libya war reaches endgame with 100 loyalists left fighting". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/13/libya-war-endgame-loyalists-sirte?INTCMP=SRCH. 
  20. ^ Deshmukh, Jay (October 3, 2011). "American fighting Kadhafi 'lunatics' dreams of free Libya". AFP. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ggq9gizU50QT6TMAe6WPD-7Xytrw?docId=CNG.63f3ecd569de01fd9d60c41e9a017daa.931. Retrieved November 12, 2011. 
  21. ^ "Qaddafi loyalists' fight "does not make sense"". Allen Pizzey. CBS Evening News. CBS, New York. 2011-10-11. 2:25 minutes in.
  22. ^ "Matthew VanDyke Returns From Libya And Plans To Return To The Middle East". Bruce Leshan. 9 News Now. CBS. WUSA, Washington, DC. 2011-11-11. 2:18 minutes in.
  23. ^ Simon, Joel (18 November 2011). "VanDyke's deception increases risks for journalists". Committee to Protect Journalists. http://www.cpj.org/blog/2011/11/vandykes-deception-increases-risks-for-conflict-jo.php. Retrieved 18 Nov 2011. 



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