Obituary: Anastasia Baburova (1983-2009)

In our cynical times, there are also instances of young and old people bravely taking up professional/public causes and not fearing the consequences of the dangers inherent in such a step. The 25-year-old Anastasia Baburova, a Russian journalist who died on January 19th, would be remembered as a valiant fighter for a cause that was close to her heart — freedom of expression.

Here is The Economist’s moving tribute to this young woman (please click here…).

Excerpt: “She was born in 1983, just before perestroika opened up the country. Like the best of her generation (alas, few and untypical) she grew up fearless, thriving on freedom and fresh air. Ms Baburova considered herself a citizen of the world; she had more in common with rebellious youths in Europe than with office workers in her own country.

“She spoke fluent English and learnt Chinese; yet she had little chance to go abroad, to London or anywhere else. Instead, she travelled through books. At 15 her restlessness was compressed in a poem called “Coffee Cup”:

Wake up in the morning
Stretch your arms towards the sun
Say something in Chinese
And go to Paris…
Every minute, somewhere in the world there is morning
Somewhere, people stretch their arms towards the sun
They speak new languages, fly from Cairo to Warsaw
They smile and drink coffee together.