J-Journalist shot dead in Burma

[den4]

:( This is just outrageous...just leaving him dead after shooting an unarmed journalist...
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070927/ids_photos_wl/r3607854463.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070928/photos_ts/2007_09_27t113410_450x311_us_myanmar
http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/419344
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=379727934281748491&q=japanese+journalist+myanmar+video&total=5&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2

[nice gaijin]

saw the video earlier today. Nakai-san had been all over the world to many dangerous conflict zones, so it's no surprise that he's died in the crossfire. He was shot and was waving his reporter ID as the soldier brushed past him and left him for dead. Very upsetting stuff.

[Uncle Frank]

said no question he was shot up close & personal because of his picture taking. It also said the country is backed by China, so they are the only country that can bring pressure to bear and stop the violence?

Uncle Frank

:(

[Han Chan]

The Government of Japan are still not going to impose sanctions on Burma.


BBC News, 28th September: "Japan's PM, Yasuo Fukuda, said he would decide how to proceed after the visit. "We will have to think carefully to figure out what is the best thing to do - what is the best choice for Japan."
By sending Mitoji Yabunaka to Burma, he said Japan would "find the way to solve this issue and to make further decisions. Sanctions are not the best step to take now." He has described Mr Nagai's death as "really deplorable".
Japan is a leading aid donor to Burma and has been criticised for failing to take a tougher line against the regime."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7017636.stm

Actually the regime in Burma is depending on countries like China and Japan, who for many years now have been more eager to promote trade links, rather than calling for change.

Now even when a japanese photographer have been gunned down in cold blood, the only reaction from Fukoda is to call it "really deplorable" and sending the deputy foreign minister to Burma for talks!

I find that the countries who does not impose strict sactions on the military regime are complicit to the suppression of the democratic majority, as well as the ethnic minorities, who are largely displaced due to targetted violence against the civilian population.

[Faustianideals]

I'm disappointed, someone who wasn't even taking a side in the protests was shot and left for dead. Sanctions aren't enough in this situation. The US government lies to about WMD's in Iraq to start a conflict there, and Burma's "government"(I should probably call it a regime) only gets sanctions for killing dozens of innocent protesters and even then, bystanders. I really hope this doesn't go on much longer. Burma was actually the first thing I thought about when I woke up today.

[den4]

http://asia.news.yahoo.com/071002/kyodo/d8s11l9g0.html
:okashii:
I guess that means it's all ok if it was just an accident? And leaving the journalist lying on the ground dying....Yup...just like it's ok to run away from a hit and run scene, too....

2ND LD: Myanmar tells Japan reporter's shooting 'accidental'
(Kyodo) _ (EDS: UPDATING WITH INFO ON YABUNAKA)

Top Myanmar officials told Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka on Monday that the fatal shooting of a Japanese journalist was "accidental," the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

In meetings with the officials in the Myanmar capital of Naypyitaw, Yabunaka demanded an investigation into the shooting and requested that the video camera of the slain journalist, Kenji Nagai, be returned.

He has also requested a meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but as of Tuesday evening had not received any response from the military junta, which has long kept her under house arrest.

Japanese Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Mitsuo Sakaba said Yabunaka left the capital for Yangon in the afternoon and would head back to Tokyo via Bangkok by the end of the day unless there are any new developments.

"We have not heard back (from the Myanmar government) and he will be staying for only a few more hours," Sakaba told a news conference, hinting at the possibility Yabunaka would return to Japan without getting the chance to meet Suu Kyi.

"The authorities did not shoot a Japanese on purpose," Myanmar Information Minister Kyaw Hsan was quoted as telling Yabunaka. "It was accidental in the midst of a series of actions to disperse the protest."

The senior officials were also quoted as asking Yabunaka to understand that the shooting happened during a chaotic situation in which some soldiers were also injured.

Yabunaka protested to Col. Aye Ko, deputy chief of the Office of Chief Military Security Affairs of the Defense Ministry, that video footage that captured the shooting of Nagai showed he was shot from behind at close range, contradicting a local autopsy that claimed there was no evidence of him having been shot at point-blank range.

Aye Ko responded that the footage was filmed from far away and that the angle from which it was taken should also be considered.

On the return of the camera, the senior officials said that they understand the feelings of Nagai's family and that they would convey the request to the authorities in charge, according to the ministry.

Nagai is believed to have been using the video camera to film the clashes between security forces and pro-democracy demonstrators in Yangon and was subsequently shot by security forces.

Separately, Yabunaka urged the officials to release detainees, including a Myanmar staffer on a Japanese newspaper, and promote dialogue with pro-democracy groups.

[TuskCracker]

-
Myanmar government thugs murder a japanese journalist


All on very clear video, for everyone to see.

What does Japanese do ?

It looks pretty lame, the Japanese response !


This is the second largest economy in the world, with state-of-the-art technology. No tough response. Is Japan a joke ?
.

[Uncle Frank]

Seems to me the news said they are pursuing diplomatic measures. Next will probably come sanctions. Lucky for Myanmar it wasn't a US citizen or the bombs would have dropped by now. Guess the Japanese are a bit more civilized?

Uncle Frank

:blush:

[Mikawa Ossan]

What kind of response do you want? The journalist was there most likely on his own free will, and was probably told by the Japanese government to leave. I know that was the case with the abductees in Iraq way back when.

If that is the case, it's a matter of the government having its citizens take responsibility for their own actions. I personally like that policy.

[Skullcrushergurl]

Did nothing as in no arrests?:souka:
Are they working on the case?:relief:

[Mikawa Ossan]

Did nothing as in no arrests?:souka:
Are they working on the case?:relief:
I think you misunderstand. It was government people who killed him.

Myanmar is currently cracking down on people demonstrating against the military government. The reporter most likely got caught up in it while reporting and got killed by those supressing the demonstration.

[EmperorHirohito]

From what I can remember from BBC News, the pictures that were shown around the world, were of a japanese freelance journalist taking pictures of the demonstations, and being shot in cold blood by a soldier.
Not entirely sure what sort of sanctions Japan could impose against Burma, but I would not be surprised if sanctions of some kind maybe considered by the UN, on Japans behalf.

[TuskCracker]

-
...and being shot in cold blood by a soldier.

The country that is second strongest economy in the world, doesn't get angry.

Japan could do simple things. Economic pressure is the first.

o) Japan banks and investment firms, have clout !!

o) Make ships come into that country go through a gauntlet of inspections

o) Burma government officials are blocked from traveling using Japanese assets (airlines, airports, on and on)

o) Japan puts pressure on asian countries to do the same thing


Where is Japans spine and backbone ?

.
.

[den4]

I guess the backbone is now back in place....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7046267.stm
Japan adds to pressure on Burma
Unidentified Burmese military officials
Burma's military has ruled the nation of 51m for decades
Japan is halting $4.7m (£2.3m) in funding for a human resources centre in Burma, as economic pressure mounts on the military government there.

The move follows the death of a Japanese journalist during the Burmese military's bloody suppression of anti-government protests last month.

It reflected Japan's "strong concerns" over the situation, a minister said.

On Monday, the EU upped sanctions on Burma and the US urged "consequential" action against its leaders.

Japan is one of the leading donors of aid to Burma.

The funding, promised in 2005, was to have been used for a centre at Rangoon University, where courses in economics, management and Japanese would have been taught.

But the shooting of video journalist Kenji Nagai, 50, sparked outrage in Japan and has led to a tougher position.

''Japan has to show its stance and we can't effectively be supporting the military junta at this point in time,'' Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.

Japan would increase efforts to persuade the Burmese government to move towards democracy, he said.

Growing pressure

In Washington, a White House spokesman said the US was considering toughening its own existing sanctions.

"Without telegraphing too many specifics or details, it could include expanding the number of people affected by the travel ban, it could include additional financial sanctions against the junta or those involved," Gordon Johndroe told the BBC's World Today programme.

Troops on the streets of Rangoon on 27 September 2007
Troops detained thousands of people during the crackdown

At a question-and-answer session in the state of Arkansas, meanwhile, President George W Bush made it plain that it was his intention to act - and to act soon - against Burma.

He advocated "enormous international pressure to make it clear to the generals that they will be completely isolated and not accepted into the international community of nations".

Earlier on Monday, the European Union agreed new punitive measures against Burma.

On top of a travel ban and a freeze on assets, Burma's generals now face fresh embargoes on some of their more lucrative exports - including jade, rubies and teak.

However, correspondents say, European sanctions have had practically no impact on Burma, as more than 90% of the country's trade is with its Asian neighbours.

The new measures will not prevent the French energy giant Total from doing business with the junta, though diplomats say that may come later.

Meanwhile UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari has described as "extremely disturbing" new arrests in Burma and has called on the junta to stop detaining democracy activists.

Burma's security forces at the weekend rounded up three of the remaining leaders from September's demonstrations, according to human rights group Amnesty International.

Mr Gambari is currently in South East Asia for talks with Burma's neighbours and key trading partners.

Burma says 10 people died during its crackdown on the protests, but diplomats believe the true figures are much higher. Hundreds of people are thought to be in detention.

[Dutch Baka]

The latest news regarding this terrible happening:

Slain journalist shot within 1-meter-range

(Kyodo) _ A Japanese video journalist gunned down in September while covering an antigovernment rally in Myanmar was shot within a 1-meter-range, Japanese police said Monday.
The body of Kenji Nagai, 50, was brought home to undergo a police autopsy at a Tokyo hospital.

The announcement was based on the autopsy results.

Nagai was shot Sept. 27 during the rally in Yangon.
Source (http://asia.news.yahoo.com/071126/kyodo/d8t52p000.html)