GIVE US BACK HIS CAMERA!! (with constant news updates)
Originally uploaded by nofrills. Now I'm so angry. DON'T LET THEM BURY THE TRUTH.
Collage. The Reuters photo on the newspaper and today's Mainich Shinbun web article.
As I wrote a couple of hours ago, Mr Yamaji from the APF News arrived in Rangoon last night and identified the body at the morgue. The Daily Yomiuri reports that he "silently looked at Nagai's body for 10 minutes and seemed to be trying to suppress his sorrow over Nagai's death."
Reading the Mainich Shinbun article (pictured above: in Japanese) is heart breaking.
QUOTE:
「カメラを握りしめたままの形で右手を硬直させていた」――。ヤンゴン市内の病院で映像ジャーナリスト、長井健司さん（５０）の遺体と対面したＡＰＦ通信社の山路徹社長（４６）は２９日夜、生々しい遺体の状況を声を詰まらせながら電話で同通信社に連絡してきた。……想像したよりも安らかな表情で「お疲れさま、一緒に帰ろう」と声をかけたという。……
山路社長はしばらく時間を忘れ、長井さんの顔を見つめた。額には倒れた際についたとみられる傷もあった。山路社長は「遺体と対面して改めて長井さんの死を実感した。どういう状況で撃たれたのか真実が知りたい。日本でも検視してほしい」とのコメントを出した。……３０日午前に大使館で遺品の整理と取材テープの確認をする。……9月30日1時31分
Rough translation in English:
Yamaji of the APF News phoned his office in Tokyo, right after he identified the body. His co-worker told Yamaji said in a shaky voice that Nagai's right hand was rigid in a shape just as if he was holding a camera.
Yamaji just lost the sense of time, just staring at Nagai's face, which was more calm and peaceful than he had expected. On the forehead he had a graze, which he must have got when he was knocked down to the ground. Yamaji issued a statement that he "knew that Nagai was dead even though I couldn't believe it until I saw the body. I want to know the truth. I demand to know how and why he was shot. I want doctors in Japan to examine the body, too."
Yamaji is going to get Nagai's personal belongings and tapes he filmed at the Japanese Embassy on the morning of Sunday 30th September. (The Mainichi Shinbun, 13:31 JST, 30 September 2007)
Well, basically this is what the article says.
Then, we've got another news in the evening: At the Japanese Embassy in Burma, Yamaji couldn't find the camera Nagai was holding at his death. Another camera was found, but that camera was missing.
That is, the camera has been taken away by somebody. Who took it away? If he or she took the camera for money, give the videotape back to Mr Yamaji or to the Japanese Embassy. If the Burmese police or military took it away, just give it back. The truth is already known all over the world.
Burmese junta murdered this guy. And is it not enough? They are going to kill his soul by taking away what he had been filming on that day for us to see.
Don't deprive me and other Japanese people of the last report by this respected Japanese journalist. Please.
UPDATE@30 September 2007:
If you read Japanese:
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20070930-00000079-jij-sociQuote:
取材カメラ、没収か＝長井さんの遺留品を確認－現地入りのAPF社長
9月30日19時0分配信 時事通信
ミャンマーで治安部隊の銃撃を受け、死亡したジャーナリスト長井健司さん（50）が撮影していたビデオカメラが、警察側から返却されていないことが30 日、分かった。長井さんが契約していたニュースプロダクション「APF通信社」（東京）の山路徹社長が同日、現地で遺留品をチェックした後、同社に報告した。
警察当局が没収した可能性が高く、山路社長はカメラの返却を求めるとともに、遺体の搬送準備を進める。 ……
最終更新:9月30日19時31分
In English for the gist of it:
It is very likely that the police took the camera away and has not given it back. Mr Yamaji of the APF News demands it be returned.
--
UPDATE@1 October 2007:
If you read Japanese:
毎日新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071001-00000028-maip-intミャンマー 長井さん所持のビデオカメラ、返却されず
10月1日17時7分配信 毎日新聞
・・・同社（＝ＡＰＦ通信社）は今後、日本大使館を通じてミャンマー政府にこのカメラと、テープの返還を求めていくという。
同社（＝ＡＰＦ通信社）によると、山路社長が日本大使館内で警察から返却されたのはパスポートや携帯電話、メモ帳に加え、長井さんが予備として持っていたキヤノン製のビデオカメラ１台だった。銃撃現場で長井さんが手にしていたソニー製のビデオカメラはなかった。返却されたカメラに残っていたテープを再生すると、室内をテスト撮影したような映像はあるが、デモの様子などは映っていなかった。
問題のビデオカメラは、ロイター通信が銃撃直後の様子を配信した写真で、長井さんが倒れた後もしっかり握っている様子が写されていた。
長井さんの母道子さん（７５）は愛媛県今治市の自宅で「軍の見せたくない姿が映っているからではないか。（死亡から）何日たつか。毎日かわいそうで、早く（遺体を）引き取りたい」と声を詰まらせた。
・・・【町田徳丈、加藤隆寛、土本匡孝】
産経新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071001-00000909-san-pol政府、ミャンマー軍事政権にビデオ返却要求
10月1日11時39分配信 産経新聞
町村信孝官房長官は１日午前の記者会見で、ミャンマーの反政府デモを取材中に射殺された日本人ジャーナリストが殺害時に使っていたビデオカメラが返却されていないことについて、「ミャンマー側はすべての遺留品を返還したと述べているが、確認を求めている。（ミャンマー訪問中の）藪中三十二外務審議官からも関係者に強く要請する」と述べるとともに、ミャンマーの民主化や人権状況の改善などを引き続き求める考えを示した。また、町村長官はミャンマー側の医師による「検視結果」を公表。「２０センチ以内から撃たれた場合に見られる銃口からの炎によるやけどの跡も、１メートル以内からだと皮膚に付着するとされる火薬の粒子もなかった」などと至近距離からは撃たれていないことを示唆していることを明らかにした。これを受け、町村長官は「別途分析する必要がある」と述べ、遺体を日本に搬送した上で改めて検視する方針を示した。・・・
In English for the gist of the articles:
- Yamaji, a colleague of the slain journalist Nagai, did not find the camera Nagai was holding at death among his belongings that were returned from the police.
- Yamaji did get Nagai's belongings returned from the police: his passport, his mobile phone, his notebook and a Canon with a videotape in it.
- The "last moment" camera was a Sony, while the only camera Yamaji could find among his belongings was a Canon.
- The Canon camera was a back-up. The videotape inside the Canon camera had nothing noteworthy: only test-shots inside a hotel room.
- The Burmese police claim all the belongings to Nagai have been returned.
- Nagai's mother, 75, is heartbroken. She suggests it might be something the junta does not want the world to know that her son was filming. She wants his son's body to be back as soon as possible. "How many days have passed since he was killed? This is unbearable," she told the reporters.
Meanwhile:
- Mr Machimura, the chief cabinet secretary of Japan, said at a press conference on 1st Oct, that the Japanese government would ask the Burmese junta government to make sure if it was true that all the belongings had been returned.
-
Mr Yabunaka, who is visiting Burma, will urge them to return all of Nagai's belongings.
- Machimura also said the Japanese government will be asking about the humanitarian situation in Burma. (This translation is too rough!)
- According to Machimura, the Burmese doctor(s) who performed a post mortem claims it is unlikely he was shot at a point-blank range. "On the body, there were no burns that he should have got when shot at a 20-centimeter distance, and there were no gun powders that he'd have got when shot at a one-meter range."
- Machimura questions this, and said another post mortem in Japan will be needed to see the truth.
Well, I can only hope that they don't claim it's "politically motivated" for Japan to conduct an inquest.
I feel really sorry for his mom, who's been waiting for four days since her son's death. (In Japan, a dead person's body is usually cremated in two or three days.)
--
The TimesNowTV of India reports:
www.timesnow.tv/NewsDtls.aspx?NewsID=3108Meanwhile, Japan has urged Myanmar to return the video camera of video journalist Kenji Nagai who was apparently shot at point blank range while documenting the pro-democracy protests on 27 September. Tokyo is considering recalling its ambassador and suspending technical assistance to Myanmar depending on how the military junta reacts to Japan's demand.
--
News clip in English (Reuters):
Japan demands Burma return journalist's camera
www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2007/oct/01/japan.statementJapan calls on Burmese authorities to return the missing video camera of Kenji Nagai who was killed in protests last week
The clip is in Japanese, with English subtitles. It shows another footage at the scene (it's a new footage), seemingly seconds after the shooting. A soldier pulls fallen Nagai by the right hand. The Sony camera had already dropped from his hand, although it looks like he was still not dead. Then several soldiers carried his body away.
Then the clip shows Mr Machimura, the chief cabinet secretary of Japan, speaking at a daily press conference about the missing camera.
Still photos from the "new" footage:
www.repubblica.it/2006/05/gallerie/esteri/inedite-birmani...# From number 4 to number 7. The smoke in the number 7 is tear gas, as far as I've heard.
--
Accorging to the Guardian blog, which quotes one Burmese blog (http://soneseayar.blogspot.com/), "Major General Hla Htay Win of the Rangoon Division has been sacked amid speculation that he is being blamed for the killing of" Kenji Nagai.
blogs.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/10/burma_crisis_monday.html--
UPDATE@7:00 am, 2 October 2007:
Mr Yabunaka, a senior official of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, has met several people from the junta. He officially demanded Nagai's Sony camera be returned and told Japan wants to know what exactly happened.
No mention to the Major General Hla Htay Win (see my comment above) in a Japanese TV news (at the NNN, to whom Nagai did his last telephone report).
時事通信：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071002-00000002-jij-int取材カメラの返却要求＝軍政幹部に外務審議官－ミャンマー
10月2日1時2分配信 時事通信
ミャンマー訪問中の外務省の藪中三十二外務審議官は1日、同国中部の新首都ネピドーでマウン・ミン外務副大臣ら軍事政権幹部と相次いで会談した。藪中氏はこの中で、旧首都ヤンゴンで取材中に治安部隊に銃撃され、死亡したジャーナリスト長井健司さん（50）の事件について、真相究明が必要であると強調するとともに、撮影に使っていたビデオカメラの返却を要求した。
これに対し、同副大臣は「長井氏は観光査証で入国して取材活動を行っていた」とした上で、「混乱の中で起きた」偶発的事件と指摘。「故人が最後まで持っていたカメラを手に入れたいとの遺族の気持ちは理解する」と述べ、関係当局に連絡すると説明した。
拘束されている東京新聞現地通信員の身柄に関しては、釈放に向けて努力しているが、現在協議中で直ちに回答できないと語った。
Among the people Yabunaka met was Maun Min, a deputy foreign minister. Maun Win told Yabunaka that Nagai had entered on a tourist visa, and that the shooting was an accident that occurred in the mess. But he said he understood how his family felt over the camera that the slain journalist was holding at his last moments, and that he would get in touch with the people in the know.
読売新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071001-00000215-yom-int藪中外務審議官、ミャンマー軍政幹部と会談
10月2日3時7分配信 読売新聞
【バンコク＝田原徳容】……藪中三十二外務審議官（政務担当）は１日、新首都ネピドー入りし、軍政筋によると、外務副大臣ら閣僚級数人と会談した。
藪中審議官は、事件の真相究明を強く求めるとともに、民主化勢力との対話など国際社会の要望を伝えたとみられる。
藪中審議官は、銃撃の瞬間を伝えるビデオ映像が存在することなどを踏まえ、銃撃に至った経緯説明のほか、事件関係者の厳正な処分を要求。さらに、長井さんが銃撃された際に手にしていたビデオカメラの即時返還も求めた模様だ。
Also in the news... Mr Yamaji of the APF News will visit the place where his colleague was shot and offer some flowers. It was reported the police did not allow him to visit the place, but it now seems the authority changed their mind.
--
UPDATE@7:30 am, 2 October 2007:
Japan is going to stop some of its aid to Burma.
After the Burmese military crackdown on the protesters, the Japanese government have decided to cut its aid to Burma, such as grant aid and technical aid. Japan will review the current plans and projects, and decide which ones would be stopped or suspended. There will be no new humanitarian-aid project.
読売新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071002-00000301-yom-pol武力弾圧でミャンマー支援削減へ、新規の人道援助行わず
10月2日3時12分配信 読売新聞
政府は１日、ミャンマー軍事政権による反政府デモへの武力弾圧を受け、同国への無償資金協力や技術協力などの援助を削減する方針を固めた。
現在実施中の援助案件を精査し、中止や一時停止の措置を取るものを選ぶ。人道援助も新規は行わない。軍事政権に対する国際社会の批判の高まりや、映像ジャーナリスト、長井健司さんの射殺事件を受け、同国に厳しい姿勢を示す必要があると判断した。
政府は１９８８年の軍事政権発足や２００３年の民主化運動指導者アウン・サン・スー・チーさんの拘束で、同国への援助を大幅に削減してきており、０６年度実績は無償資金協力約１３億円、技術協力約１７億円。円借款は８７年度以降、ゼロとなっている。
UPDATE@3 October 2007:
Reuters article:
Japan to cut back on aid to Myanmar - paper
Tue Oct 2, 2007 1:27am EDT
www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP320349._CH_....Japan will cut aid to Myanmar following the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, a newspaper reported on Tuesday, although Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said a decision would not be made before the return of an envoy from the country.
Envoy Mitoji Yabunaka went to Myanmar at the weekend to press for a full inquiry after Japanese journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead ...
Japan will review the assistance it provides to Myanmar and decide on which aid it will end or temporarily suspend, the Yomiuri Shimbun daily said, citing government sources.
Tokyo will also stop sending new humanitarian assistance, it said.
But Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said no decision would be made until Yabunaka returns from Myanmar, where he has met with government officials and is awaiting possible talks with democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
"We will make a decision on how to proceed after Mr Yabunaka has returned and reported to us on his trip," Komura told reporters. "At this point, nothing has been decided."
He added that no clear reply had been received from the Myanmar government to the request for a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi. Japan has withheld new aid to impoverished Myanmar since Aung San Suu Kyi was detained in 2003, but it still funds emergency health projects and provides some training and technological transfers.
Japan has provided a total of about 3 billion yen ($26 million) in aid annually in recent years, compared with 10 billion in 2001.
The Yomiuri said the latest move could affect long-term assistance programmes such as a human resources development plan, for which 400 million yen is earmarked for the year to next March.
But analysts doubt whether sanctions would have much effect.
"Because Japan has narrowed down its aid from 1988, even if it discontinues the aid, the junta won't feel much impact," said Myanmar expert Toshihiro Kudo.
...
--
I forgot to post this here:
Ko htike has published the death list, quoting
AAPP. The list has six names:
Death list by junta violent crush (from AAPP)
Name: Ko Soe Than (b) Si Tone
Address: 716 , 26 Street , No 5 Quarter, S\Okkalapa
Age: 41 years old
Date of death: 27 September, 2007
Name: Kenji Nagai
Adress: Nakano Ward, Tokyo, Japan
Age: 50
Date of death: 27 September, 2007
Remark:He is a photo journalist of freeland
Name: Myo Min Htun
Address: 287 , 24 Street , No. 7 Quarter, S\Okkalapa
Age: 22
Father: U Than Htun
Date of death: 27 September, 2007
Name: Zayar Naing
Address: Mahor Video rent shop , Thura 2 Street, No. 9
Quarter, S\Okkalapa
Age: 18
Date of death: 27 September, 2007
Remark: He is a tenth student of Basic Education High
School- BEHS (2) School , S\Okkalapa, Rangoon
Name: Pho Zaw
Address: Dan Ohn Set, Marga street, N/Oakkalapa,
Rangoon
Age: 40
Date of death: 29 September 2007
Name: Sunny (alais) kalamalay
Address: Bo Htun Zan Quarter, Daw Bon, Rangoon
Age: 18
Date of death: 29 September 2007
[UPDATE on Ko Htike]
Name: Ven, Thila Sara
Address: Yuzana monastery, Myintkyina, Kachin State
Age:
Date of death: 26 September 2007
Name: Tun Tun Lin
Address: 1060. 13 street, 7 ward, S/Oakkalapa, Rangoon
Age: 31
Date of death: 27 September 2007
--
UPDATE@7:00 am, 3 October 2007:
Mr Yamaji of the APF News visited the site where his colleague was shot. An Agence France-Presse article posted on the Sydney Morning Herald has a picture.
www.smh.com.au/news/world/monks-from-rebel-age-group-a-ra...Mr Yamaji is accompanied by another Japanese man, possibly an official at the Embassy - the man with a paper bag. Mr Yamaji himself has a camera. They pay tribute to the fallen journalist with white flowers (chrysanthemum) and
incense. (Japanese Buddhists pay tribute to the dead with incense sticks rather than candles. And white chrysanthemum is always used at funerals and memorials.)
Nagai's body will leave Bankok tonight for Tokyo. The Japanese police expects to conduct a post mortem when the body arrives on the morning of 4th October.
News articles in Japanese:
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071003-00000002-jij-int長井さん遺体、司法解剖へ＝4日に帰国後－警察当局
10月3日1時0分配信 時事通信
……警察当局は長井さんの遺体が4日に日本に到着後、司法解剖して死因を確認する。
遺体は3日夜、バンコクを出発し、4日早朝に成田空港に到着する予定。警視庁が検視、司法解剖し、被弾の状況について調べる。
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071002-00000212-jij-int白菊手向け、深い祈り＝APF社長、長井さん銃撃現場訪問－ミャンマー
10月2日21時3分配信 時事通信
【バンコク2日時事】……山路徹社長は2日、銃撃現場を訪れ献花し、長井さんの冥福を祈った。山路社長は3日、長井さんの遺体とともに同国を出国。4日朝に日本に到着する予定。
山路社長は2日、報道写真を頼りに、ヤンゴン中心部のスーレー・パゴダ（仏塔）付近の銃撃現場を訪問。白い菊が入ったかごを現場近くの歩道に置いた後、深い黙とうをささげ、「ここまで来るのに時間がかかってごめんなさい」と声を掛けたという。長井さんが倒れた場所には、血痕が残されていた。
山路社長はこれに先立ち、長井さんが宿泊していたヤンゴン市内のホテルを訪れた。長井さんが泊まっていた部屋には、花が飾られていた。ホテルのマネジャーは「このたびは本当に残念でなりません。ご遺族によろしくお伝えください」と話した。
ミャンマー外務省は1日まで現場での献花を拒んでいたが、藪中三十二外務審議官が軍政当局に献花の許可を強く要請した結果、同省が認めたという。
Mr Yamaji was at first denied a tribute visit to the site by the Burmese officials. But after the Japanese foreign ministry demanded, he was allowed to pay a visit as he had expected.
Before visiting the site, Mr Yamaji visited the hotel Mr Nagai was staying. The room had flowers for Nagai, and the hotel manager said to Yamaji, "I feel terribly sorry. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Nagai's family."
Arriving at the site, Mr Yamaji put down the flower basket and observed a silent prayer, then he said "I'm so sorry it took so long for me to come here." It's been five days since he was shot to death. On the spot where he fell, there were bloodstains.
--
UPDATE@noon, 3 October 2007:
The AFP reports about the Japanese government's question about the Burmese official's claims that the shooting was an accident.
www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_...Japan doubts Myanmar’s assertion
Web posted at: 10/3/2007 2:59:30
Source ::: AFP
Japan yesterday questioned Myanmar's assertion that the fatal shooting of a Japanese journalist covering anti-government protests in Yangon was an accident.
"It doesn't seem to be accidental in any way," Japanese foreign ministry press secretary Mitsuo Sakaba told reporters. "What has happened is extremely deplorable."
...
Mituso Sakaba is
坂場三男 in Japanese. This story is not yet reported in the Japanese media. (I searched for his name but couldn't find any articles.)
In Japanese (要点のみ):
ビルマ軍政は長井さんを撃ったのは混乱のなかの偶発的な出来事だと説明しているが、外務省の坂場三男報道官は記者団に対し「どう見ても偶発的な出来事のようには見えない」と述べた。
--
UPDATE@13:00, 4th October 2007:
It's been a week since Kenji Nagai was shot dead. In the Buddhism in Japan, the seventh day (including the day the person died, so it was yesterday in fact) is a very important day when friends and family pray for the peace of his/her soul. 合掌.
Nagai's body was flown back to Tokyo this morning, probably around 06:00 am, acconpanied by the APF News president Mr Toru Yamaji. Yamaji brought Nagai's belongings, including a blood-stained notebook he had in his bag. But there was not the Sony mini-videocam.
Here's an Agence France Presse news article:
Japanese journalist's body returns from Myanmar
afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jKYXB0AoKmB4LiUYlyUuYhy2TAiQNARITA, Japan (AFP) — The body of a Japanese journalist killed during pro-democracy protests in Myanmar returned home Thursday as his company vowed to retrieve the footage he was filming when shot dead.
Kenji Nagai's coffin, bearing a bouquet of flowers, arrived at Narita airport east of Tokyo accompanied by Toru Yamaji, head of Tokyo-based video news service APF News.
"I want to retrieve the video he took in return for his life," Yamaji told reporters at Narita airport.
"Our biggest task now is to confirm and report on what's in there and what he wanted to tell the people on his last day," he said. ...
His body, which arrived from Yangon via Bangkok on a Thai Airways International plane, is to be sent to a Tokyo hospital for autopsy where it will be viewed by his parents, aged 82 and 75.
In Japanese:
産経新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071004-00000901-san-soci読売新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071004-00000003-yom-sociHis coffin was covered with a red sheet, which I think is a tribute to the Burmese people because in Japan red is an unusual colour for a death.
The Yomiuri article above reports that Nagai's parents met their son at a hospital in Tokyo. They had flown to Tokyo from Ehime on 3rd October.
--
Some additional notes@4th October 2007:
The APF News (NOT affiliated with the AFP, a French news agency) is a small independent news production company based in Tokyo. They play a vital part of Japanese news reporting - Japanese MSM usually don't send their own reporters to the war/conflict zones but send independent journalists. Kenji Nagai was one of such journalists.
Mr Toru Yamaji, the head of the APF News, is also a journalist. He visited Burma a number of times (in 1989, 1990, 1995 ...), and that was where the APF News started.
You can watch a clip by Yamaji at their site:
www.apfnews.com/It's Japanese only, but find the サイトマップ (sitemap) button on the top left. Then scroll down the page to アーカイブ (archive) right above the "BOOK & VIDEO'. In the アーカイブ list, there are six news clips, and Yamaji's Burma report (broadcast in 1995) is the second one: 「全ビルマ学生民主戦線」.
The clips are:
- アメリヤシェルター誤爆:
The Amiriyah Shelter, Baghdad, Iraq (1991)
- 全ビルマ学生民主戦線: All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Thai-Burma border area (1995)
- ボスニア内戦 民族紛争の真実: Bosnian Civil War - the Truth about the Ethnic Conflict (1993-1995)
- ソマリア内戦 正義という名の虐殺～国連平和執行部隊の実態～: Somalia Civil War: Killing in the Name of Justice - the real face of the UN Peace-Enforcement Units (1993)
- 少年兵 戦場から子供を取り戻せ！～シエラレオネの場合～: Child Soldiers: Get Them Back From The War Zone! - In The Case Of Sierra Leone (1996)
- タイ・エイズ孤児: Thailand's AIDS Orphans (2000)
The last clip (Thailand's AIDS Orphans) is a piece of work by Nagai. You can watch the clip at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjWF6PtHrIwww.youtube.com/watch?v=E1w0VG7UPn0This is the orphan home in Thailand, set up by a Japanese humanitarian activist:
www.banromsai.jp/# In English:
www.banromsai.jp/info_e.html--
UPDATE@15:00, 4th October 2007:
The BBC:
Reporter's body returned to Japan
Last Updated: Thursday, 4 October 2007, 04:10 GMT 05:10 UK
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7027237.stm...
An autopsy will be held to determine Kenji Nagai's exact cause of death.
Japanese officials have said that he was shot at close range and not hit accidentally by a stray bullet as Burmese authorities have said.
Mr Nagai's employers at APF News are demanding that Burma returns the camera he held in his hand when he was killed.
Burmese authorities have only returned a second camera that Mr Nagai is believed to have used as a back-up.
"Our biggest task now is to confirm and report on what's in [his camera] and what he wanted to tell the people on his last day," said Toru Yamaji, the head of APF News.
On Wednesday, Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said that aid to Burma might be suspended.
Japan is Burma's largest aid donor.
The EU has agreed in principle to toughen existing sanctions against Burma and is reportedly looking at ways of specifically targeting its military rulers.
US President George W Bush has already announced tighter sanctions and travel restrictions against the junta and its supporters.
...
Meanwhile, it's reported that Japan's suspention will not play a major role as a pressure to the junta.
According to this report (in Japanese), JETRO (the Japan External Trade Organization, a government-related organisation) has issued a report re: economies in Myanmar. The chief analyst sees 1) the recent price-rise is the problem, and it shows the fundamental and systematical problems of the Burmese economy, 2) the junta can make a lot of money by selling Burma's natural gas when the price of oil is so high, 3) Japan has reduced its ties with the junta since 2003, so if Japan's aid is cut back, only a limited effect is expected.
# The article is from Sankei media group, which is blantantly anti-China: i.e., they write only about China. But in fact, India's role can't be neglected as well as other ASEAN countries' roles. And the fact is Japan has long supported the military government.
--
The Reuters and others reported that some of the detained monks and nuns were freed along with some of the local journalists, including the Tokyo Shinmun correspondent.
80 monks, 149 women, probably nuns, and 5 journalists were released.
In Japanese:
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071004-00000909-reu-intI can't find this article in English, but the Japanese article says:
ミャンマー軍事政権は３日、先週の反政府抗議行動で身柄を拘束していた僧侶８０人と尼僧とみられる女性１４９人を釈放した。釈放された１人と、他の親族が明らかにした。
東京新聞のミャンマー人通信員を含む地元ジャーナリスト５人も釈放された。
親族によると、身柄を拘束された市民らは収容施設で尋問を受け、通行人、デモを見ていた者、デモに拍手した者、デモに参加した者という４分類に分けられたという。
釈放された僧侶は、ヤンゴン北部にある政府系の元技術研究施設に収容され、口頭での非難を受けたが、物理的な暴力は受けなかったと述べた。
Rough translation for the gist of it:
One person who had been detained and other relatives told of their release. According to the relatives (or one relative), the detained civilians were interrogated at a detention centre, and then separated into four groups: passers-by, those who watched the demonstration, those who cheered and clapped to the protesters, those who took part in the demonstration.
And the monks were detained at a former governmental technical research center in the northern part of Rangoon and were vervally attacked/abused, but not physically attacked, according to the article.
Things are changing day to day, or even hour to hour. I still can't find out exactly how many men and women have been detained.
And here's another piece: a military officer has defected after refusing orders.
In English:
newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view_article.php...Myanmar military officer defects to Thailand
Agence France-Presse
Last updated 09:02pm (Mla time) 10/03/2007
BANGKOK -- A Myanmar military officer has fled to neighboring Thailand saying he refused orders to attack Buddhist monks in last week's anti-junta protests and denouncing the regime.
"As a Buddhist myself, when I heard that monks had been shot dead on the streets and that other people had been shot dead, I felt very upset," he said in a video interview, a copy of which was made available to Agence France-Presse.
"As a Buddhist, I did not want to see such killing."
The army major's defection is the first known case of a military official fleeing the country formerly called Burma since the junta last week ordered a crackdown that left at least 13 people dead and more than 1,000 detained.
Thai military intelligence officials have identified the officer, but he later requested that his name not be reported. The Thai officials said he was planning to request political asylum in Norway.
...
The man said he wanted Myanmar to be a "free and prosperous country."
"I don't mean a rich country, like in Europe, but a country where people can earn a proper income," he said in the video interview. "I want to see Burma peaceful and for people to live in freedom."
However, for now, he added that "it's impossible. Under the rule of the military regime, Burma will not be prosperous and peaceful."
In Japanese:
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071004-00000089-mai-int＜ミャンマー＞少佐が武力行使拒否し軍離脱 亡命へ
10月4日19時17分配信 毎日新聞
ミャンマーの反政府デモに対する武力行使命令を拒否した同国陸軍少佐が、軍を離脱して隣国タイに逃れ、ノルウェー亡命を望んでいることが分かった。タイ首相府筋が明らかにした。……
# this is a copy of what I posted onto the
Help Burma Now! group's forum.
--
UPDATE:
Nagai's cause of death is now officially confirmed in Tokyo. He was shot from the back, and the bullet gave an extensive damage to his liver, and he died from blood loss. (This is quite similar to what a Burmese doctor told to Mr Yamaji a few days ago.) How he was shot is yet to be confirmed. The Japanese police will conduct a full review of the footages of the moment, and examine his shirts and trousers.
In Japanese:
読売新聞：
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071004-00000418-yom-int長井さん死因、内臓損傷による失血死…さらに着衣など鑑定
10月5日1時28分配信 読売新聞
……長井健司さん（５０）（東京都中野区）の死因は、銃弾で肝臓が損傷したことによる失血死の可能性が高いことが、警視庁の司法解剖で判明した。銃創は１か所で、背部の左腰付近から入った銃弾が、腹部の右側上部を抜けて貫通していたことも確認され、ミャンマー人医師による解剖所見とほぼ同様の結果になった。
銃弾の傷跡付近の皮膚に、明確な硝煙反応などはなく、弾が至近距離から撃たれたかどうかははっきりしないため、同庁では、長井さんの着衣を詳細に鑑定するとともに、銃撃を受けた当時のビデオ映像の分析も進める。
--
UPDATE@5th October:
Nagai's funeral is on Monday 8th October 2007 at Aoyama Saijo. See
this post (in Japanese only) and/or a more updated post at
"Protest the killing of Kenji Nagai" blog for more details.
The blog also hosts a petition to urge Burmese military government to give his camera back. See
this post (in Japanese only) for more. More than 1,000 people have signed, including me.
Another petition in English and many other languages:
www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/w.phpI got to know of this petition on flickr (via somebody's comment, or a post or two in related groups forum). Spread the word.
They sent this e-mail to me:
Dear friends,
Today, our petition to China and the UN Security Council to stop the brutal crackdown on peaceful Burmese protesters is being delivered to the world in a full page ad in the Financial Times worldwide -- but the ad was rejected by other newspapers like the South China Morning Post and the Singapore Straits Times. Our message is an invitation to China to do the right thing in Burma, not an attack -- yet even that seemed too much for media that fear Chinese reprisals.
We won't let our voice be silenced like this. We're taking our message to the streets, in an international day of action on Saturday -- details are on our petition page, and below. And we're redoubling our efforts to make our voice louder: our petition is approaching 600,000 signatures, closing fast on our 1 million goal.The petition link is below - send this email to all your friends and family and help us reach 1 million voices by Saturday!
--
UPDATE@8 October 2007
Nagai's funeral took place in Aoyama, Tokyo. I am now uploading pictures:
http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582153/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582165/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582175/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582183/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582189/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514582195/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1515458466/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1515458468/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1515458482/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1515458486/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1515458504/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514614051/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514614083/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514614105/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514614109/http://flickr.com/photos/nofrills/1514614115/--
UPDATE: 9th October 2007
Here's another footage of the killing, and it perfectly captures how and when the camera was robbed of him:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHh7kbsSxXsI put English subs onto this news report/new footage:
jimaku.in/w/LHh7kbsSxXs/ArYWPW_ENCcThis footage was broadcast on the night of 8th October, the day Nagai's funeral was held, on TV Asahi.
--
There are some footage of the funeral on youtube.com. They were filmed by the mourners.
I mentioned these on my blog:
nofrills.seesaa.net/article/59866828.html#moreClick on the link, and scroll down to find some embedded youtube players. I put a brief English description (although the page itself is in Japanese) beside the youtube players. Hope this will help.
--
UPDATE: 16th October 2007
Kenji Nagai was cremated on 8th October, and his bones are now with his parents and siblings back in Ehime, his home town. I saw on TV Nagai's mother telling reporters at the airport that she was very proud of her son. They held a farewell ceremony at a local temple. 合掌。
Here's a photo:
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071014-00000007-maip-soci.vi...The man standing in the centre of the picture is Toru Yamaji of the APF News.
And now, things are getting just too much. I can't help but laugh.
First, in Japanese:
ミャンマー国営紙、「観光ビザで取材」と長井さんを非難
headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071013-00000115-yom-int ミャンマー国営紙、「観光ビザで取材」と長井さんを非難
10月14日3時5分配信 読売新聞
【バンコク＝田原徳容】ミャンマー国営紙「ミラー・デイリー」は１３日付記事で、先月２７日に反政府デモを取材中に射殺された映像ジャーナリスト長井健司さん（５０）について、「ジャーナリストのビザで入国すべきだった」と観光ビザで取材を行ったことを非難した。
記事は親軍政コラムニストが約２ページにわたり執筆。長井さんの死について、「兵士はデモ参加者とジャーナリストの区別がつかず、偶発的なものだった」と弁明し、長井さんが射殺された際手にしていたビデオについては、「なくなった経緯を知るのは困難」と説明した。
Not only Yomiuri, but also Asahi:
www.asahi.com/international/update/1013/TKY200710130222.html 「観光ビザで取材すべきでない」ミャンマー国営紙が批判
2007年10月13日23時21分
ミャンマー（ビルマ）軍事政権の国営紙は１３日付朝刊で、ヤンゴンでデモの取材中に撃たれて死亡したジャーナリスト長井健司さんについて、「観光ビザで入国した以上は取材活動はするべきではなかった」などとする記事を掲載した。日本政府が返却を求めているビデオカメラについては、「治安部隊が持ち去ったとの報道は事実でない」としている。長井さん射殺に関して軍政の見解がメディアで公表されるのは初めて。
記事では「偶発的に起きた事故であり、日本人だから撃たれたのではない」と主張。長井さんが撃たれた後に病院へ運ぶなど「できる限りのことはした」と説明し、「長井さんはいてはいけない時間に、いてはならない場所にいた」と指摘している。
また、長井さんが撃たれた時に持っていたとされるソニー製のビデオカメラについては、「混乱の中でカメラがどこに行ったのかは分からない。治安部隊の一人が持ち去ったという報道があるが、それは事実ではない」と否定した。
And now, in English (an AP report):
www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-10-14-burma-japanjournal...Burma media blames slain Japanese journalist for 'inviting danger'
RANGOON, Burma (AP) — Burma's state-controlled media said Sunday that a Japanese journalist, killed during a crackdown on recent pro-democracy protests, was to blame for his own death because he put himself in harm's way.
Kenji Nagai, 50, a video journalist for Japan's APF News agency, was among at least 10 people killed in the Sept. 26-27 crackdown, when soldiers fired automatic weapons into a crowd of pro-democracy demonstrators.
"This was an accident. The journalist was not deliberately targeted," said an editorial in The New Light of Burma newspaper, a junta mouthpiece. "The fact that the Japanese journalist was among the protesters amounts to inviting danger."
The editorial also said Nagai had entered Burma on a tourist visa. "He should have come in with a journalist visa, since he was a journalist," it said. "If he had behaved like a tourist he would not have faced this tragic end."
Burma is believed to have rejected all visa applications from journalists during the pro-democracy protests. ...
And did I say that the bullet that killed him was already removed when his body came back to Japan? This, in effect, makes it impossible for a forensic pathologist to decide from what distance the soldier fired upon the journalist.
Anyway, it's all too clear that the Burmese junta seem to be thinking they do something right when shooting unarmed civillians. The footage on 27 September showed the protesters along with the slain journaist, and they were just running away. They were not even throwing missiles, let alone shooting at the soldiers.
