Japanese news photographer Kenji Nagai lies injured after police and military officials fired upon and then charged at protesters in Yangon's city centre. - ReutersThe Japanese Photo-Journalist Kenji Nagai was shot dead point blank, while filming protests against the dictatorial military regime which is using all its might to suppress calls from the citizens of the country for democracy.
"Footage capturing the last, terrible seconds of Kenji Nagai’s life has been aired on Japanese television – horrifying a nation and raising official suspicion that the 50-year old photo-journalist was murdered by Burmese troops.
The shaky, indistinct moments of footage appear to show Nagai, who was on the edge of a crowd of panic-stricken demonstrators, shoved violently to the ground by a soldier and shot dead at point-blank range.
The crowd flees, leaving behind a visibly agonised figure believed to be Nagai – dressed casually in shorts and flip-flops – on his back in the street. In his right hand is a video camera, held above the ground to protect it from the fall.
The footage, say Japanese experts, squarely contradicts the official Burmese explanation of Nagai’s death – that he was killed by a “stray bullet”.
In the few seconds before he was killed, Nagai appeared to being filming the Burmese military as it faced down the crowd. One of the soldiers seems to spot him doing so, and launches his deadly response.
Masahiko Komura, Japan’s Foreign Minister, said that the footage appeared to show that Nagai was slain deliberately by Burmese troops as they charged on a crowd of civilians. The government has dispatched the deputy foreign minister to Burma to establish the truth behind Nagai’s death." ~ Times Online
Rest in Peace Nagai. A silent tribute to all the journalists and citizen journalists who risk their lives lives daily to bring out the truth.
Related Articles:
Video shows Japanese journalist 'being shot deliberately' ~ Times Online, 28 Sep, 2007
Japanese journalist killed in violence (Agencies) ~ Gulf News 28 Sep, 2007
Japan call over journalist death ~ BBC online
Results from Google News on the shooting. ~ Google News
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