A JAPONESE PHOTOGRAPHER KILLED IN RANGOON

[eleparc]

Kevin suggested that i create a new forum to give this news rather than in the forum "All together with the burmese people".

Yesterday, the burmese army killed a Japonese video/photo journalist near the sule pagoda. He was 52. here are some photos.

The burmese army has been searching major big hotels to find reporters/journalists who entered the country on tourist visas.

WARNING to all photographers, pro and amateurs like our TE members: Be aware that taking photos of the event might be very dangerous for you.

[kevinos]

The image tell the whole story Eric. He was still clutching his camera, seconds before he was executed. I have canceled my trip to Burma. I don't mind a whiff of tear gas, or a blow from a cane, but execution in the street it just too much. I am amazed at the courage of the photographer who took this shot, imagine taking it as you watch your colleague being gunned down for the same thing.

[eleparc]

I think you did well for the time being...No need to take such risks to make good TE photographs! I hope we'll be able to travel again to burma once they have achieved their goal to reach freedom

[kevinos]

I met a wonderful Burmese nun at the World Conference of Buddhists two years ago. She invited me to go and stay in their university. I said that I would go when Burma was free. She looked at me and said" But you are an old man. I don't think you will live so long" Now, I fear she could be right. regards kevin

[eleparc]

Come on, you are still young... And remember november 1989, when the east/west wall collapsed in Berlin. It all came as a sudden surprise after some questions

[thea0211]

well, probably not that sudden for everyone :) - but all in all 1989 events in Eastern Europe
turned out to be a good thing to happen ... or better said, we are getting there - slowly,
but surely

i hope the people from Burma will get their chance, too - without too many losses and pain -
it's not an easy thing to live through (and honestly speaking i think we were mostly fortunate
around here - if we talk strictly about those events)

sorry for the japanese photographer killed in rangoon, and also for each and for every
photographer hurt or killed in such unfair events - they all deserve nothing
but our deepest respect and sympathy ... even more because some of us around here like to think
about ourselves as photographers, even if not professionals - but photographers - and can imagine,
with a bit of empathy - even if to a very little extent - what the japanese photographer went
through ... or we can try to imagine that - through the simple act of pointing the camera

[siolaw]

Hi... I was suspected to be a journalist too... My all luggage was broken in my hotel while i went out to eat dinner... nothing stolen, but everything scattered in the room and locked bag broken to check everything... That was three weeks ago....

[eleparc]

Hi laurent,

this is nothing to be astonished with i am afraid...this is a dictatorial regime after all...

The press now reports that the militar forces are searching all hotels to expel journalists and that any body with a camera or a video is now a prime target of the soldiers to shoot at...

Sad!!!

Thanks for your contribution.

Eric

[kinginexile]

Mais non, laurent, ils cherchaient ton disque dur, pour faire des maxi-poinbts sur TE, ah c' est des pourris ces generaux! :-)

[ScottHale]

I haven't read this whole thread but I looked at the photo of the Japanese photographer being held at gunpoint by the soldier wearing sandals. First and foremost, may he R.I.P.
Secondly, sandals on a soldier? Looks like that third world army wouldn't be too hard to defeat, just stomp on their toes!

Good warning Eric!