It is known to all that Kengi Nagai, a Japanese photographer was killed accidentally while the security forces handling the violence that occurred at the end of last month for stability of the State. It was a sad incident indeed. After the death of the Japanese, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and party arrived and met some responsible ministers. We have known that a press release was issued. Officials concerned of our country felt sorry for the accident and they are believed to have explained it to them reasonably. Gentle Myanmar people with sympathy and kind heart feel sorry for the foreign visitor.
We saw that it was just an accident or an unfortunate incident. The true event was really simple. However, foreign broadcasting stations reported distorted accusations. We were very unhappy when we learnt about it. They reported that Japanese photographer Kengi Nagai, 50, covering news of protests in the streets in Yangon, was shot point-blank range by a soldier and that he fell down and he tried to shoot the scene with his right handheld camcorder. They added that Myanmar government had negative views on the news channel if it deliberately shot dead the Japanese because it knew the man was a reporter. The broadcasting stations made accusations on the government that provided assistance for the late Japanese.
We learnt that the Japanese who tried to cover news about the protests in Myanmar was branded as a hero reporter. I don’t think he might know that his act would be great as such. Regarding Myanmar, foreign broadcasting stations have described those serving prison terms and those who died for any reason to be heroes. This way they have misled the world people. It was not strange for them. The stations said that the death of the Japanese reporter was a blessing in disguise for Myanmar because, they said, the Japanese people took interest in Myanmar's affairs after his death. The APF news agency said that it was the big profit for introduction of democracy in Myanmar. The APF news agency took advantage of the incident before the body was buried. It is obvious that fabrications of foreign media targeted our country with a vengeance.
I will explain the incident. When a mistake lingers on it may be thought as right. Therefore, we will correct the mistake. We are not that naive to remain silent.
In fact, on 25-9-2007, Kengi Nagai, was a reporter of APF based in Japan. He arrived in Yangon on a tourist visa No 006567(24-9-2007) EV/T/PIT. In reality, a reporter should come to Myanmar on a journalist visa. We don’t need to mention whether his plan was sincere or not. Studying the time of his arrival in the country there might be some kind of contacts with the protesters. But we said nothing. One who entered the country on a tourist visa should act like a tourist. If he had acted so, the tragic incident would not have taken place. But he came to the country on a tourist visa and acted like a journalist dishonestly. He should officially come to Myanmar through the ministry concerned if he wished to do journalist work. The sad incident would not have taken place if he did so. I think necessary assistance might be provided to him by the government concerned.
Mr Nagai put up at a hotel on 33rd Street in Yangon and tried to cover news about protest marches and security measures. At that time, Section 144 was in force in Yangon and necessary measures were to be taken in accordance with the law to disperse the crowds who were staging protest marches at the instigation of internal and external destructive elements. So, the situation was in highly dangerous at the time. I do not think any correspondent without evil spell would go there at such a time. I am sure ordinary correspondents would try to collect news, from a safe place.
The Japanese correspondent was among the protesters. It is food for thought as to why he was there and what links between the crowd and him were. Myanmar’s process to disperse protesters is somewhat different from that of other countries. Security forces have to show great patience in handling such cases. They disperse the crowds only when they have no choice but to do so. In the first stage, they draw three lines and persuade the protesters to disperse and not to march forward. If the protesters fail to follow the instructions, they have to use tear-gas and smoke bombs to disperse the crowd. If the protesters again march forward, they fire warning shots to disperse the crowd. If the protesters however persist on marching forward and pose danger to the security members, they unavoidably have to use minimum force to disperse the protesters.
It is impossible for security members to know who is who and to differentiate between nationals and foreigners in handling a protest. Indeed, Myanmars and Japanese are the same, Asians, so the security members could not know immediately he was a Japanese and whether he was a protester or a correspondent. What is sure in that regard is that security members had to target the ones in the front of the crowd to stop the protest. The Japanese correspondent caused his tragic end by getting among the protesters.
In addressing the incidents, security forces found it difficult to distinguish Myanmar from Japanese or American. They fired shots just to disperse the crowd, not to harm any particular person. Suppose there was an American in the crowd, maybe he would be shot if unfortunate. Surely, the Japanese correspondent was shot accidentally, not on purpose. He met his tragic end due to the fact that he was together with the protesters at an improper site at an improper time.
Those responsible sent him to Yangon General Hospital as soon as possible. Then, they informed the Japanese Embassy of the incident, and extended a helping hand to it in taking necessary measures in that regard. Myanmar handed over the 24 belongings of Mr Nagai to the Japanese Embassy. It also helped send his body to Japan. Myanmar people felt sorry like his family and Japanese people.
His family asked Myanmar for returning the Sony video tape recorder Mr Nagai was holding in the incident. It is very hard to identify how his tape recorder was lost amidst the protesters who were in disorder due to security forces dispersing the crowd. Security forces did not collect it. I understand the desire of his family that want to get back the recorder to be kept for remembrance. However, foreign radio stations said that it was taken by a policeman. That made his family downhearted and I also felt sorry.
Many foreign news agencies including Japanese ones are airing as if Myanmar security members shot him at close range on purpose. That harms the bilateral relations to a certain degree. To my dismay, with reference to the demise of Mr Nagai, a Japanese news agency suggested that the Japanese government try harder to ensure peace and democracy in Myanmar and said that Japan, a democracy, was responsible for the process.
As a matter of fact, the Japan-Myanmar relations have been cemented for years. Trust and understanding between the Japanese government and Myanmar government as well as between peoples of the two nations have already been fostered. For Myanmar and its people there could be a spate of hatred and abhorrence towards Japanese as they had experienced and suffered much in the time of Japan in Myanmar. There are still many stories and movies on Japanese Kinpaytai and Japanese fascists. Actually, Myanmar people were subject to all forms of torture and agony by Japanese then. However, we Myanmar people did put it in the past with magnanimity. At a time when even China and South Korea are demanding an apology for atrocities of Japan during the war we Myanmar people have been in a position of forgiving it. One can realize such magnanimous attitude of Myanmars towards Japanese.
There are no ulterior motives and spite on others among Myanmars who have reasonable consideration and rational thought. During WWII many Myanmar people were under gruesome torture. However, when Japanese lost the war and fled Myanmar some Japanese war veterans who are still alive know how Myanmar people treated them. The movie by the name of “Thwe (Blood)” jointly produced by Japan and Myanmar stands witness to sincere attitude and temperament of Myanmar. This has born witness to Japan-Myanmar friendship which can not be destroyed.
In Myanmar, the 27th March on which we started to launch the anti-fascist resistance was designated as anti-Fascist Resistance Day. But later on, we Myanmars designated it as the Armed Forces Day on the basis of understanding and consideration so that hatred against Japanese can be warded off. Even such a trivial matter has been taken into consideration one can assess and calculate that should Myanmars knowingly and intentionally shoot dead a Japanese reporter at close range.
At present, there are still mutual trust and respect between Myanmar and Japan based on Japan-Myanmar friendly ties. Not only Japanese government but also NGOs are still providing the nation with humanitarian assistance. However, some foreign radio stations are airing fabricated news as to the incident of Mr Nagai with the intention of undermining the Japan-Myanmar relations, of terminating the aid provided by Japan and of getting foreign countries to impose sanctions on Myanmar. This is what we revealed the true situations of Mynamar. It is necessary to perpetually maintain friendship between the two countries on the basis of objective conditions. It should not be like the instance that the sweet taste of certain soup was degraded by salt.
Our Myanmar people do not pay any attention to the instigation and incitement of foreign media that are airing fabricated news in an exaggerated way. Lessons drawn from the past show that only own government and own people served the national interest and engaged extensively in nation building endeavours. Therefore, despite a spate of instigation and attacks we all Myanmar people unanimously support the ruling government. Under the leadership of the government we will actively participate in the drive for successful realization of the seven-step Road Map. In doing so, we have the wishes to cooperate with Japan in the long run based on the Japan-Myanmar friendly ties.