Hiro Muramoto
Thai minister 'certain' military killed Reuters cameraman
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Witness testimony confirmed with certainty that the bullet that killed him was fired by a soldier, Chalerm Yubamrung told reporters. “For certain, the death was caused by a government official because we have witnesses who state that they saw the event when it happened,” he said following a meeting with Japan’s ambassador to Thailand. Muramoto, pictured, was a Japanese national based in Tokyo. “The direction in which the bullet was shot was confirmation that it came from the government officials’ side,” Chalerm said.
Muramoto, 43, was killed by a high-velocity bullet wound to the chest while covering clashes between anti-government “red shirt” protesters and troops in Bangkok on 10 April 2010. He was among 25 people, including several soldiers, who died that night in one of the worst bouts of political violence in Thailand in decades. Unidentified gunmen dressed in black clothes and balaclavas were seen among the demonstrators.
Chalerm’s comments followed the issue on Monday of a police summons for former prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban to answer questions related to the unrest, during which 91 people were killed and more than 1,800 wounded.
The evidence stated by Chalerm concurs with witness accounts in a leaked copy of a preliminary investigation by the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) seen by Reuters last December, which said the shot came from the direction of troops. A witness was quoted as saying he saw “a flash from a gun barrel of a soldier”, then watched Muramoto fall to the ground after he was shot while filming security forces.
The issue of whether the military was behind Muramoto’s death is sensitive in a country where the armed forces are extremely powerful and deeply politicised.
DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit issued a statement on 27 February that contradicted the initial findings, saying the bullet came from a type of rifle not used by soldiers that day. But in September, the DSI pressed for a new probe into the case, a dramatic reversal from its earlier stance.
Chalerm said he told the ambassador during Tuesday’s meeting that the probe would soon be concluded and there would be no political intervention in the proceedings. “I expressed to the Japanese ambassador: ‘Let us be certain as regards our investigation. There will be no intervention’,” he said. The head of the probe, police Major-General Anuchai Lekbumrung, told Reuters that work on the case was continuing. It had yet to be sent to public prosecutors and Suthep and Abhisit would be questioned on Friday, he added.
Tharit told Reuters on Tuesday the DSI and the police were in agreement on the findings reached so far and believed there was sufficient evidence to show Muramoto was killed by a gun fired by a soldier.
The protracted investigation appears to have picked up pace since prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra took office in August after her Puea Thai Party’s resounding victory over Abhisit’s Democrat Party, which was in power at the time of the unrest. Yingluck is the sister of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the figurehead of the red-shirt protest movement long opposed by the military and Thailand’s establishment.
● SOURCE Reuters
Thais call for new probe into Reuters TV cameraman's death
Saturday 17 September 2011
A statement by the Department of Special Investigation on Friday marked a dramatic reversal from February when the agency's chief concluded the Japanese journalist and others could not have been shot by soldiers.
Muramoto, 43, was killed by a high-velocity bullet wound to the chest while covering clashes between “red shirt” protesters and troops in Bangkok’s old quarter on 10 April 2010. He was among 25 people, including soldiers, who died that night. Mysterious gunmen clad in black were seen among the red-shirted protesters, firing at troops.
Witness accounts in a preliminary DSI investigation seen by Reuters in December said the fatal shot came from the direction of troops. A witness was quoted as saying he saw “a flash from a gun barrel of a soldier”, then watched Muramoto fall after he was shot in the chest while filming the security forces.
But on 27 February, DSI Director-General Tharit Pengdit issued a new statement that contradicted the preliminary report, saying the bullet came from an AK-47 assault rifle, which did not match weapons used by soldiers in the area that day.
The Bangkok Post reported that, before Tharit made the claim soldiers were not involved, the army chief of staff had paid him a visit “to complain about an initial department finding”. The DSI denied the report.
It was unclear what caused the DSI chief to change position again and assert soldiers may have played a role in civilian deaths – an extraordinarily sensitive issue in Thailand where the military is extremely powerful and deeply politicised.
“We want the court to be the one who investigates this so that the result can be accepted by all,” Tharit told Reuters. “The DSI has insisted from the beginning that we found soldiers may have been involved in the deaths.”
Tharit said his agency would send the cases of the 13 civilians killed to police on Monday. Police would then submit the findings to prosecutors, who would bring the cases to Thailand’s Criminal Court for a final investigation.
“We welcome this development and have always wanted to see this case fully investigated in a transparent manner. Muramoto-san’s family and Reuters colleagues deserve to know how this tragedy occurred and who was behind it,” Stephen Adler, editor-in-chief, said in a statement.
Muramoto was based in Tokyo and had gone to Bangkok to help cover the anti-government red shirt protests from March to mid-May last year. The DSI has identified the cases of Muramoto and 12 other civilians, killed over the course of the unrest, for its initial investigation.
● SOURCE Reuters
RSF deplores Thai bid to transfer burden of probing cameraman’s death
Friday 15 April 2011
“By doing this, any witness to the crime might be daring enough to provide tip-offs to Reuters more than they would to the state officials,” Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Pengdit said after meeting two Reuters representatives on 11 April to discuss the investigation.
Muramoto, based in Tokyo, was shot dead during clashes between government forces and anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok on 10 April 2010. The picture was taken shortly before he died.
“The DSI’s proposal shows that the Thai government is refusing to identify those who were responsible for Muramoto’s death,” French-based RSF said in a statement. “A government that respects the rule of law has an obligation to establish the truth and to ensure that justice is done.”
RSF said it recognises the importance of cooperation between Reuters and the authorities in charge of the investigation but cannot accept any attempt by the DSI to offload its responsibility.
Reuters has not issued any statement about its meeting with Tharit. One year after Muramoto was killed, Thai authorities still have not said who shot him.
● SOURCE Reporters Sans Frontières
No proof Thai army killed Reuters cameraman Hiro Muramoto - police
Thursday 24 March 2011
After reviewing a report by Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation, police said they could not determine whether Muramoto, pictured, a 43-year-old Japanese national, was killed by troops while filming anti-government demonstrations last April.
The DSI had said in November that a soldier may have fired the shot, but it now says the type of bullet was inconsistent with those used by soldiers that day. The latest police investigation has concurred with the DSI.
“Based on what we have received (from the DSI), there is not yet any conclusive evidence or witness accounts to show that the authorities were responsible,” said Police General Ek Angsananond.
“We have sent the report back to the DSI, which will continue with the investigation. If they find more and want us to look at it again, we will do so.”
Muramoto was killed by a high-velocity bullet wound to the chest while covering chaotic clashes between “red shirt” protesters and troops in Bangkok’s old quarter.
Witness accounts in a preliminary DSI investigation seen by Reuters in December said the fatal shot came from the direction of troops. A witness was quoted as saying he saw “a flash from a gun barrel of a soldier,” then watched Muramoto fall after he was shot in the chest while filming the troops.
DSI Chief Tharit Pengdith has said investigators had not been able to determine who fired the shot that killed Muramoto. However, he said the police investigation had showed that soldiers were not responsible.
“We will continue with the investigation. But at this level, it’s clear from the police investigation that members of the security forces were not involved,” he added.
● SOURCE Reuters
