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VIDEO of Reuters Journalist Mazen Dana shot dead by US tank
Monday, August 18, 2003
At the end of the clip, Israeli settlers are seen dancing around after beaten Mazen Dana in an earlier incident last year.
The news clip includes the video Mazen Dana was shooting before being killed.
According the news report, the US military claimed Iraqi insurgents fired rocket propelled grenades into a prison holding Iraqi prisoners of war, killing 6 Iraqis and wounding 60.
Locals claim no such mortars were fired but that US troops killed the Iraqi prisoners who were protesting for better conditions (the temperature in the un-air conditioned compound must have reached oven temperatures).
More on this from Dennis Bernstein's Flashpoints (interview with Reuters World Editor):
Download:
http://www.flashpoints.net/realaudio/fp20030818.rm
Stream:
http://www.flashpoints.net/realaudio/fp20030818.ram
01:00 The Gubernatorial Race with Arianna Huffington, Indep. Candidate for Govenor talking with Dennis Bernstein on the phone. Guest in the studio Van Jones, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights offers reasons for backing this progressive candidate.
Keeping it simple the ABC's of the California race. Arianna and Arnie, Bustamante, Camejo or maybe Davis. The first two both have thick accents, but the similarity ends there as she explains energy culpabiity of the current administration. Bustamante does not have a green record, Camejo does but would withdraw and support Arianna if necessary. She explains how Energy is not a free market, but a rigged market. Her priorities including schools over prisons. Van Jones recommends Arianna progressive stand.
28:00 Music Break: Track 6 of Middle East Mix
30:00 Audio track and voice of Mazen Dana excerpt from CBC documentary on reports: "In the Line of Fire".
"My kids they do not want me to go out of home, because they understand that maybe one day I will not come back":...
Mazen Dana received the 2001 International Press Freedom Award from the Committee To Protect Journalists (CBJ).
Images from the CBJ Website. For more info, a script of Nightline interview and Mazen's 2001 acceptance remarks visit: http://www.cpj.org/awards01/dana.html
31:00 The Killing of a Photographer in Iraq. Phone Guest Paul Holmes, World Editor of Reuters talks with Dennis Bernstein. Mazen was the second Reuters cameramen killed and the 19th journalist either killed or missing in Iraq. For 16 years he covered the Occupation of Palestine from his city of Hebron. He and his partner left to cover the Iraqi Occupation. He has survived being beaten and shot at three times, shot at with rubber bullets over 60 times but always returned to his family. His motto for working even at risk to his life is that "journalist's have a message and they carry that message to an audience that can bear witness".
Paul Holmes states that Mazen was an annonymous daily witness to the violence of Hebron. He knew him both as a great journalist and as a great man. Recipient of the 2001 International Peace and Freedom Award (Committee to Protect Journalists). The Army gives the dubious claims of "engaging the journalist", mistaking the camera for a grenade launcher. Holmes disputes these claims based on the evidence of other camera crews and the footage of the shameful incident. Reuters have demanded publicly for a full, open and public investigation be carried out immediately.
42:00 "In the Line of Fire" Excerpt from Film by the Canadian Broadcasting Company: Mazen Dana and the dangers.
"We are the targets of soldiers because we are filming the threat. They do not want to let the threat be published.
They do not want to let the world see what is going on here".
48:00 Remembering Mazan Dana: Intro by Dennis, Studio guests Barbara Lubin, Mid East Childrens Alliance
accompanied by Jihad, Palestinian student. Barbara's reflections on Mazen as "prince of a person" and risk taker who insisted on
bringing the truth to the world and especially the US. He believed that "Telling the truth and showing the pictures, that people -
especially here in this country might finally open their eyes and their hearts and their minds and do something". Jihad recalls his long
relationship with friend, fellow worker and role model for the new generation. He committed his life to cover the conflict - he was a
hero, an example and a film producer bringing the truth to the world at great risk to himself and his family.
The news clip includes the video Mazen Dana was shooting before being killed.
According the news report, the US military claimed Iraqi insurgents fired rocket propelled grenades into a prison holding Iraqi prisoners of war, killing 6 Iraqis and wounding 60.
Locals claim no such mortars were fired but that US troops killed the Iraqi prisoners who were protesting for better conditions (the temperature in the un-air conditioned compound must have reached oven temperatures).
More on this from Dennis Bernstein's Flashpoints (interview with Reuters World Editor):
Download:
http://www.flashpoints.net/realaudio/fp20030818.rm
Stream:
http://www.flashpoints.net/realaudio/fp20030818.ram
01:00 The Gubernatorial Race with Arianna Huffington, Indep. Candidate for Govenor talking with Dennis Bernstein on the phone. Guest in the studio Van Jones, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights offers reasons for backing this progressive candidate.
Keeping it simple the ABC's of the California race. Arianna and Arnie, Bustamante, Camejo or maybe Davis. The first two both have thick accents, but the similarity ends there as she explains energy culpabiity of the current administration. Bustamante does not have a green record, Camejo does but would withdraw and support Arianna if necessary. She explains how Energy is not a free market, but a rigged market. Her priorities including schools over prisons. Van Jones recommends Arianna progressive stand.
28:00 Music Break: Track 6 of Middle East Mix
30:00 Audio track and voice of Mazen Dana excerpt from CBC documentary on reports: "In the Line of Fire".
"My kids they do not want me to go out of home, because they understand that maybe one day I will not come back":...
Mazen Dana received the 2001 International Press Freedom Award from the Committee To Protect Journalists (CBJ).
Images from the CBJ Website. For more info, a script of Nightline interview and Mazen's 2001 acceptance remarks visit: http://www.cpj.org/awards01/dana.html
31:00 The Killing of a Photographer in Iraq. Phone Guest Paul Holmes, World Editor of Reuters talks with Dennis Bernstein. Mazen was the second Reuters cameramen killed and the 19th journalist either killed or missing in Iraq. For 16 years he covered the Occupation of Palestine from his city of Hebron. He and his partner left to cover the Iraqi Occupation. He has survived being beaten and shot at three times, shot at with rubber bullets over 60 times but always returned to his family. His motto for working even at risk to his life is that "journalist's have a message and they carry that message to an audience that can bear witness".
Paul Holmes states that Mazen was an annonymous daily witness to the violence of Hebron. He knew him both as a great journalist and as a great man. Recipient of the 2001 International Peace and Freedom Award (Committee to Protect Journalists). The Army gives the dubious claims of "engaging the journalist", mistaking the camera for a grenade launcher. Holmes disputes these claims based on the evidence of other camera crews and the footage of the shameful incident. Reuters have demanded publicly for a full, open and public investigation be carried out immediately.
42:00 "In the Line of Fire" Excerpt from Film by the Canadian Broadcasting Company: Mazen Dana and the dangers.
"We are the targets of soldiers because we are filming the threat. They do not want to let the threat be published.
They do not want to let the world see what is going on here".
48:00 Remembering Mazan Dana: Intro by Dennis, Studio guests Barbara Lubin, Mid East Childrens Alliance
accompanied by Jihad, Palestinian student. Barbara's reflections on Mazen as "prince of a person" and risk taker who insisted on
bringing the truth to the world and especially the US. He believed that "Telling the truth and showing the pictures, that people -
especially here in this country might finally open their eyes and their hearts and their minds and do something". Jihad recalls his long
relationship with friend, fellow worker and role model for the new generation. He committed his life to cover the conflict - he was a
hero, an example and a film producer bringing the truth to the world at great risk to himself and his family.
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Be sure to listen to Barbara Lubin's interview in the above Flashpoints program. She knew Mazen Dana pretty well and talks about incidents they experienced together in the occupied territories.
Some of the things Barbara Lubin related were just horrific. She recounts an incident in which an old man was begging for the release of his son. The old man was picked up by Israeli soldiers and thrown to his death in construction area two stories deep. The cameraman videotaping the incident was arrested by Israeli soldiers.
Had this been an Arab eye-witness, it would simply have been dismissed as "Arab propaganda." Now Israel is having a harder time defending its actions when Westerners are there to see with their own eyes what Israelis have been doing to Palestinians for the past 50+ years.
Had this been an Arab eye-witness, it would simply have been dismissed as "Arab propaganda." Now Israel is having a harder time defending its actions when Westerners are there to see with their own eyes what Israelis have been doing to Palestinians for the past 50+ years.
. . . to hear what the US has to say about the blatant murder of Mazen Dana. And despite the demands for a thorough investigation, one can assume that it will be dealt with in the same manner as the murder of other journalists (especially those killed in the Palestine Hotel) during the attack on Iraq).
It would seem that the US army is taking its cue from the murderous IDF when it comes to journalists. I don't know what the hell a camera man on assignment would be carrying if it not a camera.
Damn it all to hell! I'm sick of it, sick of it, sick of it!
Get the US out of Iraq. Give the country that was stolen from them under the guise of "Iraqi freedom" back to the people who live there. Iraq was attacked for no good reason, which is becoming more obvious to the misinformed daily. Those of us with brains knew it long ago.
There has been far too much human suffering already because of the lies that brought about this death and destruction in the first place. No one is fooled any longer; most of us never were.
I suppose the world will just sit back now and wait for the next GREAT LIE!
In the meantime, a wife and four children are without a husband and father, a civilian doing his job.
It must make the trigger happy invader pretty damn happy and pleased with himself.
It would seem that the US army is taking its cue from the murderous IDF when it comes to journalists. I don't know what the hell a camera man on assignment would be carrying if it not a camera.
Damn it all to hell! I'm sick of it, sick of it, sick of it!
Get the US out of Iraq. Give the country that was stolen from them under the guise of "Iraqi freedom" back to the people who live there. Iraq was attacked for no good reason, which is becoming more obvious to the misinformed daily. Those of us with brains knew it long ago.
There has been far too much human suffering already because of the lies that brought about this death and destruction in the first place. No one is fooled any longer; most of us never were.
I suppose the world will just sit back now and wait for the next GREAT LIE!
In the meantime, a wife and four children are without a husband and father, a civilian doing his job.
It must make the trigger happy invader pretty damn happy and pleased with himself.
Saddam bad. Saddam killed people. Bush good. He doesn't kill people. He'll have someone else do it for him.
Bad Saddam.
Bad Saddam.
When you are a journalist in the middle of a war, i think you have to assume that you maybe be shoot dead by a bomb, a grenade or a gun. It's terrible for the familly of the victim but it is a dangerous job. If Maden Daza was not there at this moment he would be alive today. The journalist had to assume the consequence of being in the wrong place in the wrong moment.
Its easy to put the fault on the soldier who had fire on Maden Daza. I would like to see anybody in this situation. It is easy to criticate someone but when you live all day long with the fear of being attack....it is not easy...This war is the responsability of THE PEOPLE OF THE USA...
Its easy to put the fault on the soldier who had fire on Maden Daza. I would like to see anybody in this situation. It is easy to criticate someone but when you live all day long with the fear of being attack....it is not easy...This war is the responsability of THE PEOPLE OF THE USA...
Who ever posted the last comment and use a name "by a human" certainly is not a decent human but more likely a wicked and very selfish person with nasty personality.
"Its easy to put the fault on the soldier who had fire on Maden Daza" The soldier is merely an executioner following order. The fault falls on Bush and his administration. It's their nasty personal war. Tens of thousands die and millions suffer.
"Its easy to put the fault on the soldier who had fire on Maden Daza" The soldier is merely an executioner following order. The fault falls on Bush and his administration. It's their nasty personal war. Tens of thousands die and millions suffer.
I'm not selfish...I'm a french canadian who have difficulty to express myself in english...If you undestand french...i will explain with myself with my more word and make myself undestood...
And Abraham...i think you juged a person rapidly with a mininum of information...I have my opinion and you have yours...so let me express myself
"It's Normal" is a problem in itself. This Iraq is NOT normal. It's a personal war launched by a mad man who stole the White House office with the staunch support of the Republican party and its conglomerate.
Ultimately, the American will have to bear the burden of paying for the damages. Bush and his administration are responsible and accountable for the crimes committed.
Don't take my comments personally. A lot of things are abnormal since Bush took office. The deaths in the Middle-East are NO LONGER normal. Most of them are results of premeditated planning for personal gains but done in the name of national interest and security.
Ultimately, the American will have to bear the burden of paying for the damages. Bush and his administration are responsible and accountable for the crimes committed.
Don't take my comments personally. A lot of things are abnormal since Bush took office. The deaths in the Middle-East are NO LONGER normal. Most of them are results of premeditated planning for personal gains but done in the name of national interest and security.
What happened to Mazen Dana was horrible, and even worse predictable. I don't know if I'm surprised to see that the United States killed him before the IDF did, since the IDF has an open policy of firing on journalists to scare, typically cripple, and often kill them.
But it is not the responsibility of the individual soldier who killed him. He was given an order and he executed it - in the process extinguishing the life of a heroic and driven journalist. The soldier, no doubt, never considered the long term consequences of his actions in the brief moment before he pulled the trigger. It is a tragedy that the United States sends mere 18-year old children overseas, to kill or be killed by angry citizens defending their countries.
I've met a number of US soldiers returning from or on their way to Baghdad. Those travelling their were scared, and all declared that they could never imagine killing another human being. Those returning thanked god to be alive, and said that the country was blown to pieces - they were horrified by what they saw.
I hardly know any Americans who supported the war, but nobody knows what to do. My friends protested with me in Detroit, New York and Washington, with millions of others, but to no avail. The administration is at fault, not the people.
Homage to all journalists who put their lives on the line for truth.
But it is not the responsibility of the individual soldier who killed him. He was given an order and he executed it - in the process extinguishing the life of a heroic and driven journalist. The soldier, no doubt, never considered the long term consequences of his actions in the brief moment before he pulled the trigger. It is a tragedy that the United States sends mere 18-year old children overseas, to kill or be killed by angry citizens defending their countries.
I've met a number of US soldiers returning from or on their way to Baghdad. Those travelling their were scared, and all declared that they could never imagine killing another human being. Those returning thanked god to be alive, and said that the country was blown to pieces - they were horrified by what they saw.
I hardly know any Americans who supported the war, but nobody knows what to do. My friends protested with me in Detroit, New York and Washington, with millions of others, but to no avail. The administration is at fault, not the people.
Homage to all journalists who put their lives on the line for truth.
Hello,
We protested here in Canada too, and I remember being at a peace vigil back in February where our hands were so cold we could barely hold the candle, but we didn't care. We believed in peace, we still believe in peace. We believed the US admin. was very wrong, and we knew it didn't matter what we believed, or what the millions around the world who were marching believed..
GWB and cronies wanted a war. Any excuse, no excuse, it mattered not. He was having his war, and he got it.
And people like Mazen Dana, going about doing their jobs, are being gunned down in cold blood just as US and UK soldiers are being killed, as Iraqi peoples are being killed, and UN workers are being killed.
If I were GWB and friends, I'd be very very scared come Judgment Day.
Meanwhile, whoever gave the order to kill an innocent camera man, doing his job, should be charged with murder, plain and simple.
One can sit around and come up with any excuse one wants, but the bottom line is Mazen Dana was shot dead in cold blood. You're right. The US army has certainly taken a page from the Israeli book of killing journalists whenever they feel like it.
GWBush et al may be drunk with power right now, but the good news is that there is a much higher power waiting for them as I stated above.
Gwynne Dyer, in his brilliant "War" documentary (and someone should read it and explain it to GWB) said:
'Soldiers don't start wars. Governments start wars and pay soldiers to do the dying for them".
We protested here in Canada too, and I remember being at a peace vigil back in February where our hands were so cold we could barely hold the candle, but we didn't care. We believed in peace, we still believe in peace. We believed the US admin. was very wrong, and we knew it didn't matter what we believed, or what the millions around the world who were marching believed..
GWB and cronies wanted a war. Any excuse, no excuse, it mattered not. He was having his war, and he got it.
And people like Mazen Dana, going about doing their jobs, are being gunned down in cold blood just as US and UK soldiers are being killed, as Iraqi peoples are being killed, and UN workers are being killed.
If I were GWB and friends, I'd be very very scared come Judgment Day.
Meanwhile, whoever gave the order to kill an innocent camera man, doing his job, should be charged with murder, plain and simple.
One can sit around and come up with any excuse one wants, but the bottom line is Mazen Dana was shot dead in cold blood. You're right. The US army has certainly taken a page from the Israeli book of killing journalists whenever they feel like it.
GWBush et al may be drunk with power right now, but the good news is that there is a much higher power waiting for them as I stated above.
Gwynne Dyer, in his brilliant "War" documentary (and someone should read it and explain it to GWB) said:
'Soldiers don't start wars. Governments start wars and pay soldiers to do the dying for them".
That was Eichmann's excuse.
Eichmann, Richard Meyer, Rumsfeld, Bush and alike all must be held accountable for their crimes. When we say "soldiers who follow orders" are the foot soldiers. They are trained to follow orders and unfortunately Not to question their orders. Technically, American commissioned officers can all be held accountable for the crimes committed against the Iraqis in Bush's personal war.
It is with absolutely no surprise at all that we hear from BBC News World that Reuter's is infuriated with the "Inquiry" into the shooting of their camera man, Mazen Dana, on 17 August 2003. (Is it that long ago?)
As you know, Mr. Dana was gunned down in broad daylight whilst filming in Bagdad (with permission!). The circumstances surrounding his death were, to say the least, suspicious (at least to me).
However, now the "Inquiry" into a life interrupted has "cleared US troops involved saying they had respected the rules of engagement".
Pardon? Did I hear that correctly? I didn't know it was part of the "respected rules of engagement" to gun down an unarmed camera man in the middle of the day who had permission to carry out his assignment.
Oh, right! Damn! How could I forget? They thought he was carrying "a rocket launcher". If that's not shades of Israel I know not what is. Remember how UN worker, Ian Hook, was murdered because he happened to be foolish enough to be in open possession of his cell phone, which was mistaken for a weapon?
Ye'ah, sure, and, quick! Look out! The sky is falling.
Happily I am not the only one enraged about this unnecessary death. Reuters is not jumping with joy either.
In fact, Tom Glocer, head of Reuters, said that "the US Defence Department hadn't even properly notified them about the inquiry", and they first heard about it on Monday (21 September 03) in Bagdad when a US Spokesman in Bagdad said the Pentagon would not be releasing the full report because "it is classiifed".
(And we are left to wonder, aren't we, what parts of the report are deemed "classified!"
Anyway getting back to Tom Glocer. In his letter to Rumseld he said that "neither Rueters nor Mazen Dana's family had been properly informed of further developments in this case.
Specifically, neither was advised of the completion and findings of your investigation which were, instead, communicated in a haphazard way by a military spokesman responding to a journalist question in Bagdad".
I can't wait to find out more in this continuing saga.
As you know, Mr. Dana was gunned down in broad daylight whilst filming in Bagdad (with permission!). The circumstances surrounding his death were, to say the least, suspicious (at least to me).
However, now the "Inquiry" into a life interrupted has "cleared US troops involved saying they had respected the rules of engagement".
Pardon? Did I hear that correctly? I didn't know it was part of the "respected rules of engagement" to gun down an unarmed camera man in the middle of the day who had permission to carry out his assignment.
Oh, right! Damn! How could I forget? They thought he was carrying "a rocket launcher". If that's not shades of Israel I know not what is. Remember how UN worker, Ian Hook, was murdered because he happened to be foolish enough to be in open possession of his cell phone, which was mistaken for a weapon?
Ye'ah, sure, and, quick! Look out! The sky is falling.
Happily I am not the only one enraged about this unnecessary death. Reuters is not jumping with joy either.
In fact, Tom Glocer, head of Reuters, said that "the US Defence Department hadn't even properly notified them about the inquiry", and they first heard about it on Monday (21 September 03) in Bagdad when a US Spokesman in Bagdad said the Pentagon would not be releasing the full report because "it is classiifed".
(And we are left to wonder, aren't we, what parts of the report are deemed "classified!"
Anyway getting back to Tom Glocer. In his letter to Rumseld he said that "neither Rueters nor Mazen Dana's family had been properly informed of further developments in this case.
Specifically, neither was advised of the completion and findings of your investigation which were, instead, communicated in a haphazard way by a military spokesman responding to a journalist question in Bagdad".
I can't wait to find out more in this continuing saga.
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