Dear Secretary Rumsfeld:
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is alarmed by the deaths
of two journalists working for the United Arab Emirates–based
news channel Al-Arabiyya in Baghdad last week. These deaths are especially
troubling because they occurred just days before the military presented
a detailed report on the August death of Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana
that contained recommendations for creating safer conditions for journalists
working in Iraq.
On the evening of March 18, Al-Arabiyya cameraman Ali Abdel Aziz and
reporter Ali al-Khatib were shot near a U.S. military checkpoint in
Baghdad. According to Al-Arabiyya, the two journalists, along with a
technician and a driver, had gone to cover the aftermath of a rocket
attack against the Burj al-Hayat Hotel. The crew arrived at the scene
in two vehicles and parked about 110 to 165 yards (100 to 150 meters)
away from the checkpoint, which was situated near the hotel. Abdel Aziz,
al-Khatib, and technician Mohamed Abdel Hafez approached the soldiers
on foot and spoke with them for a few minutes but were told they could
not proceed, according to Abdel Hafez.
As the three men, already in their cars, prepared to depart, Abdel Hafez
said that the electricity in the area went out and a car driven by an
elderly man approached the U.S. troops, crashing into a small metal
barrier near a military vehicle at the checkpoint. Abdel Hafez said
that as the crew pulled away from the scene, one of their vehicles was
struck by gunfire from the direction of the U.S. troops. Abdel Hafez
said he witnessed two or three U.S. soldiers firing but was not sure
at whom they were firing. He said there had been no other gunfire in
the area at the time.
Apparently, bullets passed through the rear windshield of the car in
which Abdel Aziz and al-Khatib were driving. Abdel Aziz died instantly
of a bullet wound, or wounds, to the head, while al-Khatib died in a
hospital the next day, also due to a bullet wound, or wounds, to the
head. CPJ is currently seeking more details about the incident.
According to press reports, the U.S. military commander in Iraq, Lt.
Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, has ordered an "urgent review" of the incident.
On March 20, U.S. Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the deputy director of operations
for coalition forces in Iraq, appeared to cast doubt on the assertion
that U.S. forces were responsible for the journalists’ deaths,
citing forensic evidence that showed the number of bullets that U.S.
troops fired did not match the number that struck the Al-Arabiyya vehicle,
and that the wounds suffered by the Al-Arabiyya journalists were not
consistent with those likely to be suffered by passengers in a moving
vehicle. According to The Washington Post, Kimmitt said that
U.S. troops accounted for all but two bullets fired at the car that
crashed into the metal barrier. He pointed out, however, that an autopsy
revealed that the Al-Arabiyya journalists were hit by at least five
bullets.
CPJ urgently calls on U.S. authorities in Iraq to ensure that the investigation
under way into this incident is conducted thoroughly, and that all findings
are made public. Only a serious and impartial accounting can help determine
responsibility for the tragic deaths of our colleagues.
Abdel Aziz and al-Khatib’s deaths underscore the grave dangers facing
journalists reporting in Iraq. At least 21 journalists have been killed
in action in Iraq since the U.S.-led war began a year ago, including
most recently a news anchor working for the CPA-backed Diyala TV who
was shot and killed in a separate incident on March 18 when armed assailants
opened fire on a bus carrying station employees in Baqouba. (A technician
and a security guard were also killed in the attack.)
While journalists in Iraq face myriad risks from armed insurgents and
common criminals, gunfire from U.S. forces has killed at least four
journalists, and maybe as many as six, including Abdel Aziz and al-Khatib.
We believe that these deaths may have been avoidable.
The circumstances of several of these cases have called into question
the conduct of U.S. troops and have raised the issue of whether U.S.
forces are adequately taking into account the presence of journalists
working in conflict areas in Iraq and using appropriate measures to
avoid endangering them.
In fact, the military directly addressed this issue in the recommendations
outlined in the report it released to Reuters about the death of its
cameraman Mazen Dana, who was killed by U.S. troops near Baghdad on
August 17, 2003. According to Reuters, the report, which called the
shooting both "tragic and regrettable" but absolved U.S. troops of any
wrongdoing, calls for improved communication between the media and the
military in areas of conflict—including communication among adjacent
units regarding the presence of journalists in areas of operation—and
a review of the Army’s rules of engagement. (CPJ has yet to receive
the report, which has been promised by U.S. Central Command in response
to a CPJ Freedom of Information Act request.)
These recommendations should be implemented immediately. Additionally,
the military should respond to journalists, who have expressed an interest
in creating more dialogue with the military about safety issues. For
example, on March 22, Reuters announced that it is willing to host and
sponsor conferences in Baghdad and Washington, D.C., for journalists
and the U.S. military to improve safety in conflict areas.
Journalists, like the U.S. military, are likely to remain in Iraq for
the foreseeable future. U.S. troops must ensure that the media can report
in the presence of soldiers without fear of harassment or being mistaken
for hostile forces. The swift and thorough investigation of instances
where journalists are killed, injured, or mistreated by U.S. forces,
as well as the adoption of effective means to reduce the potential harm
to working journalists from troops, would be welcome steps and would
also show a serious commitment by the U.S. military to address these
important issues.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward
to your reply.
Sincerely,
Ann K. Cooper
Executive Director
