Journalist's death prompts calls for new war crimes laws
The death of an award-winning British journalist shot by Israeli troops in the Gaza Strip has sparked calls for it to be made an official war crime to kill reporters working in battle zones.
James Miller, 34, from Devon, died on Friday night when he was shot in the neck by an Israeli tank while filming in the volatile town of Rafah, near the Egyptian border, according to witnesses.
Israeli army spokesman Captain Jacob Dallal said he believed Miller was hit as his troops fired in defence and expressed his “sorrow”, but he said the cameraman had knowingly endangered himself by entering a combat zone.
Aidan White, general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, said the Israeli army must not be allowed to “brush aside” Miller’s death with their “routine and callous expressions of regret”.
Mr White, whose organisation represents about 500,000 journalists around the world, told PA News that there must be an independent investigation.
“Killing journalists either deliberately or by gross negligence should be made official war crimes under international law,” he said.
“There is now an unstoppable wave of anger within journalism which is calling for action to halt this process.
“The military authorities cannot any longer ignore the fact that journalists in war zones and conflict areas are doing a legitimate and important public duty and that special attention must be paid to their safety.”
Miller was working on a documentary about the impact of terrorist action on children for the American HBO network, which described his death as “devastating news”.
The television crew was waving a white flag while filming the Israeli army’s house demolitions and walking towards the tank when Miller was shot, according to another British journalist named only as Dan.
Although the Israeli military insisted troops had fired in self-defence, the cameraman’s death provoked widespread anger among colleagues and other journalists around the world.
And British diplomats are “pushing” the Israeli authorities for a “full and transparent investigation” into the fatal shooting of the internationally acclaimed cameraman.
Believed to have been born in Haverfordwest, west Wales, Miller lived in north Devon with his wife Sophie, two-year-old son Alexander and five-month-old daughter Lottie. Mrs Miller was too upset to comment last night.
The freelance journalist worked with Frontline Television until 2001 when he left to set up a new company with his long-term collaborator, Saira Shah – the independent production company Frostbite Productions.
The production manager there, Belinda Carson said they were “devastated” at Miller’s death.
Former colleagues at Frontline Television paid tribute to “one of the most courageous and dedicated independent journalists of his time”.
Vaughan Smith, director of Frontline Television, said: “I remember his wedding and can only wonder how terrible this must be for his family.
“This behaviour mocks the democratic credentials of the Israeli state, making another British widow and orphan.”
Captain Dallal told Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the army were uncovering tunnels used by Palestinian militants to smuggle weapons from Egypt.
“Our forces found a tunnel at the house in question, when an anti-tank missile was fired at them. They shot back at the source of the attack,” he said.
“James Miller was apparently hit during that exchange. The Israeli military expresses sorrow at a civilian death, but it must be stressed that a cameraman who knowingly enters a combat zone, especially at night, endangers himself.”
Miller was internationally respected for his documentary work, particularly recent filming in Afghanistan.
It included Beneath the Veil, about life under the Taliban, which won Royal Television Society awards, and Innocents Lost for Channel Four, an Emmy-winning investigation into human rights abuses against children throughout the world.
Dorothy Byrne, Channel Four’s acting head of news and current affairs, who had commissioned previous projects from Miller, said he was a “brave” journalist whose films had made a lasting impact.
“We are horrified to hear the tragic news that James has been killed,” she said.
“He was one of the outstanding camera operators of his generation.
“He was resourceful and brave but he was also extremely experienced and he would never take unnecessary risks.
“In our experience he always dealt very carefully with the relevant authorities when filming.”
Miller’s former colleagues at the BBC said they were “gravely concerned” to learn of another journalist killed while working.
Peter Horrocks, head of BBC Current Affairs, said: “It’s extremely tragic that he died this way. The BBC is gravely concerned by the increasing number of journalists killed in the course of their work.”
He was the third foreigner to be injured or killed in Rafah in recent weeks.
On April 11, British peace activist Tom Hurndall, 21, was shot in the head at the Rafah refugee camp. He is in a coma.
American Rachel Corrie, 23, died on March 16 in Rafah when an Israeli bulldozer she was trying to block ran her over. The army said the bulldozer operator did not see her.
