Photo courtesy of Barrigaverde.
Santo Domingo.– Unidentified individuals shot and
killed Dominican journalist Normando García Thursday evening in the city of
Santiago de los Caballeros. The Committee to Protect Journalists is investigating whether García’s murder is
linked to his journalistic work.
At around 6:40 p.m., García, a cameraman for the daily news program “Detrás
de la Noticia” (Behind the News) and producer of the music program “Pachanga
Mix” on television station Teleunión, was dropping his car at a car wash when
multiple gunshots were fired from a moving car, according to local news
reports.
At the time, García was talking to a taxi driver who was also fatally injured
in the shooting. García, who died immediately, was shot five times in the head,
four in the chest, and once in the leg, said Esteban Rosario, host of “Detrás de
la Noticia.” The taxi driver was taken to a local hospital, where he died,
according to local press reports.
Rosario told CPJ that he believed García was murdered in retaliation for his
work. García, known locally as Azabache, covered drug trafficking and crime.
García had received multiple death threats in the last eight months,
according to journalists in Santiago. Rosario, who has also been threatened,
said that anonymous callers had told García that if he kept doing crime
reporting he was going to die. García’s car was set on fire outside the
Teleunión offices eight months ago, Rosario said.
From: Haiti
A tragic turn of events. I condemn the oppression towards freedom of the press wherever in the world and my neighbor is surely no exception. R.I.P to Jacques Roche (murdered) and Ricardo Ortega (accidentally killed by US Marines) who were both killed in Haiti and now Normando Garcia of the Dominican Republic and may those that robbed you of your life get what's coming to them.
From: United States
If the allegations are true and he was killed because of his work, it sure is despicable! I hope that justice will prevail.
From: United States, Florida
I think this is called terrorism..!! The government should declare war on crime and drug trafficking !!
Written by: antonioj, 9 Aug 2008 4:24 AM
From: Canada, home safe
Very suspicious, probably he knew too much
Written by: jose_NYC, 9 Aug 2008 7:14 AM
From: United States, Brooklyn, NY - Santo Domingo, DR
I agree with you antonio I think he knew too much but still makes it dispicable when someone gets kill for doing their job. DR to me is like paradise but the goverment need to do something with crime, the need to start hanging thugs. Is not fair that everytime ivisit Dr I have to drive with a loaded 9mm between my legs its a real shame specially when my mother lives in piantini which is suppose to be upscale
From: Spain, Ibiza, Minorca, Mallorca
My condolences to the family of the deceased Normando Garcia; May God bless his family and comfort them in this moment of extreme grief.
Normando Garcia was an honest man doing his work as a jounalist. He didn't sell-out to the crimminals who have transformed the country into a place where people are afraid to walk the streets. Normando was a true patriot who didn't back down to threats from enemies of the long held country tradition of honesty and respect.
It's a new world order indeed. The crimminals own the country, the streets, the media, the government, everything has been bought out. Money buys everything! Yet, some like Normando Garcia are above that, they can not, and will not be bought with a piece of paper with numbers on it; They have a conscience and were brought up to be honest and "true" Domincanos; Not international "wanna-be's", with no morals, or love for anything but their lust for more. More money, More murder, More madness. God bless Normando.
Written by: juanb, 9 Aug 2008 9:18 AM
From: Dominican Republic
A mere coincidence that he was targeted? I don't think so.
Written by: Jander, 9 Aug 2008 10:14 AM
From: Dominican Republic
No coincidence whoever these animals were wanted this person dead.
Very sad for the family and friends and another setback for this county when reporters are shot down in public.
"At the time, García was talking to a taxi driver who was also fatally injured in the shooting. García, who died immediately, was shot five times in the head, four in the chest, and once in the leg, said Esteban Rosario, host of “Detrás de la Noticia"
Definitely not professionals ,
From: United States
Journalists are being increasingly targeted all over the world .. the idea is to "kill the messenger" .. to stop the message from getting through .. and if the message is about narcotics? .. you can see the results for yourself .. so those of you who enjoy using cocaine? whether you are in Europe where the prisons are easy .. or in the US where the prisons are full .. see how your enjoyment is affecting others .. see how it is messing up entire nations .. see how it is messing up your own country.
Written by: Belial, 9 Aug 2008 12:15 PM
From: United States, Texas
In bourgeois society, the difference between the lumpen and the bourgeoisie has largely disappeared.
The top bourgeois families control the powerful lumpen gangs or are on the take from these gangs.
Journalists who work for the bourgeois media ... or, more correctly, the cappie press ... should never forget this link between their employers and the criminal targets of their reporting.
It pays to use assumed names ... that only one person at the cappie media knows the identity of the reporter who assumes the name ... when doing crime and political reporting.
This tactic will misdirect the lumpen assassin at the bourgeois owners of the cappie press who are often more deserving of the assassin's attentions.
Written by: Jander, 9 Aug 2008 2:27 PM
From: Dominican Republic
What ?
From: United States, Killeen, TX - Home of the 1st Cavalry
So, now the local "drug mafia" is resorting to the same "terrorist tactics" that are andhave been used in Columbia and Mexico.
This makes the "cheeze" very binding for the law-abiding citizens and innocent by-standers, doesn't it.
First it was the Medillin Cartel, th n the FARC, then the "other" cartels that have adopted these barbaric tactics in order to instill fear into those who would battle against them.
We must ask ourselves if this is what we are allowing by not informing on the local "mules" and sellers of the insidious drugs that are begining to permiate our society.
The only way to combat these cowards is to be ever vigalent and to report every "sale" we see, then DEMAND that the police take action.
Or, to form local community vigalanty committees and take care of these people ourselves if the police prove to be incapable of doing so.
TB
Written by: mrios, 9 Aug 2008 5:04 PM
From: United States
TB,
I could not agree with you more.....
It's about time law Enforcement fights fire with fire and end these terrorist tactics.
Here is a chance for the Dominican Law Enforcement Agency's to go after all those responsible and bring them to Justice dead or alive.
Thus, restoring confidence to the Public they serve, think of all the crime seen by the Public that never gets reported for fear of reprisals, make a 24 hr. hot line 1800 REPORT CRIME.
I used to be strongly against the death penalty.But, after seeing the madness cold blooded cruelty of these crimes, it's about time for desperate measures.
LAWLESSNESS MUST NOT PREVAIL., AT ANY LEVEL, ANYWHERE....
From: United States
Dominican authorities are ALL a bunch of losers....
Replace them all. Make them cut sugar cane. That is where they belong.
It amazes me how shameless a whole country can be. Does nothing embarrass them?
From: United States
Fighting drug traficking and drug related crimes should be a priority of the country. These kinds of crimes can really damage the image of the country and hurt tourism. This is why I agee with more military involvment such as the purchases of those toucans. They need to stop the entering of drugs into the d.r. that is the root of most of these problems.
R.i.p. Normando Garcia
From: United States
Absolutely .. and we have many able and qualified fighter pilots right here on DT .. right Cap'n Crunch? .. strap 'em in and send them off into the Wild Blue Yonder .. teach those pesky druggies a lesson they will never forget .. when they see those WWI planes in their rear view mirror .. rat-a-tat .. rat-a-tat .. down they go into a heavily populated area .. rat-a-tat .. rat-a-tat .. down goes another druggie plane .. yup .. that would put a great dent in the cocaine shipments coming through the DR .. OH .. we forgot Haiti .. since they don't have much to shoot anything down with .. we could fly them into Haitian airspace and shoot the druggies there as well .. right?.. just shoot 'em up right? shoot .. shoot .. shoot .. as they snort up north .. we shoot down south .. snort .. shoot .. snort .. shoot .. keep a nice little assembly line rhythm going.
From: United States
Honestly it wouldn't be too hard or expensive to get our pilots some good training because we wont have many planes, hence many pilots. The main purpose for the planes is to track and follow those druggy planes not to shoot them down immediatley. Sure there might be some screw ups and accidents but hey that can happen anywhere and maybe that'll instil fear into those criminals.
From: United States
That's correct .. we ignore the ones that say AMERICAN AIRLINES, US AIRWAYS, BRITISH AIRWAYS and just go after those with the big letters "DROGAS" printed on the fuselage .. that should work. So if they have their transponders turned off or did not file a flight plan? We chase them and force them to land. If not we shoot them down. Cap'n Crunch nods his approval so it should work.
From: United States, Reality Check
The shipments with US Airlines were done with DNCD support and pass through of drugs! Thus, the US pilot is not were the corruption starts but it is in the RD.
And just as a correction, you do NOT need to shot down an unidentified plane over a heavy populated area but you can do this 200 miles out into the ocean once the unidentified plane enters you airspace so, let please be intelligent.
Justice should prevail but this is the RD so, it will NOT! This terrorism happens often but only the names, places change because the RD Gov and DNCD is so corrupt and impotent from greed. DNCD nor police want to find fire with fire because it is not beneficial for them.
THE US, CANADA & EU must boycott tourism first for the RD Gov to get a clue because they are too stupid. If Saudi Arabia or China could nip this problem in the bud... then the RD Gov could if they wanted to (but they do not want to).
Guys, this is NOT rocket science (but there are Bani's scenarios everywhere).
From: United States
OK .. let's be "intelligent" .. how do you know what the unidentified plane is carrying? .. before you shoot it down over the ocean? .. you just shoot first and ask questions later? .. you shoot down every light aircraft that has no transponder or does not file a flight plan? is that "intelligent" .. you want to turn the DR into Saudi Arabia and China? how "intelligent" is that? why would the DR want to emulate the worst despots in the world? The US is currently unable to stop the tons of cocaine entering it's OWN TERRITORY every month. They are unable to stop their OWN CITIZENS from consuming large quantities of COCAINE. Does that make the US stupid? Should we ban tourism to the US because they have LOST CONTROL over their borders? What kind of convoluted thinking is that? Seems like VOODOO to me.
From: United States
We are overlooking the CORRUPTION within the UNITED STATES .. the extreme corruption that has allowed NARCOTICS manufacturers .. NARCOTICS users .. NARCOTICS traffickers .. to operate with impunity INSIDE the UNITED STATES. How could a country as POWERFUL as the UNITED STATES .. in command of such a large POLICE and MILITARY force watch helplessly while AMERICAN CITIZENS continue to use and die from NARCOTICS? What went wrong? What is the DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY DOING with taxpayer dollars? Where is the MONEY going? Iraq? Afghanistan? Is that why the US is losing the war on drugs? And has turned to blaming the DR and Colombia?
From: United States, Massachusetts
I DISAGREE WITH MOST OF U! Firstly My sincerest condolences to the family of this fallen hero and brave man. A tragic victim of senseless violence. No one deserves this whether doing their job or not. POINT_#1) I disagree though on the solutions to this, first off a reporter in my opinion has no business doing this kind of work unless he is an undercover police. Even then that would tarnish other reporters credibility to do their jobs. My point is that investigating drug offenders for newspapers or the police is the same thing, you are gathering infomation that can be used to send someone to jail, and that is not investigative reporting that is plain investigating. A reporter does not have the protection agents do with false names, backup, training, etc, yet risk death. Don't misunderstand me I am not saying anyone deserves this but the ideology that the public has the right to know and freedom of speech clashes with reality when bullets clashing with your body are concerned.
From: United States
JOURNALISTS make a living out of this dangerous business. Some of them are embedded with soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are usually very experienced at going about their business .. and usually do a better job than the police .. but they KNOW the DANGERS .. it comes with covering DANGEROUS TERRITORY. Their work gives us the INSIDE VIEW .. and sometimes the ONLY VIEW .. we can every get about DRUG CARTELS and WAR ATROCITIES. Journalists reporting on the Mexican drug cartels now have a price on their heads and are regularly targeted for assasinations. Journalists reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan regularly uncover instances of ATROCITIES committed against CIVILIANS. Several JOURNALISTS were killed covering the CURRENT CONFLICT between RUSSIA and GEORGIA. How else would we find out were it not for the work of those BRAVE SOULS?
From: United States
My most sincere condolences to the families of the victims... I'm afraid D.R. is well on its way to becoming another Mexico. It saddens me deeply to see this happen. As someone mentioned - The government needs to declare war on these terrorists !!! and if necessary, seek help from other nations...
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Normando Garcia was an honest man doing his work as a jounalist. He didn't sell-out to the crimminals who have transformed the country into a place where people are afraid to walk the streets. Normando was a true patriot who didn't back down to threats from enemies of the long held country tradition of honesty and respect.
It's a new world order indeed. The crimminals own the country, the streets, the media, the government, everything has been bought out. Money buys everything! Yet, some like Normando Garcia are above that, they can not, and will not be bought with a piece of paper with numbers on it; They have a conscience and were brought up to be honest and "true" Domincanos; Not international "wanna-be's", with no morals, or love for anything but their lust for more. More money, More murder, More madness. God bless Normando.
Very sad for the family and friends and another setback for this county when reporters are shot down in public.
"At the time, García was talking to a taxi driver who was also fatally injured in the shooting. García, who died immediately, was shot five times in the head, four in the chest, and once in the leg, said Esteban Rosario, host of “Detrás de la Noticia"
Definitely not professionals ,
The top bourgeois families control the powerful lumpen gangs or are on the take from these gangs.
Journalists who work for the bourgeois media ... or, more correctly, the cappie press ... should never forget this link between their employers and the criminal targets of their reporting.
It pays to use assumed names ... that only one person at the cappie media knows the identity of the reporter who assumes the name ... when doing crime and political reporting.
This tactic will misdirect the lumpen assassin at the bourgeois owners of the cappie press who are often more deserving of the assassin's attentions.
This makes the "cheeze" very binding for the law-abiding citizens and innocent by-standers, doesn't it.
First it was the Medillin Cartel, th n the FARC, then the "other" cartels that have adopted these barbaric tactics in order to instill fear into those who would battle against them.
We must ask ourselves if this is what we are allowing by not informing on the local "mules" and sellers of the insidious drugs that are begining to permiate our society.
The only way to combat these cowards is to be ever vigalent and to report every "sale" we see, then DEMAND that the police take action.
Or, to form local community vigalanty committees and take care of these people ourselves if the police prove to be incapable of doing so.
TB
I could not agree with you more.....
It's about time law Enforcement fights fire with fire and end these terrorist tactics.
Here is a chance for the Dominican Law Enforcement Agency's to go after all those responsible and bring them to Justice dead or alive.
Thus, restoring confidence to the Public they serve, think of all the crime seen by the Public that never gets reported for fear of reprisals, make a 24 hr. hot line 1800 REPORT CRIME.
I used to be strongly against the death penalty.But, after seeing the madness cold blooded cruelty of these crimes, it's about time for desperate measures.
LAWLESSNESS MUST NOT PREVAIL., AT ANY LEVEL, ANYWHERE....
Replace them all. Make them cut sugar cane. That is where they belong.
It amazes me how shameless a whole country can be. Does nothing embarrass them?
R.i.p. Normando Garcia
And just as a correction, you do NOT need to shot down an unidentified plane over a heavy populated area but you can do this 200 miles out into the ocean once the unidentified plane enters you airspace so, let please be intelligent.
Justice should prevail but this is the RD so, it will NOT! This terrorism happens often but only the names, places change because the RD Gov and DNCD is so corrupt and impotent from greed. DNCD nor police want to find fire with fire because it is not beneficial for them.
THE US, CANADA & EU must boycott tourism first for the RD Gov to get a clue because they are too stupid. If Saudi Arabia or China could nip this problem in the bud... then the RD Gov could if they wanted to (but they do not want to).
Guys, this is NOT rocket science (but there are Bani's scenarios everywhere).