By Kem Sotheavin
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
The new leader of the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR) expressed his disappointment towards Khieu Kanharith, the Minister of Information, who did not provide a direct reply to CCHR’s open letter addressed to the minister of information.
Ou Virak, the new CCHR president, raised a number of questions including freedom of information, and the neutrality of the Minister of Information who also happens to be the spokesman a political party. Ou Virak said that he regrets that Khieu Kanharith spent time answering his questions, but that these answers did not address any of the questions asked of him.
Ou Virak said: “I thank the Minister (of Information) who replied to me on a number of questions, however, regretfully, I did not receive a direct answer. Also, we see that he often raises the issue of freedom of press in Cambodia. Because His Excellency said that he loves freedom of the press, I want to see [him taking] a number of actions leading to additional freedom of the press, for e.g., providing license for independent publishing media, and in particular also, in the province of Battambang, there is a person who used gun to threaten a reporter, creating [in effect] an atmosphere of fear, and disgrace on the honor of a reporter.”
On 03 May, during the Freedom of the Press Day celebration, Ou Virak called on the government to shut down the Ministry of Information, because he considers the fact that the (license) operation of a radio station or of a TV station, as well as the flow of information must require the green light from the Minister of Information. Therefore, the Ministry of Information is in effect a serious obstacle to the freedom of the press.
Nevertheless, in an open letter dated 10 May, replying to Ou Virak’s open letter dated 09 May, as well as Ou Virak’s declaration made during the beginning of May (i.e., Ou Virak’s demand to shut down the Ministry of Interior), Khieu Kanharith insists that Ou Virak perform further research on the recent declaration he made, read the constitution, and try to study harder on the press profession in Cambodia.
Khieu Kanharith declared: “It’s regrettable that he just occupies his position, he did not read the law, the constitution which talk about the formation of the Ministry of Information. He should try to study harder when he just start (like this). Who is in charge of giving license the radio or TV stations? Is it free for the taking? The organization of the information is the work of the Ministry of Information, we do not rule over reporters.”
Ou Virak, the new CCHR president, raised a number of questions including freedom of information, and the neutrality of the Minister of Information who also happens to be the spokesman a political party. Ou Virak said that he regrets that Khieu Kanharith spent time answering his questions, but that these answers did not address any of the questions asked of him.
Ou Virak said: “I thank the Minister (of Information) who replied to me on a number of questions, however, regretfully, I did not receive a direct answer. Also, we see that he often raises the issue of freedom of press in Cambodia. Because His Excellency said that he loves freedom of the press, I want to see [him taking] a number of actions leading to additional freedom of the press, for e.g., providing license for independent publishing media, and in particular also, in the province of Battambang, there is a person who used gun to threaten a reporter, creating [in effect] an atmosphere of fear, and disgrace on the honor of a reporter.”
On 03 May, during the Freedom of the Press Day celebration, Ou Virak called on the government to shut down the Ministry of Information, because he considers the fact that the (license) operation of a radio station or of a TV station, as well as the flow of information must require the green light from the Minister of Information. Therefore, the Ministry of Information is in effect a serious obstacle to the freedom of the press.
Nevertheless, in an open letter dated 10 May, replying to Ou Virak’s open letter dated 09 May, as well as Ou Virak’s declaration made during the beginning of May (i.e., Ou Virak’s demand to shut down the Ministry of Interior), Khieu Kanharith insists that Ou Virak perform further research on the recent declaration he made, read the constitution, and try to study harder on the press profession in Cambodia.
Khieu Kanharith declared: “It’s regrettable that he just occupies his position, he did not read the law, the constitution which talk about the formation of the Ministry of Information. He should try to study harder when he just start (like this). Who is in charge of giving license the radio or TV stations? Is it free for the taking? The organization of the information is the work of the Ministry of Information, we do not rule over reporters.”
14 comments:
Khieu Kanharith talks about law, but never follow the laws, and changes the rule of law in favor of CPP. Funny how he tells Ou Virak to study the law when he need a good lesson himself.
Unwise Idea to Abolish the Information Ministry
By Marty Hank
8 May 2007
With the intention of improving the freedom of press, MP Son Chhay, and the CCHR’s new president Ou Virak have called for abolishing the Information Ministry in the World Press Freedom Day on 3 May 2007. The question is whether the abolishment would be the solution to the improvement of the freedom of press.
I would promptly agree with the statement of the poor delivery of press freedom, due to several incidents occurred on journalists. It is realised that number journalists were harshly harassed and punished for their publications, which most of them demanded actions for public interests, and accountability from authorities and powerful officials. I believe that those incidents would bring about serious intimidation to the freedom of press in this nation. This would result in impractical check and balance, and signalise the poor implementation of democracy.
However, the call for the abolishment of the Information Ministry may be unwise idea for a solution to the promotion of press freedom in Cambodia. The reason is that this institution has already been in place as a system in charge of media affairs for the government. Had it abolished, the government will found another one inevitably, then all staffs will be reorganised, time will be wasted, and cost will of course incur, but the political status quo remains. The question to be asked again is whether the later is better than the last. Had it abolished and its replacement failed to found, the media would have free ride to write and publish. Who would be responsible for, if there was disorder in media publication?
To promote freedom for journalist to freely express their opinions, there would be more than a single solution. Nevertheless, this institution should remain for the application of state system in media management. The degree of press freedom delivered so far is rather associated with the management than the institution per se. To deal with the management by calling off the institution seems irrational. END
Hey, hey, hey, what the fuck with
all these craps. We don't need any
more fucking freedoms. We need
jobs, jobs, jobs. We already got
more freedoms than most country in
SE Asia. You got that, you
motherfuckers? Haven't have any
consideration for the poors who
needed jobs?
5:00 PM go and find the jobs fucking moron and just ignore what they says. Beside that it's your government who created poverty you fucking stupid. Your government is in charge so be a man and do the fucking jobs and get things done, I'm sure fucking pocket is full already. Stop being a little girls or a fucking dogs.
What? The government did not
created poverty, moron, they are
getting people out of poverty.
You, on the other hand, keep
distracting our government from
their progresses with the stupid
democracy and freedom of press
craps that has nothing to do with
getting out of poverty, and you
telling us we created poverty,
what are you, a cracked pot?
Alright to be fair about the stupid
press, just tell me how many khmers
in Cambodia read the news? And it
is better be big number since you
insist that the fucking press is
more important than getting people
jobs so that they can feed their
families!
Firt of all any information spit out by Khieu Kanharith the "Information Ministry" is purely Vietcong propaganda!Now how the fuck Cambodian people can use such Vietcong propaganda's information to better their life??? Somebody need to throw a fucken wrench into the Vietcong propaganda machinery to stop all the fucken bullshit!!!!I say enough is enough of all the Vietcong information bullshit!
Secondly, AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave had been a dictator of Cambodia for more than 30years and he had nobody to blame except himself and his Vietcong slave mentality for not creating jobs or favorable economic environment for Cambodian people to flourish in the first place!!There are many ways to create jobs beside passing a fucken law to cut dirt poor Cambodin workers!!!I never thought AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave's brain can be so limited!!!
AH HUN SEN the CEO of Cambodia had been using Cambodia and Cambodian people to do business for the longest time and again and again he had failed in his business venture that is why Cambodian people continue to be poor and poorer and that is the fact!!!
AH HUN SEN the CEO of Cambodia need to be fired!!!Let AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave run his own business and let the reality of life hit him in the face to make him realize how important it is that in the business world he can't just run the fucken business to the ground and not making any profit!!!
Cambodia and Cambodian people had given AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave for more than 30 years to prove himself and he still can't prove the man that he is beside taking Cambodia and Cambodian people as his hostage!!!!
This is AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave's economic philosophy that is to make a bread without a dough!!!!ahahhahahhahahhahha
6:21 PM you said "keep
distracting our government from
their progresses with the stupid
democracy and freedom of press
craps that has nothing to do with
getting out of poverty" If it were`nt the reporters, you would have not known about the poor. If it were`nt the reporters, you would`nt be reading this. If you don`t want reporters go live in North Korea where the only reporters are the Government itself. Let them tell you that your country is the only heaven and anything else outside of it, is HELL. If your loving government is creating jobs, we would`nt be having this report. Am I right? For your standing point, any job will do right? Don`t matter if you have to work 16 hours a day just for 5 bucks right? I know damn well if the United States made you work 16 hours a day with no over time and only get paid with the previous federal minimal wage of $5.35, you`d be outrage. Even now you are outraged because your not making the kind of money you wish. Just look at your language. You never lived in Cambodia. So it would be wise that you just shut the hell up.
2:56 AM you still being a fucking moron and I don't need those stupid reporter to tell me about poverty. I have two eyes you fuck head, so what did you use your four eyes for? fucking moron,
"The government did not created poverty, moron, they are getting people out of poverty."
THE GOVERNMENT CREATED POVERTY SO YOU THE GOVERNMENT CAN BENEFITS THEIR DESPERATION FOR JOB. YOU ARE GETTING PEOPLE IN POVERTY AND INTO SLAVERY. Fucking four eyes still haven got a clue and I guess you're just one of those fucking INTELLECTUAL PROSTITUTE. DON'T TELL YOUR STUDENT TO BE A PROSTITUTE LIKE YOU IT'S A SHAME TO THE SOCIETY MORON. Ah prostitute like you will never learn anything accept know how to suck. Believe me I'm your personal biographer.
3:13am could you read your statement again please "THE GOVERNMENT CREATED POVERTY SO YOU THE GOVERNMENT CAN BENEFITS THEIR DESPERATION FOR JOB. YOU ARE GETTING PEOPLE IN POVERTY AND INTO SLAVERY" Did you not hear about Hun Sen wanting to reduce wages for night shift garment workers? That is how the CPP bring in more work. SLAVERY! IDIOT!! HAHA Read your statement again you fool. Did you not learn about the Union Leaders rasing the wages? Or making the factories more humane for the workers? Did read anywhere that the CPP government did something for the people? Your only seeing stability of Cambodia through Hun Sen because he need stability to stay in power IDIOT. Oh by the way, when you say "THE GOVERNMENT" I guess you meant some other government, not the CPP. HAHAHAHAHA Funny Guy!!!!!!
Hey stupids, TVK and a couple
State media are more than enough
for us. We don't need no fucking
1000 journalists here. You got
that, you space-aged idiot?
7:44 AM you are exactly like Hun Sen, cut jobs not create jobs. TvK and state media? LOL, you want fairy tale stories told to you by the government? LOL. You don`t need 1000`s of journalists? Now lets cut their jobs, so that way they would be looking for jobs, and then your fairy tale government will find them jobs. Cross the border that is...LOL your a joke man, stop now. LOL
Hey, there are plenty of prostitute
jobs available for those 1000
journalists. At least, they will
be usefull to someone. Hardly,
any khmer read the news, so they
will not be usefull to anyone.
Are Hun Xen's daugthers prostitute too?
Is Hun Xen's Government a pim? I thought he, Hun Xen is a traficker of Human And Drug!
No, Somdach Hun Sen don't have time
for low income jobs. Are you crazy?
We are talking a dollar a pop. How
can anyone get to live in a mansion
on that income?
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