CPJ troubled by Cambodian prime minister’s remarks to RFA reporter
New York, May 23, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s threatening comments to a Radio Free Asia reporter on Thursday.
Um Sarin, a radio reporter with Radio Free Asia (RFA), told CPJ that Hun Sen referred to him as “insolent” and “rude” after being queried outside the National Assembly compound about a recent government reshuffle. The premier singled out RFA for what he deemed as consistently “insolent” reporting.
“I was very afraid because his bodyguards started to circle around me,” Um Sarin told CPJ in a telephone interview. “He pointed his finger in my face and said that in the future I should be afraid to ask those sorts of questions,” he added. The premier’s comments against Um Sarin were later broadcast on several state-affiliated television and radio stations, drawing attention to the confrontation. In news reports, Hun Sen has not commented on the matter.
“In Cambodia’s current climate, the prime minister’s comments are menacing,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We urge the prime minister to clarify his comments and make clear that he did not intend to threaten reporter Um Sarin.”
On May 20, Um Sarin said, he fled to neighboring Thailand due to concerns for his personal safety. Um Sarin’s case marks the latest incident in a troubling trend of government harassment of RFA reporters.
According to a senior RFA editor, reporter Sok Ratha was prevented by Hun Sen’s bodyguards from reporting on a new road project in the remote Ratanakiri province in April. The same reporter had earlier been called to a meeting with the provincial governor, where he was chastised for reporting on alleged illegal logging in the area, according to the RFA editor. Hun Sen’s government has consistently denied that it condones illegal logging despite several independent investigative reports that indicate otherwise.
In December 2006, the editor said, RFA reporter Lem Pich Pisey was prevented by Hun Sen’s bodyguards from covering the opening of a new building in Battambang province last December. The area is a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, of which Hun Sen’s government has reached a controversial political accommodation.
And in October 2005, RFA reporter Ath Bunny fled Cambodia for Thailand due to concerns he might be arrested for reports about a controversial border demarcation treaty that Hun Sen had made with Vietnam. Hun Sen’s government had earlier jailed Radio Beehive FM 105 journalist Mam Sonando over critical radio reports he had made about the treaty.
New York, May 23, 2007 — The Committee to Protect Journalists is troubled by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s threatening comments to a Radio Free Asia reporter on Thursday.
Um Sarin, a radio reporter with Radio Free Asia (RFA), told CPJ that Hun Sen referred to him as “insolent” and “rude” after being queried outside the National Assembly compound about a recent government reshuffle. The premier singled out RFA for what he deemed as consistently “insolent” reporting.
“I was very afraid because his bodyguards started to circle around me,” Um Sarin told CPJ in a telephone interview. “He pointed his finger in my face and said that in the future I should be afraid to ask those sorts of questions,” he added. The premier’s comments against Um Sarin were later broadcast on several state-affiliated television and radio stations, drawing attention to the confrontation. In news reports, Hun Sen has not commented on the matter.
“In Cambodia’s current climate, the prime minister’s comments are menacing,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We urge the prime minister to clarify his comments and make clear that he did not intend to threaten reporter Um Sarin.”
On May 20, Um Sarin said, he fled to neighboring Thailand due to concerns for his personal safety. Um Sarin’s case marks the latest incident in a troubling trend of government harassment of RFA reporters.
According to a senior RFA editor, reporter Sok Ratha was prevented by Hun Sen’s bodyguards from reporting on a new road project in the remote Ratanakiri province in April. The same reporter had earlier been called to a meeting with the provincial governor, where he was chastised for reporting on alleged illegal logging in the area, according to the RFA editor. Hun Sen’s government has consistently denied that it condones illegal logging despite several independent investigative reports that indicate otherwise.
In December 2006, the editor said, RFA reporter Lem Pich Pisey was prevented by Hun Sen’s bodyguards from covering the opening of a new building in Battambang province last December. The area is a former stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, of which Hun Sen’s government has reached a controversial political accommodation.
And in October 2005, RFA reporter Ath Bunny fled Cambodia for Thailand due to concerns he might be arrested for reports about a controversial border demarcation treaty that Hun Sen had made with Vietnam. Hun Sen’s government had earlier jailed Radio Beehive FM 105 journalist Mam Sonando over critical radio reports he had made about the treaty.
26 comments:
I believe that Mr Sean Pengse should re-organise his former government of Khmer Republic to challenge with UN and Sihanouk for the war which Sihanouk has brought to Cambodia and has installed a killer regime of KR and now Hun Sen. THe biggest conflict of Cambodia was between Sihanouk exile government and Khmer Republic. Why, I believe in here? China was the same. The conflict between china was from Communist party and Kourk Mingtang Party. Now these two parties have work togethers to re-unify China. Cambodia is no different. Cambodia of Khmer Republic membership'seat in the UN has been rejected members who have supported Sihanouk exiled Government. All Khmer Republic Government personnels, the entire national army, police, students and entire public servants have been slaughted by Sihanouk' exile government. Now the UN should have waked up and send their troops to round up all Killers in Cambodia from 1975 onward. I think it time, former Government Minsiters of Khmer republic should stand up and challenge with this death and life of Cambodia !!! Areak Prey
Hun Sen is Acting Like a Big Male Lion King and maybe he though RFA Broadcasting is a Female"Acording to his name" he want to be Rape ASAP,as he can!!!!!
I am very happy that Cambodia is
lead by a firm person like Somdach
Hun Sen. This important for the
stability of our economy and our
country. Had Cambodia been led by
a weak and stupid person like
Ah Sam Nazi, we will have a bloody
coup semi-anually, and no one will
want to come to Cambodia for
bussinesses. And who will suffered
from all this? Everyone.
Isn't it Hun Sen slapped his own mother to death? so,why can't he do it to reporters????????????????????. What is so big deal here folks???:?
Isn't it Hun Sen slapped his own mother to death? so,why can't he do it to reporters????????????????????. What is so big deal here folks???:?
3:51 AM you said "We, Cambodians, are very ashamed to have a uneducated prime minister as ah Hun Sen" In no way he was elected to be Prime Minister. Everything is rigged to make him look like he won. So Cambodians should not be ashame because they do not want him. He is in power not by elections but by use of force. So don`t degrade our people.
Don't care about somdach Hun Sen
personnal life. The reporter
deserved to die for not respecting
the Khmer Premier, period.
To whoever supported Ah Hun Kwang and his crooks: Fuck You all and Go To hell with your Samdech Fake one eye.
Don't care about ah Hun Sen Sdah Ach
personnal life. The reporter
deserved to be slaved for respecting
ah Hun Sen(Kbal Youn Kloun Sat'), period.
I am very ashamed that Cambodia is
lead by a psychopath person like
ah Hun Sen. This important for the
poverty, land grabbing of our country.
Had Cambodia been led by a
communist and barbarian person like
ah Hun Sen,we will have a Cambodia
with dictators, mafias,corruptions,
youns immigration,drug and human
trafficking and Cambodia will be
always poor country because mafia
business. And everyone will suffer
from inhumanity acts of ah Hun Sen
Well, it sounds like to need to see
a shrinks immediately because you
are having some sort of an anxiety
attack. None of the country in
the continent of Asia is having
a bit concern about us. Most of
them is very proud of our rapid
development and recovery.
the reporter just does his professional job, asking clear, concise, and direct professional question. The PM of Cambodia was too quick with his emotion.
he should see a pschycologist and prctice meditation, it might help him control his abusive emotional behavior.
6:56 AM,
Internatinally, Cambodian PM can't compete.period.
international community got sick seeing cambodia people suffering from decade to decade.they pour assitance hopping to bring up people daily lives. but under current leadership of PM of Cambodia in 30+ years, there is not big of a change. some part is even worst.
enough is enough!! Hun Sen needs to be voted out of his office in national ellection 2008.
don't reproach ah Hun Sen because ah Hun Sen is psychopathic person.
so that the morality of ah Hun Sen is always unstable
Frankly, 7:10, the reporter tone of
voice was highly unprofessional
toward PM. I am surprise that PM
was so nice enough not to revoke
his licence or kick him out of
the country.
That is not true, 7:20. The
International community is hailing
us many times for our hard work in
fighting against extreme poverty.
And 7:36, Hello ... !!!
8:16 AM in a way yes!! International community doesn't want see the hardship of people went through. it continues its assistance simply for humatary and moral reasons.
PM Hun Sen is the bigg looser in combatting poverty and national resource mangement.
may be you can tell me one hting HUn Sen has done and that makes you porund of. given that he has full power in hand, Cambodian hunman resource, national resource, and bill$ international assistance, even dump azz monkey moron from amazon jungle can do better than he can.
Hun Sen can't continue representing/leading Cambodia.period. Cambodians need to ellect a btter PM in 2008 national elelction.
Still Hun Sen is the PM of Cambodia. if he reacts with high emotion to question from journalist, it makes him look childish and lack of intelligence in public. my 1 Cent advice!!
Hun Sen was born peasant and his behavior is below barbarian. Many peasants are good people but this guy Hun Sen is below trash the way he conducts himself. Just look@ his followers in here, none of them can carry intelligent debate, but most are barbarous people.
Nope, Somdach Hun Sen is a plain
Khmer genius, and you're jealous
because you can't beat him even
with the all of your blue-eyed
professors hehind you, hahaha, LOL,
Yale, Havard, ..., and Berkley are
just scams, hahaha, LOL, hahaha ...
True, 9:49, but Somdach Hun Sen
had made a lot improvements over
the years. He used to lash at
journalists all the time in the
old days, hehehe, and none of them
was harmed.
Please do not comment or write to long I'm to lazy to read,,,Thank you..Prohok khmer.
Dose Mr. hun sen die by aids..?
Ah/me chongrai yuon viet cong 9:49 PM, stop your communist propaganda.
Ah samACH Hun Kvak lash in your azz.
Come here, 1:37. Let me wisper you
a secret: That aint no propagada,
moron. IT IS NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!
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