Seven Asian countries including junta-ruled Burma are at the bottom of a Press Freedom Index released last week by the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF or Reporters Without Borders).
BY ACE ALEGRE
Contributed to Bulatlat (Philippines)
Vol. VII, No. 37, October 21-27, 2007
Seven Asian countries including junta-ruled Burma are at the bottom of a Press Freedom Index released last week by the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF or Reporters Without Borders).
The Philippines (at 128th), earlier tagged as the second most dangerous place for journalists next to war-torn Iraq, is not among the seven though. It had fewer murders than in previous years, said RSF Asia Pacific desk chief Vincent Brossels. “And President Gloria-Arroyo's associates brought fewer defamation actions against journalists and news media,” he explained.
Aside from Burma, the other Asian countries at the bottom 20 are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, China and North Korea.
RSF said they are particularly disturbed by the situation in Burma (ranked 164th). “The military junta's crackdown on demonstrations bodes ill for the future of basic freedoms in this country,” Brossels said. Journalists in Burma continue to work “under the yoke of harsh censorship from which nothing escapes, not even small ads,” Brossels also said.
The Paris-based press freedom watchdog has been measuring the level of press freedom in 169 countries throughout the world for six years already.
Of the 20 countries also at the bottom of the index, five are African (Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and Eritrea), four are in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestinian Territories and Iran), three are former Soviet republics (Belarus, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) and one is in the Americas (Cuba).
Brossels added they regret that China (placing 163rd) stagnates near the bottom of the index. With less than a year to go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the RSF official said, “the reforms and the releases of imprisoned journalists so often promised by the authorities seem to be a vain hope."
North Korea displaced
Eritrea, Brossels csaid, has replaced North Korea at last place in the index.
"There is nothing surprising about this," Brossels said though."Even if we are not aware of all the press freedom violations in North Korea and Turkmenistan, which are second and third from last, Eritrea deserves to be at the bottom.”
He reported that the privately-owned press in that country had been reportedly banished by the authoritarian President Issaias Afeworki and the few journalists who dare to criticize the regime are reportedly thrown in prison. “We know that four of them have died in detention and we have every reason to fear that others will suffer the same fate," Brossels said.
Outside Europe – in which the top 14 countries are located – no region of the world has been free of censorship or violence towards journalists, the RSF said.
Press freedom affected by military coups
Brossels said that military coups that were supposed to restore democratic order in Thailand (135th) and Fiji (107th) in fact led to a deterioration in the situation of the news media.
Based on RSF’s documentation, the Bangkok-based media continue to be relatively free, but the military prevented the deposed prime minister's supporters from launching a TV station, and several website editors and bloggers were arrested.
In Fiji, there were several weeks of tension between the army and journalists, and a foreign reporter was expelled. Thereafter, the pressure focused on those voicing criticism online, the RSF report also said.
Brossels said Pakistan (ranked 152nd) continues to get a low ranking. Authority is allegedly concentrated in the Army in that country led by Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999.
War as major stumbling block
The RSF said that war is largely responsible for the bad showing of countries like Somalia (159th) and Sri Lanka (156th). In these countries, said Brossels, journalists have a hard time working while killings continue and censorship was stepped up. Journalists there are accused of bipartisanism and their rights are not recognized, said the RSF official.
Meanwhile, the Taliban and their allies keep threatening journalists in Afghanistan (142nd). Brossels said an Italian reporter's driver and fixer were beheaded while several radio stations were attacked by armed groups.
Interestingly, the RSF reported, Nepal (137th) has surged more than 20 places in the ranking. The end of the war and the return to democratic rule resulted in a revival of basic freedoms and created new space for the media there. However, ethnic violence in the south of the country exposed journalists to new dangers.
Other countries including the Philippines climbed too. Cambodia (85th) climbed a few notches because of the government's decision to decriminalize press offenses, said Brossels. No journalist was imprisoned, although some journalists were targeted by death threats, especially when they covered corruption.
BY ACE ALEGRE
Contributed to Bulatlat (Philippines)
Vol. VII, No. 37, October 21-27, 2007
Seven Asian countries including junta-ruled Burma are at the bottom of a Press Freedom Index released last week by the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF or Reporters Without Borders).
The Philippines (at 128th), earlier tagged as the second most dangerous place for journalists next to war-torn Iraq, is not among the seven though. It had fewer murders than in previous years, said RSF Asia Pacific desk chief Vincent Brossels. “And President Gloria-Arroyo's associates brought fewer defamation actions against journalists and news media,” he explained.
Aside from Burma, the other Asian countries at the bottom 20 are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, China and North Korea.
RSF said they are particularly disturbed by the situation in Burma (ranked 164th). “The military junta's crackdown on demonstrations bodes ill for the future of basic freedoms in this country,” Brossels said. Journalists in Burma continue to work “under the yoke of harsh censorship from which nothing escapes, not even small ads,” Brossels also said.
The Paris-based press freedom watchdog has been measuring the level of press freedom in 169 countries throughout the world for six years already.
Of the 20 countries also at the bottom of the index, five are African (Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Somalia and Eritrea), four are in the Middle East (Syria, Iraq, Palestinian Territories and Iran), three are former Soviet republics (Belarus, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan) and one is in the Americas (Cuba).
Brossels added they regret that China (placing 163rd) stagnates near the bottom of the index. With less than a year to go to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the RSF official said, “the reforms and the releases of imprisoned journalists so often promised by the authorities seem to be a vain hope."
North Korea displaced
Eritrea, Brossels csaid, has replaced North Korea at last place in the index.
"There is nothing surprising about this," Brossels said though."Even if we are not aware of all the press freedom violations in North Korea and Turkmenistan, which are second and third from last, Eritrea deserves to be at the bottom.”
He reported that the privately-owned press in that country had been reportedly banished by the authoritarian President Issaias Afeworki and the few journalists who dare to criticize the regime are reportedly thrown in prison. “We know that four of them have died in detention and we have every reason to fear that others will suffer the same fate," Brossels said.
Outside Europe – in which the top 14 countries are located – no region of the world has been free of censorship or violence towards journalists, the RSF said.
Press freedom affected by military coups
Brossels said that military coups that were supposed to restore democratic order in Thailand (135th) and Fiji (107th) in fact led to a deterioration in the situation of the news media.
Based on RSF’s documentation, the Bangkok-based media continue to be relatively free, but the military prevented the deposed prime minister's supporters from launching a TV station, and several website editors and bloggers were arrested.
In Fiji, there were several weeks of tension between the army and journalists, and a foreign reporter was expelled. Thereafter, the pressure focused on those voicing criticism online, the RSF report also said.
Brossels said Pakistan (ranked 152nd) continues to get a low ranking. Authority is allegedly concentrated in the Army in that country led by Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a coup in 1999.
War as major stumbling block
The RSF said that war is largely responsible for the bad showing of countries like Somalia (159th) and Sri Lanka (156th). In these countries, said Brossels, journalists have a hard time working while killings continue and censorship was stepped up. Journalists there are accused of bipartisanism and their rights are not recognized, said the RSF official.
Meanwhile, the Taliban and their allies keep threatening journalists in Afghanistan (142nd). Brossels said an Italian reporter's driver and fixer were beheaded while several radio stations were attacked by armed groups.
Interestingly, the RSF reported, Nepal (137th) has surged more than 20 places in the ranking. The end of the war and the return to democratic rule resulted in a revival of basic freedoms and created new space for the media there. However, ethnic violence in the south of the country exposed journalists to new dangers.
Other countries including the Philippines climbed too. Cambodia (85th) climbed a few notches because of the government's decision to decriminalize press offenses, said Brossels. No journalist was imprisoned, although some journalists were targeted by death threats, especially when they covered corruption.
15 comments:
Cambodia ranked 85th is too high. We must bring it down to the 100th+ of so or whatever China is ranked at. There are too many idiot journalists here. All they do is to deterred jobs from Cambodia. No press can to that in China and get away with it. That is why China is making better progress than us.
1:05
Hey, hombre, it appears you got it all wrong. The higher the number the worse the place, got it?
Yes, I know but sometime it is bad to be good, if you know what I mean, hehehe.
Fucken same old and same old regarding the free expression in Cambodia! You either get kill or be killed for speaking on the wrong side!
THe recent suspension of local media Amatak is an evidence to prove that Cambodian Government has no respect to freedom of media and press. A few months when RFA asked the question to Hun Sen, instead of responding to the question, Hun sen has used thread languages and insolence language to RFA. That is totally opposit to all the freedom all the media have in the developped countries. Usually the should be very carefull in responding to the media because they should use that opportunity to sell their policy through the media to all the public. If they make mistakes, the media can twist their statement, the government can be voted out in next election. The media is an indenpendent institution. They are trying to strengten their own survival in the market share. It seems like we have so many people of animal loke born whose do not want see Cambodian prosperity and Cambodian harmony. Areak Prey
That is the problem with the media. They are not doing what they supposed to to in democracy, and we don't want to flood the country with them (idiot) to deter business from the country. Therefore, ban, ban, ban,...
I wake up in the morning, go to work, and my typical week consist of 3-4 double shifts. I pay taxes. I am an ordinary Khmerican. One is entitle to free expression, just everyone has an asshole. However, to throw blatent assinine remark that Journalists deter business is succintly err. It's a bias remark.
Would you elucidate how does a journalist deter such businesses? There was a cohort study by the Japanese regarding possibilities of investing in the Cambodia businesses. But, after several years, the CG (consultive group) to put bluntly -- 10 thumbs down! It's a loss cost, mainly due to corruption and dishonesty/integrity in an individual. With all of the Outsourcing jobs from the West, why isn't Cambodia had any Company investing in Cambodia?
Nike, Reebox, Microsoft facility, etc are sprung up like bamboo shoots in Vietnam in the last few years. Why not Khmer? How come those Thais driving Luxury cars such as BMWs, Mercedes, Lexus, and other factories in Thailand? Why not Khmer?
Well. Who needs job when we have CPP for life. Hun Sen is the culpable one in term of shunting foreign investment firms to come in! We need change!
What's a shit load of crock?
First of all, there are good journalists who report complete fact to the people, and then there are troublemaker journalists who goes beyond facts to deceived people and investors about Cambodia and we don't need them here. KKF junks, Sralang Khmer, and KI Media are good example of troublemakers.
As for Japanese found us a corrupted, that is plainly false. FYI, Japan is one of our biggest donors.
And it is stupid to compare Thai lifestyle to Cambodia, unless we can bring the Thai back to Year Zero and see what type of car will they be driving then.
Last, in regard to PM Hun Sen, all I can say is he will go down in Khmer history as one of the greatest khmer leader of all times. Let it be written, and let it be done, that is by the order of the heaven.
3:23AM, You are in REM Sleep! Wake up please for your own sake. Heaven has not anything to do with one status or leadership. Better yet, get out of the Outhouse & stopped wipe HunSen/Norodom's asses!!!!!!!
If a Society is being Repressed, how can a society progress? Your hunSen doesn't created jobs for the 70% youths that are jobless right now. "EVIL IS A WORSE ENEMY TO THE GOOD THAN TO THE INDIFFERENT; SOCRATES".
The Japanese donated, but they're eyeing on Cambodia natural sources. That is different than investing into the Cambodian economy. Ask yourself this: why wouldn't industrial sectors in the West coming in Cambodia when they can pay Cambodian laborers 50-100 USD/month to produce goods & services? Next time, you go to Payless Shoe Store -- check the price tag & where it made. It cost 2-3 dollars to make it in China & Vietnam.
Thailand & Cambodia is comparable the last time i checked.
8:11, I disagree with you, but I can't explain my reason because it is about faith, not science. However, I say the Khmer people's faith in Cambodia is strong, despite the hell they went through, they still believed in their creator. And because of such faith, that they were bailed out from the abuse, and because of such faith that they were given their true (real khmer)leader.
As for repressive, the majority of khmer people is not effect by it. Only troublemakers who's not even khmer.
And in regard to japanese interested in our resource, how come we haven't heard of them depleting anything?
For all the damn predicament that Cambodia is in right now is due to Khmer intelligent (not KI media!).
Khmer people are smart! It is nothing wrong for being smart! But the damn problem is that AH Khmer HUN SEN and all his clan are too smart!
This is what can happen when Khmer people understand something so well and they begin to manipulated the whole system to their advantage or exploited all the loop holes and that is why Cambodia is in hell right now and the only way to stop all the madness by passing the damn law to regulate or to deregulate Cambodian society which at the moment is urgently needed!
9:18, I bet you overdosed yourself with KKF propaganda, that is why you talk rubbish.
To 9:43AM!
Are you saying that AH HUN XEN Vietcong slave got his PhD from Vietcong university for nothing?
Fool! You are the one who talk rubbish because your HUN XEN Vietcong slave is so smart like the Vietcong!
Well, I am sure he didn't get his Phd from Hanoi for his good work in evilsm, but for his outstanding economic strategy that is responsible for making Cambodia one of the fastest growing countries in the world.
12:56am
"his outstanding economic strategy that is responsible for making Cambodia one of the fastest growing countries in the world."
Do you know at what speed HunXen economic growing per hour, minutes, and second ?
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