Ith Sam Heng, Minister of Un-Social AffairsMinistry of Social Affairs bans reporters
By Kang Chan Amrak
Phnom Penh Post, Issue 16 / 22, November 2 - 15, 2007
If you have noticed less news about the Ministry of Social Affairs lately, it could be because the ministry has banned all but three Cambodian newspapers from entering its premises.
According to a sign posted on the window of the guard house a month ago, the only newspapers permitted to enter are three large daily papers that the ministry has deemed "more ethical."
"Allowed in: Journalists from Rasmei Kampuchea, Koh Santepheap, Kampuchea Thmey. Journalists from all other newspapers are strictly banned," the sign says.
A security guard working in the guard house said the order came from a vice minister.
"I am just doing my duty. It is not written by me, but by the administrator," he said.
Minister of Social Affairs Ith Sam Heng, reached by phone, said he was too busy to talk about the ban.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the notice is aimed at unethical journalists who solicit bribes.
"Some journalists who I don't want to name asked money from the officials. If they do not get the money, they write untrue articles to defame the officials," Kanharith told the Post.
Kanarith said officials complain, leaving him stuck in the middle. He said although the press law doesn't allow bans on particular newspapers, he thought the ban was understandable.
"We have a specific department to deal with the press," said Nim Thoth, secretary of state of the Ministry of Social Affairs. "It is not directly under my control so I did not order this announcement. I don't think that any departments or person have the right to make this kind of order," Thoth said.
No journalists, except a Post reporter who went to the ministry to get information about labor issues and was denied access, reported being directly affected by the rule. But Phan Sophat, a journalist from Radio Free Asia, said his colleagues experienced similar bans. He said the restrictions are a political ploy used by officials to avoid talking to newspapers that do not support the interest of the ministry.
"If it is truly a policy from the ministry, it is total discrimination. It does hurt the free press and the freedom to access information of all journalists," Sophat said.
Om Chan Dara, the president of the Khmer Journalist Friendship Association, called the order "a way to restrict the journalist's right to gather the information. It is incorrect."
According to a sign posted on the window of the guard house a month ago, the only newspapers permitted to enter are three large daily papers that the ministry has deemed "more ethical."
"Allowed in: Journalists from Rasmei Kampuchea, Koh Santepheap, Kampuchea Thmey. Journalists from all other newspapers are strictly banned," the sign says.
A security guard working in the guard house said the order came from a vice minister.
"I am just doing my duty. It is not written by me, but by the administrator," he said.
Minister of Social Affairs Ith Sam Heng, reached by phone, said he was too busy to talk about the ban.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the notice is aimed at unethical journalists who solicit bribes.
"Some journalists who I don't want to name asked money from the officials. If they do not get the money, they write untrue articles to defame the officials," Kanharith told the Post.
Kanarith said officials complain, leaving him stuck in the middle. He said although the press law doesn't allow bans on particular newspapers, he thought the ban was understandable.
"We have a specific department to deal with the press," said Nim Thoth, secretary of state of the Ministry of Social Affairs. "It is not directly under my control so I did not order this announcement. I don't think that any departments or person have the right to make this kind of order," Thoth said.
No journalists, except a Post reporter who went to the ministry to get information about labor issues and was denied access, reported being directly affected by the rule. But Phan Sophat, a journalist from Radio Free Asia, said his colleagues experienced similar bans. He said the restrictions are a political ploy used by officials to avoid talking to newspapers that do not support the interest of the ministry.
"If it is truly a policy from the ministry, it is total discrimination. It does hurt the free press and the freedom to access information of all journalists," Sophat said.
Om Chan Dara, the president of the Khmer Journalist Friendship Association, called the order "a way to restrict the journalist's right to gather the information. It is incorrect."
17 comments:
Is this discriminatory ban the only solution to problems caused by alleged black-mailing journalists?
Our minister should be more creative than he is now. He can appoint a spokesman or press officer for his ministry to provide information to the press. Let journalists grill this spokesman or press officer.
He can use the press law to get the press to correct wrong information it has published, or sue it or the journalist concerned.
He can propose to his collgue minister of information or his government to enact a law on extortion or blackmailing.
Actually, our ministers are very creative, but they don't like journalists to scrutinise their work and expose their maladministration, poor performance or bad practices.
It's a pity!
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Dr. Lao, you're correct if we are to assumed that those who are banned are true professional journalists.
The key hare is quality, not quantity.
Mr Lao Mong Hay has always come up with good solution for every problem in our civil society.
You should be appointed to a government adviser. It will match your interest.
Cambodia could not change immediatly with such many uneducated and unexperienced civil servants in charge of the government, but it can change slowly by starting from offering a moderate and acceptatable concept..
Ith Sam Heng,
None professional Minister of Un-Social Affairs, runing malfunction government administrator of incapacity.
Gentleman
Journalists should be aware of their code of conducts.Any wrong doing against their profession arises, they should be dealt with according to the laws whether fine or temporary suspension for as fit to their misconduct.
It seems they are discriminated against their job, to access information and publish it to public.
Ministry can not declare that there are only three perfect groups allowed but ban the rest.
It appears to be misjudgement or wrong assumption by the ministry.
Neang SA
Not really, 3:12, I am sure that the ministry has evidences against those who are banned from their previous works.
Only the pro newspapers journalists allow.
The family tree ministry Ith samheng run and managed by his uneducated nephew and niece. No one else can do.
All of Khmer problems are controlled by one person. That person is Youn who lives and works in Cambodia. He is the one in charge of Hun Sen what to do. His name is Ong Teur.
The guy is a Vietnamese agent named Ong Teur (Tri Minh}. He is in charge of the election. He might change his name to Cambodia name, but Hanoi are behind in every level of Cambodia government. Don't think you're in peace with Hun Sen in power. Hun Sen do everything to help the goal of Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh idology is to take Lao and Cambodia as their colony. Hanoi presses very hard nowaday to succeed that. This Ong Teur agent is born and raised in Cambodia and secretly worked for Hanoi. He is lieutenant in Hanoi army and work in Cambodia since Sihanouk time. At Lon Nol era this Youn roams around Cambodia unnotice to help Viet Cong get supply to fight American and Khmer. So Hanoi is in our blood for very long time that we don't notice. We khmer are stupid that we don't protect our land and people. We don't have any agent to spy Youn and Thai; we only spy our own people.
If you don't believe me, ask people in Cambodia.
You are full of shit, there is no such name Ong Teur as you indicated.
All I can say now is you are making fool of yourself more and more. nobody can follow your foolish story, your english is so broken. Professor.
You go, mate (12:03)!
I can see, when people nail them to point they get wild and CRAZY.
That's yuon emotion.
Who care? the bottom line is Yuon has helped Cambodia to move forward greatly, and we will continued to work together until all poverty is no more in Cambodia.
This animal Viet troller @5:12 AM pretending to be Khmer speaking for Khmer must be stopped at all cost. We know who this animal is...This animal should be castrated and then euthanized to fit its crime loitering, spamming and littering KI-media.
Now, Go home animal Viet troller!
Now, Go home Vietcong!
Mr. 2:29 PM,
I very much appreciate your suggestion, but there are too many advisors already. Don't you think?
You reminded me of a remark by a political philosopher who said that leaders get wisdom not from their advisors but from themselves, that is, wise leaders would choose wise advisors and unwise leaders would choose unwise advisors or cronies.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Mr. 2:29 PM,
I very much appreciate your suggestion, but there are too many advisors already. Don't you think?
You reminded me of a remark by a political philosopher who said that leaders get wisdom not from their advisors but from themselves, that is, wise leaders would choose wise advisors and unwise leaders would choose unwise advisors or cronies.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
True, Dr. Lao, but let the result speak for itself.
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