Sunday, November 25, 2007

Officials in Cambodia can't issue statements to the press without Hun Sen's authorization: Pro-gov't newspaper reporter

Asian journalist shares experience as media practitioner and UN fellow

Saturday, November 24, 2007
By Fernelle Rodriguez
Philippine News


NEW YORK -- Cambodian journalist Khan Sophirom is annoyed about how certain government officials in his country try to avoid the media, especially when there are issues to be clarified.

"They don't want to meet the media. They try to make excuses whenever we call their offices for information about certain issues," he said.

A senior reporter of Cambodia 's largest newspaper daily, Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Kampuchea), Sophirom said it is quite irritating that most government officials in his country have to get permits from higher officials, especially the Prime Minister, to issue statements to the press. Cambodia is a democratic-monarchy government.

But that doesn't stop Sophirom, a socio-economic reporter of five years, from uncovering the truth. Afterall, he said, he has to deliver the news to the people.

In an interview with Sun.Star Bacolod, Sophirom revealed that his paper has not been spared from complaints from government officials because of their reports. "We balance our reports. We want their side to be heard but how can we show their side if they always avoid us?" he said.

Complaints don't bother him, even if the court asks for evidence about the accuracy of their reports. "If you have enough evidences why do you have to be afraid?" he said.

He further said that their paper is published in their native language, Khmer. It has a circulation of 18,000 copies every day.

He said before going into the media business he was a staff administrator of a non-governmental organization in Cambodia . On his first year as a reporter he covered social issues like HIV/AIDS epidemic and human trafficking. Later he was moved to the socio-economic desk where he said he is required to submit two stories a day and an investigative report a week.

As a senior reporter he has four reporters working under him.

"Political issues are the most important issues that our paper covers. The socio-economic issues come in second. We don't get many sports coverage although we feature soccer once in a while," he said.

As a reporter about his country's economic development he said, "We have a 10.5 percent economic growth and a GPD of $400 as of 2007. In 1993, we had a GDP of only $200. Our economy is stable."

Rasmei Kampuchea 's editorial department, he said, is composed of 40 people led by the editor in chief and two managing editors. The number includes the paper's correspondents from 20 provinces of Cambodia.

"Our reporters write their papers by long-hand which is then submitted to the editors for checking. After the editing process the reports are turned over to the encoders," he said.

I wish to share my experience here in the United States to my colleagues back home, especially that we've visited various media corporations like New York Times, Washington, CNN, Bloomberg. We also visited the United Nations headquarters."

Sophirom was one of the 13 print and broadcast journalists from developing countries who were chosen as fellows in this year's Reham Al Farra Memorial Journalists' Fellowship Programme, formerly known as the United Nations Department of Public Information Training Programme. The journalists visited Rochester , New York recently to learn about the city's schools and media institutions.

The other fellows Bay Okakeng Tsimane, Botswana, GABZ FM Radio; Augustin Zuzanne, Chad, N'Djamena Bi-Hebdo; Loulou Said, Comoros, Office de radio et télévision des Comoros (ORTC); Carol Mariela Croussett, Dominican Republic, Clave & Clave Digital; Gisella Bayona Ponce, Ecuador, Teleamazonas; Meerim Sultangazievna, Kyrgyzstan, Radio Azattyk; Mariyam Shuhana Maldives, Miadhu Daily; Claudia David, [Federated States of] Micronesia, V6AH Radio; Vlatko Otasevic, Montenegro, PBS - TV of Montenegro TVCG; Eleutério Dos Santos Neto, Sao Tome and Principe, Rádio Nacional de São Tomé e Príncipe; Miloš Šteric, Serbia, Blic; Maria Zevonia Vieria, Timor-Leste, TLMDC - RTL.

The Programme was renamed for a United Nations Radio journalist, Ms. Reham Al Farra, who lost her life along with 21 colleagues in the bombing of the UN Office in Baghdad in August 2003, a press release from the UN said.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am glad that our Khmer people still do have a patriotic person like Pang Sokheou. I am really impressed after reading what he wrote regarding to the border issue.

Moreover, as mentioned in the article that is post in this KI: "Cambodia is a democratic-monarchy government.", it is true that Cambodia is a demoratic-monarchy government, but it must do as whatever the boss of CPP's leaders tell the government to do.

Cambodian can do whatever they want to do, but dont touch the Vietnam's interest which is to stop Vietnam encroaching on Cambodia's lands or try to stop Vietnam sending illegal immigrant to vote for CPP. If whoever try to touch those issues, they will be imprisoned or assassinated.

CPP leaders, Hun Sen and his gansters, are just political actors serving for the YOUN's benefits. I feel sorry for their lifes because they dont even have their own rights to do whatever they want. Whatever they do, they have to wait for the answer/order from Hanoi.

With all of those reasons, Even Cambodia is Cambodia is a democratic-monarchy government, BUT Cambodia is not an Independent country because the Cambodian leaders cannot do whatever for the Cambodian if they dont have to ask for the orders from their YOUN boss.

If Cambodia leaders listen to YOUN, do we think that YOUN will help our Cambodian????? If they do, they wont encroach on our lands, dont screw up our economy, dont control Angkor Wat, dont embedded a bunch of stupid leaders in the CPP to bark like a dog for then.

If we send those messages to our Cambodian in the villages, the 2008 election will be won by the party who serve for the benefits of Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

The CPP government is not better than the Pol Pot regime, it is just different.

Anonymous said...

Well, at least the CPP government is Khmer, and Ah Khmer-Yuon government is Yuon.

Anonymous said...

most government officials in his country have to get permits from higher officials, especially the Prime Minister, to issue statements to the press because Cambodia is a democratic-monarchy government only for begging money from international donors but, in fact, is a true dictature (specialy crual with its own people, as the Khmers Rouges).

Anonymous said...

I will order Hun Sen kill all of you.

From Viet Man

Anonymous said...

Okay, and we'll started with the slave KKF clans. We'll ship them all back to Vietnam for re-education. Hopefully, that will help to straight out their brain a little.

Anonymous said...

6:38AM

I couldn't agree more.You are right on the butt when you said; " ah khmer yuon government is yuon ". They are installed by yuon.They lived and breathe for yuon.They will do anything for yuon. Oh ! ah khmer yuon, you are just a bunch of shameless.

Anonymous said...

I am confused now. I saw many Ske YOUN barking to defend for the YOUN master of the CPP.

When we say Khmer-YOUN, that means the YOUN is living in Cambodia. If some dump ass Ske YOUN called Khmer Krom as the Khmer-YOUN, then they need to go back to school to learn their language. Oh, I forgot, those Ske YOUN just bark to defend for their master.

The Ske YOUN like the CPP leaders are the one who destroy Cambodia.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, and keep explain it to Ah KKF losers because they seem to forget who they are very quickly, 11:26.

Anonymous said...

No, when we say Ah Khmer-Yuon, we mean Ah Xmer Xrom slave in vietnam. Is that too hard to understanf?

Anonymous said...

The Petition
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Petition

PETITION TO FREE 6 KHMER BUDDHIST MONKS FROM PRISON, TO PRESSURE VIETNAM TO RESPECT HUMAN AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS OF THE INDIGENOUS KHMERS AND TO STOP
FURTHER HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS AND INJUSTICE UPON THE KHMERS IN KAMPUCHEA KROM.

To:
US Administration, House of Representatives and Senate
Canada's Government, Parliament and Senate

CC:
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet
General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Nong Duc Manh
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
UN Special Rapporteur Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People
US Department of State
US International Commission of Religious Freedom
European Commission External Relations Commissioner
President of Political Groups at the European Parliament

On June 4, 1949 the French Republic transferred Kampuchea Krom (formerly part of the Kingdom of Cambodia) to Vietnam. The ethnic Cambodians now living on this formerly Cambodian land, which is
now part of Vietnam, still call themselves, Khmers (Khmer Krom or Khmer Kampuchea Krom).

We, the undersigned, the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community of North America, Khmers, and those
who are concerned about the plight of our people, whose human, religious, and cultural rights have been systematically violated by the current Communist Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Recently, some of our Buddhist monks have been arbitrarily and unjustly killed and imprisoned without due process of law. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request the United States Administration, Senate, and House of Representatives, as well as their Canadian counterpart, to intervene with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to stop this current systemic mistreatment of the our brothers and sisters from Kampuchea Krom and restore and respect their right to have their own cultural, ethnical, religious, and social identity within the legal framework of the existing international law and that
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

We respectfully wish to request the United States of America Administration, House of Representatives, and the Senate, as well as the Canadian government and parliament, to intervene with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that it urgently take the following decisions:

Recognize status and human rights of the more than 12 millions Khmer Kampuchea Krom
people living in Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam) who choose to practice their own religious beliefs.
Reopen Buddhist Institute in Khleang province to allow Khmers to practice their own religious beliefs.
Allow Khmers to establish civic, human rights and religious associations.
Reopen Khmer language schools.
Provide media access, television and radio programming, magazines, books, and cultural
works in Khmer language.
Return land to Khmer people that the Vietnamese authorities illegally confiscated in the 1970s through 1990s.
Permit Khmer Buddhist monks and people to travel (move) freely including visiting and returning from Cambodia and abroad.
Permit Khmers to organize Kathina ceremony according to the Khmer Buddhist religion.
Release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.
Release 6 Khmer Buddhist monks from prison who were arrested for practicing their religious beliefs.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Kim Moeun, 4-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Danh To, 4-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Thoeung, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Thoeung, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Vang, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
Abbot Indapanna Tim Sakhorn has been detained and imprisoned in Military Region 9 prison on June 30, 2007 for an alleged illegal entry into Vietnam.
Re-ordain 16 forcibly defrocked Buddhist monks who are not allowed to practice their religious beliefs. Violations took place on February 22, 2007.

The Venerable Buddhist Monk Kim Moeun, aka Chamroeun, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Doeur, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Svung Hieng, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Taing Chhen, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Soeur, aka Thoeun, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Taing Thoeung, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Thanh Souy, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Tong Phong, Khleang provincial city.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Vang, Khleang provincial city.
Seven other Buddhist monks, who are missing, whose names are not yet known.
De-Vietnamize Khmer Buddhism. State and religion must be kept separated. Khmer Buddhism must
be independent from the Vietnamese religion, and restored the religious, cultural, and social institutions
to their pre-1975, state. The Vietnamese authority must not interfere in Buddhist religious affairs.

Sincerely,

Joint Signatures,


Please sign the petition. Thank you.


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Comment



The Petition
The Khmer Kampuchea Krom Petition

PETITION TO FREE 6 KHMER BUDDHIST MONKS FROM PRISON, TO PRESSURE VIETNAM TO RESPECT HUMAN AND RELIGIOUS RIGHTS OF THE INDIGENOUS KHMERS AND TO STOP
FURTHER HUMAN RIGHT VIOLATIONS AND INJUSTICE UPON THE KHMERS IN KAMPUCHEA KROM.

To:
US Administration, House of Representatives and Senate
Canada's Government, Parliament and Senate

CC:
Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung
President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Nguyen Minh Triet
General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Nong Duc Manh
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
UN Special Rapporteur on Religious Intolerance
UN Special Rapporteur on Torture
UN Special Rapporteur Situation of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous People
US Department of State
US International Commission of Religious Freedom
European Commission External Relations Commissioner
President of Political Groups at the European Parliament

On June 4, 1949 the French Republic transferred Kampuchea Krom (formerly part of the Kingdom of Cambodia) to Vietnam. The ethnic Cambodians now living on this formerly Cambodian land, which is
now part of Vietnam, still call themselves, Khmers (Khmer Krom or Khmer Kampuchea Krom).

We, the undersigned, the Khmer Kampuchea Krom Community of North America, Khmers, and those
who are concerned about the plight of our people, whose human, religious, and cultural rights have been systematically violated by the current Communist Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Recently, some of our Buddhist monks have been arbitrarily and unjustly killed and imprisoned without due process of law. Therefore, we, the undersigned, respectfully request the United States Administration, Senate, and House of Representatives, as well as their Canadian counterpart, to intervene with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to stop this current systemic mistreatment of the our brothers and sisters from Kampuchea Krom and restore and respect their right to have their own cultural, ethnical, religious, and social identity within the legal framework of the existing international law and that
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

We respectfully wish to request the United States of America Administration, House of Representatives, and the Senate, as well as the Canadian government and parliament, to intervene with the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam that it urgently take the following decisions:

Recognize status and human rights of the more than 12 millions Khmer Kampuchea Krom
people living in Kampuchea Krom (South Vietnam) who choose to practice their own religious beliefs.
Reopen Buddhist Institute in Khleang province to allow Khmers to practice their own religious beliefs.
Allow Khmers to establish civic, human rights and religious associations.
Reopen Khmer language schools.
Provide media access, television and radio programming, magazines, books, and cultural
works in Khmer language.
Return land to Khmer people that the Vietnamese authorities illegally confiscated in the 1970s through 1990s.
Permit Khmer Buddhist monks and people to travel (move) freely including visiting and returning from Cambodia and abroad.
Permit Khmers to organize Kathina ceremony according to the Khmer Buddhist religion.
Release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience.
Release 6 Khmer Buddhist monks from prison who were arrested for practicing their religious beliefs.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Kim Moeun, 4-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Danh To, 4-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Thoeung, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Thoeung, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Vang, 2-year sentenced on May 10, 2007
Abbot Indapanna Tim Sakhorn has been detained and imprisoned in Military Region 9 prison on June 30, 2007 for an alleged illegal entry into Vietnam.
Re-ordain 16 forcibly defrocked Buddhist monks who are not allowed to practice their religious beliefs. Violations took place on February 22, 2007.

The Venerable Buddhist Monk Kim Moeun, aka Chamroeun, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Doeur, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Thach Svung Hieng, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Taing Chhen, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Soeur, aka Thoeun, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Taing Thoeung, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Thanh Souy, Khleang province.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Tong Phong, Khleang provincial city.
The Venerable Buddhist Monk Ly Vang, Khleang provincial city.
Seven other Buddhist monks, who are missing, whose names are not yet known.
De-Vietnamize Khmer Buddhism. State and religion must be kept separated. Khmer Buddhism must
be independent from the Vietnamese religion, and restored the religious, cultural, and social institutions
to their pre-1975, state. The Vietnamese authority must not interfere in Buddhist religious affairs.

Sincerely,

Joint Signatures,
Please sign the petition. Thank you.
GO to http://www.khmerkromngo.org/petition.htm
SRALANH KHMERS NEWSPAPER: COMMUNIST VIETNAMESE HANOI PREPARES TO LAUNCH A NEW COMMUNIST-APPARATCHIK EXILED GOVERNMENT OF KAMPUCHEA KROM NOT IN THAILAND, FRANCE, UNITED STATES, NOR AUSTRALIA, BUT IN KAMPUCHEA KROM, TO CHALLENGE THE ALREADY EXISTED EXILED GOVERNMENT OF KAMPUCHEA KROM (OF MR. THACH CHANH) WHICH WAS LAUNCHED IN 2006 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.; THIS NEW EGKK IS TO BE HEADED BY THE MOST POWERFUL PUPPET KHMER INDIVIDUAL IN KAMPUCHEA KROM THAT THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITY APPOINTED.
THACH SETHA: COMMUNIST VIETNAMESE SECURITY DEPARTMENT AND KAMPUCHEA KROM REGIONAL COMMAND COMMITTEE PLAN TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNIST-TOOL KHMER KAMPUCHEA KROM ASSOCIATION IN CAMBODIA TO CHALLENGE THE HUMAN RIGHT WORKS OF THE KINGDOM.
MR. THACH SETHA APPEAL TO ALL KHMER KROM PEOPLE TO KEEP WATCH OF VIETNAMESE TRICKS. SRALANH KHMERS NEWSPAPER: VEN. TIM SAKHORN IS IN VIETNAMESE MILITARY REGION 9 PRISON ACCORDING TO TWO SOURCES INSIDE KAMPUCHEA KROM.

Anonymous said...

More petition?

Anonymous said...

You can read the original text of Pang Sokheoun and his betting letter sent to hun sen from this blog: http://victorpangnews.wordpress.com/the-second-year-anniversay-of-illegal-supplemental-treaty-15-october-2005/

Anonymous said...

Hell dude, why don't you do it on behalf of everyone, and not bother us anymore, alright?

Anonymous said...

AH HUN SEN Vietcong slave needs permission from the Vietcong master too in order to speak and no wonder it takes so fucken long just to tell the truth!

Anonymous said...

Wrong, PM Hun Sen doesn't need any permission from Vietcong to do anything, but Ah Khmer-Yuon slaves in Vietnam does.

Anonymous said...

Hey bud 8:16am
Why are you so fixate so much on ah khmer yuon ? Have you been molested by them when you were young boy ?your way of venting out your anger seem doesn't make sense anymore.

Anonymous said...

Well, what don't you understand about what I said?

Anonymous said...

Mother of 8:16 was fucked by Ah Khmer Youn, hahahaha

Anonymous said...

Not just my mother but lot of Khmer mothers got fucked by Ah Khmer-Yuon criminals. That is why Ah Khmer-Yuons got to go, in order to save Khmer from the notorious rapists.