Written by Brendan Brady and Sam Rith
The Phnom Penh Post
Information Ministry denies legislation extending libel to audovisual media will limit internet
The Ministry of Information has denied that new libel legislation it is drafting for audiovisual media will bear on the internet, despite previous claims by its minister, Khieu Kanharith, that the recent explosion of websites was an impetus for the measure.
In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry said the law would target "audiovisual content in radio, television and print only", adding that public criticism of it levelled by local journalists earlier in the day was "absolutely untruthful".
But Sam Rithy Doung Hak, a monitor for the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists, the group that condemned the proposed legislation as unwarranted censorship, said the ministry was simply "backtracking ... probably because of pressure from international groups based here".
Despite the ministry's claims, he said popular websites and cartoons critical of the government would be susceptible to censorship if the law were introduced. He singled out the online materials of news aggregator Khmer Intelligence and Australian-based Khmer cartoonist Sacrava as potential targets.
Khieu Kanharith was not available for comment Wednesday.
Don't regulate criticism
Local leaders of Cambodia's online community remain deeply cynical of any government efforts to regulate media content given its shaky track record. Cambodia is currently ranked 128th - or "partially free" - on the US-based Freedom House organisation's 2008 press freedom list
Keo Kounila, a local blogger and journalist, said vibrant opposition voices were essential to the fabric of a democracy, and saw the proposed bill as counterproductive to growth of the country's nascent political environment.
"The government should try to understand criticism [directed at it], not regulate it. This is similar to what China is trying to do," she said, referring to the vigorous online censorship conducted by the communist state.
Norbert Klein, a Phnom Penh-based German who is credited with having introduced, internet to Cambodia in 1994, called the proposed legislation "very problematic".
"If there is legislation, it should be technically enforceable and legal. Neither is the case."
The demands of the law were unrealistic and unprecedented, he added.
"When the law says every ISP will need a license from the Information Ministry and Communication Ministry, no other country in the world has that," said Klein, who is also a policy adviser for ICANN, an international non-profit group that deliberates on a wide range of internet protocol issues. He said media censorship was susceptible to "escalation" in times of political turmoil and questioned the government's ability to regulate content using standards accepted by the population.
The Ministry of Information has denied that new libel legislation it is drafting for audiovisual media will bear on the internet, despite previous claims by its minister, Khieu Kanharith, that the recent explosion of websites was an impetus for the measure.
In a statement released Tuesday, the ministry said the law would target "audiovisual content in radio, television and print only", adding that public criticism of it levelled by local journalists earlier in the day was "absolutely untruthful".
But Sam Rithy Doung Hak, a monitor for the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists, the group that condemned the proposed legislation as unwarranted censorship, said the ministry was simply "backtracking ... probably because of pressure from international groups based here".
Despite the ministry's claims, he said popular websites and cartoons critical of the government would be susceptible to censorship if the law were introduced. He singled out the online materials of news aggregator Khmer Intelligence and Australian-based Khmer cartoonist Sacrava as potential targets.
Khieu Kanharith was not available for comment Wednesday.
Don't regulate criticism
Local leaders of Cambodia's online community remain deeply cynical of any government efforts to regulate media content given its shaky track record. Cambodia is currently ranked 128th - or "partially free" - on the US-based Freedom House organisation's 2008 press freedom list
Keo Kounila, a local blogger and journalist, said vibrant opposition voices were essential to the fabric of a democracy, and saw the proposed bill as counterproductive to growth of the country's nascent political environment.
"The government should try to understand criticism [directed at it], not regulate it. This is similar to what China is trying to do," she said, referring to the vigorous online censorship conducted by the communist state.
Norbert Klein, a Phnom Penh-based German who is credited with having introduced, internet to Cambodia in 1994, called the proposed legislation "very problematic".
"If there is legislation, it should be technically enforceable and legal. Neither is the case."
The demands of the law were unrealistic and unprecedented, he added.
"When the law says every ISP will need a license from the Information Ministry and Communication Ministry, no other country in the world has that," said Klein, who is also a policy adviser for ICANN, an international non-profit group that deliberates on a wide range of internet protocol issues. He said media censorship was susceptible to "escalation" in times of political turmoil and questioned the government's ability to regulate content using standards accepted by the population.
8 comments:
yuon might censor the following website:
http://sacrava.blogspot.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/AhmekKhmer
http://www.ki-media.blogspot.com/
http://khmer-heroes.blogspot.com
No wonder why Yuon always successful everywhere they go, and Ah Pleu-overse always end up slaving for them.
China ancient yin-yang morality balancing system was developed and used to keep China out of self-ruining.
Also, Buddhism of Cambodia practice is applying MIDDLE PATH concept in its teaching to strive and rid of suffering and ignorance.
For Cambodia IGNORANCE and SUFFERING,government regulating media censorship is not the ultimate solution.
As a Democratic Kampuchea sadistic follower ,Hun Sen should know that critics like himself had not stopped critisizing DK leadership, even in the face of death.
The world kept pointing out, Cambodia people are suffering from social injustice,individual immorality, and governmental sponsorship of corruption.
Instead of being defensive and antagonistic, the government should encourage free expression and self criticism. It's a healthy attitude to coexist within a yin-yang and self alert of middle path approach.
KPP and Heng Samrin,Chea Sim, Hun Sen are the Democratic Kampuchea creation which adamantly required every individual state organ and individuality to do self criticism and corrective action every day.
Criticism is one of People Democracy governance principles.
Ironically, Hanoi preached one thing and did the other in its communistic ideology. This had made Pen Sovan a notably critic to Hanoi hypocrisy.
Not all critics are opposing growth of the country and democracy or destructive of human rights. Not all critics are evil doers.
Other hand Hun Sen and his government is not exempted from evilness.
To stop critics from critising him or his stooges is to do the right thing. That is to go down to the root cause that inspired criticism.
Born as a pig why afraid of butcher's boiler?
If Hun Sen enforced censrship law,he was nothing more than but a coward of his own conviction.
What critic? Stopping Ah Pleu-oversea from deceiving Khmer people is no critic.
851pm,
Are you a religious individual?
In a good fellowship and dignified spirit,I beg you from using abusive language.
If you are not a communist Yuon disciple,please regard Khmer Buddhist five precepts at own risk.
People can hear your idea better even you whispered it.
Screaming and cursing is for the only weakest link.
Ah Kanjah Yuons always do what Yuons say.
Why they're afraid of "Ah Pleu Oversea"?
They are not afraid of Ah Pleu-oversea. They just don't want them to spam and scam Khmer people. That's all.
Well! At least AH HUN SEN government can read a mountain of criticisms online and have an idea what the hell Cambodian people want! Unless AH HUN SEN government want to copy Mr. Pol Pot who banned all form of criticism which lead to his down fall!
AH HUN SEN is not superman even with iron fist and Cambodian people will continue to resist him until the day he dies!
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