11/04/2010
Bangkok Post
After the government's disruption of the signal from People Channel TV (PTV), the red shirts' voice in Pathum Thani's Lat Lum Kaeo district, the Thai Journalists Association and the Thailand Cable Television Association issued a joint statement which called the closure of PTV and a politically related website unconstitutional, adding that it reflected a double standard in law enforcement.
The statement could also have read that such attempts at censorship in a modern society are sure to fail. There are simply too many outlets and sources, including blogs and mobile phone texts, to shut out. What's more, it is human nature to believe the worst of the state when it begins to censor information.
Yesterday afternoon government security forces started to move against red shirt protesters camped out around Phan Fa Bridge and by 8pm television film crews were recording war-like scenes. There have been a large number of casualties as well.
It can and will be argued that this action was inevitable because the government could not allow major parts of the city to be taken over indefinitely by the demonstrators, even though precedents have been set involving other groups of protesters which would seem to suggest public and private property can in some circumstances be appropriated without challenge from the government.
Irregardless of this debate, which will likely rage for a long time to come, after a remarkably violence-free month-long protest, clearly the turning point leading to bloody conflict came with the declaration on Thursday of a state of emergency in the capital and nearby provinces, and in particular the closure of PTV, which the declaration paved the way for.
In giving the reasoning for cutting PTV's signal, Prime Minister's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said ''the authorities needed to suspend the broadcasts because the content contained distorted facts and was aimed at inciting unrest''.
This is certainly valid to an extent and it is an important point. All media have a responsibility not to inflame passions and to strictly adhere to the truth, especially in a climate as volatile as the present one.
Yet in taking the drastic action of closing the station the tensions were sure to be ratcheted up a notch. A better response from the government would have been to very publicly challenge PTV reports it felt were false and inflammatory.
It is also unfortunate that the protesters and their sympathisers apparently feel they are not able to get the truth from other media sources. This makes them somewhat of a ''captive'' and easily manipulated audience.
Asean makes important stand
Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Hanoi for a summit meeting should be applauded for their call on fellow Asean member Burma to hold free and inclusive elections.
The military government has said a general election will be held this year, but has not yet named a date.
Asean's statement was aimed in part at recently enacted election laws which were clearly designed to remove pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other key figures from taking part. In response to the laws, Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has chosen not to participate in the election.
The Asean leaders' statement said that by guaranteeing a transparent election process the Burmese generals would be opening the way for the country's stabilisation and development.
In order to comply with Asean's now official policy, Burma would have to rescind the recently announced election laws, which admittedly does not seem very likely. However, as has been pointed out in this space before, Asean is one of the few outside sources that does have real influence in Burma.
A major tenet of Asean has always been that members' internal affairs were not open for scrutiny from the regional organisation. In making this important stand Asean has taken a big step toward taking on a true identity in the same sense as the European Union.
For example, with the old non-interference philosophy the newly initiated Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights has little hope of getting off the ground.
The statement could also have read that such attempts at censorship in a modern society are sure to fail. There are simply too many outlets and sources, including blogs and mobile phone texts, to shut out. What's more, it is human nature to believe the worst of the state when it begins to censor information.
Yesterday afternoon government security forces started to move against red shirt protesters camped out around Phan Fa Bridge and by 8pm television film crews were recording war-like scenes. There have been a large number of casualties as well.
It can and will be argued that this action was inevitable because the government could not allow major parts of the city to be taken over indefinitely by the demonstrators, even though precedents have been set involving other groups of protesters which would seem to suggest public and private property can in some circumstances be appropriated without challenge from the government.
Irregardless of this debate, which will likely rage for a long time to come, after a remarkably violence-free month-long protest, clearly the turning point leading to bloody conflict came with the declaration on Thursday of a state of emergency in the capital and nearby provinces, and in particular the closure of PTV, which the declaration paved the way for.
In giving the reasoning for cutting PTV's signal, Prime Minister's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said ''the authorities needed to suspend the broadcasts because the content contained distorted facts and was aimed at inciting unrest''.
This is certainly valid to an extent and it is an important point. All media have a responsibility not to inflame passions and to strictly adhere to the truth, especially in a climate as volatile as the present one.
Yet in taking the drastic action of closing the station the tensions were sure to be ratcheted up a notch. A better response from the government would have been to very publicly challenge PTV reports it felt were false and inflammatory.
It is also unfortunate that the protesters and their sympathisers apparently feel they are not able to get the truth from other media sources. This makes them somewhat of a ''captive'' and easily manipulated audience.
Asean makes important stand
Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders in Hanoi for a summit meeting should be applauded for their call on fellow Asean member Burma to hold free and inclusive elections.
The military government has said a general election will be held this year, but has not yet named a date.
Asean's statement was aimed in part at recently enacted election laws which were clearly designed to remove pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other key figures from taking part. In response to the laws, Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has chosen not to participate in the election.
The Asean leaders' statement said that by guaranteeing a transparent election process the Burmese generals would be opening the way for the country's stabilisation and development.
In order to comply with Asean's now official policy, Burma would have to rescind the recently announced election laws, which admittedly does not seem very likely. However, as has been pointed out in this space before, Asean is one of the few outside sources that does have real influence in Burma.
A major tenet of Asean has always been that members' internal affairs were not open for scrutiny from the regional organisation. In making this important stand Asean has taken a big step toward taking on a true identity in the same sense as the European Union.
For example, with the old non-interference philosophy the newly initiated Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights has little hope of getting off the ground.
3 comments:
The fact that this article has nothing related to Hun Sen but yet you manage to manipulate the title to suit your purpose is nothing short of shameless dishonesty. All those times when people call you out on being manipulative and you came back with playing dumb response is out of the question now. I support equality of voice but your kind of voice isn't made for equality because you guys are full of shit and you know it. Agenda-based cynical opportunists. You monkeys ain't promoting democracy for Khmer. You're just using this democracy banner to serve your purpose. No wonder why your group is dying out bit by bit. Your real skin is shown. That is why. The real voice of democracy will last until your fake ass excuse for one.
"There is no more negotiation with ah jouy mar rai hun sen...the murderer," "Although the road is rough and full of obstacles, it's our duty to honor the dead by bringing democracy to this Cambodia." Khmers tang lay learn from Thai Red Shirt....kom titch ah jouy mar rai hun sen, his family, and his CPP.
12:38 PM
There is a difference between your kind and the Thai red shirts. The red shirts represent a majority voice while you represent a small minority, one that is ever shrinking by your own doing. You extremist animals ain't no agents of justice. That is why you will remain a worthless troll on the internet making shit threat that no one even wants to hear.
Real voice for democracy has no resemblance to your kind. Keep barking, doggie, while all your cynical cronies are undoing themselves one by one.
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