Ou Virak (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)
22 September 2010
Dear KI Media and readers
I am writing in response to the Op‐Ed piece by Khmer Young that was published on KI Media on 21 September 2010 “Government mouthpieces are magpies”. In his piece, Khmer Young described Radio French International (RFI) as pro‐government/Cambodian People’s Party and described how the tendency of the government is to dismiss constructive criticism as bias, uninformed and/or the work of opposition mouthpieces. I would like to thank Khmer Young for his piece and to respond to a number of issues he raises.
In my experience, I have found Radio France International to be fair and independent in its coverage of Cambodia. In view of the control exercised over the media by a small circle of government cronies, the work of organisations and agencies like RFI, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of Democracy is invaluable in ensuring that the Cambodian people are objectively informed of national and international affairs. A similarly essential role is played by news-blog websites, such as KI-Media, in ensuring that information that may be viewed as critical of the government is shared with Cambodia’s growing online community.
In the Op-Ed piece, Khmer Young describes my recent interview with RFI as disturbing on the grounds that the interviewer, in his questions to me, used reasoning which Young Khmer perceived as similar to that often used by members of government in response to criticisms. In particular, Young Khmer noted that in reasoning that the cover of the recent Joint NGO Report on Freedom of Expression (Cambodia Gagged: Democracy At Risk?) may frighten away potential visitors Cambodia; the interviewer was offering similar logic to that used by often government members in response to criticisms.
I agree with Young Khmer that the tendency of the government is often to respond, with a certain jerk of the knee, to all criticisms, constructive or otherwise, in a confrontational and dismissive manner: as evidenced by the government reaction to the recent report by Surya Subedi and the reaction to the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression. I would stress however, that in putting such questions to me in interview; RFI was not supporting the view of the government but was providing me with an opportunity to respond to criticisms that have been leveled at the Joint Report. One who raises questions and offers criticisms should be equally willing to respond to those posed by others. Asking those questions, even where they are not reflective of the opinion of the interviewer, is an important aspect of journalism and operates to create the type of the debate which, as noted in the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression, is so often curtailed in Cambodia.
Yours faithfully
Ou Virak
In my experience, I have found Radio France International to be fair and independent in its coverage of Cambodia. In view of the control exercised over the media by a small circle of government cronies, the work of organisations and agencies like RFI, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of Democracy is invaluable in ensuring that the Cambodian people are objectively informed of national and international affairs. A similarly essential role is played by news-blog websites, such as KI-Media, in ensuring that information that may be viewed as critical of the government is shared with Cambodia’s growing online community.
In the Op-Ed piece, Khmer Young describes my recent interview with RFI as disturbing on the grounds that the interviewer, in his questions to me, used reasoning which Young Khmer perceived as similar to that often used by members of government in response to criticisms. In particular, Young Khmer noted that in reasoning that the cover of the recent Joint NGO Report on Freedom of Expression (Cambodia Gagged: Democracy At Risk?) may frighten away potential visitors Cambodia; the interviewer was offering similar logic to that used by often government members in response to criticisms.
I agree with Young Khmer that the tendency of the government is often to respond, with a certain jerk of the knee, to all criticisms, constructive or otherwise, in a confrontational and dismissive manner: as evidenced by the government reaction to the recent report by Surya Subedi and the reaction to the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression. I would stress however, that in putting such questions to me in interview; RFI was not supporting the view of the government but was providing me with an opportunity to respond to criticisms that have been leveled at the Joint Report. One who raises questions and offers criticisms should be equally willing to respond to those posed by others. Asking those questions, even where they are not reflective of the opinion of the interviewer, is an important aspect of journalism and operates to create the type of the debate which, as noted in the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression, is so often curtailed in Cambodia.
Yours faithfully
Ou Virak
9 comments:
Ah ou vireak also he channel of cpp. He acted as neutral person to oin kem xokha and now he is on that position. ou vireak is a small boy from cpp, how can he allow khmer young talking bad about yuon slave government.
Actually, 6:11pm is the CPP's stubborn
Ou Virak is right
and 6.11PM is impolite
why ou virak offended by KY critics of rfi? rfi is so bias that myself don't listen to it anymore. i don't remember the last time i listen to it.
i have had bad feeling about ou virak. he seems to try to be independent. there's a different between pretending and trully are.
This is why there is such miscommunication amongst us. Let me clarify to the nay sayers what Mr. Virak was talking about.
RFI was not supporting the view of the government but was providing me with an opportunity to respond to criticisms that have been leveled at the Joint Report. One who raises questions and offers criticisms should be equally willing to respond to those posed by others. Asking those questions, even where they are not reflective of the opinion of the interviewer, is an important aspect of journalism and operates to create the type of the debate which, as noted in the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression, is so often curtailed in Cambodia.
Re-read that statement again my illiterate friends before you become a mouth piece for the dummies.
Dear Ou Virak;
Thank you very much for your replying regarding your speech in an interview with RFI last few days. Of course, I have anticipated the political stance of RFI long time ago. And I have always put my suspicion on political inclination of RFI.
However, I love to listen daily news of RFI as all their reporters explicitly and clearly articulated all critical issues occurring in Cambodia and the world.
I understand well that Francio's sharp commentation and questioning are substantial for his journalism career. It is useful to dig out the dirt from the well to analyze it thouroughly.
At one side, the learned will see his questions as good, but for Cambodian farmers, major audience of RFI, will see that the logic of "responding message of government's spokesman" probably has ground.
However, I am still praising the teamwork of RFI for their effort in bringing critical issues with special guests to hotly debate on silent sides of news rarely talked in Cambodia especially your recent report which government has never paid attention or taken into action to better their administration at all. In reverse, it is worse that government has ultimately projected or labeled in order to marginalize and humiliate NGOs, dissents and opponent groups. I am doubtful if government continues to accelerate their current rebuttal message, in the future those NGOs and dissents will be marginalized from the ring of current playing ground.
In trust I has always assureed,
KY
I did listen to the RFI's interview with Ouk Virak, to me Ouk has lost completely. He pretend himself as an angel, but to me he's more like an opportunitist. He will swing around just like Keo Remy and other 'Khmer patriot'.
Ou Virak should be quiet and let the people judge by themself. You can't give a comment on the other comment and the story never end.
what the hell on earth that provides unbias news? gimme one!! Is it KI? CNN? BBC? ... not really
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