Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Bloggers, Media Students Push for Free Speech in Cambodia

April 5, 2011
By Simon Roughneen
PBS (USA)

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA -- A blog criticizing Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has been at the center of a recent controversy in Cambodia, shedding light on a deteriorating environment for freedom of expression in the Southeast Asian country. World Food Programme (WFP) employee Seng Kunnaka received a six month sentence for handing out copies of material from the KI Media blog, which came soon after Hun Sen berated the WFP for suggesting that Cambodia is vulnerable to food shortages.

KI Media has been blocked by some ISPs since the dispute, though the government has not formally banned the site. In Phnom Penh last week, the site was available in some places, depending on the ISP, but in others a message appeared saying the web page was unreachable.

Whatever his feelings about KI Media, Hun Sen has long had a tetchy relationship with UN agencies, principally due to tensions over the hybrid Cambodian-international court set up to try the four main surviving Khmer Rouge leaders. The Cambodian government has not shied from confronting the UN, or from seeking the ouster of UN representatives whom are regarded with distaste. The WFP apologized to Hun Sen, an act of contrition which was in turn ridiculed as weak by civil society groups in Cambodia.

Prime Minister on Facebook

Prime Minister Hun Sen has his own Facebook page, with more than 4,000 friends at last look, as well as a website and blog. Twitter and Facebook were described as playing a key role in the Tunisia and Egypt uprisings earlier this year, but Hun Sen is adamant that there is no parallel between North Africa and his country, despite recent lags in political freedom and freedom of expression in Cambodia.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's Facebook page is filled with military images

He may be right, in a cynical sense, given that Internet access is growing in Cambodia, but is mostly limited to urban areas and to the population literate in English or other foreign languages, meaning a new media-sparked uprising is less likely in Cambodia than elsewhere. That said, the government claims there are almost 10 million mobiles phones in use in Cambodia, a 64% ownership rate that puts the country above China and India. Statistics from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) show that there are 16 ISPs and 10 mobile phone operators in Cambodia, but for the most part Internet access averages a pricey 2000 riel (about 50 cents U.S.) per hour, in a country where GDP per capita is a flat $2,000 (U.S. dollars), according to U.S. Government statistcs. 

There are 247,000 Facebook accounts in Cambodia, according to socialbakers.com, or about 1.68% of the population. In contrast, 22% of the population of the Philippines -- almost 23 million people -- uses Facebook. It's a neighboring country with an annual average per capita income of $3,500 (U.S. dollars). Part of the disparity is due to the Philippines being an Anglophone country, while most Cambodians speak only Khmer. Rendering Khmer script into a viable unicode for online reading has proven a challenge and is holding back online access for ordinary Cambodians.

Between 'Cloggers' and Farmers
Sopheap Chak
Traditional media in Cambodia is constrained. Heng Long is a former Xinhua reporter and now affiliated to the Cambodian Association for Protection of Journalists (CAPJ), a partner organization of the Southeast Asia Press Alliance (SEAPA).

"Cambodian TV is all about entertainment. There is no real news and certainly no analysis," Long told me, adding that radio is somewhat better. There are opposition voices, but these are often partisan, leaning toward the Sam Rainsy Party, the main, albeit circumscribed, opposition party in Parliament, rather than being neutral or independent.

Self-censorship is prevalent among Cambodian journalists, though there is some aggressive print media reportage of corruption and crime. However fears of lawsuits and intimidation have a chilling impact. The country's media laws are complex and contradictory when weighed against the Constitutionally enshrined freedom of expression, and, to cite one example, Article 13 of the press law prohibits the media from publishing "false information that humiliates or is in contempt of national institutions."

Sopheap Chak is a self-described 'clogger' (Cambodian blogger) who kindly spared some time to talk to me on her 26th birthday. She said that most of the media in Cambodia is linked to or controlled by the CPP, particularly television.

"The English language newspapers (namely the Phnom Penh Post and Cambodia Daily) are unrestricted," she said, "as the government knows that the reach and impact of such newspapers is not widespread."

Radio has the widest reach, and is often the sole media or news outlet in rural areas.

"Human rights groups have plenty of success in getting research discussed on radio," she added.

However newspapers have limited reach outside the cities.

"Most people in the country cannot afford to buy Khmer papers," says Heng Long, "and after working hard on the farm many just want to relax in the evening with the radio or the TV, if they have one."

School's almost out
Students editing video at the Dept. of Media and Communications at RUPP
Even if new media can expand in Cambodia, an additional and pre-existing hurdle will have to be addressed if the country is to improve its overall media environment. Training journalists is a challenge in Cambodia, with the country's main training center -- the Department of Media and Communications (DMC) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) -- struggling with reduced funding.

"The course is taught in English, it is the first and only one of its kind in the country, and 100% of our graduates get a job", said Vichea S. Tieng, acting DMC head, in an interview at his office. "However we are reliant on Konrad Adenauer Stiftung [a German political foundation] for funding," he says.

On a more hopeful note, some of RUPP's media students appear to have some of journalism's more noble objectives in mind. Taking a few minutes from editing her final year video news project, Sokun (who asked that her full name not be used) said she wants work as a TV producer. "Media is a powerful tool to change society," she said, "that is why I decided to do this work."

All photos by Simon Roughneen

Simon Roughneen is an Irish journalist usually based in southeast Asia. He writes for Los Angeles Times, Asia Times, The Irrawaddy, ISN, South China Morning Post and others. He is a radio correspondent affiliated to Global Radio News and has reported for RTÉ, BBC, CBS, CBC Canada, Fox News, and Voice of America. He has worked in and reported from over 30 countries.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bunch of SRP team their braind loaded with giant of (garbage)(negative), you always claim yourself a khmer compatroite or a champ on khmer unity, does criticism will bring any Unity, it dosn't,and it will never be, isn't it right? and your boss Rainsy he is master of criticism do you believe he will make khmer stronger,no it dosn't, wasn't he? and you would agreed with me it only bring more separation amongst khmer would you?. mike

Anonymous said...

FOEVER AND EVER LONG LIVE VIET NAM

good work hun sen and CPP

Anonymous said...

Fuck SRP, dildo party

Anonymous said...

Three above 9:12 AM, 9:40 AM and 9:45AM are CPP Yuon idiots destroyed Cambodia as these Yuon idiots have illegally lived in other country like Cambodia and show no respect for Cambodian people. They (Yuon) are very bad people.

Anonymous said...

We support free speak, but we don't support lies or manipulated the information and the true.

Anonymous said...

Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten

By Ms. Rattana Keo

Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?

Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?

Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?

The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.

Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?

Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?

Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,

Anonymous said...

Congradulations. Finally, Ki-media bears fruit in khmer soil.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen was stupid and broke then UN sent money for help rebuild the country. he got money from forigner and corrupted money. he now talking shit to Khmer people. U cant eat this and marry that....ruin everybody live today

Anonymous said...

DEFINITIONS OF A GOOD LEADER/LEADERS

LET US TAKE A SHORT ANALYSIS OF A GOOD LEADER.

A GOOD LEADER MUST HAVE ALL OF BELOW QUALITIES:

1. HONOR DEMOCRACY
2. RESPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS, DIGNITIES, EQUALITIES, PRIVACY....
3. KNOWS HE/SHE IS THE SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE AND NATIONS.
4. PROTECTS THE PEOPLE AND NATION WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF JUSTICE.
5. IMPLEMENTS SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO BENEFITS ALL PEOPLE.
6. DISHONOR DICTATORSHIP SYSTEM
7. RAISE THE STANDARD OF LIVING FOR EVERYONE, NO ONE GET LEFT BEHIND
8. KNOW WHEN TO STEP DOWN AFTER TERMS EXPIRE.
9. STOP LAND GRABBS, GRANT LAND TITLES.
10. BANNED ALL ABUSES AND CORRUPTIONS AGAINST CIVILIANS.
11. MUST HONOR PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS OF ALL CAUSES
12. MUST BE A RIGHTEOUS MAN/WOMAN

Anonymous said...

A GOOD LEADER NEVER CONTROL, BUT SERVE HIS PEOPLE AND NATION UNTIL THE TERMS EXPIRE, NOT UNTIL HIS/HER LIFE EXPIRE.........


KHMER RIGHTEOUS MAN..