Media Environment Remains Unfair: Monitor

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington
24 June 2008

Persecution of opposition media remains an obstacle to free and fair elections, an election monitor said Thursday.

"Closure or prohibition of any media has an impact on free and fair elections," said Mar Sophal, an investigator with the independent Committee for Free and Fair Elections, as a guest on "Hello VOA."

Opposition editor Dam Sith was arrested earlier this month, facing a suit of defamation and disinformation. He was released last week, but his arrest and the recent closure of a provincial radio station have prompted worries over media freedom ahead of the election.

Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Dam Sith's arrest was an affair of the court and not related to the government.

Meanwhile, 40 media outlets nationwide support the ruling Cambodian People's Party, Mar Sophal said, adding that people in the provinces were not getting enough news about the impending election.

Lawmaker Demands Kratie Radio Reopen

By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
12 June 2008

Opposition lawmaker Son Chhay has written a request to the Ministry of Information asking that a provincial radio station be allowed to return to the airwaves.

Angkor Ratha radio was shuttered by the ministry May 28, for breach of contract.

It had sold airtime for five political parties competing in July's elections, contrary to its initial agreement with the ministry.

Rights officials say such agreements inhibit press freedom, in an environment where the ruling party controls much of the media.

In his letter to Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, delivered through National Assembly Chairman Heng Samrin, Son Chhay said he would seek to administratively discipline the minister for violation of the press law and constitution if the radio was not allowed to begin broadcasting within a week.

Failure to allow the station to reopen by then would result in a commission hearing, where the minister would be required to defend his decision, Son Chhay said.

Angkor Ratha station owner Keo Chanratha acknowledged Thursday he had broken his contractual agreement, which required he request from the ministry permission to broadcast political party messages.

Kuol Panha, director of the Committee for Free and Fair Elections, said the closure of the radio station would cause the voters to lose information about the competing political parties.

Khieu Kanhrith said Thursday he stood by his decision to close the station.

Kratie Radio Will Not Reopen: Ministry

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
06 June 2008

Click here to listen the program in Khmer

The Minister of Information on Friday denied an appeal by a local human rights group to reopen a Kratie radio station that aired messages from four competing political parties.

The Angkor Ratha station, broadcasting on FM105.25, operated for only two weeks before it was shuttered by a ministry order May 28.

"The abrupt closure of this radio station reflects very poorly on the government's commitment to allowing democratic debate prior to the July national elections," said Kek Galabru, president of the rights group Licdho, in an appeal Thursday to have the radio reopened. "It also highlights how freedom of expression and information is tightly controlled on Cambodia's radio and television stations, particularly in rural areas."

Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said Friday he will not allow the station to continue its broadcasts.

"The station owner broke the agreement," he said. "Before making an appeal, Licadho should first look into the Angkor Ratha radio station's contract or agreement in Kratie province."

The station had broken with its agreement, and its closure was not an issue of media freedom, he said.

"Media freedom cannot break the law or written contract," he said.

Keo Chan Ratha, the station's owner, has acknowledged breaking his original agreement with the ministry, which states he must inform the ministry if he sells air time to other entities.

But Kek Galabru said Thursday the requirement in the radio license amounted to "censorship."

"Radio stations should not have to seek Ministry of Information permission to broadcast the programs of political parties, NGOs or other organizations," she said.

Keo Chan Ratha urged the ministry to reconsider its decision "for the need of the people."

Licadho calls for the lifting of the ban on Kratie FM 105.25 Radio Angkor Ratha

June 5, 2008
Licadho Media Statement

FREE EXPRESSION & DEMOCRACY:
GOVT SHOULD LIFT BAN ON RADIO STATION

LICADHO appeals to the government to allow the immediate reopening of radio FM 105.25 in Kratie province, without any censorship or other restrictions on its broadcasts.

The Ministry of Information last week closed down the new radio station, which had broadcasted for only 13 days, because it sold air time to political parties.

“The abrupt closure of this radio station reflects very poorly on the government’s commitment to allowing democratic debate prior to the July national elections,” said Kek Galabru, LICADHO’s president. “It also highlights how freedom of expression and information is tightly controlled on Cambodia’s radio and television stations, particularly in rural areas.”

FM 105.25 began broadcasting in Kratie province on May 15 after being granted a license by Minister of Information Khieu Kanharith in January. On May 28, Khieu Kanharith, in a five-line written order which gave no reason or legal justification, reversed his earlier decision and cancelled the station’s license. The cancellation occurred immediately after Provincial Information Department officials questioned the station’s staff about the sale of radio airtime to political parties.

Since it began operating, the station had aired programs prepared and paid for by political parties FUNCINPEC, Norodom Ranariddh Party, Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party. These programs were identical to those broadcast by an affiliated radio station in Siem Reap province, which is owned by the same owners as FM 105.25 and has operated for three years.

While the Ministry of Information has permitted the Siem Reap station’s broadcasts, and similar political party programs aired by other stations such as Beehive Radio in Phnom Penh, it quickly withdrew the license of the remote Kratie station.

“Why should radio listeners in a distant rural area like Kratie not be allowed to listen to the same information and political opinions that people in urban areas like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap can?” asked Kek Galabru. “It seems the government wants to restrict freedom of information in the countryside.”

The apparent reason for singling out FM 105.25 for closure is that its radio license, issued by Khieu Kanharith on January 30, specified that the station staff must obtain Ministry of Information permission before selling air-time to anyone. The radio station’s management acknowledge that they did not do so.

“This requirement in the radio license was nothing short of censorship,” said Kek Galabru. “Radio stations should not have to seek Ministry of Information permission to broadcast the programs of political parties, NGOs or other organizations.”

LICADHO believes the experience of FM 105.25 is part of a wider pattern of tight control by the government over radio and television. “There are no independent television stations in the country, and only a few independent radio ones,” said Kek Galabru. “The government closely restricts who can get broadcasting licenses and then – like the case of FM 105.25 – it tries to dictate what they can and cannot broadcast.”

LICADHO urges the Ministry of Information to immediately reinstate FM 105.25’s license, and to remove the requirement that the station must seek permission before selling airtime to political parties or other organizations. Such an action would display government commitment to permitting freedom of expression on Cambodia’s radio airwaves, and to encouraging a free and fair environment for the July 27 national elections.

For more information about restrictions on radio and television in Cambodia, see the May 2008 LICADHO report ‘Reading Between the Lines: How Politics, Money & Fear Control Cambodia’s Media’, available at: http://www.licadho.org/reports.php?perm=119

For further comment, please contact:
Kek Galabru, LICADHO president, 012 940 645