Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Showing posts with label Cambodge Soir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodge Soir. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Sacrava's Cartoon: A Dieu Cambodge Soir
Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
French Newspaper Bids Readers Adieu
.jpg) |
| Cambodian child vendors sell newspapers to a car driver at a retail gas station in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS) |
“Cambodge Soir never earned an income over 15 years. Due to the small market, the weekly printing of 1,500 copies cannot balance against expenses.”
Cambodge Soir, which had been a unique voice and source of news in French for 15 years, closed its doors last week. Staff members packed up their offices, with some equipment expected to go to auction, as revenue and readers for the paper fell.
“Cambodge Soir never earned an income over 15 years,” said Pen Bona, co-editor-in-chief, at the paper's offices last week. “Due to the small market, the weekly printing of 1,500 copies cannot balance against expenses.”
Gerome Moriniere, director of the newspaper, said only about 1,000 of 4,000 French residents in Cambodia read the paper, which cost about $40,000 per month to run and brought in about $15,000 per month in revenue.
“The sales did not work,” Peou Sothy, who was in charge of administration at the weekly, said. “Subscriptions went down from 50 copies, to 20 or 10, and the revenue was also down.”
Cambodge Soir began as a thrice-weekly paper in May 1995, and within two years it had gone daily. But it saw a dramatic revolt of reporters after a French journalist was fired in 2007 following his reporting on the environmental watchdog Global Witness and the timber trade.
Over the years, six reporters earned awards from the US Embassy, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and Reporters Without Borders.
“I regret this,” said Adrien Le Gal, deputy editor-in-chief. “I arrived in Cambodia and was recruited to cover the legislative election in 2008, and after that I followed the [Khmer Rouge tribunal] hearing of Duch.”
In the two and a half years he spent at the paper, Le Gal said, he experienced “great professionalism in Cambodia” and learned “how to improve myself in the organization and in the functioning of a dual-nationality group.”
With the closing of the paper, staff members and reporters began to seek out new work.
“I'm searching for the same job with other media,” said Nhim Sophal, who reported for 12 years at Cambodge Soir.
The paper had stayed afloat with the support of the International Organization of Francophones, the French Embassy and subscriptions. Le Gal said that despite the support, there were “less and less” French speakers in Cambodia, which led to its decline.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, however, said the paper suffered from weak marketing and a lack of cooperation from the French business community.
“It is very regrettable,” he said. “Cambodge Soir was one of the newspapers that the prime minister has congratulated, but even the Total company, which has billions of dollars, did not post advertisements in it, although they did in the English-language newspapers. There are French hotel owners, but they did not subscribe. This means that to keep a newspaper alive, they must have good skills in marketing.”
Mu Sochua, a National Assembly lawmaker for the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, expressed regret for the loss of a “professional and independent” newspaper.
Martin Daubard, charge d'affaires for the French Embassy, said the ambassador too regretted the closure.
“The death of a newspaper is still to be deplored in all countries of the world and all languages since the press is often the largest organ of and most direct expression of democracy,” he said.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunset on Cambodge Soir - Merci aux reporters et journalistes! Ce n'est qu'un Au-revoir, mes frères et soeurs!
Bonsoir Cambodge Soir
Monday, 27 September 2010
Post Staff
The Phnom Penh Post
Cambodge Soir, Phnom Penh’s weekly French-language newspaper that also publishes online, has lost its financial backing and will close its doors after printing its final issue on Thursday, executive editor Jerome Morinière said Monday.
“The directors of the company withdrew from their French adventure that, in this time of economic crisis, has become too expensive,” Morinière said in a statement posted on the paper’s website.
Originally launched as a thrice-weekly publication in 1995, Cambodge Soir became a daily in 1997.
Following the mass resignation of staff members in June 2007, the paper was shuttered for a number of months before relaunching in October that year in its current weekly print format, Cambodge Soir Hebdo.
Last year, Cambodge Soir’s Ung Chansophea won the Francophone Press Freedom Award for an article on battered women, becoming the first Asian journalist to earn the honour.
Morinière’s said the conditions for the dismissal of the paper’s 30 employees was being negotiated.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The pesky KI-Media and the "exiled" cartoonist Sacrava did it again!: Cambodge Soir Hebdo
KI-Media Note: While KI-Media publishes reports by Khmer Intelligence, just like several other websites, we are not the author of these reports.KI-Media is attacking Raoul-Marc Jennar
15 Feb 2010
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French
Contrary to the claims made by a pro-opposition website, the government advisor never writes under a fictitious name on Cambodge Soir Hebdo
The “Khmer Intelligence” (KI-Media) website accused Raoul-Marc Jennar of being a “specialist in disinformation” who has been “selling his services to the Hun Sen regime for more than twenty years” in a publication dated 13 February 2010. The article was accompanied by a cartoon from the exiled cartoonist Sacrava, showing Raoul Jennar as a devil flying around Hun Xen.
The website, close to the opposition, claimed also that Raoul Marc Jennar, the government advisor over the border issue, is a “a regular contributor, under several fictitious names, to the French-language newspaper Cambodge Soir Hebdo”.
The editors of Cambodge Soir Hebdo denies these claims and informs to its readers that Raoul-Marc Jennar was never cited and never signed any article in its publications under a fictitious name.
Since its re-opening as a weekly paper on 04 October 2007, Raoul-Marc Jennar was only cited under his real name, and systematically accompanied by the mention of “advisor to the government” with the exception of the article “Y a-t-il eu génocide au Cambodge? » (Was there genocide in Cambodia?) on 07 January 2010 where he wrote under his name, as a “political scientist”.
Raoul-Marc Jennar was only interviewed 4 times since 2007: on 30 October 2008 regarding Cambodia’s wagers with respect to the US election; on 17 September 2009 regarding a controversial section in the latest edition of the tourist guide “Guide du Routard”; on 15 October 2009 regarding the summon of 6 CPP officials by the ECCC judges; on 03 December 2009 regarding Duch’s attitude on the last day of his trial.
Excerpts of his deposition at the ECCC on 14 September 2009 were also cited in Cambodge Soir Hebdo’s 17 September 2009 edition.
His name also appeared in Cambodge Soir Hebdo on 11 June 2009, in a short article citing the defeat of his election from within the “New Anti-Capitalist Party” which was listed in the southwest of France during the EU election. Furthermore, he is also cited in an article by Jean-Michel Filippi on 02 July 2009 titled “the trial in recoil, Nuremberg over the Mekong,” which defended a thesis contrary to that of Raoul-Marc Jennar.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sam Rainsy's letter to the Editor of Cambodge Soir Hebdo
(Photo: RFA)Unofficial translation from French
La version originale en français se trouve en fin de la version anglaise
To the Editor
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Phnom Penh
Sir,
In your article titled “The government wrote to Google” published in the 11-17 February 2010’s edition of Cambodge Soir Hebdo, you wrote that the “spokesman of the Council of Ministers attacked Sam Rainsy with harshness,” saying that “the opposition leader would have used this Google map to prove the loss of a portion of the Cambodian territory to Vietnam.”
I believe that it is necessary to correct the above statement because I did not use the Google map (which is in fact a collection of satellite photos) to “prove” the border encroachments perpetrated against Cambodia by our eastern neighbor.
In the series of documents and maps that I presented last January, which are still available at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/yeaoxyf, the proof of the border encroachments is provided by the official map published in 1925 by the Service Géographique de l’Indochine which was updated in 1952. This 1:100,000-scale map was stored at the United Nations in 1964 by the Royal government of Cambodia which, then, wanted to assure an international recognition of the kingdom’s borders.
This map, which was originally produced by France, is usually compared to a more detailed map (1:50,000-scale) published by the US Army in 1966 for verification of the legal border delineation between Cambodia and Vietnam.
In regards to the international border next to Cambodia’s Chantrea district, Svay rieng province, the two maps show an almost identical, i.e. uncontestable for all practical purposes, border delineation.
Regarding more precisely to the location where I defended Cambodian farmers by uprooting a few questionable stakes last 25 October, anybody can travel to the spot to obtain its geographical coordinates using a GPS device. One can then post this location on the two maps cited above using available techniques used by cartographers. One can then see by oneself on these two maps – at their respective scale – that the stakes that I uprooted were in fact located between 250 and 300-m from the legal border, i.e. well within the Cambodian territories.
Unintentionally, I may have opened a Pandora box, because a few weeks following my uprooting of the stakes at the so-called border post no. 185, the Vietnamese authorities came on its own to remove similar stakes and even a concrete border post which are located next to the ones labeled no. 184, 186 and 186, as shown on the recent photos included in this case.
It is true that in the documents I presented, I also showed a satellite photo from Google Earth in the area of interest. But, it was absolutely not to prove the border delineation (the latter is already shown through the two detailed maps cited above). It was solely to identify geographical markers – such as road, canal, pagoda – in order to better pinpoint the particular spot of interest on this realistic photo. Through this Google map, I only wanted to clearly show the surrounding area of the location where I uprooted the questionable stakes at the request of Khmer farmers who feared losing their rice fields.
I would appreciate it if you would publish this correction in order to establish the truth based on actual proofs.
Please accept, Mr. Editor, my sincere regards.
Sam Rainsy
Member of Parliament
Monsieur le Directeur
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Phnom Penh
Monsieur le Directeur,
Dans votre article intitulé "Le gouvernement écrit à Google" paru dans Cambodge Soir Hebdo daté 11-17 février 2010, vous avez écrit que le "porte-parole du Conseil des ministres s’en est vivement pris à Sam Rainsy" en disant que "le chef de l’opposition aurait utilisé cette carte de Google pour prouver la perte d’une partie du territoire cambodgien en faveur du Viêtnam".
Il me paraît nécessaire de rectifier les propos ci-dessus car je ne me suis pas servi de la carte de Google (en fait un ensemble de photos satellite) pour "prouver" les empiètements frontaliers dont le Cambodge est victime de la part de son voisin de l’Est.
Dans la série de documents et cartes que j’ai présentés en janvier dernier et qui sont toujours accessibles sur le site http://tinyurl.com/yeaoxyf, la preuve des empiètements frontaliers est fournie par la carte officielle publiée par le Service Géographique de l’Indochine en 1925 et mise à jour en 1952. C’est cette carte à l’échelle 1/100.000 qui a été déposée aux Nations unies en 1964 par le Gouvernement Royal du Cambodge qui voulait s’assurer une reconnaissance internationale des frontières du royaume.
Cette carte d’origine française est souvent comparée, pour vérifier le tracé légal de la frontière entre le Cambodge et le Viêtnam, avec une autre carte plus détaillée (échelle 1/50.000) publiée par l’Armée américaine en 1966.
Pour ce qui concerne la frontière internationale qui borde le district cambodgien de Chantrea, dans la province de Svay Rieng, les deux cartes montrent un tracé frontalier très sensiblement identique donc pratiquement incontestable.
Pour ce qui concerne plus précisément encore l’endroit où j’ai défendu des paysans cambodgiens en enlevant quelques pieux litigieux le 25 octobre dernier, tout le monde peut aller sur place relever les cordonnées géographiques de ce point avec un appareil GPS. On peut ensuite, par des techniques appropriées vérifiables par tout cartographe, reporter ce point sur les deux cartes ci-dessus. On voit alors, sur l’une et l’autre des deux cartes avec leur échelle respective, que les pieux que j’ai enlevés étaient situés en fait à une distance comprise entre 250 et 300 m de le frontière légale, donc bien à l’intérieur du territoire cambodgien.
Sans le vouloir j’ai probablement ouvert la boîte de Pandore car quelques semaines après que j’eus enlevé les pieux en question au point soi-disant frontalier nº 185, les autorités vietnamiennes sont venues elles-mêmes enlever des pieux similaires et même une borne construite en ciment situés aux points voisins nº 184, 186 et 187 comme le montrent des photos récentes contenues dans notre dossier.
Certes, dans les documents que j’ai présentés, j’ai montré aussi une photo satellite de Google Earth de la zone concernée. Mais ce n’était absolument pas pour prouver le tracé de la frontière (ce travail est déjà fait au moyen des deux cartes détaillées ci-dessus). C’était uniquement pour identifier des repères -- comme une route, un canal, une pagode -- afin de mieux localiser un autre point qui nous intéresse en particulier sur cette image réaliste plus parlante. Je voulais seulement, sur cette "carte" de Google, montrer clairement dans son environnement le point où j’ai enlevé les pieux litigieux à la demande de paysans khmers qui avaient peur de perdre leurs rizières.
Je vous remercie de bien vouloir publier cette mise au point destinée à rétablir la vérité sur la base de preuves concrètes.
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Directeur, l’expression de mes sentiments distingués.
Sam Rainsy
Député
I believe that it is necessary to correct the above statement because I did not use the Google map (which is in fact a collection of satellite photos) to “prove” the border encroachments perpetrated against Cambodia by our eastern neighbor.
In the series of documents and maps that I presented last January, which are still available at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/yeaoxyf, the proof of the border encroachments is provided by the official map published in 1925 by the Service Géographique de l’Indochine which was updated in 1952. This 1:100,000-scale map was stored at the United Nations in 1964 by the Royal government of Cambodia which, then, wanted to assure an international recognition of the kingdom’s borders.
This map, which was originally produced by France, is usually compared to a more detailed map (1:50,000-scale) published by the US Army in 1966 for verification of the legal border delineation between Cambodia and Vietnam.
In regards to the international border next to Cambodia’s Chantrea district, Svay rieng province, the two maps show an almost identical, i.e. uncontestable for all practical purposes, border delineation.
Regarding more precisely to the location where I defended Cambodian farmers by uprooting a few questionable stakes last 25 October, anybody can travel to the spot to obtain its geographical coordinates using a GPS device. One can then post this location on the two maps cited above using available techniques used by cartographers. One can then see by oneself on these two maps – at their respective scale – that the stakes that I uprooted were in fact located between 250 and 300-m from the legal border, i.e. well within the Cambodian territories.
Unintentionally, I may have opened a Pandora box, because a few weeks following my uprooting of the stakes at the so-called border post no. 185, the Vietnamese authorities came on its own to remove similar stakes and even a concrete border post which are located next to the ones labeled no. 184, 186 and 186, as shown on the recent photos included in this case.
It is true that in the documents I presented, I also showed a satellite photo from Google Earth in the area of interest. But, it was absolutely not to prove the border delineation (the latter is already shown through the two detailed maps cited above). It was solely to identify geographical markers – such as road, canal, pagoda – in order to better pinpoint the particular spot of interest on this realistic photo. Through this Google map, I only wanted to clearly show the surrounding area of the location where I uprooted the questionable stakes at the request of Khmer farmers who feared losing their rice fields.
I would appreciate it if you would publish this correction in order to establish the truth based on actual proofs.
Please accept, Mr. Editor, my sincere regards.
Sam Rainsy
Member of Parliament
------------
Paris, le 13 février 2010Monsieur le Directeur
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Phnom Penh
Monsieur le Directeur,
Dans votre article intitulé "Le gouvernement écrit à Google" paru dans Cambodge Soir Hebdo daté 11-17 février 2010, vous avez écrit que le "porte-parole du Conseil des ministres s’en est vivement pris à Sam Rainsy" en disant que "le chef de l’opposition aurait utilisé cette carte de Google pour prouver la perte d’une partie du territoire cambodgien en faveur du Viêtnam".
Il me paraît nécessaire de rectifier les propos ci-dessus car je ne me suis pas servi de la carte de Google (en fait un ensemble de photos satellite) pour "prouver" les empiètements frontaliers dont le Cambodge est victime de la part de son voisin de l’Est.
Dans la série de documents et cartes que j’ai présentés en janvier dernier et qui sont toujours accessibles sur le site http://tinyurl.com/yeaoxyf, la preuve des empiètements frontaliers est fournie par la carte officielle publiée par le Service Géographique de l’Indochine en 1925 et mise à jour en 1952. C’est cette carte à l’échelle 1/100.000 qui a été déposée aux Nations unies en 1964 par le Gouvernement Royal du Cambodge qui voulait s’assurer une reconnaissance internationale des frontières du royaume.
Cette carte d’origine française est souvent comparée, pour vérifier le tracé légal de la frontière entre le Cambodge et le Viêtnam, avec une autre carte plus détaillée (échelle 1/50.000) publiée par l’Armée américaine en 1966.
Pour ce qui concerne la frontière internationale qui borde le district cambodgien de Chantrea, dans la province de Svay Rieng, les deux cartes montrent un tracé frontalier très sensiblement identique donc pratiquement incontestable.
Pour ce qui concerne plus précisément encore l’endroit où j’ai défendu des paysans cambodgiens en enlevant quelques pieux litigieux le 25 octobre dernier, tout le monde peut aller sur place relever les cordonnées géographiques de ce point avec un appareil GPS. On peut ensuite, par des techniques appropriées vérifiables par tout cartographe, reporter ce point sur les deux cartes ci-dessus. On voit alors, sur l’une et l’autre des deux cartes avec leur échelle respective, que les pieux que j’ai enlevés étaient situés en fait à une distance comprise entre 250 et 300 m de le frontière légale, donc bien à l’intérieur du territoire cambodgien.
Sans le vouloir j’ai probablement ouvert la boîte de Pandore car quelques semaines après que j’eus enlevé les pieux en question au point soi-disant frontalier nº 185, les autorités vietnamiennes sont venues elles-mêmes enlever des pieux similaires et même une borne construite en ciment situés aux points voisins nº 184, 186 et 187 comme le montrent des photos récentes contenues dans notre dossier.
Certes, dans les documents que j’ai présentés, j’ai montré aussi une photo satellite de Google Earth de la zone concernée. Mais ce n’était absolument pas pour prouver le tracé de la frontière (ce travail est déjà fait au moyen des deux cartes détaillées ci-dessus). C’était uniquement pour identifier des repères -- comme une route, un canal, une pagode -- afin de mieux localiser un autre point qui nous intéresse en particulier sur cette image réaliste plus parlante. Je voulais seulement, sur cette "carte" de Google, montrer clairement dans son environnement le point où j’ai enlevé les pieux litigieux à la demande de paysans khmers qui avaient peur de perdre leurs rizières.
Je vous remercie de bien vouloir publier cette mise au point destinée à rétablir la vérité sur la base de preuves concrètes.
Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Directeur, l’expression de mes sentiments distingués.
Sam Rainsy
Député
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Controversy over the Rock Opera "Where Elephants Weep"
Dear Khmerization,
I read this article in Cambodge Soir, and noticed it wasn't up on KI Media, so I translated it and put it up on my blog. Usually KI Media has translations up before I even knew that an article existed. If you want to post it on KI Media, please feel free to use this translation. If not, that's fine too -- I just want to save you guys some work just in case. Thanks for maintaining a great blog!
Ly Arun
I read this article in Cambodge Soir, and noticed it wasn't up on KI Media, so I translated it and put it up on my blog. Usually KI Media has translations up before I even knew that an article existed. If you want to post it on KI Media, please feel free to use this translation. If not, that's fine too -- I just want to save you guys some work just in case. Thanks for maintaining a great blog!
Ly Arun
Controversy over the Rock Opera "Where Elephants Weep"
A monk calls for a ban on the distribution of the TV show and demands public apologies from the writers and actors.
The Supreme Patriarch Non Gneth got hot under the collar while watching the rock opera "Where Elephants Weep" this past December 25 on the CTN television channel. He made it known in a message addressed December 30 to the Ministry of Cults and Religions, which he forwarded to the Ministries of Culture and of Information. According to him, this work touches "on religious precepts" because the actors that play the roles of monks singing and dancing are a little too "delinquent" for his taste. Other grounds for this monk's wrath include the words uttered by one of the characters, "a monk wants a woman," and the fact that a monk had watched a woman from a hiding place. Accordingly, he calls simply and purely for a total ban on its broadcast and asks the actors who play the roles of monks and the opera producers to offer public apologies.
From the Ministry of Culture's office, one source points to a possible "confusion," saying more specifically "that no decision has yet been made." Khieu Kanharith, Minister of Information, has for his part asked his counterpart in the Ministry of Culture not to ban future performances of the opera, but only its broadcasting on Cambodian television. The minister, who sees no need to be too "purist," believes that through this show "the quality of Khmer art will be recognized" overseas.
In response to this controversy, the musical composer of "Where Elephants Weep," Him Sophy, himself Buddhist, would like all to understand that this opera completely serves Buddhism, because if the characters of the monks run into trouble, it's because they didn't listen to their temple abbot. And to wonder, "if you say that this opera is against Buddhism, then why not say that the local newspapers that publish articles about monks who rape women are also against Buddhism?"
Friday, August 17, 2007
Cambodge Soir will re-appear … but without half of the former editorial team
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
Le texte original du commiqué se trouve en bas de la page
Communiqué of the Collective of former Cambodge Soir journalists
Correction: Cambodge Soir will re-appear …
but without half of the former editor team
but without half of the former editor team
The management of Cambodge Soir recently announced to the press the restart of the work (at the newspaper) while claiming that the demands by the editors have been met.
The collective of former Cambodge Soir journalists wants to emphasize that half of the former editors did not receive satisfaction to their demands and, up to now, they are in disagreement with the conditions set for this restart.
Until now, the management of Cambodge Soir did not provide any guaranty as to the editorial independence of this newspaper.
Is the conflict resolved as the management announced? The International Francophony Organization (OIF) which subsidizes about one-third of the Cambodge Soir yearly budget, mandated Mr. Hervé Bourges, a world renowned media personality, President of the Union of the French-language press and former President of the Superior Council the French broadcasting media, to act as a mediator in Phnom Penh, at the end of this week.
The collective of former Cambodge Soir journalists now consists of half of the former editorial staff of this Cambodian French-language daily newspaper which went on strike, unanimously, on 11 June, in order to protest against the firing of a journalist.
To contact the collective by email: collectifcs@gmail.com
All the communiqués can be found at: collectifcs.blogspot.com
-----
La direction de Cambodge Soir a annoncé récemment auprès de plusieurs médias la reprise du travail, affirmant que les demandes de la rédaction avaient été satisfaites.
Le collectif des anciens journalistes de Cambodge Soir tient à préciser que la moitié de l'ancienne rédaction n'a pas vu ses demandes satisfaites et est jusqu'ici en désaccord avec les conditions de cette reprise.
A ce jour, la direction de Cambodge Soir n'a montré aucune garantie quant à l'indépendance éditoriale de ce journal.
Le conflit est-il vraiment réglé, comme l'annonce la direction ? L'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), qui subventionne Cambodge Soir pour environ un tiers de son budget annuel, a mandaté M. Hervé Bourges, personnalité reconnue du monde des médias, président de l'Union de la presse francophone et ancien président du Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel français, pour jouer le rôle de médiateur, à Phnom Penh, à la fin de cette semaine.
Le collectif des anciens journalistes de Cambodge Soir rassemble aujourd'hui la moitié de l'ancienne rédaction de ce quotidien cambodgien francophone qui s'était mise en grève, à l'unanimité, le 11 juin afin de protester contre l'exclusion d'un journaliste.
Pour contacter le collectif : collectifcs@gmail.com
Tous les communiqués sur: http://collectifcs.blogpsot.com
The collective of former Cambodge Soir journalists wants to emphasize that half of the former editors did not receive satisfaction to their demands and, up to now, they are in disagreement with the conditions set for this restart.
Until now, the management of Cambodge Soir did not provide any guaranty as to the editorial independence of this newspaper.
Is the conflict resolved as the management announced? The International Francophony Organization (OIF) which subsidizes about one-third of the Cambodge Soir yearly budget, mandated Mr. Hervé Bourges, a world renowned media personality, President of the Union of the French-language press and former President of the Superior Council the French broadcasting media, to act as a mediator in Phnom Penh, at the end of this week.
The collective of former Cambodge Soir journalists now consists of half of the former editorial staff of this Cambodian French-language daily newspaper which went on strike, unanimously, on 11 June, in order to protest against the firing of a journalist.
To contact the collective by email: collectifcs@gmail.com
All the communiqués can be found at: collectifcs.blogspot.com
-----
Communiqué du Collectif des anciens journalistes de Cambodge Soir
Mise au point : Cambodge Soir reparaîtra...
sans la moitié de l'ancienne équipe rédactionnelle
sans la moitié de l'ancienne équipe rédactionnelle
La direction de Cambodge Soir a annoncé récemment auprès de plusieurs médias la reprise du travail, affirmant que les demandes de la rédaction avaient été satisfaites.
Le collectif des anciens journalistes de Cambodge Soir tient à préciser que la moitié de l'ancienne rédaction n'a pas vu ses demandes satisfaites et est jusqu'ici en désaccord avec les conditions de cette reprise.
A ce jour, la direction de Cambodge Soir n'a montré aucune garantie quant à l'indépendance éditoriale de ce journal.
Le conflit est-il vraiment réglé, comme l'annonce la direction ? L'Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), qui subventionne Cambodge Soir pour environ un tiers de son budget annuel, a mandaté M. Hervé Bourges, personnalité reconnue du monde des médias, président de l'Union de la presse francophone et ancien président du Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel français, pour jouer le rôle de médiateur, à Phnom Penh, à la fin de cette semaine.
Le collectif des anciens journalistes de Cambodge Soir rassemble aujourd'hui la moitié de l'ancienne rédaction de ce quotidien cambodgien francophone qui s'était mise en grève, à l'unanimité, le 11 juin afin de protester contre l'exclusion d'un journaliste.
Pour contacter le collectif : collectifcs@gmail.com
Tous les communiqués sur: http://collectifcs.blogpsot.com
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Cambodge Soir to restart at the beginning of September
07 August 2007By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
One of the directors of Cambodge Soir, the only French language newspaper in Cambodia, claimed that the newspaper will restart its publication at the beginning of next month following a hiatus folowing a reporters’ strike.
Oknha Kong Rithy Chup, a director of Cambodge Soir, said that the newspaper direction will accept the various reforms (proposed by the reporters), in particular, the reinforcement of the newspaper website, the expansion of the Cambodian and French versions of the news, and the independence for the editors, in order for the newspaper to continue providing the important role it played within the Cambodian society, as it did before.
Kong Rithy Chub said: “The publication will remain the same, but it will be better. The formula which I just talked about will consist of (1) we will (publish) every day, (and also) on our website. Furthermore, each week, we will publish a 32-page edition which will be both in Khmer and French, so we will do this … once a week, this is a must. There is no issue to close (the newspaper), we must continue, but we must organize with new profession(al standards) and we pursue the work.”
Up to now, a reorganization of a new reporters group is under way, as well as the repair of the newspaper building, and the organization of the articles which will be published next month.
Kong Sothanarith, the person responsible for the paper conception, said that he is happy and he welcomes this decision made by the director, however, he said that the newspaper’s editors insist that the direction should stop meddling with the editors’ work in order for the latter to work independently.
Kong Sothanarith said: “We demand in it that Cambodge Soir maintains the same independent trend, and that it is not influenced by politics, and not influenced by any political parties at all. All of us hope that Cambodge Soir will remain the same.”
Cambodge Soir is the only French-language newspaper in Cambodia, it has been in operation in the past 13 years, and it includes about 50% of French journalists and 50% of Cambodian journalists. The newspaper received its main financial backing from Oknha Kong Rithy Chup, and “Les Editions du Mekong” publishing house which is owned by the French government.
At the beginning of June, a French reporter was fired from his work after he authored an articles reporting about the “Families of the thieves of the Nation” (Global Witness report: Cambodia’s Family Ties) which is critical to the senior leaders of the government of Cambodia and their relatives for their illegal logging activities in Cambodia.
The article was criticized by one of the newspaper director who said that it could affect his relationship with the government. That claim was used as an excuse to fire the French reporter. Immediately after the firing, the entire group of the newspaper’s reporters went into strike and they remain out of work until the present negotiation.
Oknha Kong Rithy Chup, a director of Cambodge Soir, said that the newspaper direction will accept the various reforms (proposed by the reporters), in particular, the reinforcement of the newspaper website, the expansion of the Cambodian and French versions of the news, and the independence for the editors, in order for the newspaper to continue providing the important role it played within the Cambodian society, as it did before.
Kong Rithy Chub said: “The publication will remain the same, but it will be better. The formula which I just talked about will consist of (1) we will (publish) every day, (and also) on our website. Furthermore, each week, we will publish a 32-page edition which will be both in Khmer and French, so we will do this … once a week, this is a must. There is no issue to close (the newspaper), we must continue, but we must organize with new profession(al standards) and we pursue the work.”
Up to now, a reorganization of a new reporters group is under way, as well as the repair of the newspaper building, and the organization of the articles which will be published next month.
Kong Sothanarith, the person responsible for the paper conception, said that he is happy and he welcomes this decision made by the director, however, he said that the newspaper’s editors insist that the direction should stop meddling with the editors’ work in order for the latter to work independently.
Kong Sothanarith said: “We demand in it that Cambodge Soir maintains the same independent trend, and that it is not influenced by politics, and not influenced by any political parties at all. All of us hope that Cambodge Soir will remain the same.”
Cambodge Soir is the only French-language newspaper in Cambodia, it has been in operation in the past 13 years, and it includes about 50% of French journalists and 50% of Cambodian journalists. The newspaper received its main financial backing from Oknha Kong Rithy Chup, and “Les Editions du Mekong” publishing house which is owned by the French government.
At the beginning of June, a French reporter was fired from his work after he authored an articles reporting about the “Families of the thieves of the Nation” (Global Witness report: Cambodia’s Family Ties) which is critical to the senior leaders of the government of Cambodia and their relatives for their illegal logging activities in Cambodia.
The article was criticized by one of the newspaper director who said that it could affect his relationship with the government. That claim was used as an excuse to fire the French reporter. Immediately after the firing, the entire group of the newspaper’s reporters went into strike and they remain out of work until the present negotiation.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
17 Journalists Quit Beleaguered French Paper
Win Thida, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
12/07/2007
Original report from Phnom Penh
12/07/2007
Seventeen reporters and translators Thursday officially quit Cambodge Soir, an independent French-language newspaper that has struggled in recent months due to financial troubles and the sacking of an editor.
The group had been on strike since the June 10 firing of editor Soren Seelow for publishing a story about corruption and illegal logging based on the findings of forestry monitor Global Witness.
The story followed a Global Witness report that blamed a Cambodian "kleptocratic elite," tied to Prime Minister Hun Sen, for wholesale destruction of the country's forests. The government banned the report.
On June 12 Cambodge Soir closed down, its management citing financial difficulties.
Cambodge Soir's attempt to print a detailed story on the report upset some of the paper's owners, including minority shareholder Philippe Monin, Reporter's Without Borders said last month, as it appealed to keep the paper open.
Monin was also an employee of the French Development Agency and is an adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture, the group said.
The loss of 17 journalists will make recovery difficult the 12-year-old news source.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday he "regretted" the closing of Cambodia's "most professional" newspaper. "It is the journalists' right to quit," he added.
The group had been on strike since the June 10 firing of editor Soren Seelow for publishing a story about corruption and illegal logging based on the findings of forestry monitor Global Witness.
The story followed a Global Witness report that blamed a Cambodian "kleptocratic elite," tied to Prime Minister Hun Sen, for wholesale destruction of the country's forests. The government banned the report.
On June 12 Cambodge Soir closed down, its management citing financial difficulties.
Cambodge Soir's attempt to print a detailed story on the report upset some of the paper's owners, including minority shareholder Philippe Monin, Reporter's Without Borders said last month, as it appealed to keep the paper open.
Monin was also an employee of the French Development Agency and is an adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture, the group said.
The loss of 17 journalists will make recovery difficult the 12-year-old news source.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Thursday he "regretted" the closing of Cambodia's "most professional" newspaper. "It is the journalists' right to quit," he added.
Friday, July 06, 2007
An update from the editorial and translator team of Cambodge Soir
Unofficial translation from French by Tola Ek
La version originale du texte en Français se trouve en bas de la traduction anglaise
Dear Friends,
The editorial and translator team of Cambodge Soir would like to thank you from the bottom of our heart for your support. In the long crisis which we are enduring in the past one month, your messages are true comfort to us, a breath of new energy.
You are one of the more than 420 people who sent us your words of encouragements. Among you, we count several anonymous readers who only provided your first name. We also count some VIPs also: the Cambodian Minister of Information and the Minister of Justice, movie director Rithy panh, as well as other well known figures such as Raymond Depardon, François Ponchaud, etc… Numerous journalists have also given us your support.
On Monday, a meeting took place between the management and a delegation of our team. This is a first meeting held in the past three weeks. Following this meeting, we handed to all the management team a working document proposing a reorganization of the newspaper which, in our opinion, is susceptible to guarantee the editorial independence of the newspaper. We are expecting propositions from the management before Sunday.
We will keep you informed about the upcoming events. Please rest assured of our attachment so that you could find, in the shortest delay possible, quality information in French and Khmer in Cambodia again. We assure you that the interest of our readers, is at the heart of all our decision-making.
Sincerely,
The journalists and translators of Cambodge Soir
--------
Chers amis,
L'équipe des rédacteurs et traducteurs de Cambodge Soir tient à vous remercier du fond du cœur pour votre soutien. Dans la longue crise que nous traversons depuis presque un mois, vos messages sont un véritable réconfort, une bouffée d'énergie.
Vous êtes plus de 420 à nous avoir adressé vos encouragements. Parmi vous : des lecteurs anonymes qui auront signé de leur seul prénom. Des personnalités aussi : des ministres de l'Information et de la Justice cambodgiens au réalisateur Rithy Panh en passant par des figures comme Raymond Depardon, François Ponchaud... De nombreux confrères journalistes nous ont également apporté leur soutien.
Lundi, une rencontre a eu lieu entre la direction et une délégation de la rédaction. La première depuis trois semaines. A la suite de quoi nous avons transmis à l'ensemble de nos administrateurs un document de travail proposant une réorganisation du journal susceptible, selon nous, de garantir l'indépendance éditoriale. Nous attendons des propositions de la direction avant dimanche.
Nous vous tiendrons au courant de la suite des événements. Sachez en tout cas tout l'attachement que nous portons à ce que vous retrouviez dans les plus brefs délais une information de qualité en français et en khmer sur le Cambodge. L'intérêt de nos lecteurs est, nous vous en assurons, au coeur de toute nos décisions.
Cordialement,
Les journalistes et traducteurs de Cambodge Soir
The editorial and translator team of Cambodge Soir would like to thank you from the bottom of our heart for your support. In the long crisis which we are enduring in the past one month, your messages are true comfort to us, a breath of new energy.
You are one of the more than 420 people who sent us your words of encouragements. Among you, we count several anonymous readers who only provided your first name. We also count some VIPs also: the Cambodian Minister of Information and the Minister of Justice, movie director Rithy panh, as well as other well known figures such as Raymond Depardon, François Ponchaud, etc… Numerous journalists have also given us your support.
On Monday, a meeting took place between the management and a delegation of our team. This is a first meeting held in the past three weeks. Following this meeting, we handed to all the management team a working document proposing a reorganization of the newspaper which, in our opinion, is susceptible to guarantee the editorial independence of the newspaper. We are expecting propositions from the management before Sunday.
We will keep you informed about the upcoming events. Please rest assured of our attachment so that you could find, in the shortest delay possible, quality information in French and Khmer in Cambodia again. We assure you that the interest of our readers, is at the heart of all our decision-making.
Sincerely,
The journalists and translators of Cambodge Soir
--------
Chers amis,
L'équipe des rédacteurs et traducteurs de Cambodge Soir tient à vous remercier du fond du cœur pour votre soutien. Dans la longue crise que nous traversons depuis presque un mois, vos messages sont un véritable réconfort, une bouffée d'énergie.
Vous êtes plus de 420 à nous avoir adressé vos encouragements. Parmi vous : des lecteurs anonymes qui auront signé de leur seul prénom. Des personnalités aussi : des ministres de l'Information et de la Justice cambodgiens au réalisateur Rithy Panh en passant par des figures comme Raymond Depardon, François Ponchaud... De nombreux confrères journalistes nous ont également apporté leur soutien.
Lundi, une rencontre a eu lieu entre la direction et une délégation de la rédaction. La première depuis trois semaines. A la suite de quoi nous avons transmis à l'ensemble de nos administrateurs un document de travail proposant une réorganisation du journal susceptible, selon nous, de garantir l'indépendance éditoriale. Nous attendons des propositions de la direction avant dimanche.
Nous vous tiendrons au courant de la suite des événements. Sachez en tout cas tout l'attachement que nous portons à ce que vous retrouviez dans les plus brefs délais une information de qualité en français et en khmer sur le Cambodge. L'intérêt de nos lecteurs est, nous vous en assurons, au coeur de toute nos décisions.
Cordialement,
Les journalistes et traducteurs de Cambodge Soir
Sunday, July 01, 2007
French Solaris and pro-CPP gov't Apsara TV want to buy out Cambodge Soir; Fear the newspaper may lose its independence if buy out goes through
French company wants to buy out Cambodge Soir
30 June 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
30 June 2007
By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A private French company is thinking about buying out the Cambodge Soir newspaper. Olivier Siebert, an executive director of Solaris International, a French company, told The Cambodia Daily today that Solaris does not want to see the end of Cambodge Soir’s publication in this manner. However, Olivier Siebert did not provide any detail of this purchase plan.
The 12-year-old Cambodge Soir newspaper was closed almost 20 days ago, following its worker’s strike to demand that the newspaper owners rehire back a fired French journalist, but the newspaper said that it is bankrupt instead.
Since 2006, Solaris International has a content production contract with the pro-government Apsara TV station.
Ou Virak, CCHR President and AFEC deputy-director, said the new owners should be at least better than the previous owners. He also indicated that CCHR will have to think about whether to continue its subscription with Cambodge Soir or not, following a change of management.
However, Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, declared that Apsara is not a government institution.
-----
KI-Media note: The Cambodia Daily reported that Olivier Siebert indeed indicated that Apsara is a pro-government broadcaster “like all stations” in Cambodia. However, Olivier Siebert could not discuss any possible measures to ensure Cambodge Soir’s independence.
The 12-year-old Cambodge Soir newspaper was closed almost 20 days ago, following its worker’s strike to demand that the newspaper owners rehire back a fired French journalist, but the newspaper said that it is bankrupt instead.
Since 2006, Solaris International has a content production contract with the pro-government Apsara TV station.
Ou Virak, CCHR President and AFEC deputy-director, said the new owners should be at least better than the previous owners. He also indicated that CCHR will have to think about whether to continue its subscription with Cambodge Soir or not, following a change of management.
However, Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, declared that Apsara is not a government institution.
-----
KI-Media note: The Cambodia Daily reported that Olivier Siebert indeed indicated that Apsara is a pro-government broadcaster “like all stations” in Cambodia. However, Olivier Siebert could not discuss any possible measures to ensure Cambodge Soir’s independence.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Cambodge Soir could reopen again?
26 June 2007
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
By Kim Pov Sottan
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
The Editorial Team of the French-language newspaper, Cambodge Soir, claimed on Monday that it has hope that the newspaper will restart its publication, following the upcoming meeting between the Editorial Team and the newspaper director which will be held at the end of June.
Kong Sothanarith, who is in charge of the conception of Cambodge Soir, said that both sides want to see the newspaper publication restart again, but the Editorial Team has a number of conditions (it wants to see fulfilled), such as no interference from the management on the Editorial Team('s content).
Kong Sothanarith said: “We did not look for a new owner yet because we are still pursuing the negotiations, and the other side also displayed its willingness to see the work continued, because on our side, we are determined to bring out a French-language newspaper so that people know the true value of journalism. And on their side, they also have the same pride and the will to preserve a good group (of journalists), and our side, we want to maintain the good names of everybody.”
Cambodge Soir is the only French-Language daily newspaper in Cambodia and its editorial team consisted of about 20 people who are Cambodian and French.
Last week, the Cambodge Soir management declared the closing of the newspaper by claiming bankruptcy.
This declaration was made just two days after the newspaper stopped its publication due to a workers strike to protest the firing of a French journalist who wrote an article related to the Global Witness report “Family of the thieves of the Nation” (Cambodia’s Family Ties in English).
The director of Cambodge Soir did not make any comment today. A Cambodge Soir journalist source said the newspaper director has a vested interest with the ministry of agriculture regarding rubber plantations, and the article written by the fired French journalist affects the relationship between the newspaper director and the ministry, this led to the firing of the journalist.
RFA attempted to contact Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, today but there was no answer from the two.
Kong Sothanarith, who is in charge of the conception of Cambodge Soir, said that both sides want to see the newspaper publication restart again, but the Editorial Team has a number of conditions (it wants to see fulfilled), such as no interference from the management on the Editorial Team('s content).
Kong Sothanarith said: “We did not look for a new owner yet because we are still pursuing the negotiations, and the other side also displayed its willingness to see the work continued, because on our side, we are determined to bring out a French-language newspaper so that people know the true value of journalism. And on their side, they also have the same pride and the will to preserve a good group (of journalists), and our side, we want to maintain the good names of everybody.”
Cambodge Soir is the only French-Language daily newspaper in Cambodia and its editorial team consisted of about 20 people who are Cambodian and French.
Last week, the Cambodge Soir management declared the closing of the newspaper by claiming bankruptcy.
This declaration was made just two days after the newspaper stopped its publication due to a workers strike to protest the firing of a French journalist who wrote an article related to the Global Witness report “Family of the thieves of the Nation” (Cambodia’s Family Ties in English).
The director of Cambodge Soir did not make any comment today. A Cambodge Soir journalist source said the newspaper director has a vested interest with the ministry of agriculture regarding rubber plantations, and the article written by the fired French journalist affects the relationship between the newspaper director and the ministry, this led to the firing of the journalist.
RFA attempted to contact Chan Sarun, Minister of Agriculture, Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesman, today but there was no answer from the two.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Cambodia Loses an Independent Press Voice
25 June 2007
Douglas Gillison
Asia Sentinel (Hong Kong)
A tiny but influential French-language newspaper closes in Phnom Penh amid allegations of political conflict of interest
A staple of Cambodia's post-Khmer Rouge press may well have died this month after it carried a story on corruption and environmental destruction that veered too close to the country’s leaders, cutting seriously into the remaining independent journalistic voices in the country.
The already-ailing 12-year-old French and Khmer-language Cambodge Soir, which claimed to be the only independent daily paper for political and general news published in French in all of Asia, failed to appear on newsstands on Tuesday, June 12 and has not reappeared.
The day after the paper’s failure to appear, the 14-member Cambodian and French editorial staff said a political squabble with management had led to the summary dismissal of reporter Soren Seelow for publishing the article on an environmental report damning the government for corruption. After Seelow’s firing, the staff walked out in protest.
In a statement, the staff said that publisher Philippe Monnin had told them that their holding company, which technically employed the paper's 30-member staff, was bankrupt and would be shuttered for good. Internet access was discontinued and the paper's fledgling Web site www.cambodgesoir.info was taken offline.
The offending article, written by Seelow on June 1, described a report by the London-based forestry NGO Global Witness. "It started with the article on the Global Witness report with a theme judged too critical toward the government," said Stéphanie Gée, Soir’s editor-in-chief. Gee says, however, that the staff do not believe Cambodian authorities placed any pressure on management to fire the reporter. Two Cambodian officials have also denied attempting to bring any pressure.
The Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders alleged that Monnin was employed by France's overseas development agency as an advisor to Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry. In a statement, Reporters Without Borders said Monnin had told Seelow his article "would upset the authorities."
The journalistic watchdog protested the closure, calling on Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, a multilateral development organization created to promote the French language and one of Soir's principal financial backers, to intervene. OIF provides slightly less than half of Soir's operating budget and was committed to fund the paper until 2009, making bankruptcy seem improbable.
"Although your organization had just released new funds to support this newspaper, its management has decided to terminate this 12-year-old venture on the grounds of financial difficulties," Reporters Without Borders said. "We ask you to help prevent the disappearance of this exemplary French-language daily."
On Thursday, the International Federation of Journalists also issued a statement in Brussels saying that “the IFJ gives our full support to the staff of Cambodge Soir and urges management to halt liquidation to ensure Cambodia does not lose a vital voice in the French Language media,” said Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.
A request for comment from OIF Secretary-General Abdou Diouf has not been answered.
Monnin, who has declined all comment, was asked when the strike began why the staff was angry. "They don't have the same way of perceiving the development of the country."
The Global Witness report, Cambodia’s Family Trees, was scathing its indictment of how “a syndicate comprising relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials has looted the country’s forests.” The report accused a "kleptocratic elite" within Cambodia of wholesale environmental plunder and venality. Cambodian authorities responded by banning the report and confiscating copies. Following the banning, information minister Khieu Kanharith ordered a probe into the report’s findings, because, he said, the report had destroyed Cambodia's international reputation.
The announced confiscation of the edition appears to have been symbolic since it is on the Internet as well. The Information Ministry has ordered newspaper not to reprint or serialize the report, with Sralanh Khmer, a pro-Sam Rainsy paper, did for a week straight.
Prime Minister Hun Sen's elder brother, Kompong Cham Province Governor Hun Neng, whose son and wife are both accused of various crimes by Global Witness, issued a warning: "If [Global Witness] come to Cambodia, I will hit them until their heads are broken," he said.
A Cambodian journalist following up allegations in the report for Radio Free Asia received death threats and has fled Cambodia for Thailand, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Lim Pisith received the threats on his mobile phone, and late last week crossed into Thailand seeking refuge.
An anonymous caller told Lem "to beware," and warned that he "could be killed" for his radio reports on alleged illegal logging activities, Lim Pisith CPJ. "I didn't want to leave my country and stop my reporting, but my life was in danger."
Gée said Soir decided to give the government more column inches by devoting subsequent articles to official responses. On June 4 the paper printed lengthy denials from Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun, whom the report accuses of auctioning off posts in his ministry posts to the tune of $2.5 million in bribes.
Six days later, Monnin nevertheless told Seelow, who had planned to leave Cambodia in September, that he was fired, according to the paper's staff. Contacted by telephone, Seelow declined to comment.
Meanwhile many of the 3,500 French residents in Cambodia appear to have lost hope that Soir will ever live again and have resigned themselves to struggling bleary-eyed through the English print media every morning.
"The decision to shut the newspaper Cambodge Soir is infused with a certain brutality and was definitely a mistake," a Franco-Cambodian reader wrote in a group email protesting the closure. "And as always the decision was taken without the least consideration for the Cambodian journalists and readers."
Despite France’s former prominence in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam as the colonial occupier, Asia has the smallest share of French speakers of any continent. In part due to the murderous ways of the Khmer Rouge, who outlawed the language, French is even less prevalent in Cambodia than in Vietnam, where the prestigious Paris daily Le Monde lamented last year that the language "is collapsing."
But Soir's language is not the immediate concern. In a country where nearly all Khmer-language media are aligned with either Prime Minister Hun Sen or other powerful individuals, a newspaper willing to face facts is particularly conspicuous for its absence. The two English-language papers in Phnom Penh, the Cambodia Daily and the bi-weekly Phnom Penh Post, are now virtually the only independent print media in the country.
Soir’s staff have continued to gather every day in the newsroom, according to Gee, who said in her statement that a “climate of trust” needs to be rebuilt if Soir is to have any hope of gaining the support of its former staff. She and the staff have called for a dialogue with management and the reinstatement of their fired colleague plus written rules on employment and termination.
"We're left waiting again," she said. "The ball is in their court."
A staple of Cambodia's post-Khmer Rouge press may well have died this month after it carried a story on corruption and environmental destruction that veered too close to the country’s leaders, cutting seriously into the remaining independent journalistic voices in the country.
The already-ailing 12-year-old French and Khmer-language Cambodge Soir, which claimed to be the only independent daily paper for political and general news published in French in all of Asia, failed to appear on newsstands on Tuesday, June 12 and has not reappeared.
The day after the paper’s failure to appear, the 14-member Cambodian and French editorial staff said a political squabble with management had led to the summary dismissal of reporter Soren Seelow for publishing the article on an environmental report damning the government for corruption. After Seelow’s firing, the staff walked out in protest.
In a statement, the staff said that publisher Philippe Monnin had told them that their holding company, which technically employed the paper's 30-member staff, was bankrupt and would be shuttered for good. Internet access was discontinued and the paper's fledgling Web site www.cambodgesoir.info was taken offline.
The offending article, written by Seelow on June 1, described a report by the London-based forestry NGO Global Witness. "It started with the article on the Global Witness report with a theme judged too critical toward the government," said Stéphanie Gée, Soir’s editor-in-chief. Gee says, however, that the staff do not believe Cambodian authorities placed any pressure on management to fire the reporter. Two Cambodian officials have also denied attempting to bring any pressure.
The Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders alleged that Monnin was employed by France's overseas development agency as an advisor to Cambodia's Agriculture Ministry. In a statement, Reporters Without Borders said Monnin had told Seelow his article "would upset the authorities."
The journalistic watchdog protested the closure, calling on Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, a multilateral development organization created to promote the French language and one of Soir's principal financial backers, to intervene. OIF provides slightly less than half of Soir's operating budget and was committed to fund the paper until 2009, making bankruptcy seem improbable.
"Although your organization had just released new funds to support this newspaper, its management has decided to terminate this 12-year-old venture on the grounds of financial difficulties," Reporters Without Borders said. "We ask you to help prevent the disappearance of this exemplary French-language daily."
On Thursday, the International Federation of Journalists also issued a statement in Brussels saying that “the IFJ gives our full support to the staff of Cambodge Soir and urges management to halt liquidation to ensure Cambodia does not lose a vital voice in the French Language media,” said Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.
A request for comment from OIF Secretary-General Abdou Diouf has not been answered.
Monnin, who has declined all comment, was asked when the strike began why the staff was angry. "They don't have the same way of perceiving the development of the country."
The Global Witness report, Cambodia’s Family Trees, was scathing its indictment of how “a syndicate comprising relatives of Prime Minister Hun Sen and other senior officials has looted the country’s forests.” The report accused a "kleptocratic elite" within Cambodia of wholesale environmental plunder and venality. Cambodian authorities responded by banning the report and confiscating copies. Following the banning, information minister Khieu Kanharith ordered a probe into the report’s findings, because, he said, the report had destroyed Cambodia's international reputation.
The announced confiscation of the edition appears to have been symbolic since it is on the Internet as well. The Information Ministry has ordered newspaper not to reprint or serialize the report, with Sralanh Khmer, a pro-Sam Rainsy paper, did for a week straight.
Prime Minister Hun Sen's elder brother, Kompong Cham Province Governor Hun Neng, whose son and wife are both accused of various crimes by Global Witness, issued a warning: "If [Global Witness] come to Cambodia, I will hit them until their heads are broken," he said.
A Cambodian journalist following up allegations in the report for Radio Free Asia received death threats and has fled Cambodia for Thailand, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Lim Pisith received the threats on his mobile phone, and late last week crossed into Thailand seeking refuge.
An anonymous caller told Lem "to beware," and warned that he "could be killed" for his radio reports on alleged illegal logging activities, Lim Pisith CPJ. "I didn't want to leave my country and stop my reporting, but my life was in danger."
Gée said Soir decided to give the government more column inches by devoting subsequent articles to official responses. On June 4 the paper printed lengthy denials from Agriculture Minister Chan Sarun, whom the report accuses of auctioning off posts in his ministry posts to the tune of $2.5 million in bribes.
Six days later, Monnin nevertheless told Seelow, who had planned to leave Cambodia in September, that he was fired, according to the paper's staff. Contacted by telephone, Seelow declined to comment.
Meanwhile many of the 3,500 French residents in Cambodia appear to have lost hope that Soir will ever live again and have resigned themselves to struggling bleary-eyed through the English print media every morning.
"The decision to shut the newspaper Cambodge Soir is infused with a certain brutality and was definitely a mistake," a Franco-Cambodian reader wrote in a group email protesting the closure. "And as always the decision was taken without the least consideration for the Cambodian journalists and readers."
Despite France’s former prominence in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam as the colonial occupier, Asia has the smallest share of French speakers of any continent. In part due to the murderous ways of the Khmer Rouge, who outlawed the language, French is even less prevalent in Cambodia than in Vietnam, where the prestigious Paris daily Le Monde lamented last year that the language "is collapsing."
But Soir's language is not the immediate concern. In a country where nearly all Khmer-language media are aligned with either Prime Minister Hun Sen or other powerful individuals, a newspaper willing to face facts is particularly conspicuous for its absence. The two English-language papers in Phnom Penh, the Cambodia Daily and the bi-weekly Phnom Penh Post, are now virtually the only independent print media in the country.
Soir’s staff have continued to gather every day in the newsroom, according to Gee, who said in her statement that a “climate of trust” needs to be rebuilt if Soir is to have any hope of gaining the support of its former staff. She and the staff have called for a dialogue with management and the reinstatement of their fired colleague plus written rules on employment and termination.
"We're left waiting again," she said. "The ball is in their court."
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Cambodge Soir still face uncertainties
21 June 2007
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
The negotiations for a reopening of the French-language daily newspaper Cambodge Soir still face uncertainties this week.
Kong Sothanatith, the spokesman of the Cambodge Soir Editorial Team, said that earlier on, there was some hope that the problems will be quickly resolved, however, after some of the meetings held (between the Editorial Team and the management of Cambodge Soir) to find an agreement, a number of issues led him to think that there is no certainty that the problems could be resolved.
Kong Sothanarith said: “The obstacle stems from the fact that we cannot find some certain common grounds yet. What we are negotiating on, they are purely talk. We don’t have anything written down between the two parties. There is less tension, and there is more understanding that we should do something together again, however, on paper, we did not achieve anything yet. Because of this, we are still eagerly waiting and we still have some hope.”
Cambodge Soir announced its closing on Wednesday of last week after its employees went of strike to protest the firing of a French reporter who wrote an article about the Global Witness report on the family of the thieves of the Nation (Cambodia’s family ties in English).
The newspaper employees said that a Cambodge Soir director was not pleased with this article, and he criticized Soren Seelow, the French reporter, of being biased towards one side.
The closing of Cambodge Soir generated reactions from various national and international sources, as well as from the French embassy in Cambodia, from Reporters Without Borders, and from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
On Thursday, IFJ issued a statement supporting Cambodge Soir reporters who oppose the closing of this newspaper, and IFJ called for a quick resolution on this issue so that the French-language newspaper could resume its publication again.
Kong Sothanatith, the spokesman of the Cambodge Soir Editorial Team, said that earlier on, there was some hope that the problems will be quickly resolved, however, after some of the meetings held (between the Editorial Team and the management of Cambodge Soir) to find an agreement, a number of issues led him to think that there is no certainty that the problems could be resolved.
Kong Sothanarith said: “The obstacle stems from the fact that we cannot find some certain common grounds yet. What we are negotiating on, they are purely talk. We don’t have anything written down between the two parties. There is less tension, and there is more understanding that we should do something together again, however, on paper, we did not achieve anything yet. Because of this, we are still eagerly waiting and we still have some hope.”
Cambodge Soir announced its closing on Wednesday of last week after its employees went of strike to protest the firing of a French reporter who wrote an article about the Global Witness report on the family of the thieves of the Nation (Cambodia’s family ties in English).
The newspaper employees said that a Cambodge Soir director was not pleased with this article, and he criticized Soren Seelow, the French reporter, of being biased towards one side.
The closing of Cambodge Soir generated reactions from various national and international sources, as well as from the French embassy in Cambodia, from Reporters Without Borders, and from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
On Thursday, IFJ issued a statement supporting Cambodge Soir reporters who oppose the closing of this newspaper, and IFJ called for a quick resolution on this issue so that the French-language newspaper could resume its publication again.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Update on Cambodge Soir
Press Release
(Unofficial translation from original text in French below)
Conciliation proposal by the Editorial Team
On Tuesday 19 June, the editorial team proposed to the Cambodge Soir directors and management, to hold a meeting in the newspaper office building, in the afternoon of Thursday 21 June, in order (the editorial team) to submit to them an editorial and organization charter.
Today, the strikers have refused a meeting proposal to be held only between the Editor in chief and the newspaper director accompanied by his deputy, on Wednesday morning, based on a meeting agenda that does not reflect the seriousness of the situation, and the management also rejected the presence in the meeting by a Cambodian editorial representative. Up to now, the editorial team has yet to receive a written reply to the demands it sent to the management on Monday 11 June, in particular, regarding the relationships between the editorial team and the management.
The strike was unanimously approved by the reporters and the translators of Cambodge Soir on 11 June, one day after the announcement of the unjustified firing without prior warning of a reporter. While refusing any discussion or providing any clarification on the firing, the management abruptly announced on Tuesday 12 June to all the reporters and the translators the closing of Cambodge Soir and attributed the cause of the closing on “bankruptcy.” This announcement brought in a violent shock to the editorial team, and it brought the crisis to a severe level never before seen in the history of the company.
The possibility of hiring back the (fired) reporter, which was verbally mentioned in the last few days, will not be sufficient to re-establish the climate of trust needed for the long lasting continuation of the newspaper.
A redefinition of the newspaper organization – wanted by the editorial team – is deemed necessary for setting a solid basis for a restart of the work, following the announcement of the newspaper closing – a decision which the management seems to be backing off now.
Reporters and translators who showed up daily to the newspaper office since the beginning of the conflict, remind about their determination and their desire to hold real dialogue in order to find a lasting solution and to launch Cambodge Soir again.
The editorial team of Cambodge Soir,
Phnom Penh, Tuesday, June 19, 2007
For additional information: http://collectifcs.blogspot.com
--------
La rédaction a proposé ce mardi 19 juin aux administrateurs et à la direction de Cambodge Soir une rencontre dans les locaux du journal jeudi 21 juin après-midi afin de leur soumettre une charte éditoriale et organisationnelle.
Les grévistes ont aujourd'hui refusé un rendez-vous proposé à la seule rédactrice en chef par le directeur et son adjointe mercredi matin, l'ordre du jour annoncé pour cette rencontre n'étant pas à la hauteur de la gravité de la situation et la direction ayant rejeté la présence d'un représentant cambodgien de la rédaction. A ce jour, la rédaction n'a par ailleurs obtenu aucune réponse écrite à ses demandes transmises à la direction lundi 11 juin concernant notamment les rapports entre la rédaction et la direction.
La grève a été décidée lundi 11 juin à l'unanimité des journalistes et des traducteurs de Cambodge Soir au lendemain de l'annonce de l'exclusion injustifiée et sans préavis d'un journaliste. Refusant la moindre discussion ou clarification sur cette exclusion, le directeur a annoncé brutalement mardi 12 juin à l'ensemble des journalistes et traducteurs la fermeture de Cambodge Soir pour « faillite ». Cette annonce a provoqué un choc violent dans la rédaction et a porté la crise à un niveau de gravité inédit dans l'histoire de l'entreprise.
La possible réintégration du journaliste, évoquée par oral ces derniers jours, ne suffira pas à rétablir un climat de confiance nécessaire à la pérennité du journal.
La redéfinition de l'organisation du journal, souhaitée par la rédaction, semble donc indispensable pour poser les bases solides d'une reprise du travail, à la suite de l'annonce de la fermeture du journal, décision sur laquelle la direction semble depuis être revenue.
Les journalistes et traducteurs, présents quotidiennement dans les locaux du journal depuis le début du conflit, rappellent leur détermination et leur volonté d'ouvrir un vrai dialogue afin de trouver une solution durable et de relancer Cambodge Soir.
La rédaction de Cambodge Soir,
Phnom Penh, mardi 19 juin 2007
http://collectifcs.blogspot.com
Today, the strikers have refused a meeting proposal to be held only between the Editor in chief and the newspaper director accompanied by his deputy, on Wednesday morning, based on a meeting agenda that does not reflect the seriousness of the situation, and the management also rejected the presence in the meeting by a Cambodian editorial representative. Up to now, the editorial team has yet to receive a written reply to the demands it sent to the management on Monday 11 June, in particular, regarding the relationships between the editorial team and the management.
The strike was unanimously approved by the reporters and the translators of Cambodge Soir on 11 June, one day after the announcement of the unjustified firing without prior warning of a reporter. While refusing any discussion or providing any clarification on the firing, the management abruptly announced on Tuesday 12 June to all the reporters and the translators the closing of Cambodge Soir and attributed the cause of the closing on “bankruptcy.” This announcement brought in a violent shock to the editorial team, and it brought the crisis to a severe level never before seen in the history of the company.
The possibility of hiring back the (fired) reporter, which was verbally mentioned in the last few days, will not be sufficient to re-establish the climate of trust needed for the long lasting continuation of the newspaper.
A redefinition of the newspaper organization – wanted by the editorial team – is deemed necessary for setting a solid basis for a restart of the work, following the announcement of the newspaper closing – a decision which the management seems to be backing off now.
Reporters and translators who showed up daily to the newspaper office since the beginning of the conflict, remind about their determination and their desire to hold real dialogue in order to find a lasting solution and to launch Cambodge Soir again.
The editorial team of Cambodge Soir,
Phnom Penh, Tuesday, June 19, 2007
For additional information: http://collectifcs.blogspot.com
--------
Communiqué de presse
Proposition de conciliation de la rédaction
La rédaction a proposé ce mardi 19 juin aux administrateurs et à la direction de Cambodge Soir une rencontre dans les locaux du journal jeudi 21 juin après-midi afin de leur soumettre une charte éditoriale et organisationnelle.
Les grévistes ont aujourd'hui refusé un rendez-vous proposé à la seule rédactrice en chef par le directeur et son adjointe mercredi matin, l'ordre du jour annoncé pour cette rencontre n'étant pas à la hauteur de la gravité de la situation et la direction ayant rejeté la présence d'un représentant cambodgien de la rédaction. A ce jour, la rédaction n'a par ailleurs obtenu aucune réponse écrite à ses demandes transmises à la direction lundi 11 juin concernant notamment les rapports entre la rédaction et la direction.
La grève a été décidée lundi 11 juin à l'unanimité des journalistes et des traducteurs de Cambodge Soir au lendemain de l'annonce de l'exclusion injustifiée et sans préavis d'un journaliste. Refusant la moindre discussion ou clarification sur cette exclusion, le directeur a annoncé brutalement mardi 12 juin à l'ensemble des journalistes et traducteurs la fermeture de Cambodge Soir pour « faillite ». Cette annonce a provoqué un choc violent dans la rédaction et a porté la crise à un niveau de gravité inédit dans l'histoire de l'entreprise.
La possible réintégration du journaliste, évoquée par oral ces derniers jours, ne suffira pas à rétablir un climat de confiance nécessaire à la pérennité du journal.
La redéfinition de l'organisation du journal, souhaitée par la rédaction, semble donc indispensable pour poser les bases solides d'une reprise du travail, à la suite de l'annonce de la fermeture du journal, décision sur laquelle la direction semble depuis être revenue.
Les journalistes et traducteurs, présents quotidiennement dans les locaux du journal depuis le début du conflit, rappellent leur détermination et leur volonté d'ouvrir un vrai dialogue afin de trouver une solution durable et de relancer Cambodge Soir.
La rédaction de Cambodge Soir,
Phnom Penh, mardi 19 juin 2007
http://collectifcs.blogspot.com
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Death threat made against Radio Free Asia journalist
19 June 2007
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders
Reporters Without Borders today condemned anonymous death threats made against Lem Piseth, of Radio Free Asia in Cambodia after he reported on damage from deforestation in the Kompong Thom province in the centre of the country.The authorities had banned all national media from carrying extracts from a report on deforestation in the area, recently released by the NGO, Global Witness. The journalist has now fled the country to take refuge in Thailand.
Piseth, aged 38, was on his way to Kampong Speu in southern Cambodia on 16 June when he received a call on his mobile phone from a number he did not recognise. When he replied a man’s voice said to him:
- “Is that you Lem Piseth?
- Yes. Who are you?
- You are insolent. Do you want to die?
- Why are you insulting me like this?
- Because of the story about the forest and know this, there will not enough land to bury you in.”
The unknown caller then hung up and when the reporter tried to call the number back, he found himself through to a call centre.
“It is obvious that the Global Witness report on the over-exploitation of the Cambodian forests is upsetting some people,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “Since this report was released, all media have been subjected to unjustified state censorship. We urge the authorities to identify those who made these threats so that Lem Piseth can safely resume his work”.
Following publication of the Global Witness report, Piseth wrote four articles on the damage resulting from deforestation in Kompong Thom province, particularly in the Tumring region, where it has been particularly disastrous. While reporting in Kompong Thom, the reporter said he was followed by police and the military. He had to leave the hotel room he was staying in for several nights, at the request of the owners who gave him no explanation.
Information Minister, Khieu Kanharith, said on 8 June that “the media has had a week to put out news [about the report] and that is more than enough. Newspapers can refer to it but not reproduce it. If this ban is not respected, we will take the necessary legal steps”.
Radio Free Asia is among several media which have continued to talk about the report. A police official went to the radio’s broadcasting centre and ordered the journalists to desist.
Soren Seelow, a journalist on Cambodge Soir was sacked without notice on 10 June for having mentioned the Global Witness report but there were hopes that a strike by staff at the paper could lead to the case being resolved.
Piseth, aged 38, was on his way to Kampong Speu in southern Cambodia on 16 June when he received a call on his mobile phone from a number he did not recognise. When he replied a man’s voice said to him:
- “Is that you Lem Piseth?
- Yes. Who are you?
- You are insolent. Do you want to die?
- Why are you insulting me like this?
- Because of the story about the forest and know this, there will not enough land to bury you in.”
The unknown caller then hung up and when the reporter tried to call the number back, he found himself through to a call centre.
“It is obvious that the Global Witness report on the over-exploitation of the Cambodian forests is upsetting some people,” the worldwide press freedom organisation said. “Since this report was released, all media have been subjected to unjustified state censorship. We urge the authorities to identify those who made these threats so that Lem Piseth can safely resume his work”.
Following publication of the Global Witness report, Piseth wrote four articles on the damage resulting from deforestation in Kompong Thom province, particularly in the Tumring region, where it has been particularly disastrous. While reporting in Kompong Thom, the reporter said he was followed by police and the military. He had to leave the hotel room he was staying in for several nights, at the request of the owners who gave him no explanation.
Information Minister, Khieu Kanharith, said on 8 June that “the media has had a week to put out news [about the report] and that is more than enough. Newspapers can refer to it but not reproduce it. If this ban is not respected, we will take the necessary legal steps”.
Radio Free Asia is among several media which have continued to talk about the report. A police official went to the radio’s broadcasting centre and ordered the journalists to desist.
Soren Seelow, a journalist on Cambodge Soir was sacked without notice on 10 June for having mentioned the Global Witness report but there were hopes that a strike by staff at the paper could lead to the case being resolved.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Negotiations over Cambodge Soir
16 June 2007
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
The negotiations to look for a restart in the publication of Cambodge Soir, the French-language newspaper, took place for the first time between a representative of the Editorial team and one company officer who has the power to look after the publication of the newspaper.
Kong Sothanarith, spokesman for the Editorial team, said that this meeting took place last Friday. “We held negotiations again, and this is the start of the first negotiation following an unannounced stop without official paperwork. The negotiation was held with Mr. Yves Bernardo who is a company officer of the newspaper. He told us through the Editor in chief that he will personally conduct the negotiations, and we stay behind waiting for information. He told the Editor in chief, Ms. Stéphanie Gée, that Cambodge Soir should not be closed down, and that it should wait until after discussions between the other 4 company officers.”
Cambodge Soir declared that it was closing down on Wednesday after its employees strike to oppose the firing of a French reporter who wrote an article about the Global Witness report discussing about the Family of the Thieves of the Nation (Cambodia’s Family Ties).
All the newspaper employees said that one director of the Cambodde Soir newspaper was not pleased with this article and he criticized Soren Seelow, the French reporter who wrote the article, of being biased towards one side.
In Cambodia, there are hundreds of newspapers being published, but there are only two newspapers published in French, and Cambode Soir is one among the two.
Cambodge Soir spokesman said that if there is no obstacle in the negotiations, Cambodge Soir could restart its publication again in the near future.
Kong Sothanarith, spokesman for the Editorial team, said that this meeting took place last Friday. “We held negotiations again, and this is the start of the first negotiation following an unannounced stop without official paperwork. The negotiation was held with Mr. Yves Bernardo who is a company officer of the newspaper. He told us through the Editor in chief that he will personally conduct the negotiations, and we stay behind waiting for information. He told the Editor in chief, Ms. Stéphanie Gée, that Cambodge Soir should not be closed down, and that it should wait until after discussions between the other 4 company officers.”
Cambodge Soir declared that it was closing down on Wednesday after its employees strike to oppose the firing of a French reporter who wrote an article about the Global Witness report discussing about the Family of the Thieves of the Nation (Cambodia’s Family Ties).
All the newspaper employees said that one director of the Cambodde Soir newspaper was not pleased with this article and he criticized Soren Seelow, the French reporter who wrote the article, of being biased towards one side.
In Cambodia, there are hundreds of newspapers being published, but there are only two newspapers published in French, and Cambode Soir is one among the two.
Cambodge Soir spokesman said that if there is no obstacle in the negotiations, Cambodge Soir could restart its publication again in the near future.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Announcing Cambodge Soir Editorial Team website
The Editorial Team of Cambodge Soir is proud to announce that it is starting a blog website where it will publish its communiqués and announcements regarding the evolution of the situation and the future or the newspaper.
The address of the blog website is:
Unbeknown to the Editorial Team, the Cambode Soir website was abruptly shut down before the Editorial Team was able to inform the readers about the strike and the reasons which led to this strike at the newspaper. It appears that Cambodge Soir management decided to keep the Editorial Team in the dark regarding this website shut down.
Please help preserve an independent French and Khmer-language newspaper in Cambodia by sending in your email support to the Cambodge Soir Editorial Team at the following email address: collectifcs@gmail.com
Thank you!
The address of the blog website is:
Unbeknown to the Editorial Team, the Cambode Soir website was abruptly shut down before the Editorial Team was able to inform the readers about the strike and the reasons which led to this strike at the newspaper. It appears that Cambodge Soir management decided to keep the Editorial Team in the dark regarding this website shut down.
Please help preserve an independent French and Khmer-language newspaper in Cambodia by sending in your email support to the Cambodge Soir Editorial Team at the following email address: collectifcs@gmail.com
Thank you!
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Reactions around the closing of Cambodge Soir
15 June 2006
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Two days after the closing of the Cambodge Soir newspaper, various reactions came from both national and international opinions, as well as from the French embassy in Cambodia, and the Reporters Without Borders organization, asking for intervention from the representative of the Francophone organization.
Kong Sothanarith, representative of Cambodian employees working at Cambodge Soir, said that the successive reactions will shed some light and lead to a resolution in the dispute. “Because of the numerous reactions coming from readers and a number of organizations, both at the national and international levels, the French embassy was pushed to request for a restart of the negotiations. We hope that these negotiations will take place and we hope that we could reach some optimistic conclusions.”
The closing of Cambodge Soir took place after the employees of the French-language newspaper opposed the firing of Soren Seelow, a French journalist, who wrote an article about the Global Witness report on “Cambodia’s Family Trees” (“Family of the thieves of the Nation” in Khmer) which detailed about government officials and their families who are involved in illegal logging in Kompong Thom.
Philippe Monin, a director of Cambodge Soir, admitted to his employees that he is an advisor of Chan Sarun, the Minister of Agriculture who is named by Global Witness for his involvement in illegal logging corruption, and the latter was not pleased by the publication of Soren Seelow’s article.
Philippe Monin criticized Soren Seelow’s article by saying that it lacked professionalism, and that was the reason why Soren Seelow was fired. Soren Seelow said that his firing was unfair.
The closure of Cambodge Soir generated comments from various sources, and (hopefully) these reactions will provide some hope to a settlement on this issue. “We reach a point where there is a linkage … and we are fighting together to put to an end the closing of Cambodge Soir. We hope that Cambodge Soir will reopen again.”
RFA could not contact Philippe Monin for his reaction on this issue.
Kong Sothanarith, representative of Cambodian employees working at Cambodge Soir, said that the successive reactions will shed some light and lead to a resolution in the dispute. “Because of the numerous reactions coming from readers and a number of organizations, both at the national and international levels, the French embassy was pushed to request for a restart of the negotiations. We hope that these negotiations will take place and we hope that we could reach some optimistic conclusions.”
The closing of Cambodge Soir took place after the employees of the French-language newspaper opposed the firing of Soren Seelow, a French journalist, who wrote an article about the Global Witness report on “Cambodia’s Family Trees” (“Family of the thieves of the Nation” in Khmer) which detailed about government officials and their families who are involved in illegal logging in Kompong Thom.
Philippe Monin, a director of Cambodge Soir, admitted to his employees that he is an advisor of Chan Sarun, the Minister of Agriculture who is named by Global Witness for his involvement in illegal logging corruption, and the latter was not pleased by the publication of Soren Seelow’s article.
Philippe Monin criticized Soren Seelow’s article by saying that it lacked professionalism, and that was the reason why Soren Seelow was fired. Soren Seelow said that his firing was unfair.
The closure of Cambodge Soir generated comments from various sources, and (hopefully) these reactions will provide some hope to a settlement on this issue. “We reach a point where there is a linkage … and we are fighting together to put to an end the closing of Cambodge Soir. We hope that Cambodge Soir will reopen again.”
RFA could not contact Philippe Monin for his reaction on this issue.
SEAPA protests firing of editor, closure of newspaper in Cambodia
14 June 2007
Source: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
Source: Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA)
The Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) strongly protests the firing of "Cambodge Soir" news editor Soren Seelow and the over closure of the daily bilingual newspapercoverage of a banned report that implicated top government officials in the plunder of Cambodia's forests.
According to the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ), Seelow was fired on 10 June for publishing an article that cited the banned report by London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness on illegal logging in Cambodia.
"In its announcement on 13 June, the newspaper's management had cited financial difficulties as a reason for the closure. But the timing of the announcement, just two days into a protest staged by the paper's entire staff over the firing of Seelow, makes the decision to fold up suspicious," said SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay. "The people of Cambodia deserve to know the real reason for the closure of a newspaper that over the past 12 years had been vital to the democratisation of their country."
At the French-Khmer daily's 10th anniversary celebrations, then Ambassador of France, Yvon Roé d' Albert, commended the newspaper for its contributions to the rebuilding of Cambodia. He said, on difficult road to democracy, "Cambodge Soir" helped to establish in Cambodia "the freedom of the press, without which freedom (itself) could not exist". The "Cambodge Soir" began publication in 1995. It was sold in the Phnom Penh capital and provincial towns, with a circulation of 3,000 that reached entrepreneurs, government officials, parliamentarians, non-governmental organisations, students, foreign embassies and foreigners living in Cambodia.
According to the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ), Seelow was fired on 10 June for publishing an article that cited the banned report by London-based environmental watchdog Global Witness on illegal logging in Cambodia.
"In its announcement on 13 June, the newspaper's management had cited financial difficulties as a reason for the closure. But the timing of the announcement, just two days into a protest staged by the paper's entire staff over the firing of Seelow, makes the decision to fold up suspicious," said SEAPA Executive Director Roby Alampay. "The people of Cambodia deserve to know the real reason for the closure of a newspaper that over the past 12 years had been vital to the democratisation of their country."
At the French-Khmer daily's 10th anniversary celebrations, then Ambassador of France, Yvon Roé d' Albert, commended the newspaper for its contributions to the rebuilding of Cambodia. He said, on difficult road to democracy, "Cambodge Soir" helped to establish in Cambodia "the freedom of the press, without which freedom (itself) could not exist". The "Cambodge Soir" began publication in 1995. It was sold in the Phnom Penh capital and provincial towns, with a circulation of 3,000 that reached entrepreneurs, government officials, parliamentarians, non-governmental organisations, students, foreign embassies and foreigners living in Cambodia.
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