Local newspaper's license suspended [-Details on the suspension of Khmer Amatak newspaper]

The Ministry of Information suspends Khmer Amatak over dispute between the deputy prime minister and an editor

Thursday, October 18, 2007
By Debory Li
AsiaMedia Staff Writer

The Cambodian Ministry of Information issued a suspension against Khmer Amatak, a local newspaper, for one month after editor Bun Tha refused to print a correction for an article about the deputy prime minister.

According to the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), the article, published on Sept. 24, 2007, alleged that two senior officials of the ruling Funcinpec Party, Deputy Prime Minister Nhiek Bun Chhay and Minister of State Serey Kosal, removed the name of Prince Norodom Ranariddh, Cambodia's first prime minister and former chairman of the Funcinpec Party, from a school in the Battambang province that he had donated to. The school was renamed, but reports between the Southeast Asian Press Alliance and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) conflict as to whose name it was: Chhay's or Kosal's.

Chhay and the Ministry of Information asked the newspaper to print a correction, but Tha refused, saying he had evidence to support the article's claim and was willing to face the deputy prime minister in court to settle the dispute. Instead, the ministry suspended the newspaper on Oct. 8, 2007.

"If a journalist can prove wrongdoing with hard evidence then it is their duty to report it to the public," said IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park.

The Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) also expressed its dismay at the ministry's decision.

"By issuing an order to have this newspaper suspended for a month without the court's consent, the [ministry] has clearly sided with [the deputy prime minister], thus violating…freedom of the press in Cambodia," said CAPJ.

Both press rights groups urge the ministry to reverse its decision on the newspaper's suspension and reinstate its license soon.

Nhiek Bun Chhay plans to sue two local newspapers for defamation

30 August 2007
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Nhiek Bun Chhay, vice-prime minister and Funcinpec secretary-general, claimed that the he is currently preparing lawsuits – to be sent to the Phnom Penh municipal court in the near future – against two newspapers for defaming him. He accused the two newspapers of publishing false information which affected his honor.

The two Khmer-language daily newspapers he plant to sue are: Samleng Yuvachon Khmer (Voice of Khmer Youth), and Khmer Amatak (Eternal Khmer).

Nhiek Bun Chhay told RFA on Wednesday that he is currently preparing the complaints so that his lawyer can hand them over to the Phnom Penh municipal court shortly.

Nhiek Bun Chhay said: “I have prepared these complaints, and maybe tomorrow or so, I will hand in the complaints because these NRP-supporting newspapers publish false information. Samleng Yuvachon and Khmer Amatak publish today information which affected me.”

He clarified that he has the full freedom to travel outside of the country as normal, and that there is no (travel) restriction (imposed on him) by the authority as a number of newspapers reported recently: “This information is false, I went to Thailand and I just came back. In a day or two, I will leave (to overseas) again.”

Regarding the plan to sue the 2 newspapers, Liev Sovanna, a defense lawyer involved in the lawsuit brought up by Prince Ranariddh, said that he did not receive the request from Nhiek Bun Chhay yet, but that he will handle these lawsuits as soon as Nhiek Bun Chhay will ask him to. He indicated that in his position as a lawyer, he has no political preference: “I did not yet receive Nhiek Bun Chhay’s request, maybe, he didn’t request yet.”

Reacting to Nhiek Bun Chhay’s lawsuits plan, Keo Sothea, the editor of the Samleng Yuvachon Khmer said: “If it involves an actual mistake, I will issue a correction or clarification.”

Bun Tha, editor of Khmer Amatak, reacted by saying: “We already know about the drug case, when (the story) is published, he must send a written clarification letter, not just for newspapers, but for the general public. In Cambodia, the drug issue is very stinky, it is a very bad issue.”

On 01 April 2007, a joint police force raided and confiscated about 6 tons of raw material used in drug production, in Treng Troyeung commune, Phnom Sruoch district, Kompong Speu province, and also in Phnom Penh, and the authority arrested 18 people during the raid: 14 Cambodian citizens and 4 foreigners.

In August, the authority arrested 2 important suspects: Oum Chhay who was the advisot of the National Assembly President Heng Samrin, but he committed suicide by jumping down a building on 21 August; and Chea Chung, the owner of the land and the farm where the raw drug material was stored. Chea Chung is known as the former advisor of Nhiek Bun Chhay.