Khmer Machas Srok's Invitation to various events in the US between 06-19 May 2012

http://www.box.com/s/eb5b6dbfac6285c67225


http://www.box.com/s/ce3f063cf05f5c3c6f81

Khmer M'chas Srok's Invitation to Mother's Day Celebration in Lowell, Massachusetts on 12 May 2012

http://www.box.com/s/1e2961b4c5a07302fab7

KMS Invitation Conference​, October 23, 2011 : 20 years after the Paris Peace Agreement 1991

http://www.box.net/shared/ug4cs9apuqpye05ey1cg


http://www.box.net/shared/k9dhtia2rd6lfg9430hm


http://www.box.net/shared/hioiry1nuijfqs01muci

KMS 20th Anniversary of Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia of October 23,1991

Dear Compatriots

Please visit this 4th conference for 20th Anniversary of Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia of October 23, 1991.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wESeABjCIfs

You 'll receive soon the

• Speech on Genocide of Dr. Chak S
• Speech of P. Leprecht (Key note Address),
• Speech of G. Gordon, Justice in the Killing Fields and ECCC,
• Speech of M. Stepanek, Social Media to create New Language of Liberation and Collectif Actions.

Sincerely
Khmer Mchas Srok

Press freedom heroes in Southeast Asia

Hang Chakra (Photo: Sok Serey, RFA)

Wed, Sep 14, 2011
By Shawn W. Crispin/Senior Southeast Asia Representative
CPJ Blog (Committee to Protect Journalists)
Press Freedom News and Views

(Excerpt)

Three Southeast Asian journalists--Cambodia's Hang Chakra, Malaysia's Zulkiflee Anwar Ul Haque, or Zunar, and Thailand's Chiranuch Premchaiporn--were among the 48 awardees of the Hellman/Hammett grant, given to writers targeted with political persecution, who were recognized today by Human Rights Watch for their commitment to press freedom.

Hang Chakra, editor-in-chief of the daily Khmer Machas Srok, was imprisoned for 287 days on "disinformation" charges related to a story he wrote about high-level corruption. Zunar, a cartoonist and contributor to online news site Malaysiakini, now faces sedition charges and possible imprisonment for his banned political illustrations. Chiranuch faces a possible 50 years in prison on charges related to anonymous comments critical of the Thai monarchy posted to one of her news site's Web boards.

I spoke on a panel with them today in Bangkok, where I described the repression they have faced and discussed how their individual cases are indicative of a downward trend in regional press freedom conditions. Excerpts from my address follow:

On behalf of CPJ, I would like to extend my hearty congratulations to these three recipients of the Hellman/Hammett awards, but underscore my organization's belief that none of them should have suffered from the government harassment that is implicit in being a recipient of one of these prestigious awards.

These awards speak to the lack of progress in press freedom in three of Southeast Asia's reputed democracies and point disturbingly to the closing of space that was once open for journalists to report and opine in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

It is notable and chilling that two of today's three recipients have been persecuted for their activities or journalism that originally appeared online. CPJ research shows that the region's governments are increasingly targeting online journalists. Nearly half of the journalists jailed worldwide published their work predominantly online.

.....

In Cambodia, our view is that Hang Chakra was wrongly jailed for reporting on alleged government corruption and failing to disclose his sources. Cambodia's government purports to support a free press and points to the explicit laws in Cambodia's law books protecting press freedom--laws that authorities frequently circumvent to stifle criticism.

The reality on the ground is that Cambodia's media is dominated by newspapers sympathetic to Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party, and those that refuse to step in line--such as Hang Chakra's Khmer Machas Rok--are often targeted for harassment by his government. Along those lines, we continue to campaign on the unresolved death of Cambodian journalist Khem Sambo, who reported critically about Hun Sen's government and was murdered just weeks before the 2008 general elections.

All three of these journalists honored here today have effectively been punished for their courage to speak journalistic truth to power in their respective countries. Their courage in reporting is an inspiration to all of us who believe democracies cannot function without a free and probing press. Their repression raises uncomfortable questions about the quality of democracy in their respective homelands.

May the governments who have bid to make punitive examples of their courage in reporting take note of the international recognition and prestige they have received here today.

Hang Chakra: "The Khmer Machas Srok's article is not an opposition but a piece of news"

Hang Chakra, editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper (Photo: Im Navin, RFI)

13 Sept 2011
By Im Narin
Radio France Internationale

Hang Chakra, the editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper will receive an honorable prize from Human Rights Watch on Wednesday 14 September 2011. Hang Chakra is known as a prisoner of conscience in Cambodia, but his life is known is not well know. How is the "successful" life under harassment of this author?

Click on the control below to listen to Hang Chakra's interview on RFI:

Sacrava's Political Cartoon: Professor Hon. Gareth Evans

Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com)

A public meeting organized by KMS on Sunday Aug 7th, 2011 : "The 20th Anniversar​y of Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia"

Opposition paper back in print

Publisher of Khmer Machas Srok Hang Chakra speaks to reporters in Phnom Penh in April last year. (Photo by: Heng Chivoan)

Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Meas Sokchea
The Phnom Penh Post

The opposition leaning Khmer Machas Srok newspaper yesterday resumed publishing after a nearly two-year hiatus stemming from the imprisonment of its publisher for defamation and disinformation in June 2009.

Although the paper will continue its support for the Sam Rainsy Party and criticism of the government, it is independent and not under the control of any political party or powerful clique, Hang Chakra, publisher of Khmer Machas Srok, said yesterday.

“We still keep the same stance of constructive criticism. Previously, they always said my newspaper is an ‘opposition newspaper’. Thank you for saying this,” Hang Chakra said.

Hang Chakra to visit Tokyo based on an invitation by PEN International

22 September 2010
Khmer Machas Srok
Translated from Khmer by Soch
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Based on an invitation by PEN International, Mr. Hang Chakra, the editor-in-chief of the “Khmer Machas Srok” and the “Nationalist Khmer Voice” newspaper, will depart to Tokyo on 23 September.

During his mission in Tokyo during 24-30 September, Mr. Hang Chakra will meet with university professors and journalists to discuss on a number of work issues in order to increase the cooperation between Cambodian and International journalists. He will return back to Cambodia on 01 October.

Khmer Machas Srok is now available online

Click here to read the Khmer Machas Srok Daily

After his release, Hang Chakra plans to visit the US

Hang Chakra (Photo: Zakariya, RFA)

22 May 2010
By Ky Soklim
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

Following his release from jail one month ago, Hang Chakra, Editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, plans to visit the US in the near future. Hang Chakra was invited to visit by Cambodian communities in the US.

Hang Chakra who was released from jail last April, said on Saturday that he plans to visit the US in the near future. However, the exact schedule cannot be confirmed yet as of now.

Hang Chakra’s visit to the US is aimed at three goals: (1) to report the freedom of the press situation in Cambodia to the Cambodian communities in the US, (2) to report about the lack of funds for the operation of his newspaper, and (3) to appeal once again to the Cambodian government to search for the past killers of journalists.

According to Hang Chakra, the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper is facing severe financial obstacles. 5 to 6 employees of the newspaper work almost without receving any salary. The Khmer Machas Srok, which is published in black and white only and which is anti-government, does not sell very well because it contains only 4 pages. Furthermore, most of the articles are only politically oriented.

Reporters for the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper said that advertisers are reluctant to place ads in this newspaper because they are afraid of being viewed as supporting the opposition.

Observing that his newspaper will have difficulties to survive, Hang Chakra plans to take the opportunity of his visit to appeal to overseas Cambodians to provide help to his newspapers.

The Cambodian communities in the US invited Hang Chakra to perform his visit soon. All his travel and lodging expenses will be borne by overseas Cambodians in the US. This will mark Hang Chakra’s first visit to western countries.

Hang Chakra: Reporters Without Borders

Hang Chakra, Editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper, thanks his supporters

Appeal to help Mr. Hang Chakra, Editor-in-Chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper

Hang Chakra (C)

Dear Compatriots, Friends and Colleagues,

Mr. Hang Chakra, Editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok, a courageous and well respected journalist, who was unfairly jailed by the Cambodian authority since 26 June 2009, was freed on 13 April 2010. He currently wishes to pursue his professional journalist career, and to this end, he needs our support.

To answer to his needs, SRP-NA is joining with other SRP chapters throughout the world (SRP-France, SRP-Europe, SRP-Australia) to provide the support for this project. Therefore, we are inviting all our Colleagues, Compatriots and Friends to help support this appeal. Any amount of donation – whether $5, $10 or $20 as your means allows – will go a long way to support Mr. Hang Chakra’s endeavor.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, the amount of the donation is not important, what matters most is your participation to value the democratic voice, the courage and the determination of our democratic militants, and to display your solidarity with them. To make a donation, please contact your SRP chapter near you. As for me, I will contribute $100 for this endeavor.

With my regards,

Sokha
SRP-NA

For additional information, please contact:

1- SRP-USA
Mr. Chea Kimly
srpusa@comcast.net

2- SRP-Canada
Mr. Sokha Ly
sokha4@netscape.net
--------------
Chers Compatriotes, Amis & Collègues,

M. Hang Chakra, Éditeur-en-chef du journal Khmer Mchas Srok, un courageux journaliste bien respecté, emprisonné injustement par les autorités au Cambodge depuis 26 juin 2009. M. Hang Chakra est libéré le 13 avril 2010 et souhaite continuer à exercer son métier de journaliste. Dans ce projet il compte sur notre support financier.

Pour répondre à ce besoin, PSR-NA se joint solidairement avec PSR à travers le monde (SRP-France, SRP-Europe, SRP-Australie) à supporter ce projet. Dans ce sens nous invitons tous nos collègues, Compatriotes et Amis à répondre positivement à cet appel. Un petit $20, $10, ou $5, donnez selon votre capacité.

Chers Frères et Sœurs, le montant n'est pas important, la chose la plus importante est votre participation à encourager, ainsi qu’à valoriser la voix démocratique, le courage et la détermination de nos militants démocrates, et de prouver que vous êtes avec eux. Pour faire votre don, s'il vous plaît communiquer avec le PRS près de chez vous. Pour ma part, je ferai ma petite contribution de $100.00 pour cette cause.

Cordialement,

Sokha
SRP-NA

Press Freedom clouded by jail sentence

Hang Chakra

01 May 2010
Editorial by Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
Click here to read the article in Khmer

"...this situation [the jailing of journalists for expressing their opinions] is clearly a contradiction to Hun Xen’s win-win policy"

On 03 May, just like many other countries in the world, Cambodia will celebrate the World Press Freedom Day which is the basis of democracy itself. In Cambodia, freedom of the press has notably moved forward during the past two decades, but jail sentence still haunts journalists and it is a dark cloud casting its ominous shadow over press freedom in Cambodia.

Cambodia is a country that saw a noticeable progress in the freedom of the press, not just in comparison to the war period, but it also earns a good mark among the countries in the region.

However, the main obstacle to the progress of the press in Cambodia stems from the fact that journalists are still facing jail sentence for writing their opinions. The case of Hang Chakra, Editor-in-chief of the Khmer Machas Srok newspaper who was recently released from jail during the Cambodia New Year, is a sober reminder of this situation. This pro-opposition journalist was sentenced to 1-year of jail term for disinformation under a lawsuit brought up the government lawyer.

In reality, journalists do not enjoy any special immunity and they are just like any other citizens who would be responsible in front of the law, i.e. if a journalist commits a crime, he will face a criminal sentence just like anybody else. However, in order to guarantee the democratic freedom of expression, the law also protects journalists from being sent to jail for expressing their opinions.

There are three factors that guarantee Cambodian journalists from being sentenced to jail term:

1- Following the 1993 election, Cambodia selected to follow the path of plural democracy. Under this condition, freedom of expression is itself protected by the Constitution.
2- To guarantee the strengthening of the freedom of the press, the National Assembly ratified the information law which went into effect since 1995. This law clearly guarantees that no journalists should be arrested or sent to jail for expressing their opinions.
3- PM Hun Xen publicly announced that defamation cases must not be sentenced by jail term. Hun Xen’s declaration was aimed at avoiding jail term sentence handed down to journalists.

Unfortunately, every time when journalists are being sued, the factors above are usually neglected and journalists ended up being sentenced for disinformation – a criminal offense – and they ended being sent to jail as before. In reality, even if the information law protects journalists from jail sentence, the law also prescribes heavy fines in cases involving defamation or disinformation.

What is surprising is that the suing party tried very hard to evade the information law and they only want to use the criminal law to ensure that the accused journalists are being sent to jail. So the question is: who benefits from this issue? The real answer is that nobody wins and everybody loses: for the accused journalist, he ended up wasting time and income to support his family; as for the government which allows such jail sentence to take place, it comes under severe criticism from all corners, the government’s action leads to a cheapening of Cambodia’s democracy and rule of law.

Furthermore, this situation is clearly a contradiction to Hun Xen’s win-win policy. Therefore, the dark clouds that cast their ominous shadow on Cambodia’s democracy through the jailing of journalists should no longer be allowed!

Cambodian journalist released from prison in amnesty

Hang Chakra

Source: Committee to Protect Journalists

New York, April 27, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the April 13 release from prison of Hang Chakra, editor and publisher of the opposition-aligned Khmer Machas Srok daily newspaper in Cambodia.

He was granted a royal pardon after serving nine months of a one-year sentence on a “criminal disinformation” conviction over a series of critical articles on alleged high-level government corruption. He was among 43 prisoners given amnesty ahead of Cambodia’s mid-April Buddhist New Year celebrations.

According to the Phnom Penh Post, Hang Chakra wrote to Prime Minister Hun Sen on July 8 to apologize and pledged not to report on government corruption in the future if he was released. The English-language daily newspaper quoted Hang Chakra’s letter saying that he had “repeatedly failed to act properly and seriously.”

But since his release, Hang Chakra has stated publicly his intention to continue publishing Khmer Machas Srok, which, according to news reports, recently suspended publication for financial reasons. The newspaper is affiliated with the opposition Sam Rainsy Party, whose eponymous leader was recently stripped of his parliamentary immunity and fled into exile in France.

“Hang Chakra never should have been imprisoned in the first place on these trumped-up charges,” said Shawn Crispin, CPJ’s Senior Southeast Asia Representative. “Prime Minister Hun Sen has failed to uphold his pledge to stop jailing journalists for their reporting.”

Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni had written to Hun Sen in October last year calling for Hang Chakra’s release, but his request was refused for unknown reasons.

Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodia’s People’s Party (CPP) maintains strong editorial influence over the country’s mainstream print and broadcast media, which seldom publishes or airs reports critical of top level officials in his administration. His government recently cracked down on freedom of expression, including among parliamentarians, after a period of relative openness.

Journalist reports death threat

Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post

A JOURNALIST for the Sam Rainsy Party-aligned Khmer Machas Srok newspaper alleged on Tuesday that bodyguards working for Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) officials had threatened to kill him.

Boay Roeuy, 40, who has worked for the paper since 1994, said he was at his home in Dangkor district’s Krang Thnong commune on Tuesday when a bodyguard whom he could identify only as “Sna” and several other men turned up at his door with a handgun and began shouting for him to come outside.

Boay Roeuy said that neighbours later told him that the men work as bodyguards for CPP officials.

He added that he fears for his safety because the bodyguard known as “Sna” lives in a house across the street from his own.

“If I would have gone outside my house they would have shot at me,” he said.

Boay Roeuy said he had informed the rights group Licadho of the incident and submitted a complaint to Mak Mi, the Krang Thnong commune police chief.

Mak Mi said on Tuesday that he had received Boay Roeuy’s complaint on April 20, but that no action had yet been taken.

“It doesn’t look like a case of intimidation or a death threat against the journalist,” he said, adding that during Khmer New Year it is normal for villagers to play loud music, shout in the streets and drink beer.

Opposition editor freed, pledges to continue fight for press freedom

19 April 2010
Reporters Without Borders

Reporters Without Borders welcomes the release of Hang Chakra, the editor of the opposition daily Khmer Machas Srok, after ten months in prison on a charge of disinformation. He was freed under a royal pardon to mark the Khmer New Year.

“Deputy Prime Minister Sok An is directly to blame for Hang Chakra’s long imprisonment and the deterioration in his health,” Reporters Without Borders said. “We reiterate our request to Prime Minister Hun Sen to respect his promise to ensure that journalists will no longer be jailed in Cambodia.”

Since his release from Prey Sar prison on 13 April, Hang Chakra has been undergoing medical tests. His family says his problems with his lungs, eyes and bladder got worse after his arrest in June 2009. A Reporters Without Borders representative visited him in prison in December.

“It is incredible to be freed the day before the Khmer New Year and I am really happy to be reunited with my family,” Hang Chakra said in a statement to the press. He announced that he planned to resume editing his newspaper very shortly.

In a message to Reporters Without Borders, he thanked all those in Cambodia and abroad who requested his release.

More information about Hang Chakra:
http://en.rsf.org/cambodia-newspaper-editor-jailed-under-law-30-06-2009,33648.html

More information about press freedom in Cambodia:
http://en.rsf.org/spip.php?page=article&id_article=36496

The opposition overlooks the opposition newspapers

Opposition newspapers

17 April 2010
By Pen Bona
Radio France Internationale
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

[I]nformation publication is very important for any political party, overlooking this important issue is a serious political mistake that the opposition should revisit back

While publications that support the ruling party are flourishing from one year to another, newspapers that support the opposition party keep getting smaller. Currently, there is only one opposition newspaper on sale. It is the Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Consciense) which was recently back on print, following a period of suspension. Discrimination from the ruling party is one thing, but the lack of attention from the opposition party itself is another problem.

Among the newspapers that support the ruling party, in particular major newspapers that are published in color and feature several pages in length, there is only one opposition newspaper that can be found on the market currently: the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper.

Not only is it poor in number, it also lacks resource, quality and professionalism. It is only a black and white newspaper that contains 4 pages, and it depends in a large part on its sale revenue as a source of income. In addition, it also receives some support from opposition officials and MPs.

There are several reasons to explain the lacking of the opposition newspapers:

(1) Discrimination from advertisers: It is true that there are no major businesses that want to advertise in an opposition newspaper because they want to project an image that their businesses are not linked to the opposition party. In Cambodia, projecting an image of coziness to the ruling party or to powerful officials is the favored method used by major businesses to protect their trade. Under this condition, where can the opposition newspaper find its advertising income?

(2) Opposition newspapers are usually discriminated by government officials. This means that reporters for opposition newspapers cannot obtain interviews from government officials, neither by phone or face to face. The problem stems from the fact that government officials do not want to talk to with opposition newspapers because they perceived that the opposition newspapers oppose them all the time, so much so that they hate the opposition newspapers and do not want to talk to them. Therefore, besides speeches or public statements, the opposition cannot receive any official information from government officials.

(3) The lack of attention from the opposition party itself: It is true that the opposition newspapers are discriminated by businesses and the ruling party, but this is not a surprising issue in Cambodia, even though such discriminations should never take place. However, what is most surprising is the lack of attention from the opposition party itself. This is an issue that is hard to understand. Even though they are called opposition newspapers, they received only little support from the opposition, both in terms of funding and moral support.

It is hard to believe when a number of opposition newspaper owners complained that the opposition leaders do not like to talk much with their newspapers because these newspapers are small and not very influential in the society. This creates difficulties for opposition newspapers to obtain words from the opposition leaders and they have to rely on quoting interviews from major newspapers or foreign news media instead. Without such quotes, the opposition newspapers would not have anything much to report about the opposition party that they support.

This situation and climate are the main reasons why opposition newspapers face difficulties and could easily be shut down when they are confronted with lawsuits or financial problems. In conclusion, information publication is very important for any political party, overlooking this important issue is a serious political mistake that the opposition should revisit back.