Cambodia’s journalists still ‘at risk’ when limits pushed

Thursday, 03 May 2012
Joseph Freeman
The Phnom Penh Post

“It is safe if you do not cover the controversial issues. If you cover a controversial issue, you are in danger”

Among the huts of Mondul Seima district, in the southwestern province of Koh Kong, a young Cambodian journalist on assignment last week related hearing a military police officer utter four bone-chilling words:

“Just kill them both.”

The sinister suggestion came minutes after a fellow member of the military police had allegedly shot and killed environmental activist Chut Wutty, who was escorting the reporter and her colleague into the Cardamom Mountains to look into illegal logging.

The military police officer in question, In Rattana, died moments later in circumstances that remain unclear. Early official accounts of In Rattana’s death have run the gamut from ricocheting bullets to a snap decision to commit suicide.

Yesterday, it emerged that a third man, a potential suspect in In Rattana’s shooting, was being questioned by police.

សម្តាចម៏ មាត់ដាច ជេរបញ្ចោរ VOA និង វិទ្យុអាស៊ីសេរី ... បានតែមាត់ តែខ្លាចគេដឹង រឿងខ្លូន

ហ៊ុន ​សែន​ បុរសមាត់ដាច កម្ពុជា

នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ហ៊ុន សែន​ព្រលះ​វីអូអេ និង​អាស៊ីសេរី

ថ្ងៃសុក្រ, 25 ខែវិច្ឆិកា 2011
ដោយ គង់ ​សុឋានរិទ្ធ វីអូអេ ខ្មែរ | ភ្នំពេញ

«យើង​បារម្ភ​ថា ​ការ​រិះគន់​ដោយ​ផ្ទាល់​នេះ ​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​មាន​ប៉ះពាល់​ដល់​សុវត្ថិភាព​អ្នក​យក​ព័ត៌មាន​ នៅ​ខាង​វិទ្យុ​ទាំង​ពីរ​ហ្នឹង​ផង! បារម្ភ!”។

នៅ​ចុង​ឆ្នាំ​២០១០ ​រដ្ឋាភិបាល​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​បង្ហាញ​សញ្ញា​រឹត​បន្ដឹង​លើ​ប្រព័ន្ធ​អ៊ីន ធឺណែត​ដូច​ជា​ការ​បញ្ជា​ឲ្យ​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​បម្រើ​សេវា​អ៊ីនធឺណែត​ មាន​ទាំង​ក្រុមហ៊ុន​សេវាកម្ម​ទូរសព្ទ័​ផងដែរ​ឲ្យ​បិទ​ខ្ទប់​ គេហទំព័រ​ និន្នាការ ​គណបក្ស​ជំទាស់  KI-Media​ ជា​ដើម។

ក្នុង​រយៈពេល​ប្រមាណ​ជាង​បី​ខែនេះ ​នាយក​រដ្ឋមន្ដ្រី​កម្ពុជា ​លោក ​ហ៊ុន ​សែន​ បាន​ធ្វើ​ការរិះគន់​វាយប្រហារ​ទៅលើ​បណ្ដាញ​ផ្សព្វផ្សាយ​តាម​អាកាស​អាមេរិក​ គឺ​សំឡេង​សហរដ្ឋ​អាមេរិក​ និង​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី​ចំនួន​ពីរ​លើក ​ដោយ​ចាត់​ទុក​អង្គភាព​ទាំង​ពីរ​ថា​បាន​ជេរប្រមាថ​រូប​លោក។​ ប៉ុន្ដែ​អ្នក​ជំនាញ​ និង​មន្រ្ដី​សិទ្ធិ​មនុស្ស​បាន​ហៅ​ការ​រិះគន់​នោះ​ថា​គឺ​ជា​ការ​ខាតបង់។

កាល​ពី​ថ្ងៃ​ទី​១៤​ ខែ​វិច្ឆិកា ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ឱកាស​សម្ពោធ​ផ្លូវ​ជាតិ​លេខ​៣ ​ដែល​លាត​សន្ធឹង​ពី​ទីក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ​ឆ្ពោះ​ទៅ​កាន់​ខេត្ត​កំពត​ លោក ​ហ៊ុន ​សែន ​បាន​និយាយ​ខ្លាំង​ៗ​ ដោយ​ស្វែង​រក​មុខ​អ្នក​យក​ពត៌មាន​ម្នាក់​របស់​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ី​សេរី។

«(វា)​នៅ​ខាង​ក្រោយ។ អាហ្នឹង​មិន​ហ៊ាន (ចេញមុខ)​ទេ។ ហ្អែង​យក​សម្ដី​អញ​ទៅ​ចាក់​ (ទៅ)។ ថ្ងៃ​មុន​ប្រពន្ធ​អញ​ថា​យ៉ាង​ម៉េច ​ស្រាប់​តែ​ចាប់​ផ្ដើម​ឡង​មក​វិញ​ថា ​មក​ពី​វិទ្យុ​អាស៊ីសេរី​មិន​បាន​ជួយ​ឃោសនា​ឲ្យ​ប្ដី។ ​មិន​ចាំ​បាច់​លោក​ឯង​ជួយ​ឃោសនា​ទេ។ អញ​ឲ្យ​ហ្អែង​ជេរ​ទៅ។ អញ​ឈ្នះ​ដោយសារ​ឯង​ជេរ​ទេ។ អា​វីអូអេ​នេះ​មួយ។ ​ហើយ​មួយ​ថ្ងៃៗ​ជេរ​គេ ​ជេរ​ឯង។ ​ជាពិសេស​អាស៊ី​សេរី​ហ្នឹង។ ​អញ​អង្វរ​ហ្អែង​ ជួយ​ជេរ​អញ​ថែម​ទៀត​។ ​ហ្អែង​ជេរ​កាន់​តែ​ខ្លាំង​ខុស​កាន់​តែ​ច្រើន»។

Sacrava's 2000th Political Cartoon: DefamationS

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

Dear Lok Sacrava,

From the bottom of our heart, THANK YOU so very much for your tremendous contributions to the CAMBODIAN cause and the cause of DEMOCRACY for our people. Your toons are our daily oxygen, a breath of daily fresh air from the drab oppression in Phnom Penh and the Hun Xen's regime.

Please keep them coming for a long time!

KI-Media team

Exiled Journalists Worry Over Press Freedom

Journalist Khim Sambo's funeral (Photo: Xinhua)

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Thursday, 29 April 2010

“First, it’s a question of political will from authorities, coming from the government, from the judicial system, from police also."

With World Press Freedom Day approaching next week, two Cambodian journalists living in exile say Cambodia needs to improve its media environment or risk becoming more dangerous, or an authoritarian state.

The vast majority of Cambodia’s TV, radio and newspapers are controlled or influenced by members of the ruling party and the government, with few outlets for alternative news or opposition voices. Cambodia's media was described as ''not free'' Thursday in Freedom House's annual international press freedom report for 2010. Last year, Freedom House ranked Cambodia’s media as “partly free,” and Reporters Without Borders ranks the country No. 117 of 174 in press freedom.

Un Sokhom was the editor in chief of the Neak Prayuth newspaper until he fled to the US in 2004 in fear of his safety. He says a more open press will bring more safety to society.

“This is important, what impacts the life of a journalist,” he told VOA Khmer from his home in Lowell, Mass., where he eventually settled. “What we have seen is that journalists dare not express their freedom [leading to] society’s covering up a lot of bad social issues.”

Cambodian media have under-covered important issues like forced evictions, corruption and sex trafficking, he said, when they should act as a “mirror of society.”

Without journalists pointing out social ills, “people live in more fear than before,” he said, adding that if Cambodian journalists do not stand on their principles, the next generation will suffer.

Reporting in Cambodia can be dangerous.

In 2008, opposition journalist Khim Sambor was killed along with his son, and just last year, opposition editor Hang Chakra was jailed for nearly a year after reporting on alleged corruption at the powerful Council of Ministers; he was only recently released.

Twelve Cambodian journalists have been killed since 1995, while others have faced imprisonment through criminal defamation laws brought in courts largely seen as biased or influenced by money. Still others have fled the country after receiving death threats to themselves or their families. These journalists were usually reporting on incendiary issues like corruption, deforestation, drug trafficking and others.

Lem Piseth is a former reporter for Radio Free Asia. He now lives under political asylum in Norway, after receiving death threats in 2008 as he reported on illegal logging in Kampong Thom province’s Prey Lang forest.

“Cambodia will be an authoritarian country,” he said. “We can’t express our opinions, we don’t have enough freedom in writing, we can only have a level of writing for one’s favor. Then the country will not have democracy.”

Press freedom is especially important during election time, he said, but Cambodia’s airwaves and newspapers are full of news on the ruling government’s activities, providing a skewed view of news.

“In Cambodia, if we look at it from the outside, we see that the freedom of expression, and the freedom of the press as well, almost fully exist,” he said. “But such freedom is on terms, that it is not affecting the power of the country’s leaders. And if the expression and writing affect their power, especially in digging into corruption, the destruction of national property, deforestation and so on, that which involves the top leaders, then those who publish the report and those who write such a report will be in trouble.”

For Vincent Brossel, the Asia Pacific director for Reporters Without Borders, press freedom means creating conditions for political alternatives. The best way for governments to stay in power, then, is to control the media, a trend across Asia, he said.

“In all countries, especially developing countries, without a free media you can’t get accountability and good governance,” he told VOA Khmer from France. “Investigations are very important to create awareness.”

“In Cambodia, we can’t expect TV channels to play this role, and independent newspapers are very rare,” he said. “But radio stations are playing a very important role. It’s an alternative to the official news.”

Brossel said the government and journalists need to work to reform press freedoms.

“First, it’s a question of political will from authorities, coming from the government, from the judicial system, from police also,” he said. “They have to create a positive environment for the free media. But it’s also the responsibility of journalists themselves, because they have to respect ethical standards, they have to keep away from corruption, they have to have balanced reports, and they have to investigate all the stories, not just take things that are easy to take.”

While Cambodian TV cover only the government’s agenda, he said, Cambodia has made some progress relative to other countries, moving in ranking from 126 to 117, at least from September 2008 to September 2009, just above some of the worst countries.

However, the jailing of Hang Chakra signaled a deterioration of the situation, he added.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan told VOA Khmer that he regrets such negative evaluations by international organizations, because press freedom and the professionalism of journalists are improving.

“Such criticism we always welcome, but we ask [journalists] to avoid disinformation and news that attacks,” he said. “We do not want to see our society fall into what is called a state receiving only untrue stories or exaggeration or rumor. What we want is the press responding to the public, not a press that just exposes the opinion of any one individual.”

Cambodia does not restrict the press, he said, pointing to the English-language Phnom Penh Post and Cambodia Daily as examples.

“In Cambodia, there is [Radio Free Asia], which broadcasts in Khmer for US interests,” he said. “We have the Voice of America, which uses Cambodian airwaves to broadcast unlimitedly and freely.”

Phay Siphan also pointed out the dangers of the media, claiming political turmoil in Thailand was helped by broadcasts that incited people to violence.

“If the press lacks a conscience and professionalism, that causes society’s destruction,” he said, “like war crimes in Africa, in which the media caused killings, and this is condemned from internationals as well.”

Opposition Editor Summoned to City Court

By Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
29 May 2009

Phnom Penh Municipal Court called an opposition journalist in for questioning Friday over articles he published on corruption and the cabinet minister.

Hang Chakra, director of the Khmer Mchas Srok newspaper, ran two stories alleging that Council Minister Sok An was involved in corruption.

One article praised Prime Minister Hun Sen for “destroying” corrupt officials surrounding Sok An.

Sok An is a deputy prime minister and one of the most powerful officials in government. He oversees matters concerning the Khmer Rouge tribunal and oil exploration, among others.

Rights workers and monitors maintain that Cambodia’s media environment, while technically free, remains fettered by political influence.

Last year, the editor of opposition newspaper Moneaksekar Khmer, Dam Sith, was jailed in a suit brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong.

Later, a journalist for Moneaksekar Khmer, Khim Sambor, was murdered. No one has been arrested for the killing.

Cambodian media group calls on government to promote freedom of expression

4 May 2009
Source: CAPJ

The following is a statement from the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ), a SEAPA partner based in Phnom Penh:

Long live the spirit of World Press Freedom Day

On the occasion of the observance of World Press Freedom Day 2009, the Cambodian Association for the Protection of Journalists (CAPJ) wishes all the Cambodian journalists great health and success in their noble mission to serve their audiences and readers both inside and outside of Cambodia.

CAPJ noted that the press freedom situation in Cambodia in the year 2008 slightly improved compared to 2007 and still maintained a good score among countries in Southeast Asia in spite of the existing negative points such as the arrests of journalists, the threats ad lawsuits brought forward against them, the denial of access to information to media workers and the numerous pending and unsolved cases ating back to 1993.

CAPJ recorded 32 violations of press freedom in 2008. These include 14 arrests, six incidents of threat, two lawsuits, three cases involving the temporary halt of publication and broadcast, three cases of camera and recorder seizures, three duty-related injuries and road accidents and one case of killing.

Along with the above-mentioned incidents, CAPJ deplores the lack of freedom to freely operate the electronic media as this type of platform continues to be dominated by the ruling party thus giving an unfair opportunity for other parties to make their messages heard to the grassroots people. CAPJ insists on a change of this trend.

CAPJ appeals to the judiciary system to refer to the 1994 Press Law when passing judgment to an accused Cambodian journalist. It also expresses its full endorsement of the recent statement of donor countries' representatives dated April 28, 2009 which called on the Cambodian government to speed up the process of adopting the Anti-Corruption Law and to guarantee the public in general, and the Cambodian press in particular, the right to access information.

CAPJ also would like to make an appeal to the media owners to help upgrade the journalists' living condition by ensuring a decent salary and other benefits for their employees in order to help curb corruption among Cambodian journalsists. Furthermore, it expects the journalists to strictly abide by the media code of ethics in order to place a high value on their profession and avoid a breach of professional ethics.

Last but not the least, CAPJ calls on the government to take a firm stand to put an end to violence against journalists and permanently end the culture of impunity in Cambodia.

Issued by

Mr. Um Sarin
President of CAPJ

umsarin59@yahoo.com
umsarin@hotmail.com