Lim Pichpisey
June 17, 2009A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)The third American President, Thomas Jefferson, political philosopher and main author of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, a promoter of republican ideals, said the opinion of the people is the foundation government. French political thinker and historian Alexis de Tocqueville, known for his book "Democracy in America," posited "The power of the periodical press is second only to that of the people."
Viewing the press as "the best instrument" to enlighten man's mind, and improve him as a rational, moral and social being, Jefferson wrote, "were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter. But I should mean that every man should receive those papers and be capable of reading them."
The government of, by and for the people is founded on the people's expressed will; to control and direct that government, the people must be informed and enlightened. "The force of public opinion cannot be resisted when permitted freely to be expressed," argued Jefferson. "The only security of all is in a free press," he affirmed.
A responsible free press provides facts, raises the people's awareness, investigates, reports and constructively criticizes the government to keep it responsive to the people's needs and wishes. "Our citizens may be deceived for a while, and have been deceived," Jefferson said, "but as long as the presses can be protected, we may trust them for light."
The June 8 Phnom Penh Post reported Khmer Civilization president Moeung Sonn fled the country to France to avoid arrest because he said drilling holes into Angkor Wat temple walls to install new lights damaged the temple. The government said the recesses were already there and sued Sonn for his statement.
On the same day, U.S.-based Cambodian Action Committee for Justice and Equity issued a declaration charging the Hun Sen government with oppression by using the court to stifle the opposition, as well as journalists who expose government corruption or who express different opinions; for requiring civil rights activists to sign a pledge of allegiance to the government prior to holding public meetings; and for obliging Buddhist monks to raise funds for the ruling party's January 7 Association and to follow the party line.
A 40-year-old Cambodian reporter for the U.S.-funded Radio Free Asia, Pichpisey Lem, aka Piseth Lem, a father of six, who fled Cambodia with his family in 2008 because of death threats, finally arrived in Norway in January of this year under the protection of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
A high school teacher of mathematics and English, Lem was news editor of Radio Voice of Khmer, ran an opposition newspaper, "Polroath Serey," and lectured at Phnom Penh's institutions of higher learning. He is holder of BBA and MBA degrees in general management.
He was RFA's special correspondent to cover events in western Cambodia and also was publisher and editor-in-chief of the Free Press Magazine, the first 2,000 issues of which were published in the Khmer language on Nov. 1, 2007. Almost all copies of the magazine were confiscated by the police.
The magazine cover displayed a cartoon deemed scornful of Premier Sen and Cambodia's King Father Sihanouk. The leading story was an investigative report, "Knowing the killers, but no arrest," about the killing of Cambodians' beloved actress Piseth Pilika, who allegedly was involved in an extramarital affair with Sen. The second leading story was a Khmer Rouge Tribunal article by Asia Human Rights Commission's senior researcher, Lao Mong Hay, "No Immunity for Ex-King Norodom Sihanouk."
Lem was summoned by the information ministry on Nov. 2. Fearing arrest, he went into hiding.
Lem had been in hiding before, following his investigative reporting for RFA about "massive illegal deforestation" in Kompong Thom, allegedly involving the premier, his in-laws and high-ranking officers, "exactly" as the London-based Global Witness report charged, he said. He re-emerged because, he said, he had committed himself to "fighting for democracy and the rule of law."
On April 10, 2008, six AK-47 automatic rifle bullets were arranged in a row in front of his family's house in Battambang. It was time to flee to Phnom Penh, and soon he and his family fled for Thailand.
The UNHCR gave him a certificate in case of arrest by Thai authorities. He moved from place to place, as Cambodian agents were on his trail. Before leaving for Norway, which granted Lem and his family political asylum, Lem was detained for a week by the Thai government.
In Norway, everything, including housing, education and health care, is provided by the government, and freedom and equality are assured, Lem said. He would like to earn a Ph.D. degree in political science or public management, and wants to devote his life to serving the Khmer people as a defender of human rights, freedom of expression and a free press in Cambodia.
He urged all journalists in Cambodia "to maintain their stance, broadcast and publish the truth, fair and balanced."
"If we stand on the side of bringing accurate information to the people, we will be successful in the future," Lem said in February on the Voice of America.
Lem is hard at work setting up "The Free Press Magazine Online," to report on the level of human rights respect, freedom of expression and the press for Cambodians and all in the international community to read.
Oppressive leaders can threaten an activist but can never crush his will to think and express. That's freedom.
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years. Write him at peangmeth@yahoo.com.
