Ou Virak (Photo: Sovannara, RFI)
22 September 2010
Dear KI Media and readers
I am writing in response to the Op‐Ed piece by Khmer Young that was published on KI Media on 21 September 2010 “Government mouthpieces are magpies”. In his piece, Khmer Young described Radio French International (RFI) as pro‐government/Cambodian People’s Party and described how the tendency of the government is to dismiss constructive criticism as bias, uninformed and/or the work of opposition mouthpieces. I would like to thank Khmer Young for his piece and to respond to a number of issues he raises.
In my experience, I have found Radio France International to be fair and independent in its coverage of Cambodia. In view of the control exercised over the media by a small circle of government cronies, the work of organisations and agencies like RFI, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of Democracy is invaluable in ensuring that the Cambodian people are objectively informed of national and international affairs. A similarly essential role is played by news-blog websites, such as KI-Media, in ensuring that information that may be viewed as critical of the government is shared with Cambodia’s growing online community.
In the Op-Ed piece, Khmer Young describes my recent interview with RFI as disturbing on the grounds that the interviewer, in his questions to me, used reasoning which Young Khmer perceived as similar to that often used by members of government in response to criticisms. In particular, Young Khmer noted that in reasoning that the cover of the recent Joint NGO Report on Freedom of Expression (Cambodia Gagged: Democracy At Risk?) may frighten away potential visitors Cambodia; the interviewer was offering similar logic to that used by often government members in response to criticisms.
I agree with Young Khmer that the tendency of the government is often to respond, with a certain jerk of the knee, to all criticisms, constructive or otherwise, in a confrontational and dismissive manner: as evidenced by the government reaction to the recent report by Surya Subedi and the reaction to the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression. I would stress however, that in putting such questions to me in interview; RFI was not supporting the view of the government but was providing me with an opportunity to respond to criticisms that have been leveled at the Joint Report. One who raises questions and offers criticisms should be equally willing to respond to those posed by others. Asking those questions, even where they are not reflective of the opinion of the interviewer, is an important aspect of journalism and operates to create the type of the debate which, as noted in the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression, is so often curtailed in Cambodia.
Yours faithfully
Ou Virak
In my experience, I have found Radio France International to be fair and independent in its coverage of Cambodia. In view of the control exercised over the media by a small circle of government cronies, the work of organisations and agencies like RFI, Radio Free Asia, and Voice of Democracy is invaluable in ensuring that the Cambodian people are objectively informed of national and international affairs. A similarly essential role is played by news-blog websites, such as KI-Media, in ensuring that information that may be viewed as critical of the government is shared with Cambodia’s growing online community.
In the Op-Ed piece, Khmer Young describes my recent interview with RFI as disturbing on the grounds that the interviewer, in his questions to me, used reasoning which Young Khmer perceived as similar to that often used by members of government in response to criticisms. In particular, Young Khmer noted that in reasoning that the cover of the recent Joint NGO Report on Freedom of Expression (Cambodia Gagged: Democracy At Risk?) may frighten away potential visitors Cambodia; the interviewer was offering similar logic to that used by often government members in response to criticisms.
I agree with Young Khmer that the tendency of the government is often to respond, with a certain jerk of the knee, to all criticisms, constructive or otherwise, in a confrontational and dismissive manner: as evidenced by the government reaction to the recent report by Surya Subedi and the reaction to the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression. I would stress however, that in putting such questions to me in interview; RFI was not supporting the view of the government but was providing me with an opportunity to respond to criticisms that have been leveled at the Joint Report. One who raises questions and offers criticisms should be equally willing to respond to those posed by others. Asking those questions, even where they are not reflective of the opinion of the interviewer, is an important aspect of journalism and operates to create the type of the debate which, as noted in the Joint Report on Freedom of Expression, is so often curtailed in Cambodia.
Yours faithfully
Ou Virak
