Showing posts with label The Burma Daily. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Burma Daily. Show all posts
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Newspaper to end supplement that led to seizures in Cambodia [-Supplement is a publicity stunt?]
May 20, 2008
DPA
DPA
Phnom Penh - A standoff between the Cambodian government and a US newspaper publisher appeared to be over Tuesday after the government seized copies for the second day of The Burma Daily, a supplement inside the English-language Cambodia Daily.
'The Burma Daily will not appear in The Cambodia Daily again,' Bernard Krisher, publisher of both newspapers, said while adding that the supplement would now publish in earnest toward its intended market in Myanmar and be available on the web and by mail.
Krisher said by telephone that the aims of his donor, the Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation, had been achieved and he was satisfied with the exposure the publication had gained.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the paper was confiscated because it was unlicensed.
'We have issued a formal notice to The Cambodia Daily today, and we will close it Wednesday if it continues to publish,' he said.
That threat appeared to have been averted Tuesday, but Krisher denied any wrongdoing, saying The Burma Daily was a sponsored supplement of The Cambodia Daily and did not require a license.
The Burma Daily, which had appeared since last week as a four-page insert with an identical masthead as its sister publication, 'is designed to introduce to the Burmese people what a free and responsible newspaper looks like,' Krisher said.
The publisher, The Cambodia Daily and the Cambodian government have enjoyed a mixed relationship over the years.
The Daily is seen as a primary news source by many expatriates, and Krisher has raised funds for more than 400 schools and operates or supports a number of aid organizations.
However, Prime Minister Hun Sen has publicly criticized the paper as biased on more than one occasion and it often leans toward the views of opposition parties and against the government.
Myanmar and Cambodia enjoy warm relations despite an international outcry over the Myanmar military junta's appalling human rights record.
Kanharith said that despite a policy of freedom of the press, Cambodia would not be a haven for publications about other governments.
'The Burma Daily will not appear in The Cambodia Daily again,' Bernard Krisher, publisher of both newspapers, said while adding that the supplement would now publish in earnest toward its intended market in Myanmar and be available on the web and by mail.
Krisher said by telephone that the aims of his donor, the Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation, had been achieved and he was satisfied with the exposure the publication had gained.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said the paper was confiscated because it was unlicensed.
'We have issued a formal notice to The Cambodia Daily today, and we will close it Wednesday if it continues to publish,' he said.
That threat appeared to have been averted Tuesday, but Krisher denied any wrongdoing, saying The Burma Daily was a sponsored supplement of The Cambodia Daily and did not require a license.
The Burma Daily, which had appeared since last week as a four-page insert with an identical masthead as its sister publication, 'is designed to introduce to the Burmese people what a free and responsible newspaper looks like,' Krisher said.
The publisher, The Cambodia Daily and the Cambodian government have enjoyed a mixed relationship over the years.
The Daily is seen as a primary news source by many expatriates, and Krisher has raised funds for more than 400 schools and operates or supports a number of aid organizations.
However, Prime Minister Hun Sen has publicly criticized the paper as biased on more than one occasion and it often leans toward the views of opposition parties and against the government.
Myanmar and Cambodia enjoy warm relations despite an international outcry over the Myanmar military junta's appalling human rights record.
Kanharith said that despite a policy of freedom of the press, Cambodia would not be a haven for publications about other governments.
The Burma Daily: The confiscation continues
20 May 2008
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
The supplement [to The Cambodia Daily] continues to be pulled by police officers from vending kiosks on Tuesday 20 May. This measure started on Monday 19 May. The authorities blames the 4-page publication – which was launched on Friday 16 May by Bernard Krisher, the founder of The Cambodia Daily – of not having a proper license allowing it to be published in the kingdom. Khieu Kanharith, the minister of Information, confirmed this issue, saying: “We consider The Burma Daily to be a different publication from The Cambodia Daily. It must have an authorization beforehand prior to its publication. On Monday 19 May, instead of a request, we saw the publication of its second edition. It is an illegal edition.” These criticisms were rejected by Bernard Krisher, who was interviewed on Monday evening by the club of Cambodian journalists, saying: “The Burma Daily, financially funded by a US foundation, is not illegal. I hope that the government will respect the freedom of the press.” In an op-ed published on Friday 16 May in The Burma Daily, Bernard Krisher explained that he wanted to give “the Burmese people the possibility to express themselves, but also to be able to obtain free and independent information.” The Burma Daily publishes articles on Burma printed by the International news media.
Burma Daily keeps on published in Cambodia, despite police confiscation
PHNOM PENH, May 20, 2008 (Xinhua) - The Burma Daily still managed to be published here Tuesday as "a supplement" to Cambodia's leading English-Khmer language newspaper the Cambodian Daily, after the police confiscated its second issue marketed Monday.
"The Burma Daily is a supplement, also on the web at www. burmadaily.org, sponsored by the Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation," said a notification on the third issue of the paper.
"The (New York-based) Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation is dedicated to developing a free and responsible press in countries that do not enjoy a free press," it added.
"The Burma Daily has no political agenda. It is designed to introduce to the Burmese people what a free and responsible newspaper looks like," another English-Khmer language newspaper the Mekong Times Tuesday quoted Bernard Krisher, publisher of the Burma Daily and the Cambodian Daily, as saying.
Earlier Monday, he vowed to keep on publishing the Burma Daily, as a supplement but not a new newspaper.
The credits on both papers showed that they were published by the same group of staff members.
The first issue of Burma Daily hit the market on Friday, without causing obvious official crackdown. The four-page black- white tabloid was folded inside the Cambodian Daily.
However, when the second issue appeared Monday, it incurred immediate ban. Police tried to confiscate all the copies within its distribution areas.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that the Burma Daily was published without permission, so its publication and distribution must be terminated.
"Before we confiscate the newspaper, we informed the Cambodian Daily, which (first) published the Burma Daily on Friday. Bernard Krisher looks down on Cambodian law," the Mekong Times Tuesday quoted the minister as saying.
"There is an Australian company which owns the (English-language) Phnom Penh Post, published a newspaper in Myanmar, so he wants to compete with the Phnom Penh Post," he said.
"Perhaps he wants to seek money from U.S.-based organizations which oppose the Myanmar government to guarantee his income," he added.
The Cambodian government used to adhere to the principle of freedom of expression, but publisher has to acquire permission from the Information Ministry, before starting to print any new newspaper.
"The Burma Daily is a supplement, also on the web at www. burmadaily.org, sponsored by the Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation," said a notification on the third issue of the paper.
"The (New York-based) Adam Lincoln Steele Foundation is dedicated to developing a free and responsible press in countries that do not enjoy a free press," it added.
"The Burma Daily has no political agenda. It is designed to introduce to the Burmese people what a free and responsible newspaper looks like," another English-Khmer language newspaper the Mekong Times Tuesday quoted Bernard Krisher, publisher of the Burma Daily and the Cambodian Daily, as saying.
Earlier Monday, he vowed to keep on publishing the Burma Daily, as a supplement but not a new newspaper.
The credits on both papers showed that they were published by the same group of staff members.
The first issue of Burma Daily hit the market on Friday, without causing obvious official crackdown. The four-page black- white tabloid was folded inside the Cambodian Daily.
However, when the second issue appeared Monday, it incurred immediate ban. Police tried to confiscate all the copies within its distribution areas.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith said that the Burma Daily was published without permission, so its publication and distribution must be terminated.
"Before we confiscate the newspaper, we informed the Cambodian Daily, which (first) published the Burma Daily on Friday. Bernard Krisher looks down on Cambodian law," the Mekong Times Tuesday quoted the minister as saying.
"There is an Australian company which owns the (English-language) Phnom Penh Post, published a newspaper in Myanmar, so he wants to compete with the Phnom Penh Post," he said.
"Perhaps he wants to seek money from U.S.-based organizations which oppose the Myanmar government to guarantee his income," he added.
The Cambodian government used to adhere to the principle of freedom of expression, but publisher has to acquire permission from the Information Ministry, before starting to print any new newspaper.
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