VUTHASURF

Early this year, Cambodia has a piece of good news to impress the world. Reporters Without Borders released a new press freedom index ranking Cambodia at 85 among 169 countries in the world.

Though this figure seemed low regarding the respect for press freedom in a democracy, Cambodia’s ranking far surpassed that of senior democracies in the region such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines- let alone authoritarian Burma, Lao and Vietnam.

Both the Cambodian government and journalists have proudly boasted that Cambodia’s press was “the freest” among all Asean member countries. With this letter level of freedom, we greatly sympathized with media colleagues in neighboring countries such as Burma, where many journalists were killed or thrown into jail.

We would like the government and journalists in these countries to learn from Cambodia about how to build a democracy and free press.

With the letter ranking of Cambodia’s press freedom and a relatively safe atmosphere, Cambodian journalists have pushed the limit of self-censorship and written high-ranking stories on issues such as corruption, injustice, illegal logging and land grabbing committed by powerful officials and rich businessmen.

Unfortunately, their freedom didn’t live long. Cambodia’s pride in its press freedom appeared to come to an end after a local journalist and his innocent son were brutally gunned down in the street not long after the arrest of the slain reporter’s editor.

Now, Cambodian journalists feel that they are not safe, and Cambodia has nothing left to be proud of regarding its press freedom. Nor have Cambodian journalists anything to teach others.

Instead, they may want to learn from their colleagues in Burma and other countries about how to do their jobs in an insecure environment.

It’s sad that Cambodia has lost its hard-earned pride over its press freedom. Cambodia may be unable to restore this good reputation unless the perpetrators of the recent murder of the Khmer reporter and his son and other past killers of journalists are brought to justice.

(Article written by Moeun Chhean Nariddh, was released on The Cambodia Daily)

Popularity: 8% [?]

According to the 2008 report released by Licadho, most of Cambodia’s media outlets are aligned to political parties, corruption and fear.

The report read that many Cambodian journalists have been attacked – physically or legally – and most feel vulnerable. Threats and fear have a direct influence on their work, and their reporting has a direct influence on the public’s perception of their country, especially around election periods.

Naly Pilorge, Director of LICADHO, said that “Remaining criminal sanctions need to be eliminated including disinformation and is information to ensure an environment free of political pressures for media to cover sensitive and important issues affecting Cambodians” report read.

Recently, newspaper editor-in-chief has been filed against the defamation, insult and disinformation, accused of publishing leader’s quote, and he was released on bail after being detained one week in prison.

The report cited Kek Galabru as saying, “There is still hope as most journalists have expressed the desire to be able to perform their work in an ethical, impartial and professional manner.”

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Last week; the opposition-affiliated newspaper’s editor had been arrested by the government officials on the charges of defamation, insult and disinformation by just quoting the remark from the SRP’s leader for publication. If the current Cambodia judicial system still regards the quotes of word from the senior government for republication as the defamation and disinformation, I personally think that the both Cambodian people and journalist will be afraid of speaking out and reporting the accurate information.

• The media networks will be afraid to republish the accurate news and information by quoting words from someone or senior government officials.
• The press express will be decreasing because the complaint of the defamation and disinformation of repeat of words will be filed.
• The Cambodian people will be afraid of speaking out and repeating the word of senior government officials or others broadcasting on TV or radio or publishing on newspapers.
• Cambodian bloggers will be afraid to raise the concerns about the current society related to the government officials by repeating works and speech.

If the quotes and repeat of words from senior officials will still be regarded as disinformation and defamation suit, the freedom of express will be going down because people and independent media will not dare to quote or repeat word to republish. Where is the press expression?

Popularity: 4% [?]