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| Phay Siphom, spokesman for the Council of Ministers. Photograph: Heng Chivoan/Phnom Penh PostAdd caption |
Thursday, 11 October 2012
Abby Seiff and Chhay Channyda
The Phnom Penh Post
“Cambodia cannot act according to the US standard, just as the US cannot act on the Cambodian standard.” (sic!)
Officials from four government bodies along with a personal adviser to Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday urged two US government-funded radio stations to be more professional and law-abiding during a closed-door meeting at the Council of Ministers.
While little information was forthcoming regarding the content of the highly restricted meeting, several sources with knowledge of the proceedings, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the stations were dressed down for broadcasting stories considered to be too pro-opposition and anti-government.
In particular, the sources said, they focused on recent reporting of the Mam Sonando case and the murder of environmental activist Chut Wutty, saying they failed to present the government’s side to both stories.
Spokesman for the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan said he was unable to address specifics of the meeting, but stressed that it was “just a friendly meet”.
Asked whether the stations were accused of favouring the opposition, Siphan demurred, saying it was a “confidential” matter.
“We do not condemn anyone at RFA [Radio Free Asia] or VOA [Voice of America],” he continued. “But we need to improve the communication between the government and those media to not mislead or misunderstand each other.”
Siphan insisted the government had no intention to shut down the stations, but wanted to ensure they “abide by the law and regulations in Cambodia”.
“[They should] catch themselves.”
Similar meetings will be held in the near future with other foreign government-funded radio stations, he said, over concerns that they “don’t pay enough attention to our culture and law”.
“Cambodia cannot act according to the US standard, just as the US cannot act on the Cambodian standard.” (sic!)
Sean McIntosh, a spokesman for the US Embassy who attended the meeting, declined to discuss it, referring questions back to the Cambodian government.
Asked whether he was concerned about the criticisms levied at US-funded stations, McIntosh said: “The embassy supports and promotes freedom of expression in Cambodia. With regards to funding VOA and RFA in Asia, that is our primary objective.”
Officials at the ministries of Information, Foreign Affairs and Justice – who all had representatives at the meeting – could not be reached.
In addition to the government participants and station representatives, the head of the Club of Cambodian Journalists, Pen Samitthy, and historian Ros Chantrabot, a personal adviser to Hun Sen, were both in attendance and provided presentations on the at times contentious history of US-Cambodian relations and the aims of professional journalism, according to the anonymous sources.
Reached by phone, Chantrabot declined to comment on the discussions but said he was dismayed to see that just hours after the private meeting wrapped, information about it had appeared on local news website ECOKhmer.com.
“It’s an internal meeting as a dialogue between the government and those radio stations. We want to have a good relationship with each other and the meeting must not broadcasted,” he said.
In the ECO Khmer story, a confidential source is quoted as saying the stations will face “legal action” if they do not reform.
10 comments:
Yes Cambodia can only act according to Viet's standard .
Vietnam News outlet just signed MOU to let Vetcong Radio
to cover Cambodia election . Cambodia government want Khmer voters see no evil , hear no evil through VOA & RFA
because big cheating is needed and planned to override
popularity of CNRP .
Cambodia can adopt an American or western democracy in their country. But the reality, Cambodia can't have a different democracy as other dountries in Sounteast Asia or the ASEAN Members.
HUN XEN REGIME ONLY WANTED TO DO DIRTY JOB WITHOUT VOA OR RFA EXPOSE THEIR DIRTY WORK. THAT THE ONLY PROFESSION JOB THAT CPP REGIME DO. ROBS, STEALS, KILLS, KIND OF PROFESSIONS.
What Cambodia Standard? Vietcongs Standard sound more correct in Cambodia today. Vietcongs standard alive and well implemented in Cambodia by the dictator Hun Sen is norm.
Khmer Angkor.
Cambodian standard :
1) we must present about the prime minister first
2) only talk about cpp minisiter make donor to people
3) only talk good about government
បើវិទ្យុនឹងទូរទស្សន៏របស់គណបក្សប្រជាជនប្រមាតរិះគុនសព្វបែបយ៉ាងតាំងពីព្រឹកទល់អាធ្រាតថែមទាំងនាយករដ្ឋមន្តី្រជេរបញ្ចោប្រទេចផ្តាសា
គណបក្សប្រឆាំងនៅមុខនិស្សឹតទើបតែចេញពីសាលាស្ទើររាល់ថ្ងៃ នោះហើយឫដែលហៅថា
វប្បធម៍ខ្មែរ។ ពួកឯងមើលឃើញថ្ងៃអស្តគតជឹតមក
ដល់ហើយ ខំប្រវេប្រវ៉ាត្រដររកខ្យល់ ប៉ន្តែយ៉ាងណាថ្ងៃនៅតែលិចដដែល។ ប្រយ័ត្តរកដីកប់គ្មាន។
An autocratic regime which is about to see its end reacted strangely and erratically to anything that people have said.
B.T
Isn't 99.99% of the media inside Cambodia, such as radio, television, and newspaper already controlled by the CPP? And internet sites are also monitored by the CPP. Why is the CPP whining about US-based radio stations being unfair? I guess in Hun Sen's world, he would rather have Radio Free Asia broadcast stories about how beautiful and almighty Hun Sen is. Hun Sen would love that type of shit.
This is how communist shithead control the country, "VIETCONG STYLE" implemented by former Khmer Rough- Ah Hun Shit.
Dear Mr. Siphan,
Sir, by all accounts on whatever the issues maybe, I think you should speak Khmer since it is your natural language and perhaps, maybe you are even better with Khmer language, but once you are trying to speak english with another journalist, you are making it rather hard to comprehend, sir. In addition, no one has pressured you, sir, to speak English since there are always translators around Cambodia to help you. A person of your position ought to remain professional at all time sir. When you speak english which is not your own natural language did you more harm than good, although it is greatly appreciated when you are trying, but it did not help your listerners for one bit. Please speak Khmer since you are not a professional english speaker as in your nature to do so.
I hope you would take this advice as a word to the wise, sir.
Thank you.
XMEN
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