journalists

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 569

“Siem Reap: When three journalists saw a truck that had an accident and was turned over – transporting fuel – along Road 67B at Dai Ao in Srae Nouy, they stopped their car and got off to take pictures of the accident immediately. But they were ordered to leave immediately and abused with rude words, because they did not accept to leave. Then two men from a Mitsubishi car which came, with a license plate of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces [RCAF] with the umber 2 2809, jumped out and hit the journalists with their hands and kicked them and brutally twisted their arms and boxed them.

“This event, where merchants were transporting fuel, depending on an Oknha in Phnom Penh, where journalists were hit, happened at 3:30 p.m. on 14 July 2008 at Dai Ao in Srae Nouy, Varin, in Siem Reap province.

“One journalist reported to Khmer Sthapana that on that day, he and five other people with three cars traveled to the Anlong Veng district. When they arrived at the site of an accident, they saw an overturned truck carrying fuel at the pedestrian lane of the road. So the three journalists parked their cars to see the accident. At the same time, men unloading the fuel threatened them, ‘What are the three of you doing here? You have no right here. If anyone wants to take pictures of me I do not allow it, because you all are from some unknown newspaper; just get away! You know this belongs to Oknha Hun To [Prime Minister Hun Sen’s nephew]; but you know nothing!’ Then the journalists started to ask whether the truck has a legal permit or not for this kind of transport. About 15 minutes later, another car with a RCAF license plate arrived, and a man from that car asked who took photos. Suddenly that man hit Mr. Te Limhak, a journalist from Damneung Khmer Pises, then one of the merchants continued to hit him seriously so that his mouth was bleeding and he kicked him. After that, that man ordered his followers to take tubes to threaten them and shouted that such unknown journalists should not be allowed to be here.

“Mr. Khut Khatna, aged 45, who is a reporter and the publishing editor of Chbas Kar, said that the three journalists which were attacked are 1. he himself, Khut Khatna, male, aged 45; he lives in Ou Thkov village, Roleab commune, Sampov Meas district, in Pursat province, and he is the editor of Chbas Kar – his lip on the right side was injured, and his nasal bone was broken, and he still feels internal pain; 2. Te Limhak, male, aged 37, he lives in Siem Reap and is a reporter of Damneung Khmer Pises, was injured on his face and neck, he was kicked twice and his camera was broken; and 3. Sim Socheat, aged 38, a reporter of Samakum Apyeakret Pracheathipatai in Siem Reap – he was able to escape from the hitting. Knowing that merchants attacked the three journalists, citizens and especially those who are professional journalists in Siem Reap, cannot accept such events and they request that the police has to take action against those crooked people.

“Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Information Mr. Thieng Vandarong said that he received information that merchants attacked three journalists yesterday; however, this information is so far only reported from one side. Mr. Thieng Vandarong added that this behavior cannot be accepted, because the journalists had only something to write and cameras; if they just took photographs, the merchants have no justification to hit them; they violated the journalists’ rights to cover information. Therefore, being among the leadership of the Ministry of Information, he will ask the police and authorities of all levels to seek justice for those journalists.

“After the murder of Mr. Khim Sambo, a journalist of Moneaksekar Khmer, and of his son, the public strongly condemns such brutal acts conducted by cowardly people hiding behind the power of others. After all, the merchants hit the journalists just because they took photographs of the over-turned truck transporting fuel. Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #50, 16.7.2008

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Wednesday, 16 July 2008

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1694, 16.7.2008

• [Spokesperson of the Ministry of Interior] Khieu Sopheak: Investigation of the Shooting of Journalist [Mr. Khim Sambo and his son, who was 21 years old] Is Moving Forwards
• Official Development [grant] Aid [of US$897,247] of Japan [for the construction of a lower secondary school in Battambang and for the clearing of landmines in the community of Kamrieng, Battambang] Was Granted by Japanese Non-Government Organizations [School Aid Japan and Japan Mine Action Service]
• South Korea Will Summon Its Ambassador from Japan [because of a dispute over an island which is called Dokdo in Korean and Takeshima in Japanese]
• Iran Has Found Another New Big Oil Field [from which 1,100 million barrels can be extracted]

Khmer Sthapana, Vol.1, #50, 16.7.2008

• Three Journalists Were Attacked by Merchants Who Transport Illegal Fuel
• Fishing Boats of Vietnam Still Come to Do Fishing in the Khmer Sea Illegally

Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6398, 16.7.2008

• The Former Members of Rasmach’s Group [who were accused of having committed 13 separate kidnappings in which they netted more than $1.3 million before their leader was killed in August 2000] Who Were Free from Punishment Are Identified as the Group That Killed Dr. Keo Iev, Director of the Oral Fresh Water Company
• Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association – ADHOC – Calls for Actions to Prevent Anarchic Shootings

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3513, 16.7.2008

• [Vice-President of the Sam Rainsy Party] Mr. Kong Korm Asked the National Election Committee to Lock Up the Seals of Commune Councilors in Neutral Places around the Election Days [in order that they cannot be used to seal Forms 1018 – Form 1018 is an identity document required to vote, in case an eligible voter does not have a National Identification Card or a passport, or an identification card as a civil servant, as a member of the police, or an army identification card, a family booklet with an identification picture, or a document identifying a person as a monk – then their Commune Council could establish an identification using Form 1018]
• A Siem [Thai] Opposition Group Accused Forty Two High Ranking Officials of Betraying the Nation [by supporting the Cambodian proposal to list the Preah Vihear Temple as a World Heritage Site without presenting the case to the parliament for discussion]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4642, 16.7.2008

• 50 Thai [black-clad border protection unit] Soldiers Rushed into a Khmer Pagoda near the Preah Vihear Temple [after three Thai demonstrators were caught by Cambodian police, because they jumped across a fence of the Cambodian border checkpoint]
• A Bomb Exploded and Another Bomb Was Found in time; the Norodom Ranariddh Party Said It Was a Threat to One of Its Members [no one is injured – Moung Russey district, Battambang]
• The First Biogas Plant in Cambodia Set Up by a Korean Company [with investment from the MHBIO Energy Group, a Korean company] Will Start Producing in October of This Year [at Russey Keo, Phnom Penh]
• [Famous singer] Sokun Nisa Denied She Was the One Who Drove a Lexus and Hit a Truck [she said the driver was her friend, because she cannot drive, she sat at the back seat]

Samleng Yuvachun Khmer, Vol.15, #3360, 16.7.2008

• In Soklida’s Aunt [Ms. Ya Soknim] Said that Chea Ratha [In Soklida’s lesbian partner] Ruined Her Whole Life [because she was attacked with acid]

Have a look at the last editorial – The struggle towards openness and access to information happens in many places – and it may help to mutually learn from other experiences.

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