(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 24 February 2005 SEAPA capsule report: Political tension breeds anxiety, self-censorship in Cambodian media Political uncertainty in Cambodia, underscored by recent developments stripping three leading oppositionists of parliamentary immunity, is creating anxiety among the country’s journalists and giving rise to a troubling trend of self-censorship. On 3 February, Cambodia’s […]
(SEAPA/IFEX) – The following is a 24 February 2005 SEAPA capsule report:
Political tension breeds anxiety, self-censorship in Cambodian media
Political uncertainty in Cambodia, underscored by recent developments stripping three leading oppositionists of parliamentary immunity, is creating anxiety among the country’s journalists and giving rise to a troubling trend of self-censorship.
On 3 February, Cambodia’s National Assembly stripped three parliamentarians from the Sam Rainsy Party – party president Sam Rainsy, Chea Poch and Cheam Channy – and paved the way for mounting charges against the oppositionists.
Sam Rainsy and Chea Poch face defamation lawsuits lodged by Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who is concurrently president of the National Assembly and the FUNCINPEC party. The oppositionists had alleged that the prince accepted bribes to join the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) in a coalition government.
Sam Rainsy and Chea Poch managed to escape and flee Cambodia.
For his part, Cheam Channy was arrested and put in a military prison. He stands accused of organizing a private army, a charge the opposition denies. Opposition leaders insist that Cheam Channy was merely heading an above-board “shadow Cabinet” to monitor the government’s military activities.
Despite mounting international pressure to restore the parliamentary immunity of the three opposition lawmakers, the National Assembly appears to be standing its ground.
One consequence of the situation is that the Cambodian media is growing wary.
SEAPA sources say many members of the press – especially those who count themselves among the “opposition media” – are becoming overly cautious in their reportage and commentary. Though nobody has reported receiving any warning or intimidation from the government, some Cambodian editors acknowledge a tendency now for self-censorship.
“The lifting of immunity of [opposition parliamentarians] is a general threat to the freedom of the press,” says Mam Sonando, director of Beehive Radio FM105. Sonando says editors and reporters are concerned that government will “act against us if they [think] we have written anything defamatory.”
Sonando stresses that the station considers itself independent of both government and the opposition. All the same, he says Cambodian journalists are concerned that “if you don’t support [the government], they think [you] oppose them.”
Dam Sith, editor-in-chief of “Moneaksekar Khmer”, the only remaining opposition newspaper, shares Sonando’s concerns for the media.
Sith says “Moneaksekar Khmer” has softened its commentary and language when discussing government matters ever since the three opposition parliamentarians were stripped of their immunity.
“[The government] dared to act against parliamentarians, so they will surely act against us [if we make any mistakes],” he said.
“Moneaksekar Khmer” is currently fighting a lawsuit filed by the FUNCINPEC party after the paper called the National Assembly “the Packaged National Assembly”, following a vote that formed a coalition government between the CPP and the FUNCINPEC.
Related to this, Sith has twice been haled to the court for questioning. He notes, however, that the court does not use existing press laws to prosecute journalists. Instead the provisional criminal code of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) is what is now usually wielded against media members.
The editor of a pro-Sam Rainsy radio station in Phnom Penh said they have exercised self censorship to avoid trouble.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the editor says his station has reduced its coverage of oppositionists and has been more receptive to official releases from government. He added that the Ministry of Information now wants the station to record all its newscasts and to submit the same to the ministry every month.
