Overturned trucks transporting illegal logs seen here on 18th June 2009.By Khmerization
A group of 11 journalists based in Oddar Meanchey province have claimed that a group of soldiers who logged and transported timbers illegally have threatened them with guns, confiscated their cameras and briefly detained them on the night of 21st December, reports Radio Free Asia.
Mr. Chem Saruom, a member of the Journalist Association for Cambodia Watch who is among the 11 journalists detained, said he and 10 other journalists were travelling in a vehicle on the night of 31st December to Kaun village in Kaun Kreal commune in Oddar Meanchey province. On the way to the village, they saw two big trucks loaded with logs and timbers got stuck on the road. They took the pictures of the trucks and immediately a group of soldiers pointed the guns at them, confiscated their cameras and detained them. "(They detained us) last night. There were 11 journalists. Our group travelled to Kaun village, 100 metres from the border post and we saw two big trucks loaded with timbers getting stuck on the road. When we asked them no one can tell us anything, so we just took the pictures of the trucks. Immediately, about 10 soldiers dressed in border guard uniforms pointed the guns at us- 2 AKs, one pistol- threatened us, confiscated our cameras and their leader said 'those who are stubborn, strike them!' They threatened to beat us up. They detained us for about one hour", he said.
Mr. Pech Sokhin, Governor of Oddar Meanchey province, said he hasn't received any complaints about the threats by the soldiers toward the 11 journalists.
Mr. Pen Samithy, president of the Cambodian Journalists Club, said if the soldiers did really threaten those journalists as claimed, it is an unlawful act. "It is a threat and a violation that those journalists should explore for a possibility to protest through legal channels against that kind of action", he said.
In the past, in the northern provinces of Cambodia, some journalists have been threatened and beaten because some other journalists have used their media credentials to extort money from illegal loggers who are often powerful government officials and army officials.
A group of 11 journalists based in Oddar Meanchey province have claimed that a group of soldiers who logged and transported timbers illegally have threatened them with guns, confiscated their cameras and briefly detained them on the night of 21st December, reports Radio Free Asia.
Mr. Chem Saruom, a member of the Journalist Association for Cambodia Watch who is among the 11 journalists detained, said he and 10 other journalists were travelling in a vehicle on the night of 31st December to Kaun village in Kaun Kreal commune in Oddar Meanchey province. On the way to the village, they saw two big trucks loaded with logs and timbers got stuck on the road. They took the pictures of the trucks and immediately a group of soldiers pointed the guns at them, confiscated their cameras and detained them. "(They detained us) last night. There were 11 journalists. Our group travelled to Kaun village, 100 metres from the border post and we saw two big trucks loaded with timbers getting stuck on the road. When we asked them no one can tell us anything, so we just took the pictures of the trucks. Immediately, about 10 soldiers dressed in border guard uniforms pointed the guns at us- 2 AKs, one pistol- threatened us, confiscated our cameras and their leader said 'those who are stubborn, strike them!' They threatened to beat us up. They detained us for about one hour", he said.
Mr. Pech Sokhin, Governor of Oddar Meanchey province, said he hasn't received any complaints about the threats by the soldiers toward the 11 journalists.
Mr. Pen Samithy, president of the Cambodian Journalists Club, said if the soldiers did really threaten those journalists as claimed, it is an unlawful act. "It is a threat and a violation that those journalists should explore for a possibility to protest through legal channels against that kind of action", he said.
In the past, in the northern provinces of Cambodia, some journalists have been threatened and beaten because some other journalists have used their media credentials to extort money from illegal loggers who are often powerful government officials and army officials.
2 comments:
nothing will happen mate. They are crook
Illegal loggings were always carried out by armed people and government officials. They never get punished, but it is the ones who caught them red-handed who often get punished.
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