A commemorative service at Hotel Le Royale.By Khmerization
Source: RFA
Thirty one international veteran journalists who covered the Cambodian civil war in the 1970s have come together in their first ever reunion to commemorate their fallen colleagues who were killed during the war from 1970-75, reports Radio Free Asia.
On the afternoon of Thursday, they have gathered in front of the Hotel Le Royale, where a memorial will be built, to honour journalists killed covering the war. The hotel was chosen because it was where most journalists were based during the war. The event was attended by more than 100 government officials, 31 international veteran journalists as well as local journalists.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who presided over the ceremony, said in the first two years of the war from 1970-71, more journalists had died than the rest of the war years.
Former Information Minister in the Khmer Republican regime from 1970-75, Mr. Chhang Song, speaking in English, said using the ground of Hotel Le Royale, then known as Hotel Le Phnom, to build a future memorial is an ideal place because it was where most of the journalists were based at that time.
66 year-old Tim Page, who covered the Cambodian war from 1970-75 for the American Time Life magazine, told RFA reporter that war has never been a good choice. "Maybe you are still very young and cannot remember the war. War is no good. Whenever you have ended the war, then it means that you have done something for peace", he said.
73 year-old Kong Vorn, a correspondent for Japanese Kyodo News, said he had lost a few colleagues in the war. "Among them was Yong Samleng who was an assistant for CBS News, who died on National Highway One on 31st May 1970. The second person is Chhim Sarath, who is my work colleague, who went missing and was presumed killed on National Highway One on 25th April 1972. He was a translator for UPI (United Press International)", he said.
The commemoration service on Thursday was held to commemorate the deaths of 9 journalists killed by the Khmer Rouge forces in Wat Po Pagoda on 31st May 1973 (1971?).
Mrs. Yoko Ishiyama, widow of Kyodo News journalist Koki Ishiyama, who was killed during the war, also attended the ceremony. "My husband was killed in Cambodia in Kampong Speu province. So, I have come here to commemorate his spirit", she said.
Sok Sambath, a 71 year-old witness of the Wat Po massacre of 9 journalists in Kampong Speu province on 31 May 1971, said he has seen the massacre with his own eyes. "When they (the Khmer Rouge) captured them, they didn't capture them here. Those soldiers said they captured them from Saingkasey area and they were brought to be detained at a hall in Wat Po pagoda for about 2 nights. On the second night, they all have disappeared from the pagoda, they were killed in the pagoda compound. I saw they were brought in a small car with their hands tied up. At that time, there were 5 of them", he said.
Mr. Keo Sithorn, a correspondent for The New York Times, said there was a Cambodian journalist among the 5 killed at Wat Po (derived from the word 'Bodhi'). "There was only one Khmer (journalist) who was killed here and his name was Yong Samleng, alias Kha-nhey, who was a native of Battambang province", he said.
During their trip to Cambodia, which started on Tuesday 20th, the veteran journalists not only held a commemorative services for the 9 killed at Wat Po, but paid their homage to the other dead journalists during the war as well.
Mr. Jacques Leslies, a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, said the planting of a Bodhi tree during the ceremony was a symbol of renewal and hope. "It is a symbol of renewal and hope that helps to relieve the tragedy which is a small part for the journalists, but most importantly it is for the Cambodian people. I hope the planting of this Bodhi tree is a symbol of a new Cambodian era full of happiness and prosperity", he said.
According to a document obtained by RFA, there were 37 Cambodian and international journalists, including American, Australian, British and Japanese journalists, have been killed during the 5 years Cambodian civil war from 1970-95.
Source: RFA
Thirty one international veteran journalists who covered the Cambodian civil war in the 1970s have come together in their first ever reunion to commemorate their fallen colleagues who were killed during the war from 1970-75, reports Radio Free Asia.
On the afternoon of Thursday, they have gathered in front of the Hotel Le Royale, where a memorial will be built, to honour journalists killed covering the war. The hotel was chosen because it was where most journalists were based during the war. The event was attended by more than 100 government officials, 31 international veteran journalists as well as local journalists.
Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, who presided over the ceremony, said in the first two years of the war from 1970-71, more journalists had died than the rest of the war years.
Former Information Minister in the Khmer Republican regime from 1970-75, Mr. Chhang Song, speaking in English, said using the ground of Hotel Le Royale, then known as Hotel Le Phnom, to build a future memorial is an ideal place because it was where most of the journalists were based at that time.
66 year-old Tim Page, who covered the Cambodian war from 1970-75 for the American Time Life magazine, told RFA reporter that war has never been a good choice. "Maybe you are still very young and cannot remember the war. War is no good. Whenever you have ended the war, then it means that you have done something for peace", he said.
73 year-old Kong Vorn, a correspondent for Japanese Kyodo News, said he had lost a few colleagues in the war. "Among them was Yong Samleng who was an assistant for CBS News, who died on National Highway One on 31st May 1970. The second person is Chhim Sarath, who is my work colleague, who went missing and was presumed killed on National Highway One on 25th April 1972. He was a translator for UPI (United Press International)", he said.
The commemoration service on Thursday was held to commemorate the deaths of 9 journalists killed by the Khmer Rouge forces in Wat Po Pagoda on 31st May 1973 (1971?).
Mrs. Yoko Ishiyama, widow of Kyodo News journalist Koki Ishiyama, who was killed during the war, also attended the ceremony. "My husband was killed in Cambodia in Kampong Speu province. So, I have come here to commemorate his spirit", she said.
Sok Sambath, a 71 year-old witness of the Wat Po massacre of 9 journalists in Kampong Speu province on 31 May 1971, said he has seen the massacre with his own eyes. "When they (the Khmer Rouge) captured them, they didn't capture them here. Those soldiers said they captured them from Saingkasey area and they were brought to be detained at a hall in Wat Po pagoda for about 2 nights. On the second night, they all have disappeared from the pagoda, they were killed in the pagoda compound. I saw they were brought in a small car with their hands tied up. At that time, there were 5 of them", he said.
Mr. Keo Sithorn, a correspondent for The New York Times, said there was a Cambodian journalist among the 5 killed at Wat Po (derived from the word 'Bodhi'). "There was only one Khmer (journalist) who was killed here and his name was Yong Samleng, alias Kha-nhey, who was a native of Battambang province", he said.
During their trip to Cambodia, which started on Tuesday 20th, the veteran journalists not only held a commemorative services for the 9 killed at Wat Po, but paid their homage to the other dead journalists during the war as well.
Mr. Jacques Leslies, a correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, said the planting of a Bodhi tree during the ceremony was a symbol of renewal and hope. "It is a symbol of renewal and hope that helps to relieve the tragedy which is a small part for the journalists, but most importantly it is for the Cambodian people. I hope the planting of this Bodhi tree is a symbol of a new Cambodian era full of happiness and prosperity", he said.
According to a document obtained by RFA, there were 37 Cambodian and international journalists, including American, Australian, British and Japanese journalists, have been killed during the 5 years Cambodian civil war from 1970-95.
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