'Fair, balanced reporting needed amid Cambodian crisis'

Funded by the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, which promotes democratic values under the aegis of Germany’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union party, the forum was titled “Cambodia’s vision over the next five years under the rule of the new government”. It aimed to lay out the territory for reporters under the rule of the new government, especially on issues of reforms and social justice.

Denis Schrey, Konrad-Adenauer Foundation representative, urged Cambodian media to make reforms and work towards progress in balanced reporting of both sides of the political divide. Cambodia’s political rift has reached a crisis point, with the opposition Cambodian National Rescue Party led by Sam Rainsy threatening to call a nationwide strike in protest against recent poll results it says were rigged to return Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party to power.       

Schrey said that though freedom of expression on social networks had improved, reforms were still needed across the rest of the media.

Elsewhere, the Cambodia National Rescue Party yesterday held a chanting vigil to commemorate victims of a grenade attack on a protest on March 30, 1997. 

Opposition party leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha, along other CNRP lawmakers, attended the ceremony held near the former home of the National Assembly. 

Speaking at the ceremony, CNRP leader Rainsy appealed to the Cambodian government to continue their efforts to capture the attackers and bring them to justice.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 100 injured when four grenades were thrown into a crowd that had gathered in a park across the street from the former National Assembly protesting the judiciary’s lack of independence and corruption.