Letter of support for French-language daily Cambodge Soir to the attention of Mr. Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie June 15, 2007 addressed by journalists based in Asia, France and elsewhere
The Board Mekong Publishing, publisher French-language daily Cambodge Soir , decided June 12, 2007, to close the newspaper on the grounds of official
"bankruptcy", even if the real reason is, according to writing in Phnom Penh, more related to the publication on a st June, an article reporting on a report by the NGO Global Witness for the prosecution against the government forest policy. The author of this article was sacked without the labor law applies, creating an unacceptable precedent. His colleagues decided to strike his reinstatement. Faced with the refusal of management to raise this question, the wording has agreed to relax its position by asking for "clarifications" about the motivations that led to this decision, clarification that the management was unwilling to provide. Although the report by Global Witness namely put into question some members of government, including Prime Minister himself, the authorities would have taken no Cambodge Soir. The decision to return the author of the article, then close the newspaper, has been made unilaterally by management, without it be subjected to any pressure.
We journalists stationed in Cambodia, Asia or elsewhere around the world condemn this decision and deplore the closure of a newspaper that, during its twelve years of operation has proved its independence and professionalism. From a modest adventure at its inception in 1995, Cambodge Soir , hard work, discipline and selflessness, managed to become one sources of information are more reliable and more objective in the region. It was, for us, become a reference for reading the Cambodian society and issues which cross it. It is precisely its independence and ensure objectivity, the very ones who are punished today, which made it an invaluable tool. Cambodge Soir could just be a community newspaper recounting the news of expatriates. He has constantly striven to avoid this pitfall. These are skills Cambodian and French, these months apprehension and understanding of Cambodia, this memory is simply the latest developments in the kingdom who are now denied. They are twelve years and nearly 3000 numbers scanned from their cuffs. A huge waste of human and professional.
Faced with this mess, can we sit idly by? La Francophonie has throughout the years supported this endeavor. Can she ignore it now? Can she let it go this vector of La Francophonie? Can she let escape a team of journalists and French translators who, undoubtedly, will abandon the practice of this language? Can it be resigned to no longer have daily French press when she is fighting for this for almost fifteen years? Can consider that the only independent sources of information will be in English with an Anglo-Saxon? In short, should we send this strong signal if the decline of French and his ideas? Reject this decision taken by a handful of people who, in their own words, not the "same design Development of Cambodia as a dedicated editorial team independence and respect for facts.
Signatories:
1) Jean-Christophe Adde (France 3 journalist , jean christophe.adde @ laposte.net )
2) Isolda Agazzi (Journalist Infosud , Geneva, iagazzi@infosud.org)
3) Valerie Allasia (Journalist Nice Matin, Grasse, vallasia@nicematin.fr)
4) Frederic Amat (Correspondent Le Gavroche, Siem Reap, FACG@online.com.kh)
5) Jerome Barbier (freelance journalist, Paris jeromebarbier@hotmail.com )
6) Belgian Frederick (Editor-in-Chief Le Gavroche, Bangkok, frederic.belge @ laposte.net )
7) Berelowitch Irene (freelance journalist, Paris, irene.berelowitch @ laposte.net )
8) Birolli Bruno (Correspondent Le Nouvel Observateur, Beijing, bbirolli@nouvelobs.com )
9 ) Bernard Boudic ( Journalist Ouest-France and president of the Brotherhood West, Rennes, bernard.boudic @ West france.fr )
10) Jerome Boruszewski (freelance journalist, Phnom Penh, jboruszewski@hotmail.com )
11) Timothy Boutry (Reporter Parisien / Today in France , Paris, tboutry@yahoo.com )
12) Marc Brabant (Journalist magazine of the French Alliance , Bangkok, c. / o. sophie.jumelle-anne @ alliance-francaise.or.th )
13) Raymond Burke (Illustrator Releases 24 Heures, Lausanne , Raymond.Burki @ edipresse.ch )
14) Corinne Callebaut (Journalist 20 Minutes , Paris, ccallebaut@20minutes.fr )
15) Patrick Chappatte (Illustrator News International Herald Tribune - Le Temps, Geneva, chappatte@globecartoon.com )
16) Yvan Cohen (Director OnAsia Images , Bangkok, Yvan@onasia.com )
17) Florence Compain (Correspondent Le Figaro, Bangkok, Fcompain@compuserve.com)
18) Jean-Claude Coutausse (Photographer World , Paris, jeanclaude@coutausse.com)
19) Dao Thanh Huyen (journalist and journalism trainer, Hanoi, daohuyen@hotmail.com)
20) Eric Lavarène (Correspondent Hamsa Press agency and a founding member of Cambodge Soir, Islamabad, eric2lavarene@gmail.com)
21) Patrick Noirmont (Photo independent journalist patrick@noirmont.com )
22) Frederick Deligne (Press cartoonist Nice Matin, Nice, @ Deligne Deligne . en )
23) Charlotte Demart (Journalist The Generalist , Paris, charlotte.demarti @ fr.cmpmedica.com )
24) Dervieux Pascal (France Info Journalist, Paris, Pascal.DERVIEUX @ radiofrance.com )
25) Agnes Dherbeys (Photographer Cosmosphoto , Paris, agnesdherbeys@yahoo.fr )
26) Arnaud Dubus (RFI correspondent Liberation , Bangkok, arnauddubus@yahoo.com )
27) Patrick Durand (Journalist Abaca Press , Bangkok patrick.durand @ mac.com )
28) Dominique Esway (Journaliste France Info , Paris, Dominique.ESWAY@radiofrance.com )
29) Thierry Falise (Photoreporter indépendant,
30) Danièle Fonck (Journaliste Tageblatt et Présidente de l’Union de la Presse French - Section
Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, dfonck@tageblatt.lu)
31) Stephen Welsh (Editor-in-chief Seafood , Rennes s.gallois @ infomer.fr )
32) Gérault Fabienne (freelance journalist and journalism trainer, Orne, geraultfab @ wanadoo. en)
33) Damien Glez (Press cartoonist Le Journal du Jeudi, Ouagadougou, damien@glez.org )
34) Thomas Haley (Reporter-photographer, Sipa Press , thomas.haley @ wanadoo.fr )
35) Solenn Honorine (Correspondent RFI , Jakarta, s.honorine @ gmail.com )
36) Pierre Hurel ( Journalist Issue "7-8" - TF1 )
37) Anne-Sophie Twin (Journalist Magazine French Alliance, Bangkok, sophie.jumelle-anne @ alliance-francaise.or.th )
38) Solomon Kane (Correspondent Ouest-France, Bangkok, solomon@loxinfo.co.th )
39) Ky Soklim (RFI correspondent ,
40) Marc Kreuter (Journalist The Generalist , Paris, marc.kreuter @ fr.cmpmedica.com )
41) Patrick La Prairie (Journalist Ouest France, Rennes, patrick.laprairie @ West france.fr)
42) Isabelle Labeyrie (France Info Journalist, Paris, Isabelle.LABEYRIE @ radiofrance.com )
43) Julien Lecuyer (Journalist La Voix du Nord Lille, jlecuyer@lavoixdunord.fr )
44) Michel Martin (Journalist The New Caledonian , Noumea, michel.martin @ lnc . n)
45) Philippe Minard (editor in chief The New Caledonian , Noumea, pminard@lnc.nc )
46) Mix and remix (Designer of the weekly press , Lausanne, mix@mixremix.ch )
47) Kai Namshai (Cameraman France 24, Bangkok, namshai@hotmail.com )
48) Pierre Paccaud (freelance journalist, Bangkok pierre@inet.co.th )
49) Cyril Payen (France 24 Grand reporter ,
50) Marc Pennec (see Grand Ouest-France, Rennes, Marc.Pennec @ West france.fr )
51) Gregory Phillips (Journalist France Info , Paris, Gregory.PHILIPPS @ radiofrance.com )
52) Eleanor Pichard ( freelance journalist, Paris, norapichard@free.fr )
53) Plénacoste Philippe (Director Le Gavroche, Bangkok, direction@gavroche-thailande.com )
54) Poissonier Rémi (France 3 journalist , Basque Country, rpoissonnier@yahoo.fr )
55) Jean-Claude Pomonti (Editor-in-chief Focus Southeast Asia , Bangkok, jc.pomonti @ gmail . com )
56) Christian Povéda (Photoreporter Agence VU & Filmmaker, christianpoveda@mac.com )
57) Marc Provot (Journaliste indépendant et formateur en journalisme, Paris, provot@aol.com )
58) Pierre Queffélec (Rédacteur-en-chef Lepetitjournal.com , Bangkok, pierre.queffelec @ lepetitjournal.com )
59) Franck Renaud ( Chargé de Mission for Asia ESJ-Lille , Hanoi, franck@fpt.vn )
60) François Renaut (Journalist Mail International , France 3, France 24 , Paris, frrenaut@gmail.com )
61) Vincent Reynaud (see images Journalist , Chiang Mai, vincent@frenchtvcam.com )
62) Bernard Richard (Grand reporter, Ouest-France,
63) Francis Rosso (Journalist Nice Matin, Nice, frosso@nicematin.fr)
64) Martin Rubio (Journalist Psychologies magazine , Paris, martin@psychologies.com )
65) Thierry Sabatier (Editor-in-Chief La Lettre de l'Expansion , Paris, tsabatier@groupe-exp.com )
66) Philippe Schwab (Correspondent Agence France -Presse, Vienna, phschwab@yahoo.fr )
67) Xavier Serre (Editor-in-Chief The New Caledonian , Noumea , @ xavier.serre lnc.nc)
68) Stephff (Press cartoonist The Nation, Bangkok, stephff@loxinfo.co.th )
69) Alain Thomas (Journalist, Toulouse, al1.thomas @ laposte.net)
70) Melody Tissot (freelance journalist, Paris, -)
71) Francis Turan (Correspondent Poi nt , Bangkok, francoistourane@yahoo.fr )
72) Carole Vann (News Agency Infosud , cvann@infosud.org )
73) John Vink ( Freelance photographer Magnum,
74) Olivier Weber ( Grand Point reporter, writer, president of Price Joseph Kessel Paris, oweber@lepoint.tm.fr )
75) Richard Werly (Correspondent for European Affairs Time , Brussels, richard.werly @ letemps.ch )
was also expressed their support:
1) Rene Aicardi (Delegate of the French Overseas, Hong Kong, aicardir@yahoo.fr )
2) Vincent Brossel (Asia Office of Reporters Without Borders, Paris, asie@rsf.org )
3) Francoise Callier (Angkor Photography Festival, frcallier@gmail.com )
4) Sylvie Grumbach ( Press Officer 2nd Office , sylvie.grumbach @ 2e-bureau.com )
5) Jerome Chambon (French Technology Press Office, Bangkok
6) Pierre-Arnaud Chouvy (Research Fellow at CNRS, pachouvy@geopium.org )
7) Gazeilles Vincent (General Counsel of the Hauts de Seine, vincent.gazeilles @ wanadoo.fr )
8) Catherine Godeau (Director, catherine.esway @ free.fr )
9) Mathieu Guerin (Lecturer, Caen, mathieu.guerin @ unicaen.fr )
10) Jean-Yves Le Déaut (MP PS Meurthe et Moselle, jyledeaut@assemblee-nationale.fr )
11) Valerie Muller (art historian, Geneva, valerie.muller @ bluewin.ch )
12) Dr. Koy Vanny (Endocrinologist-Internist University Hospital Calmette, Phnom Penh , koyvanny@yahoo.fr )
13) Marie-Ange Poyet (Documentary Filmmaker, Paris, jasdegarnier@hotmail.com )
14) Michael Sidman (councilor, Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne sidmanmy@bluewin.ch )
15) Satya Sivaraman (Avocate Asia Media Forum ,
16) Staraselski Valere (Ecrivain, Paris, Valere.Staraselski @ asmeg.org )
17) Sztanke Daniel (Chairman, Democratic Association of French Abroad, eupadi@samart.co.th )
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