There are a lot of land conflicts and human rights issues in my community. Citizen journalists can highlight issues happening in the communities and bridge the gap between the concerned people and local authorities”, a trained citizen journalist in Kampot province said.
Mr. Um Vichet, aged 43, became a team leader of citizen journalists in Kampot province in 2019. After joining many capacity building activities organized by CCIM, he is now busy digging out many community issues, especially related to illegal logging and land issues, in his home province.
He is so active and passionate about helping the communities fight against illegal land grabbing and to hold those in power to account. He is quickly expanding his knowledge and confidence in ethical journalism and news writing skills, especially reporting on human rights and land conflicts. Most importantly, he is building a strong network with local people and provincial news journalists and made good relation with authorities whenever he needs them to answer in the reports.
Reporting Community Issues
His first outstanding report was published on 27th September 2019 on Facebook CJ News Page entitled “Kampot Authorities Call Three Protestors for Questioning over Land Dispute” was produced in both article and video reporting formats in which the later received great engagement with 40 likes, 1 comment, 93 shares and 2.4K views.
Another report which also received great engagement on social media posted on CJ News Page is entitled “Takeo Authorities Order to Evict 63 Families over Alleged Illicit Land Ownership Rights” garnering 6.3 likes, 418 comments, 10.6 k shares and 282K views.
Moreover, one of his reports that stands out and attracts wide audience on social media is the video report when he covered the ongoing controversial conflict between villagers and militant families, whom the latter are given social land concession by the government in Udom Sre Pus community in Kampong Speu province on 30 May 2022.
His video report entitled “Udom Sre Pus Community Sadden by Huge Loss of Forest and No Immediate Solution” got a great engagement with 257 likes, 1200 shares, 13 comments and 18.4K views.
Improving Journalism Skills
Through field mentoring and coaching support by CCIM on 17 to 21 August 2021, Mr. Vichet and his team had the opportunity to enhance their journalistic skills and story development such as brainstorming story ideas, identifying relevant sources, catching story angles, interviewing skills and writing reports.
Seeing his potentials and commitment to his community, CCIM team worked closely with him and assigned him to address the notorious case concerning the controversial land issue which exposes the local authorities involved in illicit documentation and selling of community land to private companies. His report entitled “Land Protestors Accused Local Authorities of Conspiracy to Sell Community Lands to Private Companies” was produced as in-depth report and published on VOD news website on 7th September 2021.
To widen the publication of this issue, CCIM team produced it into a video report and posted on Facebook CJ News Page, which got 29 likes, 41 shares and 1.3K views.
Until now, Mr. Vichet has produced a total of 20 reports covering land issues, good governance, environmental and election issues.
Applying Team Leadership
As one of the newly recruited citizen journalist team leaders who underwent training on “Basic Leadership” and “Basic Journalism Skills” organized by CCIM in February 2021, Vichet was challenged to recruit more citizen journalists in his locality.
One of his recruits in Kampot province, Mrs. Mak Sreynam, aged 22, learns about the citizen journalists’ network from Mr. Um Vichet who explained to her the role of citizen journalists in promoting local information.
“Mr. Vichet gave us a lot of opportunities to join capacity building and to understand the project. He took time to explain to the members about the importance of independent media and role of citizen journalist in voicing out community issues. Now, I can highlight land conflicts between citizens and accused company or authorities”, she said.
Sreynam said she acquires new knowledge in Basic Journalism and Mobile Journalism Training and deeply appreciates the support from her team leader to be part of citizen journalists’ network in Cambodia.
Between 2019 and 2022, CCIM have expanded citizen journalist networks in 23 provinces across the country by engaging 138 community people in capacity training, including 46 CJs recruited as “team leaders” and 92 CJs recruited as “members”.
As of 2021, CCIM have trained over 400 CJs in all provinces in Cambodia, in which 205 CJs considered “active” including 118 males, 82 females and 5 LGBTQs. (Pich Chamrong)
