A CCIM-trained citizen journalist in Kandal province decided to work as a full-time journalist after his active media reporting and six-month internship with a media outlet that made him produced some viral reports.
Finding His Passion in Independent Media
Kheang Sokmean, aged 32, became a citizen journalist with Cambodian Center for Independent Media (CCIM) in May 2021. Sokmean recalls that he was invited by his team leader in Kandal province to join citizen journalist network with CCIM, but at that time he was still reluctant and curious about this work. “What is citizen journalism, really?” he asked. His early interest developed into a lifelong passion was the impact he wished to make in his community.
Hundreds of villagers in his community have long fought for their “solidarity land” in Ampov Prey commune, claiming that hundreds of hectares of community farm were secretly sold to tycoon Seang Chanheng’s Heng Corporation to construct the Phnom Penh new airport at that time. The disputed land was then transferred to the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation’s Phnom Penh airport project (OCIC) while around 400 families are still protesting and demanding fair compensation for the lost land.
This prolonged land conflict continued to irritate him day and night while the other land protestors in his community reported they were harassed and threatened by those in power to silent them from speaking to the media about the issue or stop their protest for their land rights completely.
Then, he decided to reach out to CCIM team and sought information about the Citizen Journalists Network (CJN). It was surprising at that time when a new recruited citizen journalist, who has not yet received any training, committed himself to report sensitive issues and made an impactful contribution later.
Sokmean said he rarely saw professional journalists or reporters came down to cover land conflicts in his area while the issues remain unsolved and their voices are not heard much in the media. He said citizen journalists can help address such problem faster and provide reliable information to the public if properly trained in journalism skills and media ethics.
Now, he finds his passion and love. His purpose with CJN is to contribute to his community development and become a professional journalist.
“I started my citizen journalist work after training with Cambodian Center for Independent Media. Citizen journalists always monitor and observe issues in their localities and bring those issues to relevant authorities for intervention. My goal is to become a professional journalist who can write stories in harmony with code of ethics”, he added.
Exclusive Reporting on Clashes in New Airport Protest
Despite no knowledge and skills, unexperienced Sokmean already played key role in highlighting the acts of violence by police against land protestors in the dispute over the new airport construction while independent journalists are taken way their press rights.
In July 2021, he produced the article entitled “People Lay Tends on the Disputed Land to Prevent Company from Occupying Their Land Rights” to highlight the hardship and struggle of land rights protestors in the long-standing conflict over the new airport construction developed by the Overseas Cambodia Investment Corporation (OCIC).
Sokmean then produced the follow-up stories to highlight the impact of the airport construction on the lives of the people who refuse to give up their lands, saying the amounts offered in payment by the company were unacceptable.
It was in the morning of September 12th that Sokmean ran up to film the clashes between police and hundreds of protestors who accused the authorities of provoking the violence and using disproportionate force against protestors. His video reporting was coordinated by CCIM team to be posted on CJ News Facebook page, which attracted the greatest engagement of the month with 469 likes, 45 comments, 2234K shares and 88.4 K views.
Mr. Sokmean is the only person who was able to document the clash when the Kandal authorities prevented all journalists from covering the protest, citing it was under police operation. Sokmean, who lives in the disputed area, got a scoop reporting from there in which the protestors accused the police of using tear gas and violence against the peaceful protestors, leading to the arrests of 30 people accused of injuring the police. The photos and videos of the shooting and clashes taken by the citizen journalists were used by other media such as VOD and VOA at the time independent reporters were barred from monitoring the airport protest.
Under CCIM’s guidance and support, Kandal CJ went to produce several videos interviewing the relatives of the detained protestors to describe how police beat and tortured their members unjustly, contradicting the claim made by the authorities using “self-defense” to justify their acts. Then, he also interviewed the spouses, whose husbands or wives were arrested, to express their pain and call for immediate release of their family members.
On 20th September 2021, Kandal provincial court issued letters to release nine remaining protestors on bail after CJ’s videos went viral and other independent media and local NGOs wowed to closely monitor this case.
He said citizen journalists play an important role in sharing community news to the media when professional journalists/ reporters cannot cover it.
“I am happy with my role as a citizen journalist with CCIM. I am glad because I shared what was happening in the disputed area of Kandal airport and revealed aggressive acts by the police against hundreds of land defenders. When professional journalists are barred from the site, citizen journalist is the only news purveyor and able to give voice to the voiceless and show the other side of the story which is different from police statement”, he added.
Advancing to Mid-Professional Level
Sokmean is the outstanding citizen journalist of the CJN with continued effort to scale up his journalism skills and received a six-month paid internship with Cambodian Journalists Alliance Associate (CamboJA) from March to August 2022.
CamboJA’s Capacity Development Program Officer Mrs. Phoun Kongkea reveals why the program offered him this opportunity based on his personal commitment and dedication to become a professional journalist.
During his internship with CamboJA, he had the opportunities to work with senior reporters and do the byline stories, performed real work of a journalist, and given chances to join external trainings. He also engaged in numerous capacity training such as investigative reporting, news writing and reporting on human rights, and others.
“We saw his potential and strong commitment and wanting to become a professional journalist. It is pleasing result to see citizen journalist advanced to mid or professional level. We want to see CJ can contribute and work more with PJs (professional journalist) too”, she added.
At the end of his internship with CamboJA, Sokmean produced approximately 50 stories, covering the general and pressing issues such as good governance, land rights, migration, media freedom, environmental protection, politics and other human rights issues. Upon the completion of his internship, he was assigned as freelance journalist with CamboJA in which he can continue performing his reporting work.
CCIM’s Media Department Director Mrs. Chhan Sokunthea said it is a satisfactory result to see some well-trained CJs move from basic to mid or professional level of career development. She states the people who are interested in independent media and citizen journalist network will contribute to the right to access to information and press freedom in Cambodia.
“Our purpose with CJN is to train ordinary people to participate in news reporting and address local issues facing them. Some CJs dream high and we want to see happen as well”, she added.
After becoming member of citizen journalist network, Sokmean has undergone many trainings; namely Basic Journalism & Mobile Journalism, Digital Security Training and Legal Aspects of Press Law and Freedom of Expression. Up until now, Sokmean produced over 100 news articles and videos, mostly focused on land conflicts, good governance, and environmental protections etc.
This case demonstrates the indispensable role of CCIM-trained citizen journalist to contribute to press freedom and open governance amidst the government crackdowns on independent journalists, civil society and dissent voices. (Pich Chamrong)
