The Cambodian Human Rights Committee has written to the US newspaper The Wall Street Journal requesting a formal apology to Cambodia and a revised headline. The request followed the newspaper’s April 19 investigative article about online scam crime in Cambodia, whose headline used the term “Scambodia.”
CHRC President Keo Remy wrote on his official Facebook page on April 22: “Online scams are a global problem that countries around the world and in the region are working together to combat and prevent. Online scam criminals and officials who collude in fraud are a separate matter. Yet you have given my country, with nearly 18 million people, a name that damages its reputation. This seriously harms the dignity of my country and my nation.”
Keo Remy said the Wall Street Journal article lacked journalistic professionalism and ethics and could cause misunderstanding and discrimination, seriously affecting the rights, dignity and reputation of Cambodia and what he described as its nearly 18 million people.
He stressed that although headlines seek attention, they should not smear, exaggerate or distort the facts, as this would undermine public trust and the value of press freedom. He therefore asked The Wall Street Journal to immediately remove “Scambodia” from the article and issue a correction or clarification reflecting accurate and balanced reporting; formally apologise to Cambodia for the headline; avoid derogatory terminology in future coverage; and revise the headline to present the issue accurately, fairly and without discrimination.
By ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
