Information Minister Shows a Plan for Constructing a Memorial for War-time Journalists

AKP Phnom Penh, June 29, 2011 –

Information Minister H.E. Khieu Kanharith met here on June 27 with Mr. Atsuo Kaneko, former Bureau Chief of Japan’s Kyodo News Agency to Saigon City, Vietnam and Ms. Yoko Ishiyama, a wife of war-time correspondent of Kyodo News Agency.

The discussion focused on the plan for constructing a memorial for the foreign journalists who were killed or died when they worked in Cambodia during the war time in 1970 through 1975.

H.E. Khieu Kanharith told the Japanese guests of the ministry’s endeavour in arranging to construct a memorial to pay respect to the dead or missing foreign journalists in the war time in Cambodia.

The figure of journalists or corresponds being killed or missing in Cambodia is higher than the number of journalists who were killed or missing in Vietnam War from 1970 to 1975, he said.

The site for building the memorial will be in garden park opposite Hotel Le Royal, where the foreign journalists and corresponds used then to sent messages by telex, he said.

At least 37 foreign journalists were killed or missing in Cambodia between 1970-1975.

10 Japanese journalists were among the 37 journalists who were killed or missing between 1970 and 1975 when the Khmer Rouge toppled the Lon Nol regime.

Japan accounts for the largest number of the 37 foreign journalists who were killed or missing in the Cambodian war between 1970-1975. The others include 8 from France, 7 from USA, four Cambodians, 2 from Switzerland, 1 from West Germany, 1 from Austria, 1 from Netherlands, 1 from India, 1 from Laos, and 1 from Australia.

Article in Khmer by Hun Yuth Kun
Article in English by THOU Peou