TRANSCRIPT:
Until March 14, more than 6 million Cambodians each week relied on VOA Khmer for trusted news about Cambodia, the U.S., and the world. But then we were silenced. My colleagues and I were placed on administrative leave by Kari Lake, senior advisor to VOA’s parent agency, USAGM.
My name is Chenda Hong and I am a reporter at VOA Khmer. For a decade, I have worked with VOA Khmer to expose and document corruption, human rights abuses and repression. I also host impactful programs such as “Hello VOA Health” and “Learning English.”
We were one of the last independent news outlets in Cambodia. Kari Lake knows this. In 2007, she traveled to Cambodia as a journalist. Her Emmy award-winning report, Danger Zone Cambodia, highlighted landmine dangers and humanitarian efforts. Now, that same Kari Lake is helping shut the Voice of America and its more than 45 language services, including the one broadcasting to Cambodia.
The Cambodian government has tried and failed to silence VOA Khmer and its journalists. We delivered unbiased and essential news to Cambodians and their diaspora around the world. If Kari Lake once believed that Cambodia’s story deserved to be told, she should fight for that today. Don’t let politics erase the truth. Call your representatives and help us save VOA.
Published
Hong grew up in Cambodia with a deep appreciation for independent journalism and its role in informing communities. For the past 11 years, she has worked with VOA Khmer as a TV host, reporter and programmer, producing and presenting news stories that often highlight underreported issues and voices that are not always covered by the mainstream media. Her reporting serves Cambodian audiences with timely, reliable and meaningful storytelling.