An Irish journalist working in Cambodia has been arrested following a series of articles highlighting the plight of a group of Vietnamese refugees living in the jungles there. Liam Reid reports.
Mr Kevin Doyle was detained along with another reporter and a human rights worker last weekend by the Cambodian military while reporting in the Ratanakiri Province near the Vietnamese border.
He had written a series of articles, including a number for international publications, about hundreds of Montagnard hill-tribe people who had recently fled from the central highlands in Vietnam.
The Montagnards, who fought alongside the United States during the Vietnam War, had claimed persecution at the hands of the communist government.
There are now conflicting reports about the Cambodian military's intentions for Mr Doyle. It has been claimed he is charged with human trafficking offences, while other reports suggest he could be released as early as today. Mr Doyle (36), editor-in-chief of the English language Cambodia Daily, was detained on Friday in north-east Cambodia along with Radio Free Asia reporter Sok Rathavisal and human rights worker Mr Pen Bunna.
Originally from Lucan, Co Dublin, he has been living and working as a journalist in Cambodia since 1998. According to Mr Doyle's brother, Robert, the Irish Embassy in Beijing is making inquiries into his case, while the UN High Commission for Refugees and Amnesty International have also become involved. Mr Robert Doyle said the family had not been able to contact Kevin since the weekend. The Cambodian authorities have not officially informed Mr Doyle's wife, Anna, who lives with him in Phnom Penh, of his whereabouts.
A Cambodian general reportedly said yesterday the detainees may be released today. However, Radio Free Asia reported yesterday that a foreign affairs spokesman said the three had been charged with human trafficking.
While the Vietnamese government has denied persecuting the hill-tribe people, in 2001 more than 1,000 Montagnards who had fled to Cambodia were given asylum in the US.