Monday, June 2, 2014

# 10 A few questions for Scott Neeson and the Cambodian Children's Fund, dated 2nd June 2014


Scott Neeson
Executive Director
Cambodian Children’s Fund
Phnom Penh                                                                                       

2nd  June 2014

Dear Scott

In the interests of transparency and accountability, I will be posting all of my correspondence with you and others at the Cambodian Children’s Fund online.

As I have mentioned in previous correspondence, my 40 years of experience as a filmmaker has made me fully aware of the need that my documentary, “Searching for Sokayn” be factually accurate; that there be nothing in it that is defamatory. From rough cut stage onwards I will be in close consultation with legal counsel to make sure that there is nothing in the film that would give the Cambodian Children’s Fund reason to sue me.

As is abundantly clear from all of our previous correspondence, you have no intention of putting me in contact with Chuan, Ka, Sokayn and Sokourn (my own phonetic spellings) and the rest of their family in order that I be able to fulfill my promise to buy it a block of land in  Prey Veng – in return for the family’s generosity in allowing me, and my camera, into their lives as they lived and worked in the old Phnom Penh dump. If I fail to locate the family, audience members will be able to draw their own conclusions as to why you should wish to prevent me from fulfilling my promise to the family.

Whilst my search for the family provides my documentary with its central narrative spine, I am interested also in talking with (a) children who have ‘graduated’ from the Cambodian Children’s Fund and are now, as adults, either reaping the benefits of the education and care they received at the hands of CCF or who have reservations about their experiences, (b) former members of CCF staff in a position to tell me (and my camera) how the realities of how CCF cares for children match the rhetoric to be found in CCF’s glossy brochures, online and in the many interviews you have given about CCF and (c) the parents of children who were removed from their care by CCF and are either happy with the state of affairs that transpired or upset to have lost their children and to have their access to them severely limited.

I have made contact with some Cambodians in all three of these categories but, in the interests of balance, invite you to let former child clients, former employees (both Khmer and expatriate) know that I would be interested in whatever perspective they may wish to provide me with. Please feel free to pass my email address on to them.

One question that “Searching for Sokayn” will address is the employment of James Mc Cabe to work with children at CCF. As you know, as a criminal convicted of an indictable drug offence (including violence and corruption) Mr Mc Cabe would not be allowed, under Australian law, to work with children in Australia. Despite this, you have in the past publicly defended Mr Mc Cabe. Do you believe, in June 2014, that your employment of and support for Mr Mc Cabe is appropriate?

best wishes

James Ricketson

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