Opposition party leader Sam Rainsy prays in front of the skulls on display at Choeung Ek memorial, 15 km (9 miles) south of Phnom Penh, during the 31th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge regime on April 17, 2006. It has been 31 years since the Khmer Rouge overthrew Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh and unleashed the genocide which killed an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Ratana Seng
Voice of America
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
17/04/2006
The opposition Sam Rainsy party (SRP) conducts a memorial ceremony to send merits to innocent victims who passed away from April 17, 1975 to 1979 during the Khmer Rouge regime.
This ceremony was conducted one day after the Cambodian New Year, at the holocaust center Beung Cheung Ek. This religious ceremony marks the 31st. anniversary of the Khmer Rouge invasion.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, SRP leader, says that this ceremony is to convey the merits to the victims and their families and justice for them.
This is the seventh time that this kind of ceremony is conducted and there were 50 monks who received alms.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith says that this kind of tragedy, a Khmer Rouge regime's legacy is not an instrument for any party to use to get popularity.
He says that the Cambodian People's party (CPP) is not conducting one because it does not want the people in the capital Phnom Penh and the countryside people to have conflict.
The Khmer Rouge invasion marks the tragedy for this city's people who have to evacuate, and the joy for the countryside people for the end of war. He says that in Cambodia, it is a unique situation since the Cambodian people have a civil war and kill one another.
He says that one side is laughing, and the other side is crying. Before 1975, the city people danced and had a good time, but the countryside people suffered bombings.
Khmer Rouge tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath says that after the Cambodian New Year (04-14-16) an official judges and prosecutors' names list will be announced for this tribunal hearings.
He says that the legal aspect of this tribunal will be final at the end of this year and the beginning of next year at the latest.
This ceremony was conducted one day after the Cambodian New Year, at the holocaust center Beung Cheung Ek. This religious ceremony marks the 31st. anniversary of the Khmer Rouge invasion.
Mr. Sam Rainsy, SRP leader, says that this ceremony is to convey the merits to the victims and their families and justice for them.
This is the seventh time that this kind of ceremony is conducted and there were 50 monks who received alms.
Government spokesman Khieu Kanharith says that this kind of tragedy, a Khmer Rouge regime's legacy is not an instrument for any party to use to get popularity.
He says that the Cambodian People's party (CPP) is not conducting one because it does not want the people in the capital Phnom Penh and the countryside people to have conflict.
The Khmer Rouge invasion marks the tragedy for this city's people who have to evacuate, and the joy for the countryside people for the end of war. He says that in Cambodia, it is a unique situation since the Cambodian people have a civil war and kill one another.
He says that one side is laughing, and the other side is crying. Before 1975, the city people danced and had a good time, but the countryside people suffered bombings.
Khmer Rouge tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath says that after the Cambodian New Year (04-14-16) an official judges and prosecutors' names list will be announced for this tribunal hearings.
He says that the legal aspect of this tribunal will be final at the end of this year and the beginning of next year at the latest.
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