Cambodian and United Nations staff of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia pray during a ceremony in the outskirts of Phnom Penh March 31,2006. The Extraordinary Chambers was established for the trial of Khmer Rouge leaders. The ceremony, a Cambodian tradition, normally takes place before the commencement of a project. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea
Michelle Lee (L), the U.N.'s deputy director of the court administration preparing the trials of ageing Khmer Rouge leaders on charges of genocide, takes part in a ceremony in the outskirts of Phnom Penh March 31, 2006. The ceremony, a Cambodian tradition, normally takes place before the commencement of a project. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea Spirit House built for swear in during Khmer Rouge judgment
31 March 2006
By Sok Serey
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
On Friday afternoon, officials from the Khmer Rouge tribunal had organized an offering ceremony before the building of a spirit house lodging the statue of Ta Dambang Dek (Grandpa Iron Wand) where the witnesses and the accused will swear in and promise to tell the truth during the opening of the upcoming Khmer Rouge tribunal.
During the ceremony, the master of the ceremony offered many foods and ceremonial offerings to the spirits of the land and water.
The ceremony was participated by Michelle Lee, the U.N.'s deputy director of the court administration, Sean Visoth, the administrative director for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as well as a number of other court employees.
Reach Sambath, the official in charge of news told a group of reporters that the ceremony was performed to show the world that Cambodian is prepared for the functioning of the tribunal.
Reach Sambath said: “In the future, those who will be summoned by the court, or those who will serve in the court, will have to swear to tell the truth, provide truthful statements during the court interview. According to custom, the tribunal is under the umbrella of the Cambodian court system, therefore, all UN and Cambodian court employees will function under Cambodian court system, this means that they have to follow Cambodian customs … according to both Cambodia and UN request, they want to have a spirit house so people can swear in.”
The construction of spirit house and the status of Ta Dambang Dek will be completed in May 2006.
Reach Sambath said that the administration of the tribunal is pursuing its work, and that the Cambodian and International prosecutors and judges will start their work at the courthouse in mid 2006 because the government and the UN is busy exchanging enrollment list.
At the beginning of March, the Document Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) which is in charge of finding the truth on the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime between 1975-1979, had arranged for 500 important witnesses of the Khmer Rouge regime to visit Tuol Sleng, the Khmer rouge torture center, and Choeung Ek, the common grave established by the Khmer Rouge, to remind these witnesses of life under this regime.
During the ceremony, the master of the ceremony offered many foods and ceremonial offerings to the spirits of the land and water.
The ceremony was participated by Michelle Lee, the U.N.'s deputy director of the court administration, Sean Visoth, the administrative director for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as well as a number of other court employees.
Reach Sambath, the official in charge of news told a group of reporters that the ceremony was performed to show the world that Cambodian is prepared for the functioning of the tribunal.
Reach Sambath said: “In the future, those who will be summoned by the court, or those who will serve in the court, will have to swear to tell the truth, provide truthful statements during the court interview. According to custom, the tribunal is under the umbrella of the Cambodian court system, therefore, all UN and Cambodian court employees will function under Cambodian court system, this means that they have to follow Cambodian customs … according to both Cambodia and UN request, they want to have a spirit house so people can swear in.”
The construction of spirit house and the status of Ta Dambang Dek will be completed in May 2006.
Reach Sambath said that the administration of the tribunal is pursuing its work, and that the Cambodian and International prosecutors and judges will start their work at the courthouse in mid 2006 because the government and the UN is busy exchanging enrollment list.
At the beginning of March, the Document Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) which is in charge of finding the truth on the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime between 1975-1979, had arranged for 500 important witnesses of the Khmer Rouge regime to visit Tuol Sleng, the Khmer rouge torture center, and Choeung Ek, the common grave established by the Khmer Rouge, to remind these witnesses of life under this regime.
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