By Thet Sambath and Douglas Gillison
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
For the sake of "peace, development and security" in Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge tribunal should be scrapped and the money spent on irrigation systems, said Thang Thoun, who was second deputy chief of Democratic Kampuchea's Politburo from 1975 to 1978.
But if the tribunal does go ahead, then the prosecutors must investigate all those who either gave orders to kill or personally killed people themselves, said Thang Thoun, who declined to reveal where he now lives for fear of being targeted by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
"The trial system is like a son who uses drugs but his parents were arrested and tried instead. I agree to the penalty but my son must also be tried," he said by telephone this week.
Thang Thoun said he was moved to speak out following a recent statement by retired King Norodom Sihanouk, who wrote that the tribunal was a costly exercise mat would achieve very little.
"I’ve had the same idea as Norodom Sihanouk for a long time and his idea is right for the Cambodian people, for peace, development and security in this country," Thang Thoun said.
Norodom Sihanouk on Saturday said he opposed the tribunal because it will try only a "handful" of "super-torturers and killers" and that its "colossal" $56 million budget would be better spent on poverty alleviation.
Suon Samnang, who once commanded the 801st Brigade of the Khmer Rouge 823rd Battalion, also said the tribunal should be extended to all levels of the former regime, and even to his former revolutionary colleagues who are still members of the government.
"If they try the lower leaders, they will point at who ordered them to do it and it will be like a chain," he said by telephone from a location he did not disclose, also for fear of being tracked down by the ECCC.
"I want a trial of leaders from all levels, from the cooperatives up to the top," he said, adding that only a wide-ranging trial of former regime members could be considered just.
Suggesting other potential uses for the tribunal's budget is a pointless exercise, as the money has been designated for the trials and is not for Cambodia to spend as it sees fits, said Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project. "Even if we say we don’t want this tribunal, it does not mean this money will be given to Cambodia," Sok Sam Oeun said.
The $56.3 million tribunal budget will be spent over a three-year period and the process will hopefully serve as a model for judicial reform in Cambodia—and that will make it worth the cost he added.
But if the tribunal does go ahead, then the prosecutors must investigate all those who either gave orders to kill or personally killed people themselves, said Thang Thoun, who declined to reveal where he now lives for fear of being targeted by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
"The trial system is like a son who uses drugs but his parents were arrested and tried instead. I agree to the penalty but my son must also be tried," he said by telephone this week.
Thang Thoun said he was moved to speak out following a recent statement by retired King Norodom Sihanouk, who wrote that the tribunal was a costly exercise mat would achieve very little.
"I’ve had the same idea as Norodom Sihanouk for a long time and his idea is right for the Cambodian people, for peace, development and security in this country," Thang Thoun said.
Norodom Sihanouk on Saturday said he opposed the tribunal because it will try only a "handful" of "super-torturers and killers" and that its "colossal" $56 million budget would be better spent on poverty alleviation.
Suon Samnang, who once commanded the 801st Brigade of the Khmer Rouge 823rd Battalion, also said the tribunal should be extended to all levels of the former regime, and even to his former revolutionary colleagues who are still members of the government.
"If they try the lower leaders, they will point at who ordered them to do it and it will be like a chain," he said by telephone from a location he did not disclose, also for fear of being tracked down by the ECCC.
"I want a trial of leaders from all levels, from the cooperatives up to the top," he said, adding that only a wide-ranging trial of former regime members could be considered just.
Suggesting other potential uses for the tribunal's budget is a pointless exercise, as the money has been designated for the trials and is not for Cambodia to spend as it sees fits, said Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project. "Even if we say we don’t want this tribunal, it does not mean this money will be given to Cambodia," Sok Sam Oeun said.
The $56.3 million tribunal budget will be spent over a three-year period and the process will hopefully serve as a model for judicial reform in Cambodia—and that will make it worth the cost he added.
4 comments:
THis animal is speaking with irresponsible and shortsight. He mmust be shamed that the lives of all his victims who were of Cambodians national are not worth for justice. This animal has forgeth that if Cambodia is not showing the world proprely that there is a will for justice in Cambodia, then the hopw of the present government to have foreign investors to invest in Cambodia will be just a fail dream.
Hello,
I shouldn’t tell you to restraint from offering quick comment due to you’re entitle to your own opinion. But if you take a little bit more time to carefully read the article over again, I think you would come to a clear understanding of what the article is talking about, what purpose, and to whom it is benefit for. You learn and understand more constructive and critically by asking questions than jump right into judgment and conclusion.
"Knowledge is Power", my only wish is to share knowledge with you and nothing else.
Have a good weekend.
I strongly agree with Thang Thoun, either try ALL who killed (including the KING, HUN SEN & CRONIES, THE US, CHINA, VIETNAM, ETC..) or use that money to better Kampuchea.
Super Power killed Cambodian people and Cambodian responsible for it!
The Vietcong killed Cambodian and Cambodian responsible for it!
The South Vietname killed Cambodian and Cambodian responsible for it!
The Thai killed Cambodian and Cambodian responsible for it!
The Khmer Rouge killed Cambodian and Cambodian responsible for it!
Cambodia as a country are so fuck from all the killing and Cambodian still responsible for it!
Now the judgement is upon Cambodian again and the world make Cambodian responsible everything again!
Cambodian have no other to blame except to blame themselves for being so stupid in the first place!
Am I proud to be Cambodian? You tell me!
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