Three unidentified foreign court officers for the Khmer Rouge tribunal after their arrival at Phnom Penh International airport. International judges and prosecutors have arrived in Cambodia, one day before a swearing in ceremony for a UN-Cambodian tribunal to try surviving Khmer Rouge leaders, a tribunal spokesman said.(AFP/Tang Chhin) (AFP)
2 July 2006
PHNOM PENH - Foreign judges for the trial of genocidal Khmer Rouge leaders arrived in Cambodia Sunday ahead of a swearing-in ceremony marking the symbolic start of the long-awaited tribunal, an official said.
Cambodia’s highest legal body in May appointed 17 Cambodian and 13 international judges and prosecutors for the tribunal to bring to justice Khmer Rouge leaders accused of one of the 20th century’s worst genocides.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said eight foreign court officials had arrived in Cambodia, with two expected to arrive later in the day, ahead of Monday’s ceremony at the Royal Palace’s Silver Pagoda.
“The arrival of the international judges will end the negative speculation that the trial will not take place,” Sambath told AFP.
Three foreign jurists who are being held in reserve will not attend the ceremony and are expected to arrive in Cambodia later, Sambath said.
The ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime turned Cambodia into a vast collective farm between 1975 and 1979 in their drive for an agrarian utopia, forcing millions into the countryside.
Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork and from execution during the four-year rule of the Khmer Rouge, which abolished religion, property rights, currency and schools. Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998.
So far only two former regime leaders, Ta Mok and Duch, have been jailed on genocide charges, while others -- including Pol Pot’s top deputy Nuon Chea, former head of state Khieu Samphan and ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary -- live freely in Cambodia.
All are elderly and suffer from poor health, raising fears that they might die before the joint UN-Cambodia tribunal, as the entire investigation phase is expected to last three to six months, with trials beginning in mid-2007.
Since Cambodia first asked the United Nations for help in 1997, Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge low-ranking member, has proven reluctant to commit resources to a trial.
The Cambodian government has been blamed for trying to derail the tribunal process by delaying talks with the United Nations.
The Khmer Rouge trials will take place in a military compound in the town of Kambol, 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of Phnom Penh, with donors funding most of the 56.3-million-dollar process.
Cambodian and foreign jurists will visit the compound in Kambol ahead of Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, the tribunal spokesman said.
Cambodia’s highest legal body in May appointed 17 Cambodian and 13 international judges and prosecutors for the tribunal to bring to justice Khmer Rouge leaders accused of one of the 20th century’s worst genocides.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said eight foreign court officials had arrived in Cambodia, with two expected to arrive later in the day, ahead of Monday’s ceremony at the Royal Palace’s Silver Pagoda.
“The arrival of the international judges will end the negative speculation that the trial will not take place,” Sambath told AFP.
Three foreign jurists who are being held in reserve will not attend the ceremony and are expected to arrive in Cambodia later, Sambath said.
The ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime turned Cambodia into a vast collective farm between 1975 and 1979 in their drive for an agrarian utopia, forcing millions into the countryside.
Up to two million people died of starvation, overwork and from execution during the four-year rule of the Khmer Rouge, which abolished religion, property rights, currency and schools. Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot died in 1998.
So far only two former regime leaders, Ta Mok and Duch, have been jailed on genocide charges, while others -- including Pol Pot’s top deputy Nuon Chea, former head of state Khieu Samphan and ex-foreign minister Ieng Sary -- live freely in Cambodia.
All are elderly and suffer from poor health, raising fears that they might die before the joint UN-Cambodia tribunal, as the entire investigation phase is expected to last three to six months, with trials beginning in mid-2007.
Since Cambodia first asked the United Nations for help in 1997, Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge low-ranking member, has proven reluctant to commit resources to a trial.
The Cambodian government has been blamed for trying to derail the tribunal process by delaying talks with the United Nations.
The Khmer Rouge trials will take place in a military compound in the town of Kambol, 15 kilometers (10 miles) west of Phnom Penh, with donors funding most of the 56.3-million-dollar process.
Cambodian and foreign jurists will visit the compound in Kambol ahead of Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, the tribunal spokesman said.
1 comment:
This is laughable! The foreigners fuck up Cambodia and make Cambodian people go through genocide and the civil war! Now these foreigners have the gut to come back to Cambodia again but this time is to judge Cambodian leaders! Man! I heard some stupid Cambodian people say that Cambodian people can't go around blaming other country for their misery and their mistake and they should blame themselves instead! If all these problems exist in Cambodia are the result of Cambodian leaders or people in the making and don't you think it logical to have the judges as Cambodian!ahahah Who are these foreigners to have the right to judge Cambodian leaders! I guess God have no right to judge Cambodian leaders!ahahah For Cambodian leaders, they are not even a leader but a slave who is willing to do thing without thinking of the consequence of their well being! I am speechless!
This is a wonderful world to all those slave Cambodian leaders who had served their master well while Cambodian people continue to suffer, humiliate, and ignorance!
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