Participants to the seminar at Sunway Hotel. (Photo: Chamnab, Koh Santepheap)By Chheang Bopha
Cambodge Soir
Translated from French by Heng Soy
The Committee of the Victims of the Khmer Rouge, an association located in France and in Cambodia, held its first press conference yesterday to present itself to the public and to encourage the victims of the Pol Pot regime to file complaints with the ECCC (Khmer Rouge Tribunal). In front of about 100 students and lawyers, Chhay Hoc Pheng, the President of the Committee and a judge in France, explained the goal of his Committee and that of the seminar. “The population is ill informed on their rights and their duties. A lot of people are scared to file complaints or to testify. This committee is here to support them and to encourage them. Our goal is not in any way to claim for compensations, but to incite the tribunal to work seriously to provide justice for the victims, to help them file complaints, and to protect them,” he said.
Pen Phan, a victim who was present in the room, explained why she decided to join the committee. “I was jailed in Kandal and tortured,” she said. “I drag [with me] a great suffering and I cannot remain still. Therefore, I decided to join this committee to file complaint in a collective and anonymous manner.” The Committee of the Victims of the Khmer Rouge in fact allows citizens to file their complaint anonymously, a needed mechanism taking into account the fear for reprisals the victims felt. In a hushed tone, Peng Phan explains that, even among the public, there are some who are not favorable to this type of initiatives.
Tung Saray, President of the Human Rights Defense NGO, reported to the audience the expectations of the people regarding this trial. According to Tung Saray, a large number of Cambodian people would like to see a longer list of people brought to court, and they want to denounce by themselves the torturers. Therefore, “how to assure that the Cambodian people will be satisfied with the outcome of the trial?” Tung Saray asked. As an answer, Tung Saray proposed to the tribunal to set up a research for truth committee to allow all the Khmer Rouge criminals – above and beyond the principal leaders who will be judges – in the country to be confronted by their victims and to allow these Khmer Rouge people to confess their mistakes. According to Tung Saray, the reconciliation policy by the government is going against the will to judge all the torturers of the Democratic Kampuchea, therefore this would have prevented the holding of all trials. One the other hand, now that a tribunal has been set up, it is now possible to start this lengthy work for researching for the truth.
Sean Visoth, the administrative director of the tribunal, gave a summary of the budget and the duration of the trial. “There are $4.9 million still missing to complete the portion of the government budget. So far, we have already enough to operate for two years. We will do all we can to judge between 5 to 10 people over a 3-year period in order not to upset the donors,” he clarified in response to those who call for a lengthy trial and a longer list of people brought to justice. He finally said that the Khmer Rouge Tribunal would hear about 150 people, witnesses, those who file complaints, or simple informants. Out of these 150 people, 30% will be Cambodian people living abroad.
Pen Phan, a victim who was present in the room, explained why she decided to join the committee. “I was jailed in Kandal and tortured,” she said. “I drag [with me] a great suffering and I cannot remain still. Therefore, I decided to join this committee to file complaint in a collective and anonymous manner.” The Committee of the Victims of the Khmer Rouge in fact allows citizens to file their complaint anonymously, a needed mechanism taking into account the fear for reprisals the victims felt. In a hushed tone, Peng Phan explains that, even among the public, there are some who are not favorable to this type of initiatives.
Tung Saray, President of the Human Rights Defense NGO, reported to the audience the expectations of the people regarding this trial. According to Tung Saray, a large number of Cambodian people would like to see a longer list of people brought to court, and they want to denounce by themselves the torturers. Therefore, “how to assure that the Cambodian people will be satisfied with the outcome of the trial?” Tung Saray asked. As an answer, Tung Saray proposed to the tribunal to set up a research for truth committee to allow all the Khmer Rouge criminals – above and beyond the principal leaders who will be judges – in the country to be confronted by their victims and to allow these Khmer Rouge people to confess their mistakes. According to Tung Saray, the reconciliation policy by the government is going against the will to judge all the torturers of the Democratic Kampuchea, therefore this would have prevented the holding of all trials. One the other hand, now that a tribunal has been set up, it is now possible to start this lengthy work for researching for the truth.
Sean Visoth, the administrative director of the tribunal, gave a summary of the budget and the duration of the trial. “There are $4.9 million still missing to complete the portion of the government budget. So far, we have already enough to operate for two years. We will do all we can to judge between 5 to 10 people over a 3-year period in order not to upset the donors,” he clarified in response to those who call for a lengthy trial and a longer list of people brought to justice. He finally said that the Khmer Rouge Tribunal would hear about 150 people, witnesses, those who file complaints, or simple informants. Out of these 150 people, 30% will be Cambodian people living abroad.
1 comment:
It is very true that all Cambodian communities around the world must file their complain to the Khmer Rouge court for all their sufferings. Especially all government officials from Lon Nol regime must take a lead in doing this. According to khmer history, all Cambodians in the past were also being killed by their own kings. Eg During Angkorian, Khmer empire was rised for only for a short period. At the same time Mongol was the biggest Empire which has invaded almost all Asia countries, Europe etc... THe Khmer King has made a dealt with Mongol warriors with the exchange for a big tub of Human organ of Cambodian national to have peace with Mongol. Therefore, Cambodia Empire have broken into three kingdoms. Chenla Leu ( Laos) Chenla Krom( Cambodia) and Sokhothai ( Thailand ). Why?, THe king have killed all Cambodians who were powerless. The King didn't killed his own family members. Therefore, many people have declared that they were not Khmer to escape to killing. THe Dai king has just refused from China to Cambodia as refugee from Mongol invasion. In a sudden there were millions of Cambodians have supported this King to create a New Stste in Cambodia to escape killing from CAmbodia King. In the 1970-1979, Cambodian have again been killed by their own King Sihanouk for revenge of power? What a history? Sihanouk is now trying to manipulate this history by blaming all killings to Pol Pot. Do you believe him or not?
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