Two million people are believed to have died under the Khmer RougeWednesday, 13 June 2007
BBC News
The long-awaited Khmer Rouge Trials in Cambodia to are ready to start, after a panel of judges approved ground rules.
"These rules will ensure us fair and transparent trials," co-prosecutor Robert Petit told reporters.
The deal was reached in a week-long meeting, after a delay of more than six months because of disagreements between local and UN-appointed legal officials.
The tribunal, which has a budget of $56.3m, is expected to run for three years, starting trials in 2008.
Mr Petit said the rules had been agreed unanimously by the panel.
"Now that the rules are adopted, we can move forward," he said.
A UN appointed judge recently said the investigation phase, including arrests of potential defendants, could begin within weeks of the rules being adopted, the Associated Press reported.
Long hiatus
A meeting in November last year over ended in disarray - and the future of the process looked bleak.
A similar meeting last year ended without agreement
But this time the mood was cordial.
Earlier officials told the BBC that there were no serious disagreements during the meeting.
Many of the legal officials have had little to do during the long hiatus caused by the dispute.
BBC correspondent Guy De Launey said the prosecutors have continued to compile evidence - and they are now ready to give their files to the investigating judges.
It means that there should soon be official confirmation of which former Khmer Rouge leaders will be charged - and with what crimes.
As many as two million people are thought to have died during the four years of Khmer Rouge government in the late 1970s.
The movement's former leader, Pol Pot, died nine years ago.
But the former head of state, Khieu Samphan, and Foreign Minister Ieng Sary have both been living freely in Cambodia.
"These rules will ensure us fair and transparent trials," co-prosecutor Robert Petit told reporters.
The deal was reached in a week-long meeting, after a delay of more than six months because of disagreements between local and UN-appointed legal officials.
The tribunal, which has a budget of $56.3m, is expected to run for three years, starting trials in 2008.
Mr Petit said the rules had been agreed unanimously by the panel.
"Now that the rules are adopted, we can move forward," he said.
A UN appointed judge recently said the investigation phase, including arrests of potential defendants, could begin within weeks of the rules being adopted, the Associated Press reported.
Long hiatus
A meeting in November last year over ended in disarray - and the future of the process looked bleak.
A similar meeting last year ended without agreementBut this time the mood was cordial.
Earlier officials told the BBC that there were no serious disagreements during the meeting.
Many of the legal officials have had little to do during the long hiatus caused by the dispute.
BBC correspondent Guy De Launey said the prosecutors have continued to compile evidence - and they are now ready to give their files to the investigating judges.
It means that there should soon be official confirmation of which former Khmer Rouge leaders will be charged - and with what crimes.
As many as two million people are thought to have died during the four years of Khmer Rouge government in the late 1970s.
The movement's former leader, Pol Pot, died nine years ago.
But the former head of state, Khieu Samphan, and Foreign Minister Ieng Sary have both been living freely in Cambodia.
3 comments:
Congratulation for the efforts of those prosecutors. This is another step from a procrastination and hiatus...
But, what else will happen?
However, KR trial will benefit Cambodia:
1. Intensifying the agression evidence of VN and their ambition to swallow Cambodia
2. Revealing all the affiliations of current leaders of Cambodia
3. Khmer people will have no intention to retaliate, but to reveal the truth, forgive, destroy culture of impunity, strenghten the rule of law and ready to step forward as a state of law....not state of mafia...
KY
This time is for real? I mean is this for real? Do you really mean it is for real?
Khmer New Generation perspected
If UN can trial KR and related person it can provide the justice to the victims of khmer people that suffered by Pol Pol regime and the beneficiary is that
1- providing the justice to the victims
2- find out the countries that support to KR regime
3- Can lead the Cambodian people to live in the state that respect to the rules not the communist rules.
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