Saturday, June 23, 2007

Tribunal Staff Facing Salary Cut

Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
22/06/2007


UNDP and Khmer Rouge tribunal officials met all day Friday to solve an impending salary crisis that at least one judge said could cause a walk-out by local staff.

Officials are considering reducing by half the salaries of Cambodian tribunal personnel, which would further imperil the clambering tribunal, which after a full year has failed to bring indictments for any aging Khmer Rouge leader.

The results of Friday's meeting were not immediately available, but officials earlier said they were worried too-high salaries were digging into the tribunal's budget.

Tribunal co-prosecutor Chea Leang said a salary reduction would be and harmful to local staffaffect the judges' state of mind.

"Why did the UNDP give all of us problems?" she asked.

The tribunal employs about 200 Cambodian staff, who receive half the amount already of international staff for the UN-funded tribunal.

UNDP spokesman Men Kim Seng said Friday he did not know the result of Friday's meeting.

Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath said a Cambodian judge, You Bunleng, had warned indirectly of Cambodia staff walking out if their salaries were reduced.

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