July 20, 2007
DPA
Phnom Penh - One of the most senior former leaders of the Khmer Rouge and a prime candidate for trial, Nuon Chea, says he is not afraid of facing justice and the trial "will be his battlefield," local media reported Friday.
The English-language Cambodia Daily quoted the man known as Brother Number Two as saying he will reveal all should he be indicted for the joint UN-Cambodia trials.
On Wednesday, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia announced that prosecutors had put forward five names they feel they have evidence against for crimes including genocide, homicide and human rights abuses.
The names remain confidential, but media has speculated they will probably include Nuon Chea, as well as former head of state for the Khmer Rouge's Democratic Kampuchea regime, Khieu Samphan.
The regime's deputy prime minister, Ieng Sary, and his wife Khieu Thirith have also been named as possible candidates despite Ieng Sary having been pardoned by former king Norodom Sihanouk on genocide charges.
Duch, the former head of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's infamous secret prison, S-21, where 14,000 were tortured and either died or taken to be executed, is also expected to stand. He is the only one currently in jail awaiting trial.
"I consider this court a battlefield and I will not allow you to try me easily," the paper quoted Nuon Chea as saying by telephone. "At the tribunal, I will also show who the enemy was, and I will allow all people to know what happened during this regime."
Nuon Chea conceded his name was probably "top of the list" of people to face trial.
Prosecutors warned Friday that more candidates may yet be put forward, although the defence has the right to argue against the nominations.
Up to 2 million Cambodians are believed to have died under the 1975 to 1979 regime, during which the ultra-Maoist nationalists abolished money and markets in a drive to turn the country into an agrarian utopia and many minority groups such as the ethnic Muslim Chams were subjected to wholesale slaughter.
Brother Number One, Pol Pot, died in 1998.
The English-language Cambodia Daily quoted the man known as Brother Number Two as saying he will reveal all should he be indicted for the joint UN-Cambodia trials.
On Wednesday, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia announced that prosecutors had put forward five names they feel they have evidence against for crimes including genocide, homicide and human rights abuses.
The names remain confidential, but media has speculated they will probably include Nuon Chea, as well as former head of state for the Khmer Rouge's Democratic Kampuchea regime, Khieu Samphan.
The regime's deputy prime minister, Ieng Sary, and his wife Khieu Thirith have also been named as possible candidates despite Ieng Sary having been pardoned by former king Norodom Sihanouk on genocide charges.
Duch, the former head of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's infamous secret prison, S-21, where 14,000 were tortured and either died or taken to be executed, is also expected to stand. He is the only one currently in jail awaiting trial.
"I consider this court a battlefield and I will not allow you to try me easily," the paper quoted Nuon Chea as saying by telephone. "At the tribunal, I will also show who the enemy was, and I will allow all people to know what happened during this regime."
Nuon Chea conceded his name was probably "top of the list" of people to face trial.
Prosecutors warned Friday that more candidates may yet be put forward, although the defence has the right to argue against the nominations.
Up to 2 million Cambodians are believed to have died under the 1975 to 1979 regime, during which the ultra-Maoist nationalists abolished money and markets in a drive to turn the country into an agrarian utopia and many minority groups such as the ethnic Muslim Chams were subjected to wholesale slaughter.
Brother Number One, Pol Pot, died in 1998.
1 comment:
Please spell it out as much as you can Mr. Noun Chea. We want to know the true. Cann't wait! and who was the murderer to Prince Sirimatak? to Mr.Ung Bun Hor? and other Cambodian's high officail members on April 17th of 1975? Please tell also, why The 13 men who were in charge of the Military Hospital in Battambang were taken to the rice field and were shot to death a few days after your men marching in to that city? Who was the one to give such deadly order?
You cann't say that you didn't know and did not remember, because Battambang was your town and city. You have to know.
Best wishes for your answers, because right now, we can feel that it comes right out under our feet, those men will be coming to get you the day you go to court!
If you were innocent, why did you put up with such stupid and ignorant regime? Why not ran away? or got out to get help? or is it because that you thought Toke Tov Campong Nov? or the boat get to go, but the river bank won't be able to go no where? Good Luck trying to get out of this mess!!!!!!!!!! Patriot to whom? Your people were dying and you were men in charge Mr.!
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