By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
19 December 2007
The cost of the Khmer Rouge tribunal could nearly double, up to $100 million from $56 million, a source close to the courts said Wednesday. Tribunal officials have begun speaking with donor country representatives about the increased budget, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Government officials have said in recent months the tribunal could last into 2010, creating a budget shortfall in an already threadbare process. The courts have so far been unable to establish a Victim's Unit, making it more difficult for complainants to participate in the process.
The tribunal was supposed to last three years. Judges were sworn in in July 2006, but the courts underwent a yearlong delay as Cambodian jurists and their international counterparts disagreed over rules governing the tribunal.
Observers say the tribunal will face budget shortfalls by April 2008.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath declined to comment Wednesday on the projected budget increase, but he said the UN, which is shouldering much of the cost of the tribunal, and the government are studying the budget now.
The tribunal already lacks about $8 million, he said.
Hisham Moussar, a legal expert for the rights group Adhoc who monitors the tribunal, said $100 million was not unreasonable for a tribunal, but the money should be spent transparently.
Government officials have said in recent months the tribunal could last into 2010, creating a budget shortfall in an already threadbare process. The courts have so far been unable to establish a Victim's Unit, making it more difficult for complainants to participate in the process.
The tribunal was supposed to last three years. Judges were sworn in in July 2006, but the courts underwent a yearlong delay as Cambodian jurists and their international counterparts disagreed over rules governing the tribunal.
Observers say the tribunal will face budget shortfalls by April 2008.
Tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath declined to comment Wednesday on the projected budget increase, but he said the UN, which is shouldering much of the cost of the tribunal, and the government are studying the budget now.
The tribunal already lacks about $8 million, he said.
Hisham Moussar, a legal expert for the rights group Adhoc who monitors the tribunal, said $100 million was not unreasonable for a tribunal, but the money should be spent transparently.
10 comments:
i wonder how much did Saddam Husan justice cost to cambodia 5KR leader. i dont think it evem cost up to 10 million. if they really one to bring them to justice it shoud be end long time ago. look at Husan trail how fast is it. The CPP keep on dragging the trail just to get more money into the pocket. AH Sen , if you really want to bring them to justic for cambodian people. Why dont you call your people to just finish them up. You can make story like they sick and died and what ever. Also you shoud finish up your self to as you also KR before.
Soon after they get money, some of
the KR will begin to die in custody. That is the game they are playing.
Hun Sen wants to use Khmer rouge Tribunal to make monies. In reality, US$56 millions is a lot of monies. THe court can use that monies to judge at least 1000 people if the court use the monies properly. THe monies should be used for the court, staffs, judges salaries and not for legal fees for the criminals. If they cannot protect themselve, they will be convicted and will be jailed for life. Their criminal offences were so big which noone can be ignored.
It looks like a money extortion scheme. Absurdly expensive !!! Sucks !
this tribunal has becomes a big business now. it is blood for money
It doens't matter how much money the KR Trial will cost. What matter is the International Standard the Tribunal should meet and the Transparency.
Millions of Cambodian lives cost more than the 100 Millions of dollars.
Justice has a price!
Waste of money. It does not really make any difference. These guys are on their ways to the graves already. The trial should have been done 10 or 15 years ago...
The trial is not worth to justify spending $100 millions. With that money we can use for other projects that can benefit real poor khmer people instead of wasting money to enrich corrupted government officials and foreign judges/lawyers. Those aging Khmer Rouges are going to die taking the guilt with them. They should be ashamed and guilty for what they did 30 years ago which up until now our country cannot be restored to its original state. UN trial should be stopped.
No, I think we cannot stop the trial, but must improve its functioning. It's already more than enough hardship just to be able to have formed such a court. To have it work for awhile and then stop is to set a bad precedence for the future tribunal and add an extra insult to the dead and surviving victims of the KR atrocities. To have it carry on while at the same time improving its standard and accelerating its process would mean justice(?!) can no longer be delayed and the surviving aging KR leaders now in jail will not die before their trial and get away with their committed crimes.
We must have a closure to this tragedy - to have closure is to bring this killers to court, so that Cambodian people can understand what caused them to carry out such horrific killing policy. It also send a very strong message to the Cambodian leaders to be responsible for their actions even though the event took place 30 ago they still can be brought to trial. Second on the lesser note, the trial also teaches Cambodian people the process/standard of international court system. Even though it means even it means millions of dollars. In this case, it well worth it for millions of people that had perished.
Post a Comment