Koh Santepheap
Translated from Khmer and posted online
"According to civil organization sources reporting from Pailin, on 15 January a number of officials from the KRT, including two investigation judges [Yu Bun Leng and Marcel Lemonde], met with a total of some 150 people including the authorities, officials, and armed forces from all establishments. The meeting was reported to have been held in secret in a conference hall of Pailin City's office on the morning 15 January."
According to the same sources, the meeting "started from 0830 following an open interview of I Chhien, Pailin City governor, with reporters."
"Miev Samai, deputy chief of Pailin City office, told Koh Santepheap by telephone on the day the meeting was held that 'the meeting was held without the presence of Pailin City Governor I Chhien but the latter did have a brief chat with Khmer Rouge tribunal officials that morning -- an unofficial encounter -- before the meeting started'.
"This deputy office chief also said that at the meeting, on the authorities side were Koet Sothea and Tat Suhoum, deputy city governors; and a total of some 150 civil servants and armed forces from all establishments. Miev Samai stressed that the essence of the talks was that the KRT officials explained the principles of the tribunal to all levels of civil servants and relevant authorities so that the latter more clearly understand the court process, and also requested participation in the process."
Continuing the Koh Santepheap report quoted "Chhorn Makara, an investigation official of ADHOC [Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, a local human rights nongovernmental organization) in Pailin, as saying that "the meeting was held in secret with reporters banned from attending." Chhorn Makara also said that journalists were allowed in the hall to briefly take photos before the meeting started" "and "were asked to leave" during the discussion "only between Pailin City authorities and KRT officials."
Still according to Chhorn Makara, "In his brief interview with reporters before the meeting, Pailin City Governor I Chhien said very little when answering questions relating to the trial of the five former Khmer Rouge leaders currently detained at the KRT but talked more about the development of Pailin City."
Concluding the Koh Santepheap online report in Cambodian on 17 January quoted Reach Sambat, spokesman of the KRT, who told Koh Santepheap by telephone the following:
"Reporters were also given the opportunity to take photos and report from the meeting hall for some 20 minutes."
Reporters were indeed not allowed to listen to the discussion at the meeting but this did not mean that they were banned from reporting. This is because at the meeting the tribunal needs to talk about some issues with those officials and armed forces the goal of which was to clear any doubt the latter have on the KRT."
There were also questions and answers by the local officials about the trial of the five Khmer Rouge leaders.
"It seemed that the local officials' participation spirit was high in suggesting that the KRT proceed at a fast speed in order to know who really were responsible for the dark regime [of the Khmer Rouge] because some of their relatives also died in the killing field regime."
"On 16 January there will also be a public discussion in the compound of Kaong Kang monastery in Pailin City."
According to the same sources, the meeting "started from 0830 following an open interview of I Chhien, Pailin City governor, with reporters."
"Miev Samai, deputy chief of Pailin City office, told Koh Santepheap by telephone on the day the meeting was held that 'the meeting was held without the presence of Pailin City Governor I Chhien but the latter did have a brief chat with Khmer Rouge tribunal officials that morning -- an unofficial encounter -- before the meeting started'.
"This deputy office chief also said that at the meeting, on the authorities side were Koet Sothea and Tat Suhoum, deputy city governors; and a total of some 150 civil servants and armed forces from all establishments. Miev Samai stressed that the essence of the talks was that the KRT officials explained the principles of the tribunal to all levels of civil servants and relevant authorities so that the latter more clearly understand the court process, and also requested participation in the process."
Continuing the Koh Santepheap report quoted "Chhorn Makara, an investigation official of ADHOC [Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association, a local human rights nongovernmental organization) in Pailin, as saying that "the meeting was held in secret with reporters banned from attending." Chhorn Makara also said that journalists were allowed in the hall to briefly take photos before the meeting started" "and "were asked to leave" during the discussion "only between Pailin City authorities and KRT officials."
Still according to Chhorn Makara, "In his brief interview with reporters before the meeting, Pailin City Governor I Chhien said very little when answering questions relating to the trial of the five former Khmer Rouge leaders currently detained at the KRT but talked more about the development of Pailin City."
Concluding the Koh Santepheap online report in Cambodian on 17 January quoted Reach Sambat, spokesman of the KRT, who told Koh Santepheap by telephone the following:
"Reporters were also given the opportunity to take photos and report from the meeting hall for some 20 minutes."
Reporters were indeed not allowed to listen to the discussion at the meeting but this did not mean that they were banned from reporting. This is because at the meeting the tribunal needs to talk about some issues with those officials and armed forces the goal of which was to clear any doubt the latter have on the KRT."
There were also questions and answers by the local officials about the trial of the five Khmer Rouge leaders.
"It seemed that the local officials' participation spirit was high in suggesting that the KRT proceed at a fast speed in order to know who really were responsible for the dark regime [of the Khmer Rouge] because some of their relatives also died in the killing field regime."
"On 16 January there will also be a public discussion in the compound of Kaong Kang monastery in Pailin City."
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