Original report from Phnom Penh
22 January 2008
The Khmer Rouge tribunal is facing a time and money crunch that could make trials difficult, two rights groups warned Tuesday.
"There is enough budget for the salaries of the international members for the whole year in 2008. But the Cambodian personnel who are working at the Khmer Rouge tribunal will run out of money in the next few months," said Seng Theary, executive director of the Center for Social Development. "If the Khmer Rouge tribunal has no budget, the tribunal will not be able to dispense salaries for the personnel. When the personnel have no salary, we are concerned that the court might stall."
Observers worry the tribunal will run out of funds before all five jailed Khmer Rouge leaders are tried, in proceedings the Cambodian foreign minister has said could run into 2012.
A budget shortfall has made the trial of five jailed former Khmer Rouge leaders more difficult, said Hisham Moussar, a legal expert monitoring the tribunal for the rights group Adhoc.
The tribunal's mandate only has a year and a half remaining, he said, "a short time."
"And if the time is short and the money is not there on time, it will be more difficult for the trial of the five people," he said.
"There is enough budget for the salaries of the international members for the whole year in 2008. But the Cambodian personnel who are working at the Khmer Rouge tribunal will run out of money in the next few months," said Seng Theary, executive director of the Center for Social Development. "If the Khmer Rouge tribunal has no budget, the tribunal will not be able to dispense salaries for the personnel. When the personnel have no salary, we are concerned that the court might stall."
Observers worry the tribunal will run out of funds before all five jailed Khmer Rouge leaders are tried, in proceedings the Cambodian foreign minister has said could run into 2012.
A budget shortfall has made the trial of five jailed former Khmer Rouge leaders more difficult, said Hisham Moussar, a legal expert monitoring the tribunal for the rights group Adhoc.
The tribunal's mandate only has a year and a half remaining, he said, "a short time."
"And if the time is short and the money is not there on time, it will be more difficult for the trial of the five people," he said.
3 comments:
Ok khmere rouge trial by the khmer rouge let the khmer rouge pay!
Dear Khmer compatriots,including Seng Theary,
I know that you have lost your parents, relatives and friends during the Khmer Rouge regime. I have been in the same situation. But please be known that:
-For most nationalist Khmers at this time, they are either dead, in jail, in trial, accused to be criminals or terrorists or are considered opposing to the actual VN installed Cambodian government, or in the secret government black list( to be observed very closely).
-For the opportunist Khmers who never seem to care about Khmer history and the future of their nation, they are the one who are rich, powerful or are trying to be.
There are so many times that we the Khmers were get tricked by the neighbors to kill our own blood. The Khmer Rouge have killed 2M Khmer own blood by VN trick. And now, the way I see, we Khmers, are tricked again to hate each other in front of the eyes of the world(including our ennemies that always played false friends). Yes, I agree, the criminals must be tried. But make sure you don't play your ennemie's game.
It is my belief that we have squandered our time and money for this useless tribunal.
The country and people need to move on.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
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