French judge Marcel Lemonde speaks during a public meeting with people in the Kong Kang temple in former Khmer Rouge strong hold northwest of Pailin, January 16, 2008. French and Cambodian judges of the U.N.-backed "Killing Fields" tribunal met former Khmer Rouge fighters in one of Pol Pot's final strongholds to allay their fears about the long-awaited trials. REUTERS/Chor SokuntheaBy Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Pailin
16 January 2008
Khmer Rouge tribunal judges ended three days of talks in the former rebel stronghold of Pailin Wednesday, calling on past cadre for further evidence against their old leaders.
The judges held meetings with local officials and former rebels to explain the scope of the tribunal, which is to try senior leaders of the regime only. Court officials issued a handbook to residents to help them understand the tribunal process.
Investigating judge You Bunleng addressed a gathering of Pailin residents, many of them former Khmer Rouge rebels, imploring those who “love justice” to cooperate with the courts and provide evidence for the trials of former leaders.
“The court’s verdict won’t be impartial unless there is participation and help from those who knew or saw anything happen during that period of time,” he said.
Not all in attendance were satisfied with the official explanations of the courts.
“The answer was too brief to clear up what I was wondering,” said Lach Lina, a former Khmer Rouge supporter. “Their answers were in fact just to one question.”
The former leaders so far charged by the tribunal “are respectable aunts and uncles,” he said.
Arrested and charged with atrocity crimes are prison chief Duch, ideologue Nuon Chea, former president Khieu Samphan, former foreign minister Ieng Sary and former social affairs minister Ieng Thirith.
Another former Khmer Rouge soldier, Ouch Sam An, said he expected justice from the courts.
“I want to suggest that in order for the court to succeed, they have to find out who were the masterminds of the killing,” he said.
The judges held meetings with local officials and former rebels to explain the scope of the tribunal, which is to try senior leaders of the regime only. Court officials issued a handbook to residents to help them understand the tribunal process.
Investigating judge You Bunleng addressed a gathering of Pailin residents, many of them former Khmer Rouge rebels, imploring those who “love justice” to cooperate with the courts and provide evidence for the trials of former leaders.
“The court’s verdict won’t be impartial unless there is participation and help from those who knew or saw anything happen during that period of time,” he said.
Not all in attendance were satisfied with the official explanations of the courts.
“The answer was too brief to clear up what I was wondering,” said Lach Lina, a former Khmer Rouge supporter. “Their answers were in fact just to one question.”
The former leaders so far charged by the tribunal “are respectable aunts and uncles,” he said.
Arrested and charged with atrocity crimes are prison chief Duch, ideologue Nuon Chea, former president Khieu Samphan, former foreign minister Ieng Sary and former social affairs minister Ieng Thirith.
Another former Khmer Rouge soldier, Ouch Sam An, said he expected justice from the courts.
“I want to suggest that in order for the court to succeed, they have to find out who were the masterminds of the killing,” he said.
3 comments:
The ECCC can get heaps of first-hand evidence if they dare enough to call Hor Nam Hong, Keath Chhon and other ex-KR commanders, region and district chiefs in the government to testify. Sorry if I'm wrong!
yep, i agree wit u...Hanoi also.!
You are not wrong gentleman!!!
The real killers of KR are in fact hiding behind current government for their safety and continue to mislead the KCCC as well as khmer victims. The sooner the trial starts the better. The facts will come out.
Believe or not Keat Chhon has been minister for 4 regimes, surely he knows a lot. There were evideces of closed link to pol pot.Hor nam hong is indeed linked all the way like Keat Chhon. And they are well protected by the government as they gain full support from their master. And there are more hiding.
Khmer nationalists somewhat are portrayed as killers. And the trict continues. Intellectuals were killed, grass root nationalits were eliminated and K5 continued to kill remained human resources, not to mention about national assets have been purged by those corrupted monkeys to serve the master. This is how to wipe out Cambodia.
Cambodian culture predominently cultivates by Buddhism. Core values of Buddhism have been twisted and destroyed by inside works, knowing for fact that is the Khmer soul, and turns grattitute into Khmer sins.
There are plenty of evidences in Chinese archives how chinese experts had assisted after 1976, seen in Kampong som , battambang, Kampong cham, factories throughout Cambodia. And also Vietnamese archives likewise.
Until those evidences gathered, justice the will prevail, for those victims suffered from political crimes.
Live is hope for better.
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