FROM TODAY'S WALL STREET JOURNAL ASIA
The Khmer Rouge war-crimes tribunal released its budget wish list Tuesday, and it isn't petty cash. The court is asking for $86 million to stay in business through December 2010 and possibly more if the trials take longer. That's less than they were asking for in February, when an earlier version of the budget stood at $114 million. But donors should still be wary.
The tribunal, run jointly by the United Nations and the Cambodian government, wants typical Turtle Bay flab: a built-in 15% contingency fund that amounts to $11 million over the next 2 1/2 years. Donors are balking, and so far only Japan and Cambodia have pitched in a meager $4 million. As we went to press the steering committee was debating whether to scale the contingency fund back to 7.5% of the budget.
The tribunal's money troubles this year have been transformative. As the reserves dwindled, the tribunal started petitioning donors for money and the biggest lenders pressed the tribunal to slim down and be more transparent.
The pressure seems to be working. Over the past six months, the tribunal has made audits public, slimmed down its operations and shortened its proposed timeline. An infusion of new management has also helped. In April, Deloitte reviewed the tribunal's human-resources management and found its practices "robust" and "ready to take on the next phase of operations." The team of reviewers said five employees were underqualified for their jobs. They were fired.
There's still a way to go. Some of Deloitte's simplest recommendations, such as strengthening the code of conduct, have yet to be implemented. Deloitte suggested that the code include a pledge to report violations and not to offer or accept gifts or money. (Currently, only accepting gifts is forbidden). More seriously, past allegations of kickbacks have yet to be investigated.
The best thing about the new budget is that it will keep the court accountable to donors by asking for money in phases, instead of receiving a lump sum. The first phase ends in December 2009, at which point the court will have its hand out again. That will give donors the opportunity to examine the court's progress and its use of taxpayers' funds – and ask tough questions. As well they should.
The tribunal, run jointly by the United Nations and the Cambodian government, wants typical Turtle Bay flab: a built-in 15% contingency fund that amounts to $11 million over the next 2 1/2 years. Donors are balking, and so far only Japan and Cambodia have pitched in a meager $4 million. As we went to press the steering committee was debating whether to scale the contingency fund back to 7.5% of the budget.
The tribunal's money troubles this year have been transformative. As the reserves dwindled, the tribunal started petitioning donors for money and the biggest lenders pressed the tribunal to slim down and be more transparent.
The pressure seems to be working. Over the past six months, the tribunal has made audits public, slimmed down its operations and shortened its proposed timeline. An infusion of new management has also helped. In April, Deloitte reviewed the tribunal's human-resources management and found its practices "robust" and "ready to take on the next phase of operations." The team of reviewers said five employees were underqualified for their jobs. They were fired.
There's still a way to go. Some of Deloitte's simplest recommendations, such as strengthening the code of conduct, have yet to be implemented. Deloitte suggested that the code include a pledge to report violations and not to offer or accept gifts or money. (Currently, only accepting gifts is forbidden). More seriously, past allegations of kickbacks have yet to be investigated.
The best thing about the new budget is that it will keep the court accountable to donors by asking for money in phases, instead of receiving a lump sum. The first phase ends in December 2009, at which point the court will have its hand out again. That will give donors the opportunity to examine the court's progress and its use of taxpayers' funds – and ask tough questions. As well they should.
1 comment:
I would like to request ECCC Tribunal to keep countinuing to supporting about Khmer Rough case because all the killed around 3 milions peoples death during Khmer Rough regime 1975 to 1979 and 1979 to 1991 all did are; A Yuon/Vietnamese Hidden Face Behind The Killing Field as one of my cousin brother is A Yuon/Vietnamese secret agent work for a Yuon goverment, after my cousin brother change to work for Chinese secret agent a yuon arrest and killed him during 1977, and I also want to remind the ECCC Tribunal that to put more securities to protecting 5 former Khmer Rough Leaders because I am so worrying one days a Yuon/Vietnamese will put poisoning or kill for all 5 former Khmer Rough Leaders, they may buy or pay corruption to ECCC Tribunal Khmer/Cambodian and foriegn staffs and a Yuon/Vietnamese also may use virgin girl to offer to ECCC Tribunal foriegn and Cambodian staffs and I wanting also to remind ECCC Tribunal staffs that and why US army removed from Vietnam because they used the virgin girls to fight with the US army the bullet not come out from gun at all only the sperm out out from US army dick, so I would like to request ECCC again to put more securities to protecting all 5 former Khmer Rough Leaders, from the real Khmer Victim in Australia
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