DPA
Phnom Penh - The resolution of an ongoing corruption scandal at a joint Cambodian-UN court set up to try former Khmer Rouge leaders was the only barrier to direct US funding of the court, the outgoing US ambassador said at a press conference Monday. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli, ending a three-year mission in Cambodia, told reporters at the US embassy that he was convinced the tribunal was on the right track.
"The Khmer Rouge tribunal is making slow progress but it is going in the right direction," he said.
"We want to support and fund the Khmer Rouge tribunal directly, but we cannot until we are convinced it is a real tribunal ... and will give Cambodian people a real chance at justice."
He said an ongoing investigation and controversy over kickbacks for jobs allegations and other irregularities which has dogged the Cambodian side of the court since 2006 was close to resolution.
Earlier this month the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, which currently has five former Khmer Rouge leaders in custody, launched a new ethics' monitor to address complaints.
The UN Development Program has expressed concerns and donors have withheld funding for July worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for Cambodian employees until the matter is sorted out.
The court is expected to hear its first case against former S-21 torture centre chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, as early as October. Up to 16,000 people are believed to have died at S-21.
As many as 2 million people died of starvation, overwork, disease, torture and execution under the 1975-79 ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, but the aged and often-ailing leaders lived freely until the court's indictments began being issued last year.
"The Khmer Rouge tribunal is making slow progress but it is going in the right direction," he said.
"We want to support and fund the Khmer Rouge tribunal directly, but we cannot until we are convinced it is a real tribunal ... and will give Cambodian people a real chance at justice."
He said an ongoing investigation and controversy over kickbacks for jobs allegations and other irregularities which has dogged the Cambodian side of the court since 2006 was close to resolution.
Earlier this month the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, which currently has five former Khmer Rouge leaders in custody, launched a new ethics' monitor to address complaints.
The UN Development Program has expressed concerns and donors have withheld funding for July worth hundreds of thousands of dollars for Cambodian employees until the matter is sorted out.
The court is expected to hear its first case against former S-21 torture centre chief Kaing Guek Eav, alias Duch, as early as October. Up to 16,000 people are believed to have died at S-21.
As many as 2 million people died of starvation, overwork, disease, torture and execution under the 1975-79 ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge regime, but the aged and often-ailing leaders lived freely until the court's indictments began being issued last year.
2 comments:
the USA can play a lasting legacy to the solution of the KR trial in cambodia by focusing on helping cambodia, despite political differences with some of its leaders to come up a some sort of solution to lessen corruption if so concerned. questions should be: how to find solution to lessen corruption in cambodia, especially with the funds donated for from USaid etc... that would actually help the most vulnerable cambodian people. the USA can do a lot to help in this by focusing on finding the real lasting solution to again lessen corruption if that is what is the problem in the way of funding the KR trial etc... what is one solution to curb this despicable practice? because the innocent people are the victims in this nonstop violence in under the KR regime and the least the USA can do for cambodia is to find justice once and for all by providing fundings for the KR trial to wrap up with solutions to prevent such atrocity from happening again in cambodia or anywhere in the world in the name of humanitarian. thank you and god bless all.
I would like to hear some Cambodian living in the US to tell about their treatment of discrimination and being looked down by the US main stream society.
Can someone talk about the story of Lon Nol in the US, I heard that, in his lateer life there, he was kicked out from the presedency house just because the US realised that he was no longer useful to them, and decided to abandon him.
Humanitarian aid is seen populous and supportive in the western society just only because the reason that if the governments don't act, then in turn it is an signal of telling their people that they are one day will not be cared too.
The mercy given to other just the benefit for one's own mind. giving money to a poor just to comfort ourselve that the act will make us feel better than that of not helping them. Many time it is not because we want to help other.
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