Voice of America
Phnom Penh
26 February 2009
The Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Cambodia began hearings less than two weeks ago. However, officials are already warning the trial is headed for bankruptcy unless donors increase their financial commitments and deliver on previously pledged cash donations. From outside the court in Phnom Penh, Luke Hunt reports.
Funding for the tribunal is divided between the Cambodian and the United Nations parts of the court. It is the Cambodian section that is experiencing a massive shortfall, with some donors yet to make good on promised assistance.
According to a revised budget forecast, the courts established to try surviving leaders for the deaths of 1.7 million people will need an additional $44.1 million, on top of the original $56.3 million, if it is to last until the end of 2009.
Tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis says time is of the essence.
"February payroll has been paid, but we don't have enough to pay the March payroll, so its certainly a serious matter. However, we've have long believed this court is not going to close down because of a lack of money and we imagine and we are confident that this crisis will be overcome," she said.
The United States, Japan, the European Union and Australia have all contributed to the tribunal, which is expected to last at least two years. But diplomatic sources say they will be careful in handing out money for the trial after witnessing cost overruns at other war crime tribunals - especially in Rwanda.
About a third of this country's population died under Pol Pot's rule, from 1975 to 1979. Justice has been a long time coming, as ongoing civil wars and marathon haggling with the United Nations about the make-up of the court resulted in lengthy delays.
Funding for the tribunal is divided between the Cambodian and the United Nations parts of the court. It is the Cambodian section that is experiencing a massive shortfall, with some donors yet to make good on promised assistance.
According to a revised budget forecast, the courts established to try surviving leaders for the deaths of 1.7 million people will need an additional $44.1 million, on top of the original $56.3 million, if it is to last until the end of 2009.
Tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis says time is of the essence.
"February payroll has been paid, but we don't have enough to pay the March payroll, so its certainly a serious matter. However, we've have long believed this court is not going to close down because of a lack of money and we imagine and we are confident that this crisis will be overcome," she said.
The United States, Japan, the European Union and Australia have all contributed to the tribunal, which is expected to last at least two years. But diplomatic sources say they will be careful in handing out money for the trial after witnessing cost overruns at other war crime tribunals - especially in Rwanda.
About a third of this country's population died under Pol Pot's rule, from 1975 to 1979. Justice has been a long time coming, as ongoing civil wars and marathon haggling with the United Nations about the make-up of the court resulted in lengthy delays.
9 comments:
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples.
You're support the killing of innocent men, women and children in Cambodia on March 30, 1997.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing.
You're support attemted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruption in Cambodia.
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
These are the Trade Mark of Hun Sen Regime.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge commanders.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Trail?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen's government (Cambodian People's Party) invented human right abuses, intimidation, death threats, assassination, murder, killing, eviction, land grabbing, injustice and corruptions in Cambodia.
These are some of Hun Sen Regime's Trade Mark.
Under Hun Sen Regime, no criminals that has been committed murder and all other crimes within Hun Sen's government ever been brought to Hun Sen Regime's court.
Hahaha, LOL, hahaha, the ECCC is ready for bankruptcy and pouk Ah Scam Rainxy want them to prosecute more people, hahaha, LOL, They are sooo retarded.
They are soooo smart like their CPP's brothers because they know that no matter what the $$$$$$$ will eventually come through just like before.
March on......longer trial...more KR cadres.....more pleading....more $$$$$
Hahaha, LOL, hahaha, this too much fun!!
Hey, stop spamming Yuon's blog here. Just because it's is run by Ah Khmer-Yuon, it doesn't give anyone the right to spam the shit out of it.
The bottom line is Yuon will be Ah Khmer-Yuon's master4ever. You got that?
khmer/yuon/youn/khmer/master/slave/slave/master.....who's care! they're all paying their dues to communist bosses anyway.
They're rich....we're poor! They poke....we sing like birds to the same shits they love to hear.
Stability is paramount...you hear?
Get it?
Stab your mother 4:14AM!!!!! Ah kwack is destroying democracy in Cambodia! With the corrupted killing forces!!!!!!!
How can anyone destroy democracy that we never have. Ah Jkout (5:00) is on drug.
Hehehe, that is funny. This is bit like accusing someone destroying your car, but you don't even have a car.
Post a Comment