Kek Galabru, president and founder of Licadho.By Men Kimseng, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
19 May 2009
Even if the Khmer Rouge tribunal manages to try all five aging leaders now in custody, Cambodia will likely need more reconciliation, a leading rights activist said Monday.
The tribunal is undertaking its first trial, of the regime’s chief torturer, Duch, but the country might need something like South Africa’s Truth Commission alongside the court in order for Cambodians to be at peace with the past, said Kek Galabru, founder of the rights group Licadho.
“People are still not feeling justified with the trial of the five accused,” she said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.” “For instance, some say that they see many former prison directors who operated in their provinces who are still alive. People still feel pain, even seeing the trial of the five Khmer Rouge leaders.”
She suggested an expert be invited to Cambodia to demonstrate how truth commissions are run.
Meanwhile, more and more Cambodians are paying attention to the trial of Duch, she said, which contributes to national healing.
Not everyone has been satisfied with the tribunal.
A “Hello VOA” caller from Oddar Meanchey province said he did not believe the UN-backed tribunal would provide justice. The tribunal is being held in Cambodia, he said, so the court could not be insulated from political influence.
Another caller, Sun Thun, from Kampong Thom province, said he wished to see the court finish its work as quickly as possible, so more evidence against those involved in the killings of the Khmer Rouge would come to light.
He said he wanted more indictments of former regime leaders and disagreed with statements by Prime Minister Hun Sen and other officials that further indictments could destabilize the country.
“I don't see any war,” he said. “Our country is bound by the Paris Peace Agreement, in which signatory countries are committed to bringing an end to wars in Cambodia. If there is a war, it is those in the government who would create it.”
The tribunal is undertaking its first trial, of the regime’s chief torturer, Duch, but the country might need something like South Africa’s Truth Commission alongside the court in order for Cambodians to be at peace with the past, said Kek Galabru, founder of the rights group Licadho.
“People are still not feeling justified with the trial of the five accused,” she said, as a guest on “Hello VOA.” “For instance, some say that they see many former prison directors who operated in their provinces who are still alive. People still feel pain, even seeing the trial of the five Khmer Rouge leaders.”
She suggested an expert be invited to Cambodia to demonstrate how truth commissions are run.
Meanwhile, more and more Cambodians are paying attention to the trial of Duch, she said, which contributes to national healing.
Not everyone has been satisfied with the tribunal.
A “Hello VOA” caller from Oddar Meanchey province said he did not believe the UN-backed tribunal would provide justice. The tribunal is being held in Cambodia, he said, so the court could not be insulated from political influence.
Another caller, Sun Thun, from Kampong Thom province, said he wished to see the court finish its work as quickly as possible, so more evidence against those involved in the killings of the Khmer Rouge would come to light.
He said he wanted more indictments of former regime leaders and disagreed with statements by Prime Minister Hun Sen and other officials that further indictments could destabilize the country.
“I don't see any war,” he said. “Our country is bound by the Paris Peace Agreement, in which signatory countries are committed to bringing an end to wars in Cambodia. If there is a war, it is those in the government who would create it.”
19 comments:
Truth Committee is Ok and have to set up for KRT but this Truth Committee could not leaded by those Monkey NGO in Cambodia or government body.
Truth Committee should be leaded by Cambodian Oversea NGO or Cambodian activist.
Kek Galabru, your name is not even khmer. What do u care about khmer people besides getting ur baggy pussy stuffed with your canadian hubby's cock.
Dont listen to this old cunt!
calm down imbecile @8:09 AM!
Samak Mith @ 8:09 AM,
Your comment tells everything about you.
dr. kek galabru's suggestion is an excellent idea. yes, the concept of "truth commission" is what we all needed and wanted in cambodia similar to the same concept in south africa. please continue to discuss on it. thank you and god bless cambodia and all khmer people.
8:09 AM, You're not khmer.
Khmer do not say like that.
Kid 8:09 behave yourself if you don't know who is this lady.
8:09 AM
Is your name Sok or Sao, dark skin or curley hair? What have/haven't you done to help Cambodians? Don't discriminate against a name. It doesn't matter who you are, as long as you do something to help the Cambodian people, that counts.
Man! This guy <<8:09 AM>> is ignorant!
It's a great feeling to have heard these losers (in this forum)exchanging their ineffectual views and meaningless and clueless ideas.
PPU
If you have great feeling by just having heard these people you called "losers" exchanged comments, I WONDER WHAT MAKE YOU ARE?
MI SOMPHEUNG DOSS KOY! NI YEAY LOP LOP!
12:30 PM
Right back to you!
PPU
Cambodia needs statesmen like Nelsom Mandela and Reverend Desmond Tutu to be able to create and efffectively run the South African-modeled truth commission Dr. Kek proposed.
It doesn't have any such statesmen yet, only people with a lot of hatred in their hearts.
This hatred is officially stoked up every year on the Day of Anger (tivea chong kamhoeng), on 20 May (today), against a Buddhist teaching to abandon anger or hatred (dusa. And Buddhism is Cambodia's state religion!
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
LAO Mong Hay may ass
Mr/Ms 12:57PM is a live testimony to what I said: a heart full of hatred. But he/she is my brother/sister.
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
Dr. Lao Mong Hay, thank you for sharing.
It is easy to say about the TRC, but it is not to implement in Cambodian context. I think civil society should focus on reconciliation work at local level rather on national level instuttion. I am not sure whether everyone, especially our leader, wants to know the truth. If not, TRC will be useless. So please let the ECCC move forward first before asking for another one.
8:56 PM,
You point is well taken. But the local has already bought out by the CPP.
I dont care what y'all think, motherfuckers.
Real LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
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