By Andrew Buncombe, Asia Correspondent
The Independent (UK)
A prosecutor at the genocide tribunal in Cambodia has formally recommended that a further five suspects be investigated for crimes against humanity – setting the UN-backed trial on a collision course with the country's Prime Minister.
The tribunal, held on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh, is trying five members of the Khmer Rouge for their alleged role in the mass murder that led to the deaths of up to 1.7 million people. Among them is Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, the head of a notorious prison where thousands were sent to be tortured before being dispatched for execution at the "killing fields".
A statement issued yesterday by the acting international prosecutor, William Smith, said he had recommended to the trial judges that a further five, so-far unidentified, suspects be investigated. He said the cases involved at least 32 instances of murder, torture, unlawful detention, forced labour and persecution.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that such a move would lead to widespread violence. "I would like to tell you that if you prosecute [more leaders] without thinking beforehand about national reconciliation and peace, and if war breaks out again and kills 20,000 or 30,000 people, who will be responsible?" he said.
The UN, which is overseeing the prosecutions, reiterated that the tribunal is independent of the government. The tribunal has both an international and a Cambodian prosecutor and the two have always disagreed on whether more suspects should be tried. Hun Sen, himself a former Khmer Rouge officer, has been accused of interfering with the trial and trying to protect many former rebels, some of whom are now members of his government.
The tribunal, held on the outskirts of the capital, Phnom Penh, is trying five members of the Khmer Rouge for their alleged role in the mass murder that led to the deaths of up to 1.7 million people. Among them is Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, the head of a notorious prison where thousands were sent to be tortured before being dispatched for execution at the "killing fields".
A statement issued yesterday by the acting international prosecutor, William Smith, said he had recommended to the trial judges that a further five, so-far unidentified, suspects be investigated. He said the cases involved at least 32 instances of murder, torture, unlawful detention, forced labour and persecution.
The announcement came after Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Monday that such a move would lead to widespread violence. "I would like to tell you that if you prosecute [more leaders] without thinking beforehand about national reconciliation and peace, and if war breaks out again and kills 20,000 or 30,000 people, who will be responsible?" he said.
The UN, which is overseeing the prosecutions, reiterated that the tribunal is independent of the government. The tribunal has both an international and a Cambodian prosecutor and the two have always disagreed on whether more suspects should be tried. Hun Sen, himself a former Khmer Rouge officer, has been accused of interfering with the trial and trying to protect many former rebels, some of whom are now members of his government.
13 comments:
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Tortures
Executions
Massacres
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Overwork to Death
Slavery
Rapes
Human Abuses
Assault and Battery
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leader of the Free Trade Union
Attempted Assassinations on Chea Vichea and Sam Rainsy
Attempted Murders on Chea Vichea and Sam Rainsy
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders members and activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Killings
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and others military official on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Remove Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leader of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
To Khmer Rouge supporters
Ah PPU
Ah New Phally
Ah Khmer-Australian
Ah AngkorianMan Krama Man
Ah Thana
Ah Thes Meas
You're support Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime who is killing innocent Khmer peoples.
Please do me a favor don't ever tell anyone that you are Khmer, because you make Khmer peoples look bad.
i think the prime minister is right about let bygone be bygone for the sake of peace and stability in cambodia, really. after all, it is in the best interest of the majority of khmer people to express this; it's not just the prime minister's view, it most khmer people's view as well. please respect khmer people's view on this sensitive subject. we appreciate the international community trying to help cambodia, however, do consult with majority of khmer people's representatives in gov't about this topic as well. please don't let bias view get in the court's decision in all of this. god bless cambodia.
i think the prime minister is right about let bygone be bygone for the sake of peace and stability in cambodia, really. after all, it is in the best interest of the majority of khmer people to express this; it's not just the prime minister's view, it most khmer people's view as well. please respect khmer people's view on this sensitive subject. we appreciate the international community trying to help cambodia, however, do consult with majority of khmer people's representatives in gov't about this topic as well. please don't let bias view get in the court's decision in all of this. god bless cambodia.
Hey 7:03 AM
No one read yours stupid comments. Everyone know how to copy and paste.
to common 7:07 AM, scar you ass to get involve with khmer rouge? because your leader kwack hun is khmer rought he got scare because he is a killer of innocent khmer. go UN pick Hun Sen head out from from his cronie, then there will be no civile war and there also is nothing else for UN to opperate this court.
correction on common 7:46 Am there will be no civile war and and also there was no one else try to again this court. we all people in combodia want you and support UN to continue to opperate this court.
i'm just saying what are the back up plan in case things do get out of hands, there! the court seems or weak right now. everyone should take this seriously with back up plan, etc. running away to seek refuge overseas is not the ideal plan for some people. this court needs a strong international present such as security guards, etc... maybe some military police present to boost security at this place is called for by cambodia. please don't abandon cambodia for the second time this time around like during lon nol time just before the KR took over phnom penh and cambodia. it is khmer people and cambodia that suffer the most from all of this, not people overseas, you know. khmer people had suffered enough already, we don't need another chaos or what have you, ok!
To7:04AM,
You are the one that make Khmers look bad, becuase you always talk bad about Khmers. And don't tell anybody that you are Khmer. Shame on you.
measthes@yahoo.com
The Prime suspects,
The ECCC must put these khmer Rouge killers on trial such as NORODOM SIHANOUK, HENG SAMRIN, CHEA SIM, HUN SEN, HO NAM HONG and KEAT CHHON. We khmer thank you for UN servise.
Here New Phally , New Phally, New Phally, come here boy i got a doggie treat for you,.... come on boy, come on...come here boy
To Thes Meas
You are completely wrong and you cannot represent me.
Do you understand?
I talk bad about Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime not talk bad about innocent Khmer peoples to the world.
Khmer:
Innocent Khmer peoples
Victims of Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime.
Victims of Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime.
Victims of Hun Sen Death Squad.
Victims of Hun Sen's Phnom Penh Municipal Court.
Victims of Hun Sen's Phnom Penh Municipal Police.
Khmer Rouge/worse than animal:
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime
Hun Sen Death Squad (Hun Sen's personal Bodyguards Unit (Brigade 70))
Hun Sen's Phnom Penh Municipal Court
Hun Sen's Phnom Penh Municipal Police
I did not make Khmer Peoples look bad. I make a murderers (Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime) and supporters of a murderers look bad. In fact I defend innocent Khmer Peoples (journalists, political opponents, leader of the free trade union, innocent men, women and children). And you support criminals that kill Khmer peoples. The only reason why I communicate with you is I want you, who is unfit to be Khmer to wake up from this comma of supporting criminals. The Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime is actually worse than animal. Animal usually don't kill their own kind, but the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime kill their own peoples. You support murderers (Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime) so this make you worse than animal.
Thes Meas, stop compairing you to me, there is nothing of you that is better than me. Keep in mind that you are not Khmer, you are Khmer Krorhorm (worse than animal) who's support Khmer Rouge killing innocent Khmer peoples.
Why are you talk about your children and others children. This is not about children, it's about you.
Thes Meas, I would like to remind you that you are not Khmer. You are unfit to be Khmer. Khmer peoples don't murder Khmer peoples. Khmer peoples don't support a murderer killing Khmer peoples.
What don't you understand?
You can call yourself Khmer Rouge, Khmer Rouge supporter or worse than animal. But you are not Khmer.
So, don't tell anyone that you are Khmer, because you'll make Khmer peoples look bad.
Thes Meas, if I feel that you're continue to support criminals (Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime), I will give you a title infront of your name. And don't tell me that I don't give you a chance.
Also, I will put your name on my hate list.
To 2:53 AM,
So you got nothing to say about me now, but just copy and paste your old comments to me. Shame on you.
meathes@yahoo.com
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