By SOPHENG CHEANG
Associated Press
The tribunal trying former leaders of Cambodia's Khmer Rouge announced Wednesday that it has summoned six leading members of Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party to give testimony.
The action is likely to irk Hun Sen, who has repeatedly expressed his sharp dissatisfaction with any efforts by the U.N.-assisted tribunal to expand its scope and possibly include his political allies as suspects in grave human rights abuses committed when the communist Khmer Rouge held power from 1975-79.
The tribunal is seeking justice for the estimated 1.7 million people who died in Cambodia from execution, overwork, disease and malnutrition as a result of the communist Khmer Rouge's radical policies.
The tribunal released copies of letters summoning the six to testify to the investigating judges of the court. They are top members of Hun Sen's Cambodian People's party: Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Finance Minister Keat Chhon, National Assembly president Heng Samrin, Senate president Chea Sim and two other senators, Ouk Bunchhoeun and Sim Ka.
All are also former members of the Khmer Rouge, or exercised some authority when the group was in power.
The documents were released late in the day, and those named could not immediately be reached for comment.
The letters did not say specifically what information was sought, but said it was in connection with the cases of Nuon Chea, the group's ideologist; Khieu Samphan, its former head of state; Ieng Sary, its foreign minister; and "others." The three, along with Ieng Sary's wife, Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs, are expected to be tried next year.
The tribunal is currently trying its first defendant, Kaing Guek Eav _ also known as Duch _ who commanded S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, where up to 16,000 people were tortured and then taken away to be killed. He is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture.
Testimony in the his trial concluded last month, and closing arguments will be held late next month.
Critics accuse Hun Sen of trying to limit the tribunal's scope to prevent his political allies from being indicted. Hun Sen himself once served as a Khmer Rouge officer and many of his main allies are also former members of the group.
Hun Sen has claimed that expanding the list of defendants could lead to civil war, a claim doubted by his critics. The Khmer Rouge took control after a bitter 1970-75 civil war, and after being ousted from power in 1979, fought an insurgency from the jungles until 1999, when they ceased to exist as an organized force.
Last month, a tribunal prosecutor formally recommended that five more suspects be investigated for crimes against humanity and other offenses.
The action is likely to irk Hun Sen, who has repeatedly expressed his sharp dissatisfaction with any efforts by the U.N.-assisted tribunal to expand its scope and possibly include his political allies as suspects in grave human rights abuses committed when the communist Khmer Rouge held power from 1975-79.
The tribunal is seeking justice for the estimated 1.7 million people who died in Cambodia from execution, overwork, disease and malnutrition as a result of the communist Khmer Rouge's radical policies.
The tribunal released copies of letters summoning the six to testify to the investigating judges of the court. They are top members of Hun Sen's Cambodian People's party: Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, Finance Minister Keat Chhon, National Assembly president Heng Samrin, Senate president Chea Sim and two other senators, Ouk Bunchhoeun and Sim Ka.
All are also former members of the Khmer Rouge, or exercised some authority when the group was in power.
The documents were released late in the day, and those named could not immediately be reached for comment.
The letters did not say specifically what information was sought, but said it was in connection with the cases of Nuon Chea, the group's ideologist; Khieu Samphan, its former head of state; Ieng Sary, its foreign minister; and "others." The three, along with Ieng Sary's wife, Ieng Thirith, who was minister for social affairs, are expected to be tried next year.
The tribunal is currently trying its first defendant, Kaing Guek Eav _ also known as Duch _ who commanded S-21 prison in Phnom Penh, where up to 16,000 people were tortured and then taken away to be killed. He is charged with crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder and torture.
Testimony in the his trial concluded last month, and closing arguments will be held late next month.
Critics accuse Hun Sen of trying to limit the tribunal's scope to prevent his political allies from being indicted. Hun Sen himself once served as a Khmer Rouge officer and many of his main allies are also former members of the group.
Hun Sen has claimed that expanding the list of defendants could lead to civil war, a claim doubted by his critics. The Khmer Rouge took control after a bitter 1970-75 civil war, and after being ousted from power in 1979, fought an insurgency from the jungles until 1999, when they ceased to exist as an organized force.
Last month, a tribunal prosecutor formally recommended that five more suspects be investigated for crimes against humanity and other offenses.
this is starting to be interesting....will the ECCC stick to its gun? how the CPP top leadership will react to this? two more should be on the list, Hun Sen and Sihanauk could shed more light about the KR period as well.
ReplyDeleteVoice
Ok don't just talk you motherfucker go get him and bring all UNHCR and American go get him.
ReplyDeleteI believe you motherfucker will soon before all of them helping you dumpass.
I like the UN Khmer Rouge Tribunal court more and more.
ReplyDeleteThis is good news.
I've been waiting for news like this for too long already.
New Phally and Thes Meas, what do you guys think?
Can someone translate 5:59 AM post?
ReplyDelete5:59AM has a mental issues. He doesnot know how to use the language very well and the only thing he knows are rude words! His language is only for him to understand, it looks like he is swearing at his mother! So, bros/sis, if you see such a language just ignore him... and keep going giving constructive criticism to our gov't and our open minded people as usual, in other words, don't let one sting fish to contaminate the restn of the pond. so, just skip it ok.
ReplyDelete5:59AM He could be another scum from another nation who is pretending to be one of us and tried to make us fight with each other! Whoever he is, I want him to know, we are not stupid any more OK!, so, Piss off!
ReplyDeleteSOONER OR LATER JUSTICE WILL BE SERVE
ReplyDelete, IT LOOK LIKE JUSTICE IS AROUND THE
CORNER. IT'S TIME FOR THESE CULPRIT AND MURDER TO GET PANIC AND START SHOOTING AT EACH OTHER, NOW THAT THE
UN IS GETTING TOUGH WITH HUN SEN.
The Prosecutors have missed the "goblin". He is living in Siem Reap.
ReplyDelete*KICK ME* i must be dreaming! finally the court is showing some SPINE.
ReplyDeleteas for rude posts like 5:59 the best way to show to such people how scarce their intelligence is, is to continue posting sound, amicable easygoing replies.
I hope this fucking corrupted and bias court not taking site with the youn ,like they did six decades a go and let the khmer rouge Ho Namhong free from the verdict.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Mr. Rainsy !
I'm not your supporter but now I feel like I wanted to
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
ReplyDeleteTortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime had committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Executions
Executed members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed 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.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
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
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
To Khmer Rouge supporters New Phally and Thes Meas
ReplyDeleteHow come you guys don't have any comment?
I am very dissappointed in you guys for not comment on this issue.
I know that you guys always have something to say.
Oh by the way, can you guys tell your boss (AH Hun Sen) to calm down, because this is just a summone for six top government and legislative officials who's responsible for killing almost two million innocent Khmer peoples as witnesses against leaders of the Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime. Tell him to save his panic for an indictment that will be coming soon.