Sam Rith and Robbie Corey-Boulet
The Phnom Penh Post
THE Victims’ Unit at the Khmer Rouge tribunal last month received civil party application forms from 10 victims who say they were subjected to forced marriage during the regime, according to a press release issued Tuesday by the Cambodian Defenders Project (CDP).
The release states that the applications, from victims in Kampong Cham and Pursat provinces, “show striking similarities” to four applications submitted last October by victims in Kampot province.
In groups of up to 20, the victims were gathered in community halls and told to marry strangers, according to the release, which adds that “nobody dared to refuse openly for fear of punishment”.
The CDP release goes on to argue that the regime’s “population policy” amounted to a crime against humanity.
The 2004 law establishing the tribunal does not include forced marriage in a list of possible crimes against humanity, though that list is not exhaustive.
UN court spokesman Lars Olsen noted Tuesday that the decision on whether to recognise forced marriage as a crime against humanity would be up to the Trial Chamber.
Failing that, civil party lawyer Silke Studzinsky said it could also be subsumed under crimes against humanity such as rape and enslavement.
She noted, though, that the Special Court for Sierra Leone in February found three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front guilty of the crime.
The release states that the applications, from victims in Kampong Cham and Pursat provinces, “show striking similarities” to four applications submitted last October by victims in Kampot province.
In groups of up to 20, the victims were gathered in community halls and told to marry strangers, according to the release, which adds that “nobody dared to refuse openly for fear of punishment”.
The CDP release goes on to argue that the regime’s “population policy” amounted to a crime against humanity.
The 2004 law establishing the tribunal does not include forced marriage in a list of possible crimes against humanity, though that list is not exhaustive.
UN court spokesman Lars Olsen noted Tuesday that the decision on whether to recognise forced marriage as a crime against humanity would be up to the Trial Chamber.
Failing that, civil party lawyer Silke Studzinsky said it could also be subsumed under crimes against humanity such as rape and enslavement.
She noted, though, that the Special Court for Sierra Leone in February found three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front guilty of the crime.
3 comments:
I believe that this article is most accurate about the current situation about Cambodia. I too know of Hun Sen evil sins. He murdered people during the Khmer Rouge era. HUN SEN stage A SCHEME TO KILL INNOCENT PEOPLE TO ANGER BOTH HANOI AND POL POT to fight each other so he can use them both to gain power.
I believe that someday HUN SEN will be put to KR TRIAL. MY PARENTS KNOW WHAT YOU HENG SAMRIN AND HUN SEN DID IN 1979. THAT WHY WE RAN AWAY. MASS MURDERERS AS MOST KNOW HE tell people me HUN SEN GOOD, BUT ONLY FOR YOUR MONEY AND WIFES PANTS.
ALSO HUN SEN WAS PEEPING TOM AT A GIRLS TAKING BATH THATS WHY HIS EYE WAS POKED BY KHMER ROUGE LEADERS AND HE EXAGGERATED THE STORY PORTRAYING HERO AND ALL.
Well,it ought to be a crime against humanity.As the results from the group and forced marriage,some women committed suicide.For males,some fled the country to be caught and killed near the border with Siam.
20 couples was nothing compared to what 60 -150 couples at a time in NW region under Ta Mok command after 1977 purge.
Many innocent children were born out of this group marriage. So much hatred resulted from DK inhumane acts. Many coulpes split as soon as Viet invasion arrived.
It's a shame and tragic for the human dignity.
Our gov't needs to be more focus on unity, team work, collaboration and as well as learn to ignore all personal conflicts otherwise it will slow down us in term of community building processes. At the sometime, we don't want other races to take advantage of us because we are too busy fighting with one another. Therefore please, promote unity, love, compassion, share and respect among each other. This is the only way to run the country. Everyone is existed for a purpose, so, accept them all as one. I would like to make a request to all of our Khmer editors to call upon all leaders to come together as one and to discuss about what else need to be done, especially about “national security”.....Aust
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