Original report from Phnom Penh
24 December 2009
Judges for the Khmer Rouge tribunal will begin investigating the practice of forced marriage and intercourse as part of their upcoming case against four senior leaders of the regime, officials announced this week.
Investigating judges Marcel Lemonde and You Bunleng said on the tribunal Website their findings indicate Cambodians were forced to consummate marriage, an act that could be construed as a crime against humanity.
In a Dec. 18 decision posted on the Web site Tuesday, the investigating judges said they had considered requests by civil parties and prosecutors and would “grant the request to conduct investigations into forced marriage throughout Cambodia.”
In its bid to create a utopian society, the Khmer Rouge dismantled much of the fabric of Cambodian life. Banks and schools were destroyed, and children were separated from their parents in work collectives.
Another policy was to gather men and women together and pair them off in forced marriages, according to complaints filed to the tribunal’s Victims Unit. Since 2008, victims have filed complaints from various provinces claiming they had been forced to marry under the Khmer Rouge.
The decision followed a request by civil party lawyers earlier this year that the forced marriages be added to the upcoming case against Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith.
All four are expected to be tried jointly for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.
Investigating judges Marcel Lemonde and You Bunleng said on the tribunal Website their findings indicate Cambodians were forced to consummate marriage, an act that could be construed as a crime against humanity.
In a Dec. 18 decision posted on the Web site Tuesday, the investigating judges said they had considered requests by civil parties and prosecutors and would “grant the request to conduct investigations into forced marriage throughout Cambodia.”
In its bid to create a utopian society, the Khmer Rouge dismantled much of the fabric of Cambodian life. Banks and schools were destroyed, and children were separated from their parents in work collectives.
Another policy was to gather men and women together and pair them off in forced marriages, according to complaints filed to the tribunal’s Victims Unit. Since 2008, victims have filed complaints from various provinces claiming they had been forced to marry under the Khmer Rouge.
The decision followed a request by civil party lawyers earlier this year that the forced marriages be added to the upcoming case against Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith.
All four are expected to be tried jointly for crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide.
8 comments:
I wonder how many forced marriage by Khmer Rough are still living happily together today. From my observation, most of them still live together happily
Soon Hun Sen and his group will have luck like Khmer Rough leaders. When Hun Sen has no power, I wonder where he will live.
9:03 AM
He will live in 7 stars Hotel in Dubai.
the KR regime was the world's stupidest. what were they thinking back then?
Well some forced marriages are still together until these day
Forced marriages is better than forced to divorce by the rich and powerful man.....
hun sen is a Khmer country traitor,his hand is full of Khmer's blood for youn purpose,God will treat him fairly soon if he's not going to stop doing this.
Please don't change the color of the tribunal.
Tribunal have to find the true face of the killers of more than two millions life throughout the country not just S21 prison.
If the tribunal can not find the true face of the past genocide in Cambodia I think the scape goat will eventually create another mass murder in Cambodia again in the near future when vietnam legally control Cambodia.
An importing thing is the killers are now sitting and laughing at the Tribunal.
Forced marriage is not the core of the killing field and K5 in Cambodia.
What can you say after you stay together with 2 or 3 children? unhappy and divorce?.
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