Corruption and Budget Questions Demand Donor, UN Attention
Press Release
Date: March 24, 2010
Contact: Rachel Aicher
raicher@sorosny.org
1-212-548-0135 (w) / 1-917-294-2641 (m)
New York—Political interference, corruption, and funding shortfalls may cripple the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, states a report released today by the Open Society Justice Initiative. The organization calls for increased engagement from the United Nations and donor countries.
"The court has made substantial progress to date, but its future is uncertain," said Open Society Justice Initiative Executive Director James A. Goldston. "Appointing a permanent senior advisor at the UN assistant secretary-general level would provide critical leadership and oversight to help the court achieve its mission."
The report criticizes ongoing political interference with the judicial process, notes weaknesses in existing mechanisms to curb corruption, and calls attention to impending budget shortfalls. It recommends that senior officials of the Court, the UN, and the Cambodian government publicly reaffirm the importance of judicial independence, establish effective whistleblower and witness protection measures, and require periodic public progress reports from the independent counselor in charge of corruption complaints. It also calls on the US and the EU to increase funding.
"A court with secure and adequate funding is in a much stronger position to operate with independence and integrity," said Goldston. "Donors need to ensure that the tribunal has the funding it needs, while also maintaining pressure on the government of Cambodia to let justice run its course."
The court is currently seeking donor contributions to meet budget demands for 2010 and 2011. With Japan planning to decrease its funding levels, other countries will need to bridge the gap in order to cover basic operating costs, as well as to improve outreach programs and bolster anticorruption mechanisms.
Recent Developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia: March 2010 is the latest in a series of regular Justice Initiative publications offering news, analysis, and recommendations on the tribunal.
"The court has made substantial progress to date, but its future is uncertain," said Open Society Justice Initiative Executive Director James A. Goldston. "Appointing a permanent senior advisor at the UN assistant secretary-general level would provide critical leadership and oversight to help the court achieve its mission."
The report criticizes ongoing political interference with the judicial process, notes weaknesses in existing mechanisms to curb corruption, and calls attention to impending budget shortfalls. It recommends that senior officials of the Court, the UN, and the Cambodian government publicly reaffirm the importance of judicial independence, establish effective whistleblower and witness protection measures, and require periodic public progress reports from the independent counselor in charge of corruption complaints. It also calls on the US and the EU to increase funding.
"A court with secure and adequate funding is in a much stronger position to operate with independence and integrity," said Goldston. "Donors need to ensure that the tribunal has the funding it needs, while also maintaining pressure on the government of Cambodia to let justice run its course."
The court is currently seeking donor contributions to meet budget demands for 2010 and 2011. With Japan planning to decrease its funding levels, other countries will need to bridge the gap in order to cover basic operating costs, as well as to improve outreach programs and bolster anticorruption mechanisms.
Recent Developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia: March 2010 is the latest in a series of regular Justice Initiative publications offering news, analysis, and recommendations on the tribunal.
5 comments:
UN should use the westerners to take care KRT 's financial management, if they still keep those corrupt people run that office ,it doesn't matters the money fall from the sky they won't be enough to fill up the corrupt Cambodian officers s banks .
UN can not help khmer knowing that all political leaders are former KR. UN, however hope that time will come for them, knowing that they are too old and that they will died out soon or later anyway. In other words, you can not select anyone from the group as they are as bad as each other!. So, how can you find justice if they all are killers who are trying to protect each other from being judged or who is to judge whom when they are the same kind? In addition, people will never find justice, accept wait until the judgment day comes and it will be judged by the Lord our God Jesus Christ!. Hopefully soon, Hun Sen Son will be able to change the whole system for the benefit of our nation and country. Wisdom
The best advise ever!
Giving in to criminals= killing innocents.
UN,please act decisively.
Thank you.
THE ONLY WAY TO KICK HUN SEN OUT FROM POWER LET ALL KHMER INSIDE THE COUNTRY RISE UP. NOT 14 MILLIONS KHMER JUST ONLY A FEW MILLIONS THAT'S ALL YOU NEED AND STAND UP FOR YOUR SELF. HUN SEN CAN'T USE THE MILITARY SHOOT ALL CAMBODIAN. IF HE DOING THAT HE MUST FOOLING HIMSELF. COME ON CAMBODIAN PEOPLES WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? LOOK AT THAILAND FOR EXAMPLE. WHY THEY DO NOT AFRAID OF DOING THAT? RED SHIRT OR YELLOW SHIRT. OPEN YOUR EYES CAMBODIAN. REMOVE HIM FROM POWER NOW. USE YOUR POWER. THE PEOPLE POWER. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE FOR YOUR FUTURE.
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