Will the UN-backed court be able to stand up to Hun Sen?
November 3, 2010
By Joel Brinkley
GlobalPost
[Hun Sen] is a living definition of the word “impunity.”PALO ALTO — Hun Sen, Cambodia’s prime minister, told the United Nations Secretary General while he was visiting Phnom Penh the other day that he would not allow any more Khmer Rouge war-crimes trials after the second one that’s now underway.
“The prime minister clearly affirmed that case three is not allowed,” his foreign minister reported.
What’s so strange about that? All of the remaining defendants, four surviving leaders of the genocidal regime, are on trial right now. One of the most notorious Khmer Rouge jailers has already been convicted and was sent to prison in July.
Well, Hun Sen’s declaration to Ban Ki-moon runs afoul of two serious problems. First, the Khmer Rouge trial, administered by a joint U.N.-Cambodian court, is supposed to be completely independent of government or U.N. interference.
As Ban put it, Hun Sen needs to “provide full cooperation and fully respect the independence of the court.”
But then this is Cambodia, and Hun Sen is essentially an elected dictator who wields full control of everything that happens in his country — except the Khmer Rouge trial. He has been interfering in the court since the day it opened its doors. In fact, it’s a miracle that the court has managed to carry out a trial and issue a conviction, given Hun Sen’s public animus toward the proceedings.
Hun Sen is worried. He is a former Khmer Rouge commander, and while no one has pinned any particular atrocity on him, numerous members of his government and military were Khmer Rouge officers, too. Hun Sen fought the U.N. over the trial for many years but, under pressure, finally agreed after the U.N. allowed his courts to share jurisdiction.
Right now, down in the basement of the court’s international side, criminal investigators are at work looking for even more villains to put on trial for the deaths of 2 million people killed during the Khmer Rouge reign from 1975 to 1979. It’s like finding trees in the forest because these people live openly in Cambodian society, with little to worry them — until now.
Many of the possible future defendants are Hun Sen’s friends and compatriots. And while there is absolutely no evidence of this now, I wonder whether he worries that one or another of them, to save his own skin, might tell damning stories of the prime minister’s past once he is put on the stand.
The other problem is Hun Sen’s fatuous explanation for trying to forbid more trials.
“We have to think about peace in Cambodia,” Hun Sen told Ban. Last year, when the court said it was opening new investigations. Hun Sen warned: "If you want a tribunal, but you don't want to consider peace and reconciliation and war breaks out again, killing 200,000 or 300,000 people, who will be responsible? Finally, I have got peace in this country, so I will not let someone destroy it.”
More than a decade ago, before the Khmer Rouge insurgency finally collapsed in 1999, some Cambodians officials openly worried that aging Khmer Rouge soldiers living in the jungle might come out and cause trouble if their colleagues were put on trial. But that was a long time ago, and the politics of today are entirely different.
I spent much of the last two years reporting in Cambodia, and most Cambodians told me they aren’t even watching the trial. It’s televised, but 75 percent of Cambodians have no electricity and have to power their TVs with car batteries. Reception is not very good. Interest is even less. During the day, while the trial is on, Cambodians have to work. They are generally more concerned about survival than justice for a regime that left power before most of them were even born.
So where’s all this trouble Hun Sen worries about going to come from? The first trial, against the jailer Kaing Guek Eav, known as Duch, provoked not a single recorded incident of civil unrest. Hun Sen’s is a totally baseless claim. But he doesn’t care. He is a living definition of the word “impunity.” That enabled him also to order the secretary general to close the U.N.’s human rights office in Cambodia. Inconveniently, that office has been pointing out that Hun Sen’s government is depriving its citizens of one human right after another as the prime minister consolidates his dictatorship.
The trial has been a most interesting exercise for Cambodia. It exposed the state’s way of doing business — incompetent, rapacious, corrupt — to everyone in the world. Since half of the court is staffed by United Nations employees, mostly from Western nations, Cambodian business as usual, generally practiced behind locked doors, is now exposed for the world to see — like a doll house with no back wall. The scene inside isn’t pretty, but I have confidence the court will find a way to stand up to Hun Sen once again.
26 comments:
what a loser king go beg viet nam for staying as king and can not beg by himself he even bring his mother which we oun her thru hun sen and cpp and then his father...
you all khmer are a loser race and soon will be erase from this earth...
long live viet nam.. soon we will have nuclear power we will kill all of you so we dont have to waste our resources..
Today we signed 2 nuclear with Japan, 8 with Russia and soon USA will transfer the know how and also technology to make uranium .. then we will erase you all useless khmer from this earth...
now we will use you -- hun sen -cpp is our greaest slave to get more money from china and world for us..
your loser race can not even make toothpick..
LONG LIVE VIET NAM
Vietnam is with USA to protect itself against China,
Sam Rainsy is also with USA,
Hun Sen is with China,
Hun Sen will leave Vietnam.
Vietnam will support Sam Rainsy and drop Hun Sen ?
Mr. Sam rainsy he could lead many peoples he want, he could win more support, and he could get most USA support if he can see himself as a flaw leader and seek advice from intellect people. He got Mrs. Mou sochour, Son Chai, EAng Chai ieng, Kong kourm,Chiem Chany, these people are not qualify for a mentor who capable to run the party. Why Rainsy play such low game and wast times. Your poor management Rainsy you have to stop your believe system. Do you still think your criticizing and make people hate Hun sen is the only political method that will bring you more support.
Sam rainsy Listen to me (your words are not good you are not good either). Bring up your policy what you will going to do if you win. who is the big real liar you Rainsy.
Sam rainsy you are so negative, you only know how to talk bad, and skillful in criticism and your believe system are make Hun sen look bad that may bring you more support. You are wrong Ransy change this useless method and wash your brain to make your self more intellect than this or you are loser for ever. it cheap idea Ransy, stop doing it, people will support the man who his word speak the truth you Rainsy never say the truth. Ransy you can't work with Funcinpec, CPP, Son San, Youn, King, and me, who can work with you, you are so negative. wake up Rainsy
What happens if Ah Hun Zen becomes UN secretary?
The only way out is ASSASINATION.
i put 1 million dollars on Hun Xen head.
stop picking on my prime minister! instead, pick on your past unfulfilled, personal flaw. grow up already; there are more to cambodia than you people, really!
He
Under
Nam
X-terminator
Everybody
Now
SHORT LIVE VIET NAM... We wish that we would not have been born as Vietnamese …
Việt là đồ ngu mẹ đã ăn thịt chó.
Vietnamese are the mother fuckers and dog eaters.
Ah đồ má con chó,
We are Vietnamese and proud to be dog eaters who live and die like dogs….
drop who leave who at the end camboda is a new province to viet nam...
LONG LIVE VIET NAM
I HOPE ONE OF THESE DAY. CAMBODIAN WILL GET RID OF YOUR DICTATORSHIP HUN SEN. REMEMBER HE'S A FORMER OF KHMER ROUGE AND HE NEVER CHANGE HIS MENTALITY AND HE WILL KILL YOU IF YOU DARE TO STAND UP AGAINST HIS PARTY OR CRITIC HIS GOVERNMENT. CAMBODIA MUST USE THE PEOPLE POWER TO KICK HIM OUT OTHERWISE CAMBODIAN WILL BE UNDER OPPRESSION FROM HIS REGIME. WAKE UP CAMBODIAN.
you know what year that Cambodia cut the most tree, it was in 1993 to 1995 while Sam rainsy was mister of finance. He rainsy give license to cut the tree. Rainsy with Funcinpic that sign agreement with Thai business man to cut the tree to repay the Funcipec debt, Don't lie to yourself Rainsy you know it.
Sam rainsy you are so negative 10:01PM...
You are such an ignorant person who ever 10:01PM (cpp mouth piece) if HS is a clean man no one cares the shit about him, but this idiot HS sides with viet cong and gave away land to the faggot Triet. What you have to say about that.... i think you need to move to live viet cong.... maybe you dont' see anymore complaint.
cpp.......nonprohanoi...........pp
concession land CDC approve to S Korea, Singarpor, Malay, Japan, and Vietnam company to develop. tell me whre Hunsen give land to Vietnam, it CDC study and submit to parliament. it not Hun sen benefit from it. Sam rainsy you make so much misunderstanding among Khmer oversea. Stop lie people Rainsy.
Ah Hun Sen learned all the tricks,learn how to kill,how to lie,to cheat Khmer nation from his
Viet boss.I remembered Mr. Thach Ngok
Thack said that Ah Youn has lied the
whole world thousand times ,but now
everyone has known all about that.A liar Viet is come to death-end.Ah liar Hun Sen speaks for itself.Your
doomsday will come very soon.
រូបនេះបើដាក់អាសមរង្សីទើបត្រូវ។
ម្នាលហ៊ុនសំណែន (បទកាកគតិ)
ម្នាលហ៊ុនសែនអើយ ប៉ុន្មានឆ្នាំហើយ អ្នកកាន់អំណាច
មិនបានជួយអ្វី ខ្លួនកាន់តែកាច ខ្លាំងជាងបីសាច
ភ្នំវល្លិទៅទៀត។
ម្នាលកាន់តែចាស់ គួររកអ្នកផ្លាស់ ហើយប្រាសខំឆ្លៀត
រកធម៌រកអាថ៌ បំភ្លេចវិវាទ សាងខ្លួនម្តងទៀត
ពុំទាន់យឺតឡើយ ។
ខំសាងកុសល បំបាត់កង្វល់ ទើបចិត្តបានស្បើយ
ខំធ្វើបុណ្យទាន ជាស្ពានរកត្រើយ ជួបសុខរៀងអើយ
នៅជាតិខាងមុខ ។
មុននេះសាងបាប សាងច្រើនសន្ធាប់ ប្រមូលវេចទុក
ត្រូវយកសងគេ នៅពេលខាងមុខ ទើបរួចផុតទុក្ខ
ជួបសុខជាក្រោយ ។
អាយុសង្ខៃ មិនអាចតថ្លៃ ម្នាលកុំបណ្តោយ
ពេលកន្លងផុត ពិបាកដង្ហោយ ឲ្យវិលមកក្រោយ
ក្នុងចិត្តប្រេះឆា ។
ស្តាយបាបបានធ្វើ សីលមិនអើពើ ពឹងលើវាសនា
ខ្លួនចាស់ទ្រុតទ្រោម រូបឆោមជរា មច្ចុរាជទាមទារ
រាំងរាមិនបាន ។
ពេលនោះទើបភ្ញាក់ រកទីពុំនាក់ ដូចហាក់ស្រេកឃ្លាន
យល់ដឹងខុសត្រូវ ជម្រៅសីលទាន យកទៅមិនបាន
ប្រឹងរកឲ្យគេ ។
រកសុទ្ធផ្លូវខុស លួចជាតិស្រស់ៗ គ្មានសោះទ្រព្យកេរ្តិ៍
ប្លន់ទាំងអំណាច កំទេចអ្នកស្នេហ៍ បាបរិតឡើងទ្វេ
សងពុំរួចឡើយ ។
២៥មករា ២០០០
4:59 AM should rectify
គួររកអ្នកផ្លាស់ is wrong
Cambodians must choose themself their new PM. Hun Sen must stay away from that.
ត្រូវយកសងគេ is wrong
BAD cannot be substracted by GOOD.
You killed you must be jailed.
រូបនេះ ពិតជា ហ៊ុន សែន ។
វា ធ្វើ បុណ្យ សង បាប ពុំរួច ឡើយ ។
ពួកអាប្រឆាំងពិតជាជនមិនដែលស្គាល់ស្លាប់មែន
អញចង់តែទៅចុយម៉ែវាឲ្យរយះកន្តួយដល់មាត់ទេ។
ដួចជាអាសមរង្សីវាចុយតែកន្តួយមីចោស្បែកសទេ
ហើយបន្តិចទៀតវានឹងចុយឲ្យអស់កន្តួយក្រុមបរិវ៉ាមិនឲ្យសល់កន្តួយណាមួយនៅទំនេទេទៅអនាគត។
Why am I here?
1) My Boss
2) Profit
3) CPP
I'M ABOVE THE LAW!
To: Ah đồ má con chó LONG LIVE VIET NAM…
bạn là đồ ngu người mẹ ăn thịt chó.
You, mother fucker, are dog eaters.
Go back to Vietnam to live your dog’s life, Ah đồ má con chó.
Signed: Ho Chi Minh’s ghost
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during her visited to Cambodia lately:
Speed up Khmer Rouge Trial(ECCC )
case # 002.
Hun Sen always says if further indictment, Hun Sen will shut down the Khmer Rouge Trial Court or ( ECCC )
Why Sun Sen always:
1. Always slow the ECCC down.
2. Causing corruption in ECCC.
3. If further indictment Hun Sen
rather shut ECCC down.
4. Why Hun Sen does not cooperate
with cases # 003 and 004.
The answers are too easy and obvious because Yuon and Hun Sen are involved deeply in killing Khmer 1.7 million between 1975-1979:
Look at the so-called Hun Sen government:
1. Hor Namhong ( former Khmer
Rouge B32 prison chief , one of
196 prisons during Khmer Rouge
period between 1975-1979 )
2. Meas Sophea ( yuon born in
in Vietnam serving as Army
General in Hun Sen regime.
3. Heng Samrin ( Khmer Viet Minh
before became Khmer Rouge and
then CPP )
4. Chea Sim ( Khmer Viet Minh
before became Khmer Rouge and
then CPP )
To all Khmer please look at CPP leaders and members they all Yuon , Yuon Viet Minh, Khmer Viet Minh, Former Khmer Rouge before they became CPP Party ruling the country.
Hey 5;57am, who the HELL are you? calm down my friend, if you don't know who Ah Hun Sin is , you are completely animal. How much Ah Hun Khvack paid you to say such stupid, idiot words. At the end you will go to HELL with Ah Samdech Dekchoose, your moron leader.
9:21AM, I agree with you.
Suon Sophoan's blood is Khmer blood.
Every drop of Suon Sophoan blood is shared by painful feeling by Khmer around the world.
We all strongly condemn this cowered act against Mr. Suon Sophoan and innocent Khmer people as a whole.
All Khmer sympathy around the world are with you Mr. Suon Sophoan.
We all wish you to recovery very soon.
Hun Sen must be brought to KR Trial for all crimes he has committed against innocent Khmer people.
LONG LIVE VIET NAM...
KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA
Province of Viet Nam
Nation Religion KING..
1. You idiot khmer have no nation it is all belong to vietnam now.. we run your country and our brothers and sisters are all over your country and in every level of government.
2. You have no religion becuase look at you even your own country to betrayed look at Hun SEn- CPPP we control thme -- how can they have religion becuase soon will be vietnam province
3. KING what KING-- he can not beg us to keep him there-- so he have to bring his mother which she work for our interested with hun sen and cpp.. then his father to beg us for keep him...
what a loser race. you all should dies and wishes you will never born.. better born as vietnamese you might be a little smarter and maybe love your own kind ans country better..
LONG LIVE VIET NAM...
!0:09Am what is the matter with you you damn dog eater?
Your father inserted his winy in the wrong hole of your youn mother?
Why you are so fucked up and retarded
I have never seen the youn race if the best race on earth beside prostitute their daughters to Cambodian and trained their viet kids to steal to cheat on the land owner ,what else s the criminal youn can do? You kidding to your self
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