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| Former Khmer Rouge navy commander Meas Muth (Photo: The Phnom Penh Post) |
April 4, 2011
James O'Toole and Cheang Sokha
The Phnom Penh Post
LOCAL activist Theary Seng has announced plans to file the first civil party application in the Khmer Rouge tribunal's controversial third and fourth cases, targeting her complaint at former KR military commanders Meas Muth and Sou Met.
The former executive director of the Centre for Social Development said in a statement Friday that Meas Muth and Sou Met - commanders of the Khmer Rouge navy and air force, respectively - were among the five suspects being investigated by the tribunal in Cases 003 and 004. The identities of suspects in these cases remain confidential, however, and Theary Seng acknowledged yesterday that she had not received confirmation from the tribunal the pair are indeed under investigation.
"I'm taking a high risk here because I don't have official documents before me," she said, though she added that she was "very confident" that the pair were being investigated.
"The information is really based on public documents, on articles and research, experts and people who have been [working on] these issues," she said.
United Nations court spokesman Lars Olsen called Theary Seng's allegations premature and irresponsible.
"The court will not be bullied into confirming or denying speculation about a confidential investigation," he said.
"This is a reckless act which shows complete disregard for judicial due process and principles of law."
Meas Muth and Sou Met have long been suggested as suspects for the tribunal, having been named by scholars Stephen Heder and Brian Tittemore in their influential 2001 paper "Seven Candidates for Pros-ecution: Accountability for the Crimes of the Khmer Rouge".
Prime Minister Hun Sen and other government officials have expressed opposition to the court's pending investigations in Cases 003 and 004, calling them a threat to the Kingdom's stability. Prosecutors have said there will be no further investigations at the tribunal beyond these cases.
In 2007, Theary Seng became the first person to pursue civil party status at the tribunal, applying to participate in Case 002 after having lost both her parents under the Khmer Rouge. She said in her statement that she had targeted Meas Muth and Sou Met in her new application because she considered them responsible for the deaths of her parents "for their roles as military commanders who contributed to the common purpose and design in the arrests and executions specifically in their respective divisions and generally for the whole of Cambodia".
Uth Sopheak, 26, the son of Meas Muth, said yesterday that he was unconcerned about a possible case against his father.
"I am not worried about him because he did nothing wrong," Uth Sopheak said. "It is useless for people to keep thinking about revenge."
18 comments:
I am still doubt about Seng Theary's ability to understanding the legal process of ECCC and Cambodian laws. Despite, she has claimed that she graduated laws degree in USA and moved to live in Cambodia permanently, but her knowledge about laws is still low and inmature. However, she is really good for doing everything to promote her stunt, aim to make her name well known in Cambodian society.
I do agree with United Nations Court spokesman Lars Olsen called Theary Seng's allegations premature and irresponsible. "The court will not be bullied into confirming or denying speculation about a confidential investigation," and "This is a reckless act which shows complete disregard for judicial due process and principles of law."
Khmer in Sydney CBD
Theary,
stop trying to self-promote yourself. You just want fame and not justice for the Khmer Krahom victims.
If you are so concern and brave, why don't you file a lawsuit against Hun Sen and his CPP gang.
You're nothing but an "opportunist." You're no different than the crooked Khmer politicians. You live off the sick and the dead! Go back to the US and stop misleading Khmer people!!!
The owner of Golden Star Palace Chinese Restaurant at Cabramatta is former Khmer Rouge Military Commanders who murdered thousands of innocent Cambodian life during Pol Pot regime. If they condemn and bring Kaing Guek Eav (Duch) to justice why Khmer rouge court of justice should be exemption the owner of Golden Star Palace that murdered thousands of Khmer lives and took their belonging such as gold, jewelry, diamonds to Australia become very rich family and live in peace like theses. That is very unfair to human being that he murdered very cruelty and painful death.
We are Khmer people and Khmer Communities around the world would like Khmer Rouge Court of justice, KI Media, VOA, Radio Free Asia, Radio France International, Mr. Sam Rainsy, World Human Right Group, UN, Australian Government to bring this war criminal to justice like Kaing Guek Eav (Duch).
We are human being we must not support war criminal who murdered thousands human life like this.
I have said it all along, education is not or will not define a person character.
Most of Cambodian lack of high education because they lack of opportunity. They still have the same good character reguarding if they have high education or not.
You can't become Ms. knows it all because you graduated from law school. Most of Cambodian Doctors and Lawyers that I know in the US don't act like her.
She became so selfish by using her position and International money to find justic just for her own family. What's about other million Cambodian, who is going to find justic for them ????
Most of those people, including myself, found peace in my heart and forgive and forget the past.
Why can't you just live like every body else ????
Do you know why most Cambodian don't care about the trial ???? Because most of the crimes (95%)were commited outside S-21.
Every intellect people know who behind this killing.
Here are the guilty list:
- Vietnam/Viet Cong
- Communist China
- Thailand (supporting the KR)
- Individual KR Cadres
- US foreing policy
The question is, if you find the evident in International Court that proved some of foreign countries were behind some of the killings, what are you going to do with the guilty verdict, file a complaint with the UN for Cambodian compensation ?????
Good luck with that !!!!!!
It is better off for Cambodian just focus on the future instead of wasting time and resources on unuseful outcome !!!!!!!
You know that this Tribunal was set up just try to save some of the big country faces only. It shows that they care about Cabodia.
Please, give me a break !!!!
I am not a kid I know better than that !!!!!!
Khmer people why dont we support each others. Let get rid of the X KR who;s still running the country. I dont understand why Khmer. Why are we so stupid and just want everything to given to you for free! Why or what are we soo afraid off??? Please tell me? War, Peace or living Hell? the guys killed people and still in power living richer.
9:10 PM,
Is Norodom Sihanouk is in your Individual KR Cadres guilty list ?
Khmer people is so afraid of the truth. stop be jealous of Khmer doing to work in Cambodia.....It well be differnt if it was a foreigner white and black person.
Revenge can be regretted;non-revenge
can be peace and calm.
What did Angkar Loeu means?It means,"TOP OFFICIALS".
Who were top officials,from what level officials to what level officials?
All low group leaders could be top officials,they could take anyone away
and kill.All these,Khmer Rouge rulers
could decide and kill.There were no
justice or no judges at all.
The Khmer Rouge judges were bullets
,bats,spade heads to beat up until dead and bury alive.
The top officials could be Sihanouk,Pol Pot,Khiev Samphan,Eang Sary,Nuon Chea,Hun Sen,Chea Sim,Heng Samrin,or village leaders in Khmer Rouge regime.
But the one who was responsible to the whole Cambodia was SIHANOUK.
He called Vietcong to invade Cambodia and kill Khmer.
The International Court must bring him in and punish him.
And also,a dozen other top officials other Khmer Rouge.
And stop that was enough.
Stop blamed khmers each other people! Its all foreign country's ideal, they are the one to blamed for...Because we were poor and weak country, not united? Our neighbours took advantaged on us! We must now continue to stance strong and keep united all of our son or daughter of KHMER EMPIER KINGDOM!! Stop accused each other...
Those khmer rouge soldiers were used...like a tool's machine by foreign country!
this woman is doing a stunt here rather than a serious work just to gain her personal notoriety and draw attention to herself. she ain't a lawyer but one unstable individual.
We must let the past goes...and start going forward, don't let foreign country destroying us again like they did in the past...people!
9: 10 PM , I agree with you especially US foreign policy like US B 52 bombed in Cambodia in 1970s for 200 days and nights have killed so many Khmer lives including children and elder lies.
2:26 AM , I also agree with you stop blaming each other genocide in Cambodia is all about foreign policy and ambition.
Dear Ms. Theary C. Seng.
Thank you for trying taking Meas Muth and Sou Met to ECCC or Khmer Rouge Trial.
I am not well educated from oversee like Theary C. Seng but one thing I can tell you for sure is that your commitment to bring Meas Muth and Sou Met to ECCC will never happen even it will be happened it is only a set up trial look at Duch.
Dear Theary C. Seng you shoud spend more time to do more research about yuon Viet Minh, Khmer Viet Minh, Viet Congs have been doing in our country before and after Geneva agreement in 1954 up to 2011.
Even in Khmer Rouge regime between 1975-1979 those Khmer Viet Minh like Heng Samrin, Chea Sim , So Phin, Ros Yem , Kea Meas killing khmer alongside with Pol Pot.
Dear Theary C.Seng if you look at CPP high ranking officials they are all youn and Khmer Viet Minh as follow:
1.Heng Samrin Khmer Viet Minh, Khmer Rouge, and then CPP.
2 Chea Sim Khmer Viet Minh , Khmer Rouge , and then CPP.
3. Meas Sophea born in Hanoi ( Youn ).
Hi all, if you afraid to talk against those killers, just stay quiet. Let the people like Theary C.Seng do the job. Even if it does not get a good result, at least she let the world know who the killers or who did what during the Pol Pot time.
This is what foreign country wanted cambodian to do...tearing each other apart once again, they did to cambodian during khmer rouge, now their policy continue..on? If khmer smart, they must stop!!
I hope people understood the word FOREIGN!!!!Our country being destroy by foreign's policy...people!!!!!
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