Friday, May 06, 2011

Case 004 in the spotlight

Theary Seng (Photo: Roland Neveu)
Friday, 06 May 2011
James O'Toole
The Phnom Penh Post

Local activist Theary Seng has announced plans to file a civil party application at the Khmer Rouge tribunal against a trio of former cadres she says are the subject of investigation in the court’s controversial fourth case.

Theary Seng identified the following three people as Case 004 suspects in a statement yesterday: Im Chem, a KR district chief in Banteay Meanchey province; Yim Tith, aka Ta Tith, deputy secretary of the KR’s Northwest Zone; and Aom An, aka Ta An, deputy secretary of the KR Central Zone.

The tribunal has yet to confirm the identities of the suspects in this case, though Im Chem in particular has been widely suggested as a possible defendant.

Theary Seng’s announcement follows a similar move last month in which she lodged a civil party application for Case 003 against former KR navy commander Meas Muth and air force commander Sou Met, both of whom have long been named as potential suspects. She said yesterday that the court’s complete lack of transparency in its Case 003 and 004 investigations had pushed her to take her complaint public.

These judges are hiding behind the confidentiality issue, they are abusing the confidentially issue,” she said. “I’m taking my fight [to] the public arena because it’s my only safeguard.”


The tribunal’s investigating judges announced last week that they had concluded investigation in Case 003, though the unnamed suspects in this case were not questioned during the investigation and no lawyers have been appointed for them. In addition, the court has made no effort to solicit civil party applications for the case, after nearly 4,000 people applied to participate in Case 002, nor to collect complaints that could aid in the prosecution of the suspects.

These developments have led tribunal observers to charge that the judges are intentionally botching the investigation under pressure from Prime Minister Hun Sen and other government officials who have expressed opposition to Cases 003 and 004.

Theary Seng said yesterday that her Case 003 civil party application had been rejected, but that she planned to appeal. Under court rules, prospective civil parties in the case have just eight more days to submit applications, though they have been given no indication by tribunal officials of the scope of the 003 investigation.

Theary Seng said she was “100 percent certain” that the identities of the suspects she had named in Cases 003 and 004 were correct, citing “conversations” and “public documents”.

Tribunal officials reacted angrily last month to Theary Seng’s naming of Sou Met and Meas Muth, calling it “reckless” and “irresponsible”.

United Nations court spokesman Lars Olsen said yesterday that the court “has already made clear what it thinks about naming people in the public”.

“We think it’s unfortunate that this practice continues,” he added.

Aom An, now 78, currently resides in Battambang province’s Kamrieng district, according to research by the Documentation Centre of Cambodia. Im Chem, 66, is a district official in Oddar Meanchey province’s Anlong Veng district, while Yim Tith – brother-in-law of murderous KR military commander Ta Mok – became a general in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces following his defection to the government and currently splits his time between Phnom Penh and Battambang.

DC-Cam director Youk Chhang said “only the court” should disclose the names of suspects, though in a statement yesterday, he called for more transparency from judges at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, as the tribunal is formally known.

The millions of Cambodian survivors of the regime deserve to know what the ECCC is doing in their name, yet the Court has provided no meaningful information to the public about Cases 003 and 004 since the [judges] began their investigations 20 months ago,” he said.

Clair Duffy, a trial monitor with the Open Society Justice Initiative, said she was “sympathetic” to victims concerned that the court would not give them the chance to participate in its third and fourth cases.

[The investigating judges] have realised that the more people that have access to information about these investigations, the harder it’s going to be to dismiss these cases,” she said.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

បើចង់បានប្តីបរទេសសូមអញ្ជើញទៅយកទៅកុំនាំ
ឲ្យពលរដ្ធខ្មែរលោកធ្វើតាមអី?

Anonymous said...

I support you Theary Seng’s 1000%. You have more balls then most party politician man in Cambodia today. Please keep up the good work. Most Khmer is pretending the killing never happen.

Anonymous said...

សូមធារីស៊ើបសួររកឈ្មោះ ខ្មែរក្រហម មេពេជឃាតធំ នៅតំបន់៤២ផង គឺ៖តាម៉ៅ មិត្តរ៉ន (ស្រុកកំណើតនៅតាកែវ) និង មិត្តគន់(ស្រុកកំណើតនៅស្រុកបារាយណ៍ កំពង់ធំ)។ គេបានសម្លាប់មនុស្សរាប់ម៉ឺននាក់ ស្ងាត់ភូមិ។ មរខ្មែរក្រហមទាំងនេះ ស្ថិតនៅក្រោមបញ្ជារបស់ កែពក(គណតំបន់៤២)។

Anonymous said...

No doubt about it! Any case that concerns the pursuit for justice for the innocent Khmer, the Khmer Rouge’s victims, will be considered as a main cause of peace instability of the country by Hun Sen. It’s just his cheap pretext to stop further KR court activity, for this pursuit for justice might spread further as to
reach him and his cronies too if it’s allowed to go on and on.

There will be no war even if some cases mentioned above can success-fully be handled in the court of laws.
Hun Sen and his extended families must absolutely hate to return to settle in the jungle again, as they now have owned the whole country. Even if Hun Sen and his crooked relatives and comrades will be subpoenaed next year or later, none of them’re gonna run back to the jungle. There’s only one way out for them is exile themselves to some counties where their tons of money’s been safely deposited, but there’s no full guarantee that they can avoid facing justice for the rest of their lives; can they? Well, it can’t be sure enough about that, since justice can sometimes be easily bought off. The big obstacle for the pursuit
for justice in Cambodia is that the judges and the court procedures consume too much money.

Anonymous said...

KRT should use to make people invole in national and community broplem NOt to ask people to stay qiet and led the jugs (juds) take care of their lives!

Anonymous said...

បើចង់បានមេខ្មែរក្រហមសូមអញ្ជើញមកយកនៅ
សហរដ្ធអាមេរិកទៅមិនខ្វះទេបើមិនស្គាល់ចាំខ្ញុំជួយ
ប្រាប់។បើចង់បានមេខ្មែរក្រហមឲ្យអស់គឺពិតជាគ្មាន
ពលរដ្ធខ្មែររស់នៅក្នុងពិភពលោកនោះទេ។កុំចង់បង្ករ
សង្គ្រាមជាមួយខ្មែរពេកលោកប្រឆាំងអើយ។
ខ្ញុំគ្រាន់តែចង់និយាយប្រាប់ថាខ្មែរក្រហមរស់នៅសហរដ្ធអាមេរិករាប់ម៉ឺននាក់បើចង់ដឹងថាពួកខ្មែរក្រហម
នៅឯណាទៅរដ្ធវ៉ាស៊ិនតោនស្ទេដទៅនឹងដឹងហើយ។

Anonymous said...

បើចង់បានមេខ្មែរក្រហមសូមអញ្ជើញមកយកនៅ
សហរដ្ធអាមេរិកទៅមិនខ្វះទេបើមិនស្គាល់ចាំខ្ញុំជួយ
ប្រាប់។បើចង់បានមេខ្មែរក្រហមឲ្យអស់គឺពិតជាគ្មាន
ពលរដ្ធខ្មែររស់នៅក្នុងពិភពលោកនោះទេ។កុំចង់បង្ករ
សង្គ្រាមជាមួយខ្មែរពេកលោកប្រឆាំងអើយ។
ខ្ញុំគ្រាន់តែចង់និយាយប្រាប់ថាខ្មែរក្រហមរស់នៅសហរដ្ធអាមេរិករាប់ម៉ឺននាក់បើចង់ដឹងថាពួកខ្មែរក្រហម
នៅឯណាទៅរដ្ធវ៉ាស៊ិនតោនស្ទេដទៅនឹងដឹងហើយ។

Anonymous said...

នៅរដ្ធផ្លរីដាក៏មានច្រើនដែរគឺជាអ្នកសម្លាប់មនុស្ស
គ្មានរើសមុខនោះទេ។បើរវល់តែចង់សងសឹកគ្នាទៅ
វិញទៅមកថ្ងៃណាទើបបានសុខ។បើមានគំនិត្តដួច
បក្សប្រឆាំងនោះពិតជាខ្មែរពុំត្រូវគ្នាទេ។ខ្ញុំគិតថាខ្មែរ
នៅប្រទេសក្រៅមិនចេះសាម្គីគ្នាដួចខ្មែរនៅក្នុងស្រុក
នោះទេជារាងរាល់ថ្ងៃមានតែការច្រណែនគ្នានឹងគ្នា
ឧទារហណ៍!នៅក្នុងរោងចក្រមួយបើមានខ្មែរណាម្នាក់
បានធ្វើជាមេកោយអ្នកនោះស្រាប់ភ្លេចអស់ពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរដែលនៅក្រោមបង្គាប់អស់រលីង។មិនដួចចិនយួននោះទេពួកគេចេះសាម្គីគ្នារកស៊ីមុខជុំនួញជួញ
ដូរបានល្អជាងពលរដ្ធខ្មែរទៅទៀត។
ចំពោះពលរដ្ធខ្មែរវិញមានតែការគំគួនគ្នាទៅវិញ
ទៅមកបើចំពោះក្មេងៗពេញវ័យវិញឃើញតែ
កាប់ចាក់គ្នាទៅវិញទៅមកមិនចេះឈប់ឈរនោះទេ។នេះគឺមកតែពីបក្សប្រឆាំងបានធ្វើឲ្យពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរទាំងនោះខួចសន្ដាប់ធ្នាប់អស់ហើយមកអួតខ្លួន
ចង់ដឹកនាំប្រទេសទៀតផងបើមានមែនខ្មែរទាំង
អស់ពិតជាឆ្កួតអស់ហើយ។ដួចជាអាក្បត់ជាតិម្នាក់
ដែលបានឡើងសំភាសន៍ជាមួយអាប៉ុស្តទូរទស្សន៍
សៀមម្នាក់មកនិយាយអំពីខ្មែរខ្លួនឯងទៅវិញ។វាមានខ្មែរដួចអាមួយហ្នឹងហើយដែលពួកអាសៀមវាយកដីខ្មែរអស់១២ខេត្តកាលពីសម័យដើមដែលមិនចូលចិត្តរាជរដ្ធាភិបាលក៏ទៅចូលជាមួយអាបរទេស
មកវាយយកដីខ្មែរខ្លួនឯងទៅវិញ។នេះគឺជាគំនិត្ត
របស់អាបក្សប្រឆាំងនៅស្រុកខ្មែរ។

Anonymous said...

ការកាត់ទេាសឧក្រឹដ្ឋជនខ្មែរក្រហមបួនបា្រំនាក់
មិនមែនជាការសងសឹកទេ ទេវាជាការរកយុត្តិធម៌ឱ្យ្
ពលរដ្ឋរាប់លាននាក់ ។ នៅប្រទេសសេរីគេមាន
ច្រេីនគណបក្ខ ។ គេមិនមែនចេះតែហៃអេីដូច
សត្វស្វាបានចេកនេាះឡេីយ ។ ការរារាំងមិនឱ្យ
មានគណបក្ខប្រឆាំងគឺជាគំនិតរបស់ខ្មែរកញ្ជះយួន ។
វាភ័យខ្លាច។ អ្នកដទៃគេដណ្តេីមអំណាចពីវា ។
ឈប់ព្រុុសបែបភ្លីភ្លេីអញ្ចឹងទៀតទៅ ។ ឬមួយ
ខ្លួនខ្លាចជាប់ដេាយហ៊ុន សែនដែរ ។

Anonymous said...

នាងស្រីច្រឡឹង ធារីគួរជាទីស្រឡាញ់ ប៉ុន្តែនាង
គ្មានសម្រស់ទាល់តែសោះ។ ដូច្នេះហើយបានជា
ខំបញ្ចេញមុខមាត់រាល់ថ្ងៃតាម អិនធើនែត ដើម្បី
លក់មុខអោយគេស្គាល់ ។

Anonymous said...

Dear Theary seng
Please read my idea in Free Press magazine now.
KHMER1970

Anonymous said...

A person never please him/herself,
s/he never makes somebody happy.
S/he is always up sad and mad.
"Conquer oneself first,before bring
others to knees".
The president of Egypt,Mubarak,if felt guilty or committed crime,he will go to court and jail in Egypt.
If Hun Sen will find out guilty,
Cambodians will put him in jail for
life.
Thank Theary Seng,dare to die for
justice!

Anonymous said...

You killed millions of innocent people and expected to walk free, you wish sirs. GOES Theary GOES, we are behind you.

Anonymous said...

Theary, so proud of your work for justice!! Give 'em hell!!!

Anonymous said...

Case 003 and 004 never happen under CPP which formed by Indochina Federation by late Ho Chi Minh in 1930.

Anonymous said...

Hun Sen was a former Khmer Rouges army. During the Khmer Rouges regime, Hun Sen was shot right into one of his eyes and the fled to Vietnam and then Hun Sen came back with Communist Vietnamese troops to invade Cambodia easily in two weeks (just a piece of the cake) and then capture the city of Phnom Penh. He was also married to his Yuon/Vietnamese woman (prostitute) falsely named as Khmer name Bun Rany. It is very strange to me.

Hun Sen was a son of peasant family. I did not know what level of his education, but he was not qualified to lead Cambodia. He has had no experiences or knowledge to lead the country of Cambodia, but he has been using the Communist Vietnamese masters and CPP Yuan members from Hanoi as his guides. That was how Cambodia has been misled and slowly developed because of those crooks and thieves. Hun Sen did not know anything about Cambodian/Khmer history and geography. Hun Sen has been cheated by his Communist Vietnamese bastards/masters and CPP Yuan cronies or members (thieves).

Success story of Hun Sen and his family is very disgusting and ugly. Can you imagine that, Khmer people?

Can anyone or Khmer/Cambodian people understand what I am talking about?

Khmer Yeurng

Anonymous said...

Hi 8:34 PM

Who does not understand what you wrote a just repetition of Hun Sen life? What we don't understand why did you repeat
Hun Sen story that has nothing to do with Ms. Seng making her case against a few ignorant servants KR and why not those many powerful KR, etc.,? Or who is behind Ms. Seng to cause this noise while Vietnamese keep entering Cambodia. and so on..?

If you want to tell Ms. Seng why didn't she sue Hun Sen, then say it, you don't need to tell us Hun Sen story that we knew all about it.

Everybody is;
-so busy earning a little cash to buy food,

-busy sending their loved ones to die at the border,

-busy listening to Kem Sokha declares his champion against Rainsy,

-busy to watch Ms. Seng rushing to the spotlight and making headline as a champion of Khmer Rouge Trial KRT, and keeping KRT alive forgetting the same thugs from eastern of Cambodia determine to Khmers' extinction.

-busy clapping their hands for Ms Seng to yeah GO and GO...

-busy of grabbing the poor people land,

-busy finding new shelters after been evicted by the thugs in power. But Million Vietnamese are so busy to make fake Khmer ID to enter Cambodia to oust the number of Khmers to complete their expansionism.

Busy and busy...preparing for death for an extinction of Khmers.