Injustice, Deceit at Two-hundred-million-dollar Court for KR Victims
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| Theary Seng with her four brothers and their mother in Phnom Penh, most likely in 1974. In early 1978 for a period of 5-6 months, all six of them and their paternal grandfather were imprisoned in Wat Tlork Security Center and later transferred to Boeung Rai Security Center where the Khmer Rouge killed their mother Seng Chan Eat. |
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| Boeung Rai Security Center where the Khmer Rouge imprisoned Theary Seng and her family and killed her mother, Seng Chan Eat. Among the 30,000 skulls, these are the only ones remaining: over the years, the villagers have been taking the skulls at liberty to grind them into traditional medicine. The bones are still in the mass graves in and around the pagoda and the nearby prison. This government has done absolutely nothing to preserve the other 200 security centers around the country, besides Tuol Sleng which came into being as result of January 1979 politics. Theary Seng, as the only civil party accepted in Case 002 for the Boeung Rai Security Center, is still awaiting the response of the Co-Prosecutors to be on their witness list. (Photo: Theary Seng, 4 Sept. 2010). |
Letter to The Phnom Penh Post
On Sunday, May 8, the Americans celebrated Mother’s Day. We, Cambodians, can join them in honoring our mothers and grandmothers by demanding greater, more dignified justice from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal.
The Khmer Rouge created over 1,200,000 orphans of whom I am one of them when they extinguished 1,700,000 lives including those of my father and mother. The last words of my mother—My daughter, go back to sleep—continue to haunt me, as she lulled me in her arms the night of her violent death in Boeung Rai Security Center whose mass graves contained 30,000 skulls.
My parents and those of the 1,200,000 other orphans’ were flesh and blood—with a name, a history, a family—and not some statistics or legal theories to be conveniently disposed of—again!—by the Tribunal.
We honor them by demanding justice. Whatever justice may be—legal, social, restorative, etc.—it must include TRUTH. TRUTH IS A PRE-CONDITION OF JUSTICE. Truth involves who speaks and who gets heard. In extinguishing Cases 003 and 004, the Tribunal extinguishes truth; it extinguishes justice; it extinguishes the voices of victims—those who died and those who survived—and our right to REPARATIONS.
We have been crudely conditioned to think of reparations mainly in monetary terms, which factor but insignificantly to what we desire of truth via reparations. It is useful to think of reparations with these 6 Rs:
1. RECOGNITION. There must be public recognition of the crimes, of the perpetrators and of the suffering of the victims. This recognition must include obligations of the State. Not only has the Tribunal been negligent in recognizing the suffering of the victims, it is being deceitful about its dealings of Cases 003/004.
2. RIGHT TO REMEDY. This includes rights of participation, of design, of citizenship.
3. REPAIR. Even if symbolic.
4. REFORM. Let’s start with the judiciary!
5. REAL AND REALISTIC. The reparations offered must be tangible and practical, e.g. provincial learning centers and memorials; the physical assets of the Tribunal to furnish these learning centers and memorials.
6. RECONCILIATION. It is not a moment but a process; it is not a principle but a strategy. What is happening now with regards to Cases 003/004 works against reconciliation as it works against truth-seeking.
The Tribunal (including the UN) is engaging in great deceit. It thinks that truth is inconvenient, justice is inconvenient. Well, so are 1,200,000 orphans living without our parents for the last 35 years.
But let me conclude not with these sordid facts but with the inspiration from the reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to raise all of us to higher grounds from the dirt of the Tribunal: “Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.”
- Theary C. Seng, president of CIVICUS: Center for Cambodian Civic Education; president of Association of Khmer Rouge Victims of which the Civil Parties of Orphans Class is a subgroup.
16 comments:
Theary Seng engages in a great deal of deceit, pretending that it is justice she cares for but in truth it is only herself she cares for and every true victim is a welcome pre-text for her self-advocacy.
Communist Sihanouk,Ho Chiminh and Mao Setong transformed all Wat in Cambodia to concentration center.
From 1970 until 2011
Theary you are an amazing person. I admire all your works. YOu have done so well so far so keep going. I wish I could be as good as you are and It is not fair when millions died and only one or a few advocators left to fight for the whole social right and social justice. However, I hope all god's work will be prevailed no matter what, it doesn't matter how small you may be, I'm sure justice will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Some evil people may think that they can get away from all evil things they have done but not because god knows every move you make.
Wisdom
Wisdom
Find Justice In A Pagan Society?
លោកសមរង្សីបើចង់ឈ្នះឆ្នោតអាណាត់ក្រោយៗទៀតត្រូវតែដូរមេបក្សប្រឆាំងហើយ។បើនៅតែមេបក្សមួយនេះគឺគ្មានបានផល់ប្រយោជន៍នោះទេមានតែការ
ខាត់បង់ជារៀងរាល់ថ្ងៃ។បើអ្នកថ្មីចូលខ្លួនមកប្រឆាំង
កុំយករបបបរទេសមកនិយាយអីពីព្រោះពលរដ្ធខ្មែរ
សម័យនេះគែស្គាល់អស់ហើយ។បណ្តាញរបស់គណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជានៅគ្រប់ពិភពលោកហើយពួកគេ
យល់ដឹងអំពីច្បាប់បរទេសអស់ហើយ។បើចង់បាន
ឆ្នោតច្រើនមានតែធ្វើយ៉ាងដូចម្តេចឲ្យប្រជាពលរដ្ធ
ខ្មែរលោកមានមានសង្ឃឺមទៅលើបក្សអស់លោក
ប្រឆាំងផង។បើដើរឃោសនាដួចសព្វថ្ងៃនេះពលរដ្ធខ្មែរមិនចូលត្រចៀកនោះទេ។បើចង់ឲ្យប្រជាពល
រដ្ធលោកស្រឡាញ់បក្សប្រឆាំងត្រូវតែប្រឆាំងក្នុង
ការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍ប្រទេសជាតិកុំប្រឆាំងដើម្បីបំផ្លាញជាតិឬក៏ក្នុងភាពស្អប់ខ្ពើមរាជរដ្ធាភិបាលសព្វថ្ងៃបើធ្វើ
យ៉ាងនេះគឺមិនបានសម្រេចនោះទេ។
បើរាជរដ្ធាភិបាលសង់ស្ពានតួចត្រូវប្រឆាំងភ្លាម
ពីព្រោះមិនគ្រប់ប្រជាជនប្រើប្រាសបាននោះទេធ្វើ
យ៉ាងនេះគឺពិតជាប្រទេសជឿនលឿនមិនខានឡើយ។បើសៀមវាយប្រទេសកម្ពុជាត្រូវតែជួយគាំទ្រ
ទើបប្រជាជនខ្មែរលោកចូលចិត្តគាំទ្របក្សប្រឆាំង។
Second, the mandate of the ECCC has been much politicized and is limited to trying the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge period of April 1975 to January 1979.
In his interview with the Phnom Penh Post, Noam Chomsky, emeritus professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, pointed out that “the leading US political establishment like Henry Kissinger, a member of the late president Richard Nixon’s administration…should also be held accountable for creating the conditions that paved the way for the rise of the [Khmer Rouge]”.
While acknowledging the mass atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime, we should never forget the level of atrocities committed during the US secretive bombing of Cambodia from 1968-1973. A declassified telephone discussion between Henry Kissinger and General Alexander Haig, Nixon's deputy assistant for national security affairs, recorded that Nixon had ordered a “massive bombing campaign in Cambodia [to use] anything that flys [sic] on anything that moves”.
The map of US bombing targets released by Yale University’s Cambodian Genocide Program shows that more than half of the country was affected by the indiscriminate bombings. Professor Ben Kierman, director of the program, puts the casualties figure from the bombing at 150,000 deaths, while Edward Herman, a professor of Wharton School, and Noam Chomsky put the toll at 600,000 using figures provided by a Finnish Commission of Inquiry.
Based on this, we can never naively claim that US bombing led to the mass executions by the Khmer Rouge or refuted the regime's mass atrocities. But, to certain extent, the blanket bombing, which directly led to the destruction of livestock and agricultural land, could have definitely played a role in the mass starvation.
From new data released during the Clinton administration, Taylor Owen, a doctoral student at Oxford University, and Professor Kierman noted that 2,756,941 tons of bombs were dropped on Cambodia.
To put the figure into perspective, just over 2 million tons of bombs were dropped by the allies during all of World War II. The bombs dropped in Cambodia represented about 184 Hiroshima atomic bombs combined, making Cambodia the most bombed nation in the world. Based on the new data, Professor Kierman also stressed that the casualties might be much higher than his earlier predicted 150,000.
Based on this, the bombing contributed to the rise of the Khmer Rouge. The number of Khmer Rouge cadres rose from a group that had an insignificant prospect ousting the US-backed Lon Nol’s regime, roughly from 1,000 in 1969 to 220,000 in 1973.
Realised what she wrote this article and posted in this website is acceptable. And everybody knew that this court hurts that nation. However, everybody knew that not only her family was a victim, but also another two million people.
You show your own pictures in many occasions and now the family's exposed to the publics for hidden own interest. That is funny. Obviously, it doesn't look like an civil right advocate, but opportunist for being famous.
9:29PM
Are you a moron or what? How can one person sue for all other victims? If that is feasible, everybody would have done that long ago. You better understand the rule of the ECCC before writing something moronic like this.
At least Theary gets the ball rolling, that you have to give her the credit for. Without her work, Cases 003 and 004 would have been sent to oblivion.
Give credit where credit is due, that's the least you can do.
L.U.
"the villagers have been taking the skulls at liberty to grind them into traditional medicine."
soup bones??
9:29am! PUT YOUR OWN URGLY PICTURE IF YOU WANT TOO! NO ONE STOPING YOU!
yes, this is just one of many stories that every khmer person who lived through the brutal KR period experienced, really! all of us lost many many loved ones under the stupid KR regime, believe it or not, you know! there ought to be justice for all khmer people and cambodia for what the idiot, ignorant, stupid KR did to khmer people and cambodia as a whole, really! don't let them get away for what they did to khmer people and cambodia! god bless cambodia.
khmer people to include all khmer citizens, too, you know!
1:26AM! what is your khmer citizens!!! Are you ah Lop!
របបប្រទេសខាងលិច១៦០ ប្រទេសជាប្រទេសប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ.ភាគច្រើនជាប្រទេសមានសិទ្ធសេរី
ភាព សមភាព សហគមអឺរ៉ុប មានផ្សាររួមយោគ
យល់ខាងផ្នែកនយោបាយ ពាណិជ្ជកម្ម ឧស្សាហកម្មផ្សាររួម និង មិនរំលោភដែនដីគ្នា។
ប្រទេសអាស៊ី ៤ ចិន កូរេខាងជើង យួន និង លាវជាកម្មុយនិស្ត កាន់លទ្ធិផ្ដាច់ការ។ ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រ កម្ពុជា លាវ យួន ជាបងប្អូនបង្កើតផ្ទៃ
មួយ ម្ដាយឪពុកមួយ។កូនមួយខុសគេ កម្ពុជាជា
ប្រទេសមានស្ដេច ហើយ នាយករដ្ធមន្ត្រីជាអ្នក
កាន់អំណាចផ្ដាច់ការ។ កាលដើមឡើយជាមេខ្មែរ
ក្រហម។ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាជាប្រទេសសេរីក្រឡៃ
កម្មុយនិស្ត។ចាប់ពីឆ្នាំ៧៩មកទល់ឥឡូវនេះ ជន
នេះធ្លាប់មានដៃប្រលាក់ឈាម ជាបន្តបន្ទាប់មក។
All Khmer victims and the families between 1975-179 and Cambodian as a whole.
How can you expect any justice from this ECCC under Hun Sen regime who deeply related to Indochina Communist Party formed by late Ho Chi Minh in 1930.
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 30,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 30,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 30,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer every day.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 30,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Koh Tral was a Cambodian island, and technically and legally, remained a Cambodian island until today.
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
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