Agence France-Presse
Khmer Rouge survivors reacted with dismay Tuesday as a top regime leader walked out of his genocide trial for a second day and a co-defendant sought acquittal under a 15-year-old amnesty.
The elderly suspects' defiant attitude underlined the challenges facing Cambodia's UN-backed warcrimes court in a case long awaited by victims of the 1970s totalitarian movement, which wiped out nearly a quarter of the population.
"Brother No. 2" Nuon Chea, wearing a woolly hat and his trademark sunglasses, refused to stay for the second day of proceedings focused on preliminary legal objections by his co-defendant, Ieng Sary.
Nuon Chea said he would only return to "actively participate" when his own case was discussed, and was escorted out of court by security guards.
On Monday, the 84-year-old had left the courtroom after only half an hour in protest at the handling of the investigation and legal proceedings.
The four accused face charges, including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, over the deaths of up to two million people from starvation, overwork, torture or execution during the Khmer Rouge's brutal 1975-79 rule.
"Nuon Chea is a bad person. I am quite disappointed with his behaviour," said farmer Thein Ouen, one of hundreds of people watching the hearing from the public gallery.
"I think he does not want to take part in the trial. We want him to tell us the truth about the Khmer Rouge, but he is trying to hide it."
The four elderly defendants, who also include former head of state Khieu Samphan and one-time social affairs minister Ieng Thirith, are allowed to be absent if they refuse to co-operate.
Ieng Sary, a former foreign minister, further angered victims of the regime with his claim that he should not be tried because he was granted a royal pardon and amnesty in 1996 in exchange for leading a mass Khmer Rouge defection.
The complex trial, expected to take years, is seen as vital to healing the traumatized nation's deep scars.
But Va Chhorn, who was also watching from the public gallery, said of the defendants: "They are trying to avoid their responsibilities. This is not good."
28 comments:
Just pull one of his fingernail out to keep him inline,he'll stay in court.And that's what he had done to all his victims
Why allow him to leave? Can it not be made compulsory that he stays until he says something?
Send them to TOUL SLENG prison so tourists and visitors can see their dirty faces.otherwise they will continue to play their joke of this costly and useless court.
Khmer Rouges Leaders if you are not guilty of any crimes against humanity even you made mistake by supporting ultra comminist doctrines, Red Chinese, Soviet blocs, and Vietminh association.
Duck, the Tuol Sleng chief who was pleaded guilty for his mistakes, a big courage responsible for him...
Have you seen the consequences of your revolution until today the Vienamization of Cambodia.
Please face with the International court the world watch out for time being I believe will not the kungarroo court of Hun Sen.
Noun Chea is not only arrogant, but also is using every chance offered to him by the rule of laws, which did not exist in his regime, to demonstrate publicly and shamelessly his unforgivable arrogance he possesses. This is the man who once called himself a revolutionary who was prepared to sacrifice his life for the peasants and their causes.
Coming into the courtroom and sitting there with his woolly hat and his trademark sunglasses, he shows no respect, whatsover to the court, souls of those his regime killed brutally and mercilessly and remorse. How unremorseful he certainly is!
Finding himself in this predicament of having to face his crimes of genocide and his survived victims, he can still proudly show off his vanity; can one imagine how much bigoted he had been when he was the powerful Brother #2 of Democratic Kampuchea.
Noun Chea has no quality whatsoever of being considered a peasant revolutionary and one can see right there the strong possibility of the emergence of the killing fields in our unfortunate Cambodia during his regime.
Cambodia has the most beautiful Angkor Complex Structures to show off proudly to the rest of the world, but she certainly has also a few dreadful apples which are rotten to the core and uncomparable in term of atrocities against one's own people.
I try to find room in my heart to forgive this man, but so far there has been no room in my heart for this horribly evil man. I sometimes ponder how God can forgive such an evil man; perhaps even God cannot save this deplorably atrocious being since repentence is not in his heart and mind.
Anet Khmer
I have told you all already those dogs have never in chaged in the killing fields in Cambodia. As for me the killing fields caused by the Sihanouk's policy because of his cooperation with both communist both China and Viet. With his appeal from China by Peking Radio, Khmer Rouge had no chance to win Khmer republic and the Killing fields will never happended. So, the court must ask him first, then it will be correct!
WHY doesn't the free world do the same thing to these criminals the same way that was done to Saddam Hunsein??? Why??
Cambodian people has suffered so much! and continue to suffer under the CPP Vietcong regime...
to 12:44 am
Sorry but you have no oil nor gold.
Uncle Sam only "helps" the rich countries to steal their Oil...
He does not care for poor losers
12:19AM,
In generral, you are right on the butt.Without Sihanouk's barking day in and day out from China to support , khmer rouge had no chance whatsoever over the Republic, therefore the culprit that need to be hang is Sihanouk ..
Dude 1:40AM,
Uncle SAM imported only 10% of oil from the Middle East.The rest goes to Europe and Asia particularly Japan.So, don't blame Uncle SAM.Learn ,the story the right way.
to 1:48 am
right, uncle Sam also takes the money made with the sales of the oil.
Google for "13 bn $$$$ for intervention" Iraq has to pay to uncle Sam.
ROFL, human rights country usa ;)))
sihanouk was mad and revengeful then, so, he used his influence with "ignorant" or gullible khmer people to support the KR into power. anybody knew that as a fact, can't hide it, ok! hiding this fact is like try to hide a dead elehphant with a palm of your hand, impossible, really!
but again, we know sihanouk will blame the west for help to ousted him from power, etc, sihanouk wanted to stay in power for the rest of his life, that's why hun sen copied from sihanouk, you know! see, i told you sihanouk set bad example in gov't. i mean, sihnouk wasn't all that bad though, he was just mad and revengeful, that's all! i'm sure, now in this old age, he know it very well that people knew it all along as well. so, he kept hiding in china as a retired private citizen. that's what cambodia gets for relying too much on one individual as a capable leader! and don't tell me cambodia still not learning from that bad example, ok! wake up, people, stop relying way too much on one individual for everything in cambodia, ok! encourage khmer people to get a good education for their future and their lives depend on it, really! don't be stupid forever, ok! there are more to cambodia than sihanouk, sam rainsy, KR, etc, etc, ok!
sihanouk called khmer people his "little people"... it goes to shows he wants to be in power for the rest of his life, you know! i wonder what happens to cambodia after sihanouk left the planet since cambodia is only about sihanouk! it's the ignorance, i told you! khmer people have to change and learn to think and analyze for ourselves, from now on, ok! no more like sihanouk's greed, outdated perception, narcissism, etc, etc... ok! sihanouk is no jayavarman the second of cambodia, really! jayavarman did not go mad and revengeful in killing khmer people like sihanouk, so, really, sihanouk is just sihanouk! one thing i have to say about sihanouk is that he did a lot for cambodia as well, in the past, so, he's not all that evil, however, his madness and vengence is something else. well, in a way, it's sort of cambodia and khmer people's fault as well for having too much confidence in a one man rule of sihanouk. so, all i can say is learn from that lesson in life and move on in life, really! cambodia still have a long future ahead of us, so, of course, there are more to cambodia than just sihanouk, you and i, etc,,, ok!
LONGMAN DICTIONARY...
aghast (adj.) Aghast at the sight of blood on the floor.
LONGMAN DICTIONARY...
antics (n) Everyone laughed at his foolish antics.
Punish imposed on these four Dogies
is not justics to the Khmer victims. Because this genocide case it had a secred ordered from its supperior to wipe out Khmer peoples. So sentencing these dogies is unjustics. Those supperior's country must responsibles or at least to know the truth who is acting behinded the killings.
Because I believed that, there is no reason that Khmer people kill their own people. Because those dogies group they all educated their head is functioning properly. The reason of genocide case is killed to take Khmer land.
And who acting behinded this genocide, I believed that was communist Maosetong.
FACT: Last time I checked, 30% of the Cambodian population are vietcongs who are illegally staying in the country right now.
The vietcong has done so much destruction to CAmbodia. These are some of their trademarks:
1. land grabbing
2. deforestation and rubber plantation
3. Destroying natural resources - sea and land including koh tral
4. Causes main pollution to sea..tonle sap, mekong river...vietcong boats are all over the place
5. All telecom networks are vietcongs' - spying on Cambodians
6. NEws are sensored...most people don't know what's going on in the country
7. Products from vietcong are contaminated, bad for health
8. Destroying khmer culture
9. No respect for monks
...
*Boycott all thing vietcong*
1:58 & 2:09 AM,
"...wake up, people, stop relying way too much on one individual for everything in cambodia...encourage khmer people to get a good education for their future and their lives depend on it..."
You have said it very well and that is absolutely the fact.
Education is the key to Cambodia's future. With good education one will not just simply run into the jungle to take up arm to fight for a deposed leader,especially when a civil war brings damages and destruction to the country and her people.
"...well, in a way, it's sort of cambodia and khmer people's fault as well for having too much confidence in a one man rule of sihanouk."
Your point is very well taken here and you have argued it very well and logically.
It is certainly unfortunate that Cambodians in the countryside decided to join the Khmer Rouge and fight against their own brothers and sisters in the Khmer Republic for Sihanouk who certainly thought more for himself just like any Cambodian leader after him than for the country they all professed to love.
By 1973 Sihanouk has already known that he was not in control of the KR movement and by 1976 during his resignation address on the KR radio, he had known fully well the mistakes he had made in helping to destroy Cambodia by joining the KR.
Yet he has never acknowledged the mistakes made and apologized for his role in the destruction of Cambodia. He won't and that is to be expected.
All Sihanouk thought about the most is the preservation of his power and his monarchy and that is why we can see his total support and deal with the current regime without any slight criticism on the CPP even though in some cases their mismanagement of country is so bad and destructive. The CPP does certainly have their good qualities too.
Is his deal with the CPP good for Cambodia? I invite everyone to answer that question himself/herself. For sure it is good for him and his son, the current king of Cambodia.
You are also right in pointing out the achievements made during Sihanouk's rule in the 60s including the winning case over Thailand on Preah Vihear Temple at the ICJ.
As you have said it correctly, the citizens of Cambodia need good education and for the survival of Cambodia, the education must begin at least with the younger generation who are going to be the future leaders of the country.
Only compromise, unity and education can help Cambodia. Another civil war will bring Cambodia to an uncertain and yet very dangerous future.
It is always my hope that Cambodia will last for eternity and with prosperity!
Anet Khmer
All the commentator above are so great and admirable for their thought but FOR 3:03AM is impressed me badly because full of the meaning
and easy to understand the facts.
THERE ARE VIET NAM,CHINA,SIHAKNUK and USA who were the root of of problems and got involved with this
killing khmers.
But I personally support USA because they did their jobs just killing DEVIL COMMUNIST and protecting innocent lives(khmers)
khmersott
again, i would like to emphasize team work in cambodia. the country is still sort of fragile from long civil strife. there will be time when the country is strong enough to hold those responsible in gov't by using the rule of law. the mean, time i think it is wise to play their game and go by the flow for now. no evil intended!
as for sihanouk, the main character in this khmer movie, he had to shut up now because when he open his mouth, people called him the "king of the KR", so everyone else is out of the picture, the king rules, you know! if hun sen was the KR lieutenant, then sihanouk must be the general of the KR, you see. so, don't blame the pawn, go after the head of state of that time, who were responsible during his watch, of course! you see the complexity of it all, here? for the sake of cambodia and justice sake, sihanouk is how old? and how much longer will he exist on earth? i mean, we all will have to go one day, sooner or later, you know, be patient as there are more to cambodia than you and i, really! i meant it sarcastically, of course!
in khmer, we say, a killer or an evil individual true characteristic is reflected in his action. take ta noun chea, for example, i have no doubt he orchestrated the KR killing fields!
khiev samphan engineered it, ieng sary and yeay thirith polished it, and pol pot and his clan executed it; that's the KR true evilness, really!
oh and sihanouk's character condone it or encouraged it by using his fame and influence, etc! at the end they all affiliated and collaborated together, and the result, destruction of cambodia and death and suffering of khmer people in the millions, you know!
the world is big and we all rely on one another like a team sport. so don't be a loner, ok!
I do not care if you are on Khmer Rouge side or against it,
as long as you see that Vietnam is dangerous for Cambodia you are a good Cambodians.
6:11 AM Khmer Rough vs. Khmer Run now scattered all over the globe.
បងប្អូនខ្មែរជាទីស្រឡាញ់និងជាទីរាប់អាន! យើងទាំងអស់គ្នាបានដឹងរួចជាស្រេចទៅហើយថា រដ្ឋាភិបាលភ្នំពេញបច្ចុប្បន្ននេះ ពុំមែនជារដ្ឋាភិបាល
ពិតប្រាកដរបស់ខ្មែរទេ។ បើសិនជារដ្ឋាភិបាលរបស់ខ្មែរពិតប្រាកដនោះ ម្លេះពួកគេស្រឡាញ់ហើយយកចិត្តទុកដាក់ជាមួយពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរទៅហើយ។ តែនេះសូមបងប្អូនមើល! ពីទង្វើររបស់ ហ៊ុន សែន ជនដឹកនាំមួយនេះ បែរជាទៅរឹបអូសយកដីធ្លី, កាប់សម្លាប់, បំបិទសិទ្ធសេរីភាព, ប្រើអំពើរហឹងសារទៅលើពលរដ្ឋស្លូតត្រង់ខ្លួនឯងទៅវិញ។ បណ្តោយឱយេជនជាតិយួនហូរចូលមកក្នុងប្រទេសយើងរាប់លាននាក់អត់មាននិយាយមួយម៉ាត់។ អ្វីដែលប៉ៈពាល់និងប្រយោជន៍ ដូចជាការបោះបង្គោលព្រំដែនជាដើម យួនបោះចូលមកក្នុងដីខ្មែររាប់សិបគីឡូម៉ែតរួចស្រែកថាអត់មានបាត់អីទេ។ ពលរដ្ឋខ្មែរឯងមានដីតែបន្តិចបន្តួច បញ្ជារឱយពួកប្រដាប់អាវុធចូលមកផ្លន់យកដីពួកគាត់ទៅលក់ឱយពួកក្រុមហ៊ុនយួនរួចយកលេះថាជាដីសម្បទានដែលរដ្ឋាភិបាលត្រូវធ្វើការអភិវឌ្ឍន៍។ ខំប្រឹងណាស់ចាក់ឱយខ្មែរនិងថៃមានជម្លោះនិងគ្នាដើម្បីជានយោបាយបញ្ជូនកូនខ្មែរដែលស្នេហាជាតិទៅស្លាប់ក្នុងសមរភូមិ។ ដូច្នេះល្បិចកល់ដ៏ស៊ីជម្រៅនេះកូនខ្មែរមួយចំនួនមើលមិនធ្លុៈវាំងននទេ ហើយនាំគ្នាយល់ច្រឡំថាសៀមឈ្លានពានខ្មែរ។
ទង្វើរទាំងអស់នេះសរបញ្ជាក់ឱយយើងឃើញច្បាស់ណាស់។ KPPM
I have said many time , and many months before full hearing of Case 002 on this KI-Media that : This ECCC or Khmer Rouge Trial will face a lot of obstacles from CPP and end up with dissappointment of majority of Cambodians. Why? Because CPP formed by yuon Hanoi officially in 1951 ( unofficially before 1951 )so yuon Hanoi have strong influent over this ECCC political show trial.
All of the four Khmer Rouge will face lives imprison, we do not need to wail till ECCC round up. But why ECCC afraid of letting Nuon Chea ‘s witnesses showing and speaking out in this ECCC court room. We have the right to hate Nuon Chea . But by law Nuon Chea has rihgts to have some witneses. Why ECCC not allowed Nuon Chea 's witnesses showing up in ECCC court room. What is the real reason behind this? Not allowed Nuon Chea ' s witnesses showing in ECCC Court room mean this ECCC and CPP are afraid of :
1. ECCC and CPP so scare of Nuon Chea 's witnesses speaking out the truth about the real killer of 1.7 million Cambodian between 1975-1979.
2. ECCC and CPP so scare of Nuon Chea speaking out in the hearing about the real killer of 1.7 million Cambodian between 1975-1979.
All
khmer people already that these 4 were in charge. the court is just a show, i believe. like the show or not, the show must go on, though!
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