Monday, June 20, 2011

UN Cambodia war crimes court under fire

Sun Jun 19, 2011
Rick Valenzuela, Press TV, Phnom Penh


As the UN-backed war crimes court in Cambodia prepares to open its trial this week of top leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, tension and criticisms are mounting in its handling of two pretrial investigations. The cases potentially cover tens of thousands of deaths during the ultra-Maoist government in the late 70s -- which in total, killed an estimated 1.7 million people.

Clair Duffy is a court monitor for a George Soros-funded organization. Her group called on the UN to probe the tribunal for interference.

The government here has publicly opposed those cases, with Prime Minister Hun Sen claiming that prosecuting them could lead to civil war. Public information on the cases is scarce, in contrast to statements given during the current trial's investigating phase. The suspects' names have only been published in the past two weeks, with media citing leaked documents. Moreover, Duffy says judges have not assigned legal counsel to the suspects in part to limit the record.


Her group urged the UN to look into the co-investigating judges, Sigfried Blunk of Germany and You Bun Leng of Cambodia, for incompetence and judicial independence. The secretary general's office responded by rejecting what it called media speculation.

But a spokeswoman at the court, Yuko Maeda, points out that the judges announcement that they had concluded their investigation doesn't actually signify finality. She explained a back-and-forth process of appeals and requests before the pretrial phase is finished, some of which is ongoing.

Meanwhile, the investigating judges most recent statement, released Friday, warns news outlets from releasing confidential information, threatening them with court action.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Khmer should move your heads and brains to the Thai and Viet/youn, stop against the Khmer Rouge.

Anonymous said...

Mr Sam Rainsy, Why don't you sue PM Hun Sen as you promise to us Cambodian people and your true supporters?

Are you tried to bargain or negotiate with PM Hun Sen again like 2005 lawsuit at America??? Why?? Why??

We want to see Mr Sam Rainsy act as he said to sue PM Hun Sen in every democracy Countries court of justice around the world.

We want the results as transparency, from your progress in suing PM Hun Sen in every court of justices!!!

We are Cambodian people afraid that you are just using the lawsuit to scare PM Hun Sen than when PM Hun Sen gives you (Mr Sam Rainsy) green light. You again, hang your Lawsuit like 2005.

Mr Sam Rainsy, You must do as you said, otherwise you the same as Mr Kim Soka.

Mr Sam Rainsy, where are your law suit VS Hun SEn in America Court of justice? We want to see and hear the stories transparency because we afraid that you are just try to bargain with Hun Sen like 2005 again.

We Cambodian people as well as your supporters are waiting to see your real action in suing PM Hun Sen (In America Court of justice, all countries’ court of justice in Europe, Japan Court of justice, Australia Court of justice, New Zealand court of justice, Canada court of Justice, UN court of justice, World Human Right court of justice, NATO court of justice…) as you Mr Sam Rainsy said.

Mr Sam Rainsy must do as you said OK. Don’t you dare to bargain with PM Hun Sen like 2005 again?

May be you can’t be Prime Minister of Cambodia because of unfair election as 5-6 million Vietnamese votes for Hun Sen and Hun Sen add up his cheating skill in every election but you can be a great Khmer Hero by suing PM Hun Sen about the facts that he has done to Cambodia and Cambodian people so far.

If you Can’t be Prime Miniter due unfair election all the times but Mr Sam Rainsy, you can gives a great stain to PM Hun Sen and CPP Vietnam slave about their crimes against Cambodian people since 1970 until today.

Anonymous said...

This ECCC or Khmer Rouge Trials has failed long ago because of the following:

1. This ECCC in not independent.

2. Political interference from Hun Sen.

3. Everything this ECCC has done for over 3 years since 2007 has been very secretive and not fully informed the public (the victims ).

4. Big scandal of corruption to obstruct the court process ( ECCC ) of Case 002.

5. Detaining suspects beyond detaining time (over 3 years ) to avoid fully public hearing of Case 002.

If Case 002 undergoes public hearing there will be many other countries involved one of them is Yuon Hanoi who formed Khmer People's Revolutionary Party and later on Known as CPP.

So the real killers of Khmer innocent people are still at large that to say CPP and yuon Hanoi the mastermind of killing field between 1975-1979 in Cambodia.

To back up my above comment all these answers are in Indochina Federation formed by late Ho Chi Minh after 1930. ( one of Khmer Issarak group led by Son Ngoc Minh later on known as Khmer Viet Minh fought against French colony during 1946-1954 till 1954 Geneva conference about Cambodia )

We are the victims of killing field between 1975-1979 must know the real Khmer history at least between 1930-2011 so we know when and how yuon Hanoi formed CPP.

So this ECCC is 100% a failure to find justice for 1.7 million of Khmer victims.

So Case 002 will face a lot of obstacles , not fully public hearing.

Anonymous said...

After many years of living in Cambodia the German judge is loving it cambodia. Fking A few Khmer chic and forgotten what he are there for! We need a real Judge why a Germen judge not Isreal judge?