Tuesday, June 28, 2011

US War Crimes Envoy Seeking Support for Tribunal

Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
“I believe that at this time it is the most important in the world.”
The US war crimes ambassador, Stephen Rapp, is in Phnom Penh to support the UN-backed tribunal as a hearing for four jailed Khmer Rouge leaders gets under away.

Rapp said Tuesday that the trial of Case 002, for four top leaders of the regime, was “the most important in the world.”

Former Khmer Rouge leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith are facing charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and others for their leadership roles in a regime that oversaw the deaths of up to 1.7 million people. They have all denied the charges against them.


Rapp said their trial has been a high priority for US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“I believe that at this time it is the most important in the world,” Rapp said. “The crimes still have an effect on everyone in this country.”

Rapp told reporters he is meeting court officials, judges, prosecutors, investigating judges and representatives of victims. He will be working with donors “to make sure this court has resources that it needs to do the job.”

The hybrid tribunal has suffered a series of financial setbacks and has battled repeated accusations of mismanagement and corruption—as well as political interference. The investigating judges are in a public row with the UN prosecutor over their handling of a third case, which they hastily concluded in April to the dismay of victims and
legal monitors.

Those issues are out of the limelight this week, however, as Case 002 proceeds.

Bernard Valero, spokesman for France’s foreign ministry, said in the statement this trial, the court’s second, will uncover those responsible for the most egregious crimes enacted by the Khmer Rouge while it was in power.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those four top KR leaders must be convicted, none any of those should be got away from the court of law.Unfortunately,if it does will be no justice should be served in Cambodia.In addition,case 003-004 should also be done accordingly.

Anonymous said...

america, please help cambodia and khmer people by bring justice to the millions of KR victims. please do not let the KR leadership go unpunished. they did they to cambodia and khmer people should not be allowed to happen again and was unaccept, period! everyone in cambodia lost their loved ones from the KR atrocity! we, khmer people, believe america as a super power on earth can help to bring about justice in cambodia by supporting cambodia's KR tribunal both financially and by also supporting cambodia economically by pushing for real, lasting changes, changes that khmer people can believe in. yes, cambodia need and can certainly use changes in every way in all sectors. america can help cambodia by bringing in education and by encouraging khmer people to demand justice, etc... please help cambodia by putting in place in cambodia the society that respect the rule of law from now on into the brighter future. although, education and changes do take time, nevertheless, it is crucial for america to help encourage and train khmer people to fight injustice. no one in cambodia should have to go through this again. thank you and god bless cambodia and all our beautiful khmer people and citizens.

Anonymous said...

IT WON'T BE ANY ACCEPTABLE JUSTICE
OR ANY WAY TO HEAL IN THE KHMER LAND IF THE KRT SUPPORTED BY THE UNITED NATIONS CANNOT SUMMON:
- NORODOM SIHANOUK
- CHEA SIM
- HENG SAMRIN
- KEAT CHHON
- HOR NAM HONG
- OUK BUNCHHOEUN AND
- SIM KA ETC...
ONLY FOR QUESTIONING FOR THEIR IN-
VOLVEMENT WITH THE KHMER ROUGE REGIME.
THE KRT MIGHT AS WELL CLOSE THE DOOR, LET HUN SEN EMJOY HIS TRIUMPH AND LET THE CHINESES, THE VIETS AND THE AMERICANS LIVE WITH THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE. UN STAND UP
AGAINST HUN SEN OTHERWISE SHAME ON
YOU.
SI ENG KRUY