Wednesday, June 15, 2011

With Staff Exodus, Possible Woes for Tribunal Investigators

At least five key staff members have left the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s investigating judges’ office since April.

Tuesday, 14 June 2011
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh
“For any reason, the desertion explains an inacceptable process within the court.”
At least five key staff members have left the Khmer Rouge tribunal’s investigating judges’ office since April, but the judges said Sunday they currently have enough staff to perform court functions.

Investigating judges Siefried Blunk and You Bunleng said in a statement Sunday they would work with remaining staff and “short-term contractors” as the UN-backed court moves forward.

But court observers say the exodus signals trouble within that office, which has come under increased scrutiny since it abruptly ended investigation into a controversial case.

Four legal assistants and a legal consultant have left since the April 29 “conclusion” announcement for Case 003, which marked an important procedural step in the investigation of two senior Khmer Rouge cadre so far unnamed by the court.

The Cambodia Daily reported Monday that Stephen Heder, a historian and consultant for the court, had left May 5 thanks in part to the judges’ decision to halt the investigation.


“In view of the judges’ decision to close the investigation into case file 003, effectively without investigating it, which I, like others, believe was unreasonable; in view of the UN staff’s evidently growing lack of confidence in your leadership, which I share; and in view of the toxic atmosphere of mutual mistrust generated b y your management of what is now a professionally dysfunctional office, I have concluded that no good use can or will be made of my consultancy services,” Heder was quoted as writing to Blunk in a resignation e-mail.

Blunk and You Bunleng have been engaged in a bitter, public debate with UN prosecutor Andrew Cayley over the investigation, which the prosecutor says was inadequate.

The two judges said Sunday they welcomed the departure of the staff, and they downplayed speculation the resignations had to do with a protest over their handling of Case 003, which Prime Minister Hun Sen and other officials oppose.

However, longtime observers of the court said the statement signaled more trouble ahead.

“For any reason, the desertion explains an inacceptable process within the court,” said Chhang Youk, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, which researches Khmer Rouge atrocities.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Look at the face of Cambodian devil advocator.

Anonymous said...

As academic this face shows the symbol of incompetence.

Anonymous said...

Look at the faces of a Nazi and a Khmer Rouge.

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 2006 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 undergo 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 in 1930. ( one of Khmer Issarak group led by Son Ngoc Minh later known as Khmer People Revolutionary ‘s Party in 1951 ( Khmer Viet Minh ) under leadership of youn Viet Minh fought against French colony between 1946-1954 till Geneva conference in 1954 ).

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.