Saigon Giai Phong (Vietcong Commie Party)
Rights groups urged the United Nations Tuesday to seek assurances from Cambodia that it will not meddle in a UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal after a judge resigned citing political interference.
Amnesty International said the UN could not sit idly by after Siegfried Blunk openly acknowledged the problem when announcing his decision to step down on Monday. Blunk said government opposition to further prosecutions linked to the 1975-79 regime effectively made his position untenable.
"The UN should seek guarantees from the Cambodian government that it will not interfere in its proceedings and make clear that any attempts to influence the work of the (court) will force the UN to review its involvement," said Sam Zarifi, the group's Asia-Pacific director.
The departure of Blunk, one of two judges tasked with investigating new Khmer Rouge cases, is the latest setback to the court, long dogged by allegations of political interference.
Human Rights Watch, which had been highly critical of Blunk's work and last week called for his resignation, said the UN should "conduct a full investigation" into allegations of "pervasive political interference" at the court.
"Blunk's statement is a challenge to the UN... to insist that the Cambodian government end its interference in the work of the (court) and allow it to work independently," the group's Asia director Brad Adams told AFP.
The court, made up of Cambodian and international legal officials, was set up in 2006 to provide some justice for the traumatised nation for the deaths of up to two million people under the communist movement's reign of terror.
It has cost more than $100 million so far but has completed just one trial -- jailing Kaing Guek Eav, a former Khmer Rouge prison chief, last year for 30 years for overseeing the deaths of 15,000 people.
A second trial involving the regime's four most senior surviving leaders is under way and expected to start hearing testimony before the end of the year.
Two more possible cases against five ex-Khmer Rouge members are officially still under consideration but critics said German judge Blunk and his Cambodian counterpart were failing to investigate them fully in the face of government objections.
Prime Minister Hun Sen -- himself a former cadre -- has repeatedly made it clear he wants the court's work to end with the second trial, even saying that further cases were "not allowed".
But Foreign Minister Hor Namhong on Tuesday denied the government was seeking to control the court.
"We clearly know that the investigation into cases three and four is the right of the court," he told reporters in Phnom Penh.
The Khmer Rouge was responsible for one of the worst horrors of the 20th century, wiping out nearly a quarter of Cambodia's population through starvation, overwork and execution in a bid to forge a communist utopia.
3 comments:
The world should stop wondering why this KRT always has problems.
( above is a comment of our brother or sister on this KI-Media blog ).
Heng Samrin , Chea Sim , So Phim , Kea Meas are former Khmer Viet Minh before they become Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979. Khmer Viet Minh were brainwashed and created by the Noth Viet Nam in the 1950s during fighting again French colony till Geneva Paris Peace in 1954 the leader of this movement known as Achar Mean or also know as Son Ngoc Minh left Cambodia after Geneva Paris Peace Agreemnet in 1954 to Hanoi and lived there till 1972 and left Hanoi in 1972 to China for medical treatment ( hight blood pressure and stroke )and passed away there in Chinese hospital in China.
Between 1975-1979 those Khmer Viet Minh who working alongside by Pol Pot were:
1. Heng Samrin. 2. Chea Sim . 3. So Phim. 4. Keo Meas. Note: Like Heng Samrin he used to lived in Hanoi for so many years. Keo Meas was a boss of So Phim . So Phim was a boss of Heng Samrin and Chea Sim . Cheas and Heng Samrin were former military commanders of Hun Sen in Eastern Zone between 1975-1979.
Anonymous said...
The real Khmer killers have been trying to stop the KRT from showing their face to the world. Khmer Vietminh were brainwashed and created by then North Vietnam in the 1950's. During the
The UN must stop taking half measure (demi-mesure), and always do the follow-up to ensure a successful mission.
It is almost impossible to comprehend in this 21st century when a bigger country, Vietnam, still tries to annex another country, Cambodia, through total control and then Vietnam encourages its citizens to incessantly penetrate into Cambodia, aiming at absorbing Cambodia through winning the general election.
Judging Khmer rouge without judging yuons is just a joke because youns are mastermind of Khmer rouge and the killing field. Yuons are the real murderers. Letting yuons get of the crimes committed is another crime against humanity and A DENY of justice for the victims of yuon atrocity and hatred. Internal community must STOP TO COMMITMENT with yuons by deny yuons crimes and atrocities against Khmer and other weak and innocent people in SEA
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