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| U.N. Under Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Patricia O'Brien, center, shakes hands with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An prior to a meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2011. O'Brien was expected to meet with Cambodian government officials over the working of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) and recent resignation of the ECCC judge Siegfried Blunk, who expressed dissatisfaction over the interference from the government. (Photo: AP) |
Friday, 21 October 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
O’Brien also “expressed concern” over the developments at the court and called on government leaders and others to “respect and support the integrity and independence of the [tribunal] judicial process,” the statement said.
The UN’s top legal representative has warned Cambodian officials to cease public statements in opposition to two cases before the Khmer Rouge tribunal.
Patricia O’Brien, UN undersecretary-general for legal affairs, met with government officials Thursday night to discuss UN concerns in the wake of the resignation of international investigating judge Siegfried Blunk.
Blunk said Prime Minister Hun Sen, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith had all made statements demonstrating government opposition to cases 003 and 004, creating an atmosphere in which he would be perceived as biased, no matter his judgment on the cases.
In a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last year, Hun Sen said those cases at the court were “not allowed.”
Blunk’s resignation has fueled widespread speculation that the court is under political pressure not to fully investigate the cases, which would require the indictment of five more Khmer Rouge leaders, an act Cambodian officials have warned could destabilize the country.
O’Brien “strongly urged the royal government of Cambodia to refrain from statements opposing the progress of cases 003 and 004 and to refrain from interfering in any way whatsoever with the judicial process,” the UN said in a statement following Thursday’s meeting, which included Council Minister Sok An, who oversees the court for the government.
O’Brien also “expressed concern” over the developments at the court and called on government leaders and others to “respect and support the integrity and independence of the [tribunal] judicial process,” the statement said.
The court is in the midst of preparations for its largest, and second, trial to date, in which jailed former leaders Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith are charged with atrocity crimes that include genocide. The court is expected to open a major hearing in that case in November.
In its own statement after Thursday’s meeting, the Council of Ministers made no mention of the warnings on cases 003 and 004 or of Blunk’s resignation and his concerns for perceived political interference at the court.
However, Ek Tha, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers, denied any government officials had interfered with the tribunal’s work.
“We let the court work to fulfill its duty in conformity with legal procedures,” he told reporters.
Government spokesman Phay Siphan said the two sides had not “deeply” discussed the two controversial cases.
5 comments:
The UN must stand firm on its principals.
Stop allowing this puppet government and its Master Vietnam to kick the UN's representatives around.
Be assertive!!
AS LONG AS HUN SEN'S CPP, GOVERMENT IS KHMER ROUGE LEAD! UN MEANLESS TO THE KHMER PEOPLE. KHMER MONE!
US are worthless. They are scared of Hun Sen. UN likes making threats. Hun Sen likes making threats. But whose in power? UN or Hun Sen? Who is known as the Tiger in South East Asia!?
Hou Nim,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrcef0lszKU
n
This is a show trial from it's inception we will never get justice from this show, the UN has lost it's priciple since day one when they compromised and colaborate with current regime. The warning meant nothing to the Hun Sen Government, simple fact is the regime already learnt of the soft approached and pushed it's agenda to the limit knowing the can do nothing to it. From the human right rep to NGO to UN legal and afew other ambasadors from various country all they can do is express concern but at the end of the day the aid money still flowed it at it's max, there is no consequence that will hurt the regime, this is for a fact and nothing the UN could do about it due to it's policy. Shame on them and the rest of the 1991 Paris Accord I can only say one thing they have collaborated with the regime allow it to prosper through corruption and lies, legally they are responsible for what happened to Cambodia where natural resources has been almost completely wiped out.
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