UKPA
Three top Khmer Rouge leaders accused of orchestrating Cambodia's "killing fields" have gone on trial before a UN-backed tribunal more than three decades after some of the 20th century's worst atrocities.
Judge Nil Nonn declared the trial open and read the names of the three senior Khmer Rouge leaders who are defendants in the tribunal in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh.
The charges against the surviving inner circle of the communist movement, all now in their 80s, include crimes against humanity, genocide, religious persecution, homicide and torture stemming from their 1975-79 reign of terror.
An estimated 1.7 million people died of execution, starvation, exhaustion or lack of medical care as a result of the Khmer Rouge's radical policies, which essentially turned all of Cambodia into a forced labour camp as the movement attempted to create a pure agrarian socialist society. Intellectuals, entrepreneurs and anyone considered a threat were imprisoned, tortured and often executed.
Tribunal spokesman Huy Vannak called the proceedings beginning Monday "the most important trial in the world" because of the seniority of those involved. "It sends a message that the trial, which survivors have been waiting more then three decades for, finally begins," he said.
The defendants, who sat side by side with their lawyers, are 85-year-old Nuon Chea, the Khmer Rouge's chief ideologist and the number two leader behind the late Pol Pot; 80-year-old Khieu Samphan, an ex-head of state; and 86-year-old Ieng Sary, the former foreign minister.
A fourth defendant, 79-year-old Ieng Thirith, was ruled unfit to stand trial last week because she has Alzheimer's disease. She is Ieng Sary's wife and served as the regime's minister for social affairs.
The Khmer Rouge's supreme leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998 in Cambodia's jungles while a prisoner of his own comrades, who after being toppled from power fought a guerrilla war that did not fully end until the late 1990s.
There is serious concern that justice may not be done if any of the ageing and infirm defendants dies before a trial is finished.
In September, the tribunal announced it would split up the indictments according to charge into separate trials in order to expedite the proceedings. The current trial is considering charges involving the forced movement of people and crimes against humanity.
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Genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Cambodia since 1970s onward has cost about 5 million Cambodian lives and mass atrocities in Cambodia.
1. US B 52 bombing between 1969-1973 caused about 1 million Cambodian lives, starvation and mass atrocities.
2. Mass killing between 1975-1979 under the name of the Kampuchea Communist Party or Khmer Rouge which haft of this Khmer Rouge soldiers and militaries commanders between 1975-1979 were Khmer Viet Minh like: Heng Samrin, Chea Sim , So Phim , Rous Ngim, Keo Meas and many more... .and most of those KR soldiers and military commanders became villages chiefs, districts chiefs and Zone secretaries like So Phim in Estern Zone , Rous Ngim in Northern Zones.
3. K 5 plan under the order of Hanoi and implemented by Hun Sen .
Above are genocides, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Nixon, late Ho Chi Minh ( Hanoi )and Kampuchea Communist Party between 1975-1979.
Note: Half of Khmer Rouge soldiers and military commanders were Khmer Viet Minh like Heng Samrin, Chea Sim , So Phim , Rous Ngim and Keo Meas and many more…. . were fomer Khmer Viet Minh who were under military command of Viet Minh soldiers who fought against French colony in Cambodia in First Indochina War ( 1946-1954 )after Geneva Peace Accord in 1954 some of this Khmer Viet Minh went to Hanoi with their commanders Achar Mean or also known as Son Ngoc Minh among those who went to Hanoi were Pen Sovann , Chansi , Chea Sot and those who stayed in Cambodia like Kea Meas , So Phim , Rous Ngim, Ya ( Nisaran ) and many more became Khmer Rouge or Kampuchea Communist Party in 1960 under the work of Tou Samouth and Pol Pot and their first and secret name was Kampuchea worker Party and changed to Kampuchea Communist Party in 1966.
The old name of CPP party during First Indochina War 1946-1954 was Khmer Issarak United Front and later changed to Khmer People’s Revolutionary Party both of this Party led by Achar Mean ( Son Ngoc Minh )so CPP was created by the Indochina Communist Party led by late Ho Chi Minh in 1930.
The Kampuchea Communist Party did not created by the Indochina Communist Party as many Cambodian and the West understand but half of the Kampuchea Communist Party or better known as Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979 half solders and seniors commanders of Khmer Rouge or Kampuchea Communist Party were Khmer Viet Minh like Heng Samrin, Chea Sim, So Phim , Rous Ngim , Keo Meas and many more.
But CPP create by the Indochina Communist Party and their old names during First Indochina War 1946-1954 when yuon Viet Minh and khmer Issarak Viet Minh fought against French colony in Cambodia were United Khmer Issark and Khmer People’s Revolutionary Party and the last one known as CPP.
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