AFP
PHNOM PENH -- The United Nations said Thursday it would not tolerate impunity at Cambodia's Khmer Rouge war crimes court in a worsening row with Phnom Penh about whether to pursue more suspects.
In a major setback to the U.N.-backed tribunal, a Swiss judge on Monday became the second international judge in six months to resign over difficulties probing two new cases linked to the 1975-1979 regime blamed for the deaths of up to two million people. The government strongly opposes the cases.
The U.N. is now likely discussing whether to find a replacement for Laurent Kasper-Ansermet from May 4 or possibly pull out of the court altogether, observers say.
“The United Nations, in its dealings with the (court), remains committed to ensuring that impunity for the crimes committed during the period of the Democratic Kampuchea is not tolerated,” U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon's spokesman Martin Nesirky said in an email to AFP.
The U.N. had earlier expressed “concern” about the latest resignation, but issued a much stronger statement on Thursday after Kasper-Ansermet published a document detailing how his efforts to investigate the cases were blocked at every turn by his Cambodian colleague.
Kasper-Ansermet alleges that his counterpart made it difficult for him to have access to drivers, translators and even the office's official seal to validate court filings.
“The United Nations is seriously concerned about these worrying developments,” said Nesirky.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, himself a former cadre before he defected, has long objected to the potential new cases involving five mid-level Khmer Rouge members, telling Ban in 2010 that prosecutions beyond the current second trial were “not allowed.”
Asked whether Cambodia stood by that position, Ek Tha, a government spokesman, told AFP: “Whatever my prime minister says, I respect his decision.”
Kasper-Ansermet's resignation came after a German judge quit the court in October citing government interference in the controversial cases.
The U.N. named reserve judge Kasper-Ansermet as his replacement but Phnom Penh refused to recognize the appointment, and the U.N. reminded Cambodia on Thursday this was “a breach” of the agreement establishing the court.
The tribunal has so far completed just one case, sentencing a former prison chief to life in jail for overseeing the deaths of some 15,000 people.
4 comments:
The UN must overcome any obstacle posed by Vietnam and the puppet government of Hun Sen if the UN wants to gain respect from the people around the world about its integrity and competency.
The UN must keep the KRT going, finding justice for Khmer people is UN’s noble mission. The UN will ultimately understand Vietnam's tricks deployed in Cambodia. In effect, Vietnam has created and brainwashed Khmers, called Khmer Vietminh, to make Khmers fight with Khmers, to make Khmer kill each other and Vietnam exploits it. That was one of the main reasons why about 3 million Khmer people perished during the Pol Pot’s era.
Presently, Vietnam’s strategy is to put dumb leaders such as Hun Sen to control Khmer people and Vietnam manipulates him behind the scene in order to reach its goal of colonizing Cambodia.
The concern that the UN would uncover the murderers who committed the mass killing during the Pol Pot's era has prompted Vietnam to push its puppet Hun Sen to react strangely to case 003, 004's initiatives.
If Vietnam is the real Cambodians' savior, why Vietnam is so apprehensive about the KRT, especially concerning case 003 and case 004?
Pourquoi le grand chef khmer rouge Norodom Sihanouk alias
(Sdach Peal ស្ដាចន៍ពាល) est toujours absent au Tribunal Khmer
Rouge?
Why the real Khmer Rouge leader Norodom Sihanouk aka ( SDACH PEAL ស្ដាចន៍ពាល) did not attend at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal?
为什么真正的红色高棉领导人诺罗敦·西哈努克又名（SDACH PEALស្ដាចន៍ពាល）没有出席在红色高棉法庭?
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