Friday, March 23, 2012

Surprise Resignation of Judge Adds to Tribunal Woes

Former international co-investigating Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet. Photo: Courtesy of ECCC

Thursday, 22 March 2012
Kong Sothanarith, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh
“It’s deeply troubling that he has documented so many obstacles to his work.”
The Swiss judge nominated to replace a tribunal investigating judge at the UN-backed court resigned unexpectedly this week, casting more doubt on the court’s ability to pursue more cases against aging Khmer Rouge leaders.

The departure of Laurent Kasper-Ansermet, who said in a lengthy open letter he had been obstructed from fulfilling his duties, has also put renewed scrutiny on the government for interference with the court.

“It’s deeply troubling that he has documented so many obstacles to his work,” said Clair Duffy, who monitors the court for the US-based Open Society Justice Initiative.

The judge’s resignation increases concern that two additional cases before the court that would indict five more suspects will not move forward.


Kasper-Ansermet’s resignation follows that of his predecessor, Siegfried Blunk, who said last year public governmental opposition to two cases before his office made it impossible for him to do his job.

Government officials have maintained there is no interference between the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen, who opposes more indictments, and the court, which is mandated to try leaders of the Khmer Rouge for some of the worst atrocities of the 20th Century.

In a 14-page departure memo, Kasper-Ansermet said Cambodian staff followed the instructions of his Cambodian counterpart, You Bunleng, only and that he was not allowed to perform critical functions of his office.

Tribunal spokesman Neth Pheaktra said there was “no discrimination” at the court and that any officials named in the memo would respond “at an appropriate time.”

A second tribunal spokesman, Lars Olsen, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has the authority to appoint a replacement.

However, OSJI’s Duffy said the UN should not rush its decision.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

There will no obstructed of justice
if this court shouldn't locate in Cambodia from beginning.

You know, Hun Sen fears that court so much, because he and his gangs
are among the khmer rouge and the killers of 3.5 million khmers .

Anonymous said...

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?

Anonymous said...

Now is the question who are the real killers of 2 mio. Cambodians? Let them walked free? But we know all Khmer rouges were/ (are?) killers. But who stand behind this killing?

Anonymous said...

If the UN can't punishthese profi killers, waht does the UN means certainly, paper tiger?

Anonymous said...

​​​​Why the real Khmer Rouge leader Norodom Sihanouk aka ( SDACH ​ PEAL ស្ដាចន៍ពាល) did not attend at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​

Anonymous said...

Concerning the situation in Cambodia, the UN must look beyond the obvious things. Vietnam is so crazily tricky.

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 because finding justice for Khmer people is UN’s noble mission. The UN will ultimately understand Vietnam's tricks deployed in Cambodia if the UN investigates thoroughly the situation in Cambodia. The UN is now dealing with Vietnam, a Country that has always violated the international agreements.
For example, the agreement with the US in 1973, the 1991 Paris peace agreement, etc…

Vietnam has created and brainwashed Khmers, called Khmer Vietminh, to make Khmers fight with Khmers, to make Khmers kill each other and exploit 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 Khmer leaders such as Hun Sen to control Khmer people and Vietnam manipulates him behind the scene in order to reach its ultimate goal of colonizing and absorbing Cambodia.

The concern that the UN would uncover the murderers who committed most of the mass killing during the Pol Pot's era has prompted Vietnam to push its puppet Hun Sen to react strangely to cases 003, 004's initiatives. Vietnam has to create problems for the KRT through Hun Sen for the purpose of impeding the KRT from going forward or going smoothly.

If Vietnam is the real Cambodians' savior, why Vietnam is so apprehensive about the KRT, especially concerning cases 003 and 004?

Anonymous said...

Why the real Khmer Rouge leader Norodom Sihanouk aka ( SDACH ​ PEAL ស្ដាចន៍ពាល) did not attend at the Khmer Rouge Tribunal?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​

Anonymous said...

បើសិនមាន ចៅក្រមអន្តរជាតិដូចលោក Laurent Kasper Ansermet តាំងពីដំបូង ម៉្លេះសាលាក្ដី
ក៏មិនបានត្រូវពួកក្បត់អូសវែងបណ្ដាយដូច្នេះឡើយ។
យើងចាំមើល តើ ពួកអាកញ្ជះយួនដាច់ថ្លៃវាមាន
ស្នៀតណាផ្សេងទៀត?