Son Chhay: ECCC could be discriminating19 October 2007
By Phan Sophat
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Socheata
A high ranking opposition official declared today about his suspicion that the arrest of former Khmer Rouge leaders involved in the genocide of millions of people, could be done discriminately.
In a letter sent to the ECCC, SRP MP Son Chhay asked why there is no arrest made on the other three KR leaders: Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith, and Khieu Samphan.
Son Chhay said about this issue: “I am asking why they arrested Nuon Chea? Why they didn’t arrest the other (KR leaders)? These are questions only. If they answer that the arrest of Nuon Chea is based on reasons that are not clear and not in good standing, then they should release Nuon Chea back. (His case) should be the same as for Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary (who are not arrested yet). However, if they say that the arrest of Nuon Chea is because of this reason or another, then for Khieu Samphan who also shares the same burden, the ECCC should arrest them all and bring them all to jail.”
Son Chhay made this declaration because, up to now, the ECCC only issued arrest warrants against two KR leaders: Kaing Kek Iev, aka Duch, the Tuol Sleng prison chief, and Nuon Chea, the former president of the assembly of the Democratic Kampuchea regime. They are the only two persons who do not enjoy freedom, among the other KR leaders.
Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, said that Son Chhay’s declaration is regrettable because it could be construed as interference in the court authority.
Reach Sambath said: “Among all the names of the people he (Son Chhay) described, it’s his business. But, for the tribunal, up until now, only the names of two suspects among the group of leaders from the Democratic Kampuchea regime have been confirmed, and they bear the highest responsibility. As for the three other names who have been proposed by the co-prosecutors, the tribunal did not reveal them yet. One more thing that we believe is that we want an independent tribunal, therefore, the writing of a letter asking to arrest this or that person, we believe that it is interference.”
In the past, the KR Tribunal – a joint contribution work between Cambodia and the UN – has been criticized by various sources because the Cambodian legal officials working there are not fully independent, and that the tribunal is also embroiled in corruption as well.
In a letter sent to the ECCC, SRP MP Son Chhay asked why there is no arrest made on the other three KR leaders: Ieng Sary, Ieng Thirith, and Khieu Samphan.
Son Chhay said about this issue: “I am asking why they arrested Nuon Chea? Why they didn’t arrest the other (KR leaders)? These are questions only. If they answer that the arrest of Nuon Chea is based on reasons that are not clear and not in good standing, then they should release Nuon Chea back. (His case) should be the same as for Khieu Samphan and Ieng Sary (who are not arrested yet). However, if they say that the arrest of Nuon Chea is because of this reason or another, then for Khieu Samphan who also shares the same burden, the ECCC should arrest them all and bring them all to jail.”
Son Chhay made this declaration because, up to now, the ECCC only issued arrest warrants against two KR leaders: Kaing Kek Iev, aka Duch, the Tuol Sleng prison chief, and Nuon Chea, the former president of the assembly of the Democratic Kampuchea regime. They are the only two persons who do not enjoy freedom, among the other KR leaders.
Reach Sambath, ECCC spokesman, said that Son Chhay’s declaration is regrettable because it could be construed as interference in the court authority.
Reach Sambath said: “Among all the names of the people he (Son Chhay) described, it’s his business. But, for the tribunal, up until now, only the names of two suspects among the group of leaders from the Democratic Kampuchea regime have been confirmed, and they bear the highest responsibility. As for the three other names who have been proposed by the co-prosecutors, the tribunal did not reveal them yet. One more thing that we believe is that we want an independent tribunal, therefore, the writing of a letter asking to arrest this or that person, we believe that it is interference.”
In the past, the KR Tribunal – a joint contribution work between Cambodia and the UN – has been criticized by various sources because the Cambodian legal officials working there are not fully independent, and that the tribunal is also embroiled in corruption as well.
