Thomico asks Funcinpec not to support the KRT

Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

After asking prime minister Hun Sen to shut down the tribunal to judge the former KR leaders, Prince Thomico turned to ask the Funcinpec party to put to an end to its support of this tribunal. Prince Thomico who is currently a senior advisor of Funcinpec, sent a letter on 18 September to the Funcinpec permanent committee, requesting it to ask the council of ministers to shut down the KR Tribunal. In his letter, Thomico said that the Hero-King Norodom Sihanouk declared on many occasion that he does not trust that this tribunal can provide justice to all people who are victims of the genocidal regime, therefore, the Funcinpec party, as a Sihanoukist party, should ask the council of ministers to rethink about the possibility and the legal means to shut down the KRT. The prince also called on all political parties, such as the HRP and the SRP, to help ask for the shutdown of the KRT.

HRP: ECCC cannot be shut down

Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

After Prince Sisowath Thomico called on all political parties, including the HRP and the SRP, to help ask for the shutting down of the KR Tribunal (KRT), the HRP reacted by saying that the KRT cannot be shut down. Keo Remy, HRP vice president, said that the government worked hard with the UN to set up this tribunal to serve as an example to the Cambodian youths so that they do not follow the steps of the Democratic Kampuchea regime. Keo Remy said that he believes that there must a trial for the former KR leaders, regardless of the degree of justice this tribunal provides, in order to set an example for the younger generations of what not to follow, otherwise, the genocide will be perpetrated again. Keo Remy added that if there is no trial, it would set a bad precedence for our society.

Thomico to Hun Sen: Shut down the KRT because the Hero-King has no confidence in the ECCC to provide justice to the entire people in the country

Thomico wants Hun Sen to dissolve the KR Tribunal

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

"...Khieu Kanharith expressed his doubts on the UN side regarding the progress of the KRT, (he blamed) the UN side of raising one problem after another, such as the demand for a lowering of the defense lawyer fees, and now the Hero-King issue. He asked: 'What is their intention?'"

Prince Sisowath Thomico proposed to prime minister Hun Sen to review the possibility to shut down the KR Tribunal (KRT), claiming that this mixed tribunal cannot find justice, but that it is instead fomenting political movements and it will cause instability to the country and take away peace.

In a letter dated 16 September 2007 sent to prime minister Hun Sen, Prince Thomico said that the Hero-King declared on many occasions that he has no confidence in the ECCC to provide justice to the entire people in the country. The prince himself also has no confidence that he will receive justice from the KRT either. To the contrary, based on the events in the past two weeks, the prince observed that there are opportunists who took advantage of the nation’s pain and turn it into political gain instead.

Prince Thomico added: “Moving forward, I am certain that this tribunal (KRT) will foment political movements and causes our country to lose peace and stability in the future.” The prince added: “I have the honor to send a letter to Samdach prime minister so that he reviews the possibility to shut down the ECCC at this point.”

Reach Sambath, the KRT spokesman, said on Monday afternoon that the KRT saw Prince Thomico’s letter sent to Hun Sen. He added: “What the prince raised in his letter is only an opinion. We do not comment on opinions.” Nevertheless, Reach Sambath indicated that the goal of the KRT is to find justice. The KRT was formed based on an agreement between the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) and the US under a law ratified by the National Assembly, and signed by the king.

Khieu Kanharith, the minister of information and spokesman of the government, said: “The RGC have no desire to shut down this tribunal.” He added that the KRT did not do anything wrong. However, he said that it was people living overseas who talked wrongly, and that these are not the judges’ words. Therefore, Khieu Kanharith said that the KRT will continue its work. He said: “The RGC is determined to judge to KR leaders.”

Nevertheless, Khieu Kanharith expressed his doubts on the UN side regarding the progress of the KRT, (he blamed) the UN side of raising one problem after another, such as the demand for a lowering of the defense lawyer fees, and now the Hero-King issue. He asked: “What is their intention?”

According to Article 46 of the law to set up the KRT, in the event the foreign judges and prosecutors are pulling themselves out of Cambodia, Cambodia can invite other judges from countries members of the United Nations, or other important foreign legal personalities from other countries as well. However, if there are no foreign judges and prosecutors, the supreme council of magistracy can nominate Cambodian judges, or Cambodian investigating judges, or Cambodian prosecutors to replace them.

The dispute on the KRT started when Peter Foster, the UN spokesman of the KRT, raised the issue about the possibility that the KRT could summon the Hero-King if the judges and the prosecutors deem that it is necessary to do so. Later on, a “small” number of opinions, including those of Dr. Lao Mong Hay, want to revoke the immunity of the Hero-King to pave the way for the Hero-King to go to the court.