Cambodia's UN tribunal launches internal graft watchdog

Saturday, August 16, 2008
ABC Radio Australia

Cambodia's UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal has launched a new "ethics monitor" to grapple with ongoing claims of corruption within the court.

The new watchdog comes after the UN Development Programme raised fresh allegations of kickbacks on the Cambodian side of the court in late June, forcing international donors to withhold funding for July.

The anti-corruption committee headed by one of the court's top judges, Kong Srim, and tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis, will field complaints from tribunal staffers and look into any graft claims within the joint Cambodian-UN court.

Tribunal Staff Sets Up Anti-Corruption Team [-Is it OK to have KRT staff investigating other staff members on corruption issues?]

By Mean Veasna, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
15 August 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

The Cambodian side of the Khmer Rouge tribunal has established a committee to solve corruption issues, following allegations of kickbacks in the courts.

Administration Director Sean Visoth and Cambodian prosecutors and judges met with more than 250 staff met Friday, appointing tribunal judge Kong Srim, chief of the Cambodian judges, and tribunal spokeswoman Helen Jarvis to investigate corruption within the Cambodian side of the tribunal, spokesman Reach Sambath said.

"The aim of the meeting was to strengthen the mechanisms to fight against corruption, which has been alleged in the tribunal," he said.

Kong Srim could not be reached for comment Friday, but Reach Sambath said all Cambodian staff who have heard about corruption or faced it themselves will be encouraged to provide information to the judge or Jarvis.

The Cambodian side of the joint UN tribunal has been beleaguered by corruption allegations, including reports in June by staff of kickbacks. The new allegations led to the freezing of the July salaries of all Cambodian staff by the UNDP.