By Koh Keo
Kampuchea Thmey
Unofficial Translation from Khmer by KRtrial.info
Phnom Penh: Concerning funding the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), the US Embassy claimed that there has been no policy to fund the tribunal yet.
ECCC Spokesman Reach Sambath could not be contacted for comment on March 13, 2008 but had once told Kampuchea Thmey that the tribunal needed $170 million to finish the complete its process till 2011. He also said that the funds for Cambodian side would run out in April 2008 while those for the international side were also running dry. This has made people and international community so worried about process of the trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders. However, the ECCC is still optimistic that it could receive more funds to continue its work until the end, as there have been many recent positive developments in the court’s process.
According to an ECCC’s press release, on March 11, 2008 Sean Visoth, head of the ECCC’s Office of Administration, called a meeting with all Cambodian staff of the ECCC to give a progress report on the judicial and administrative activities, and on the current funding situation. However, since the ECCC spokesman could not be contacted to clarify the issue, Kampuchea Thmey cannot say about the funding situation.
The press release also claimed that the donors are currently considering the budget projections presented to them both in New York and in Phnom Penh, and that the ECCC is in the final stages of responding to a number of their requests for clarification.
The US Embassy in Phnom Penh asserted through its interpreter that the US has not made any decision to fund the tribunal yet due to no clarification from the tribunal. The US ambassador had previously claimed that the US did not want to waste the money from its people on uncertain things.
ECCC Spokesman Reach Sambath could not be contacted for comment on March 13, 2008 but had once told Kampuchea Thmey that the tribunal needed $170 million to finish the complete its process till 2011. He also said that the funds for Cambodian side would run out in April 2008 while those for the international side were also running dry. This has made people and international community so worried about process of the trial of former Khmer Rouge leaders. However, the ECCC is still optimistic that it could receive more funds to continue its work until the end, as there have been many recent positive developments in the court’s process.
According to an ECCC’s press release, on March 11, 2008 Sean Visoth, head of the ECCC’s Office of Administration, called a meeting with all Cambodian staff of the ECCC to give a progress report on the judicial and administrative activities, and on the current funding situation. However, since the ECCC spokesman could not be contacted to clarify the issue, Kampuchea Thmey cannot say about the funding situation.
The press release also claimed that the donors are currently considering the budget projections presented to them both in New York and in Phnom Penh, and that the ECCC is in the final stages of responding to a number of their requests for clarification.
The US Embassy in Phnom Penh asserted through its interpreter that the US has not made any decision to fund the tribunal yet due to no clarification from the tribunal. The US ambassador had previously claimed that the US did not want to waste the money from its people on uncertain things.
6 comments:
$170M?? a waste of money that will go to the judges and officials only. Does the trial really benefit khmer?
Wrong, Lawyers get the big piece of pie as usual.
it is so sad that the world set up
the k.tribunal in cambodia.it is hard to find out the real truth,justice and whatsoever.
about all is cambodia-made
what's holding it? some sort of greedy people there or what? i hope the cambodian gov't is not wasting money on some greedy people!
Bullshit, we don't have anything to do with the ECCC.
You've seen some of our trials. It's swift and over with, and don't cost hundreds of millions either.
The Khmer Rouge genecidal tribunal is a major drag on the Cambodia's economy.
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