War Crimes
While touring S-21, our guide surprised the tour group with the news that so few had been held accountable for the horrors.
None of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge has been tried.
He explained that an amnesty of sorts in the mid-90s had allowed for people to confess without fear of reprisal; and that a few now held senior roles in public office. It was a way in which the country could effectively close a chapter on its sad history – putting to rest the memory of 1975 to 1979 during which an estimated 1.7 million people died of starvation, execution, disease and overwork.
However this might soon change, according to reports coming out of New Zealand during the weekend.
New charges allow the pair - the only two leading members of the Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields" regime in detention – to be held for another three years while the United Nations seeks to raise the $56 million needed for trials.
One is Duch, 59, the head of the Tuol Sleng interrogation centre. The other is Ta Mok, 78, the one-legged Khmer Rouge military chief.
Australia and New Zealand authorities have played a part in helping Cambodia lay new charges.
So keep an eye on the Australian and NZ media for reports in August (2005) if the trials go to schedule. Link
None of the leaders of the Khmer Rouge has been tried.
He explained that an amnesty of sorts in the mid-90s had allowed for people to confess without fear of reprisal; and that a few now held senior roles in public office. It was a way in which the country could effectively close a chapter on its sad history – putting to rest the memory of 1975 to 1979 during which an estimated 1.7 million people died of starvation, execution, disease and overwork.
However this might soon change, according to reports coming out of New Zealand during the weekend.
“PHNOM PENH: A Cambodian military court has charged two jailed Khmer Rouge leaders with war crimes, allowing them to be detained until a UN-backed tribunal is set up to try former Pol Pot aides, court officials said yesterday.”
New charges allow the pair - the only two leading members of the Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields" regime in detention – to be held for another three years while the United Nations seeks to raise the $56 million needed for trials.
One is Duch, 59, the head of the Tuol Sleng interrogation centre. The other is Ta Mok, 78, the one-legged Khmer Rouge military chief.
Australia and New Zealand authorities have played a part in helping Cambodia lay new charges.
“From our investigation into the case we have found that they (the pair) committed more crimes so we decided to charge them with war crimes,” said investigating judge Ngin Sam An.
“The embassies of New Zealand and Australia have sent me letters informing me about their citizens killed during the regime, so we have another reason to detain them,” he said.
The court also received a list of 78 foreigners killed by the Khmer Rouge from a documentation centre collecting evidence to support trials at the UN-backed tribunal which are expected to start in August this year.
So keep an eye on the Australian and NZ media for reports in August (2005) if the trials go to schedule. Link
posted by Unknown at 7:24 AM
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