Khmer Rouge ‘Confrontation’ Postponed

Nuon Chea

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
20 November 2008

A confrontation hearing between jailed Khmer Rouge leaders Duch and Nuon Chea at the Khmer Rogue tribunal was postponed this week.

Duch, who ran the infamous Tuol Sleng prison and is due to be tried early next year, has said Nuon Chea, the movement’s chief ideologue, ordered the more than 12,000 killings at the prison.

Nuon Chea’s lawyer, Son Arun, said he told the investigating judges he “was not ready” and the documentation of the case included thousands of pages.

Investigating judges say they will have the two confront each other in a private hearing.

A postponed date was not announced.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking UN official has canceled his visit, where he was expected to discuss the tribunal’s ongoing corruption allegations.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs Peter Taksoe-Jensen was expected to meet Council Minister Sok An, but he said Wednesday the trip was postponed “to find a suitable meeting date with the Cambodian authorities.”