Morning Star
4-6-09
PHNOM PENH (AFP)--A U.N. official held "constructive" talks with senior Cambodian officials Monday to stop alleged corruption at the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal, a court spokeswoman said.
The U.N.-backed court, which has one trial underway, has faced controversy over allegations of political interference by the government and claims that Cambodian staff paid kickbacks for their jobs.
"It is a constructive meeting, which is still continuing," Khmer Rouge court spokeswoman Helen Jarvis said of negotiations between U.N. assistant secretary general for legal affairs Peter Taksoe-Jensen and Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.
After years of wrangling between the Cambodian government and the United Nations, the court was created in 2006 to try leading members of the communist 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime.
The long-awaited first trial has heard the regime's notorious prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known by the alias Duch, acknowledge responsibility and beg forgiveness for overseeing the torture and execution of more than 15,000 people.
Four other Khmer Rouge leaders are also in detention awaiting trial.
But last week judges refused to hear attempts by defence lawyers for former head of state Khieu Samphan and former foreign minister Ieng Sary to raise the corruption allegations.
Investigating judges at the court on Friday said they had no jurisdiction to look into allegations that Cambodian staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.
The latest corruption allegations emerged last year, prompting the U.N. to launch a confidential investigation into claims that Cambodian workers had been forced to pay for their jobs.
International backers have also appeared hesitant to pledge more money to the court amid allegations of political interference by the government over whether the court will bring charges against more Khmer Rouge figures.
Court officials have said last year's allegations were "unspecific, unsourced and unsubstantiated."
Up to two million people were executed or died of starvation, disease and overwork as the ultra-Marxist Khmer Rouge movement tried to create an agrarian utopia.
4-6-09
PHNOM PENH (AFP)--A U.N. official held "constructive" talks with senior Cambodian officials Monday to stop alleged corruption at the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal, a court spokeswoman said.
The U.N.-backed court, which has one trial underway, has faced controversy over allegations of political interference by the government and claims that Cambodian staff paid kickbacks for their jobs.
"It is a constructive meeting, which is still continuing," Khmer Rouge court spokeswoman Helen Jarvis said of negotiations between U.N. assistant secretary general for legal affairs Peter Taksoe-Jensen and Deputy Prime Minister Sok An.
After years of wrangling between the Cambodian government and the United Nations, the court was created in 2006 to try leading members of the communist 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime.
The long-awaited first trial has heard the regime's notorious prison chief Kaing Guek Eav, better known by the alias Duch, acknowledge responsibility and beg forgiveness for overseeing the torture and execution of more than 15,000 people.
Four other Khmer Rouge leaders are also in detention awaiting trial.
But last week judges refused to hear attempts by defence lawyers for former head of state Khieu Samphan and former foreign minister Ieng Sary to raise the corruption allegations.
Investigating judges at the court on Friday said they had no jurisdiction to look into allegations that Cambodian staff were forced to pay kickbacks for their jobs.
The latest corruption allegations emerged last year, prompting the U.N. to launch a confidential investigation into claims that Cambodian workers had been forced to pay for their jobs.
International backers have also appeared hesitant to pledge more money to the court amid allegations of political interference by the government over whether the court will bring charges against more Khmer Rouge figures.
Court officials have said last year's allegations were "unspecific, unsourced and unsubstantiated."
Up to two million people were executed or died of starvation, disease and overwork as the ultra-Marxist Khmer Rouge movement tried to create an agrarian utopia.
No comments:
Post a Comment