Samdech Dekchor: Disagreement between Judges of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Is Only to Drag Time to Spend More Money – Thursday, 10.9.2009

Posted on 10 September 2009
The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 629
http://cambodiamirror.wordpress.com/

“Takeo: The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen, continued to criticize the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, saying that according to the majority vote formula, to try more former Khmer Rouge leaders is impossible, because the Khmer and the foreign judges and co-prosecutors are having disagreements, and are only wasting more money.

“Samdech Hun Sen said so during a speech in the morning of 9 September 2009 during a Buddhist ceremony to inaugurate a big Buddha statue and other achievements at the Phnom Chi Ta Pich pagoda at Wat Phnom village, Kompeng commune, Kirivong district, Takeo.

“Samdech Hun Sen said that the Pre-Trial Chamber of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal is having problems, because each side needs a majority votes, but finally, it is impossible to achieve it, as the Cambodian judges need one more vote because they have only three votes, while the foreign judges need up to two more votes to do what they want [indicting more suspects], as they have only two votes. Samdech Hun Sen added that thus, everything gets stuck, and when all aid is spent, they walk away. He added that Cambodia’s needs are peace, development, and national unity, and nothing else.

“Samdech Hun Sen asked the citizens to stay calm. There is nothing that could happen, because nobody can create anything to disturb the situation. Samdech Hun Sen also criticized the donors of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, ‘Do not set condition, saying that if you want aid, you must sign this – and I respond that there is nothing to sign, whether you give or you don’t – it is not a problem. When the money ends, walk away and stop to make other persons to hear you might take someone as witness. Don’t create trouble.’

“Samdech Hun Sen added, ‘They accused me of interfering in the court, but in fact, I know that some foreign judges and prosecutors receive orders from their respective governments to act in this court, while actually, it is our government that does not have much contact with the court.’

“Samdech Hun Sen went on to say, ‘We know that they simply want to destroy, because Cambodia has peace and they are not very happy about it, but if Cambodia has war, they are happy, because they will find it easy to control us, but at present Cambodia cannot be controlled easily from the outside.’ He continued to say that, as the Case #001 has not yet finished and Case #002 has not begun “Do you want to start Case #003?” Anyway, Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen said that he respects the court procedures.”

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4995, 10.9.2009
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Thursday, 10 September 2009