via Khmer NZ News Media
PHNOM PENH, July 2 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The Japanese government on Friday injected an additional $2.25 million to cover costs of the ongoing U.N.-backed Cambodian war crimes court.
The latest injection was made at the request of Cambodia, which said 294 local staffers of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia have not been paid for two and a half months.
Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Masafumi Kuroki said the contribution will cover the shortfall of the national component of the ECCC operational costs from mid-April to September 2010.
Kuroki said the Japanese government attaches importance to the Khmer Rouge tribunal for the main purposes of "preventing the recurrence of atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge regime, delivering justice to the victims and strengthening the rule of law in Cambodia."
Since the start of the court, Japan has provided financial assistance to the ECCC of about $50.4 million, or about 48 percent of the total budgetary contributions.
The ECCC had spent about $78.4 million by the end of 2009 since the preparation period of 2005, but it so far has concluded the hearing of only one case, that against Kaing Geuk Eau, who headed a torture center in Phnom Penh.
Cases are now proceeding against Nuon Chea, the Khmer Rouge regime's chief ideologue, Ieng Sary, its foreign minister, Khieu Samphan, its nominal leader, and Ieng Sary's spouse Ieng Thirith, who was minister of social affairs.
The Khmer Rouge leadership is blamed for the deaths of at least 1.7 million people during its rule in the late 1970s.
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