Khmer Rouge to face UN tribunal (The Guardian)

[Up2Late]

(All I can say is, It's about F*cking Time!)

Khmer Rouge to face UN tribunal

John Aglionby, south-east Asia correspondent
Monday May 2, 2005
The Guardian

A tribunal to prosecute members of Cambodia's former Khmer Rouge regime for the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people is to be established, after eight years of negotiations over legal and financial conditions.

Cambodia's government welcomed the UN announcement in New York on Friday. But diplomats and human rights activists said yesterday they remain unconvinced that the impoverished country's people would see justice for the 1975-79 genocide in which almost a quarter of the population were killed or died from disease and starvation.

It is not clear how many members of the Maoist Khmer Rouge will be tried. Pol Pot, its brutal leader, died in 1998, but many senior lieutenants are still alive, albeit in frail health. Two are in custody: Ta Mok, 78, known as the Butcher; and Kang Kek Ieu, 62, nicknamed Duch. They were, respectively, head of the south-western region and commander of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison in the capital. Two of the most prominent people at liberty who could well face justice are Nuon Chea, Pol Pot's deputy, and Khieu Samphan, the Khmer Rouge regime's head of state and public face.

The UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, told the Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen, in a letter that the legal requirements for the tribunal had been complied with. He added that "sufficient pledges and contributions are now in place to fund the staffing of the extraordinary chambers and their operations for a sustained period of time".

(more at the link above)

[Lucky Luciano]

1. fry them

I have been to Cambodia...the country could eb amazing, but it is still very much suffering from the legacy of the KR. I have been to that Tuol Sleng prison, sometimes known as S-21...I have been to the Killing Fields too...sick stuff...the prison is a museum....very gruesome, but the story needs to be told...I have been to Angkor Wat too which was really amazing in so many indescribable ways. I would like to see the Cambodian people rise up from their recent horrors, but it will take mroe time. Tourism is the only near future key I can see - it is safe to visit and although I hate the idea of zillions of tourists roaming around Angor Wat, it is needed to get the country back on its feet.

[Up2Late]

2. Yes, I know about Angor Wat

I recently became a Buddhist (Tibetan), and would love to visit there.

You should check out this U.N. "Anti-Landmine" commercial at this website: ThislandWasMine .org, that features a Cambodian Farmer. Here's the link:

<http://www.thislandwasmine.org/tlwm/index.html>

Their is also a commercial featuring an Afghan Farmer there to, plus this link to a commercial that will probably never get played in this country ad this link: <http://www.stoplandmines.org/slm/index.html>

[blogbear]

3. They need to go to pot..

[Up2Late]

4. Kick n/t

:kick: