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

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 629 - Thursday, 10.9.2009

"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

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Thursday, 10 September 2009

Areyathor, Vol.16, #1411, 10-11.9.2009

• A Cement Mixing Truck Killed a Husband and His Wife, Running over Them, Leaving Their Children Orphaned [Phnom Penh]

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #285, 10.9.2009

• Khmer Troops Prevented Siamese [Thai] Troops from Putting Razor Wire Again at the Ta Moan Temple [Oddar Meanchey border area]
• Three Khmer Laborers Are Missing in Taiwan because of the Typhoon Morakot

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2045, 10.9.2009

• Samdech Hun Sen: Foreign Governments Interfere with the Khmer Rouge Tribunal [no details given]
• Seventy-Five-Year-Old Woman Was Strangled in an Attempt to Rob and Kill Her; Dangkao Police Released the Perpetrator, Saying that There Was Nothing Serious [Phnom Penh]
• Two People Died and Five Were Injured in an Accident when a Truck Turned Over [Battambang]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6751, 10.9.2009

• The Number of People Who Died of Mines and Unexploded Ordnance in 2008 Was 271, Declining by 23% [according to the Cambodia Mine-UXO Victim Information System]
• Illiteracy Is Still a Concern of the Royal Government of Cambodia [there are 2,216 literacy teachers countrywide and 58,967 illiterate students in 2008, where 55,160 students then became literate - no total number or percentage of illiterate people is given]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #4995, 10.9.2009

• Samdech Dekchor: Disagreement between Judges of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal Is Only to Drag Time to Spend More Money
• Samdech Dekchor: The Government Is Creating a National Heritage Committee [to protect and monitor national heritage - this committee is to review all sites that could be suggested to become UNESCO approved World Heritages Sites]
• Flood in Kampot Damaged National Road 4 [a section of 6 to 7 km] and 30% of the Town

Sereypheap Thmey, Vol.17, #1791, 10.9.2009

• The Court Delayed the Announcement of the Verdict on [Sam Rainsy Party parliamentarian] Mr. Ho Vann's Case to 22 September 2009; Twenty Military Officials Each Demand Riel 10 Million Compensation [corresponding to Riel 220 million in total, approx. US$55,000; for defamation, after he had questioned the military degrees they had received from Vietnam]

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