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BACKGROUND
It's no secret that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has long opposed the indictment of more Khmer Rouge at a special hybrid court known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
As Taipei Times writer Putsata Reang described the court's makeup in December, 2007, "The court -- with its improbable blend of Cambodian and foreign judges and attorneys as well as laws -- is meant to be a model for judicial reform and independent justice in a country where impunity has long been the rule." Since the term "human right" by its very definition applies to all 7 billion of us, this is hardly a local issue.
Nevertheless, Mr. Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge member who seized power in a coup America refused to acknowledge, (political stability trumped human rights) has appointed himself as the gatekeeper charged with keeping the closet of history's door neither open nor closed.
As Mr. Hun Sen reminded us all in a speech delivered on Veterans Day, June 20 2009, "No one is bigger than Hun Sen; please ask who is bigger than Hun Sen…"
At present, the ECCC's door rests only slightly ajar with just a handful of Khmer Rouge members awaiting trial while one, former Tuol Sleng S21 Prison Chief Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, is on "trial" now. He's previously confessed to his role relating to the great Cambodian genocide of 1975 to 1979 and people appointed to finding the "truth" are currently picking Mr. Kaing Guek Eav's brain in Phnom Penh.
ONLY FIVE PEOPLE FACE CHARGES - WHY ?
In early September, 2009 Hun Sen was quoted by AFP as saying, "If you tried (more suspects) without taking national unification and peace into consideration and if war re-occurred, killing between 200,000 and 300,000 people more, who would be responsible for it?"
Hun Sen made the remarks 6 months after a March, 2009 speech in which he made similar comments, asserting that further prosecutions at the Khmer Rouge court could destabilize Cambodia. He added that he would prefer the court failed than indict more suspects.
Khmer Rouge Prosecutor Robert Petit announced his intention to resign in November 2008 after his desire to put 6 more people on trial was met with resistance by Cambodian Co- Prosecutor Chea Leang. "We already have indicted enough [5] suspects", she said.
If the court fails, international donors would see nearly 100 million dollars join the flotsam of Phnom Penh's sewer system, about 10% of the amount Cambodia will receive from the global donor community in 2009.
Critics have viewed Mr. Hun Sen's remarks as nonsense and have stated that there is no risk of renewed fighting since the country's civil war ended in 1998. Further, they have accused the administration of trying to protect former Khmer Rouge regime members now holding positions in government.
Peter Maguire, a specialist in international justice and author of "Facing Death in Cambodia" said, "I would put this [trial] under the category of therapeutic legalism." Other detractors state that the court is being distracted by social agendas from its core task of seeking justice for crimes against humanity.
DOING THE MATH
Although I'm not a war demographer, it appears that most organized "official" and "outlaw" units of force around the world are comprised of fighting men between the ages of 11 and 35 years old. The Khmer Rouge members who face trial are all about 80 years old and Mr. Hun Sen himself is in his late 50's. The life expectancy of a typical Khmer man is about 60, meaning men in Mr. Hun Sen's age bracket and above are dying off. Pol Pot himself died several years ago and Ta Mok passed away as well.
So who will be motivated to fight for the Khmer Rouge ideology by picking up weapons and killing 200,000 to 300,000 of their fellow citizens?
Surveys have indicated that a low percentage of Cambodia's citizens understand the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia proceedings or "two headed" structure. Further, since 70% of Cambodia's population is below age 34, they have neither memory nor knowledge of the genocide. The only objects the majority of this age group seems to have an ideological interest in holding in their hands are legal land titles (PDF), scooters, mobile phones and their newborn babies.
Therefore, it seems that Mr. Hun Sen feels that senior citizens between 50 and 100 years old, about 12% of the population, will go to battle if the Khmer Rouge court prosecutes 5 or 6 more Khmer Rouge members. If those people are now among Cambodia's wealthy and dominant perhaps he has a point. That group will stop at nothing (PDF 4.6 MB, pp 16, 19, 41, 85) to keep their social status in tact according to a report issued by Global Witness.
Perhaps, will it be international NGO's laden with terrorists who will bear arms. Cambodian People's Party (CPP) members have agreed with portrayals of NGO workers as rich scammers who receive money from international donors for the sole purpose of criticizing the Cambodian government. CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap (PDF 4.6 MB, pp 15) remarked that a TV comedy show offering such portrayals represented the activities of NGOs accurately.
A PLEA TO CAMBODIA'S ELDERLY
Since international donors have far and away been Cambodia’s chief money-source over recent years and account for most of the symbols of affluence that one sees displayed by the rich and powerful in Cambodia, perhaps Mr. Hun Sen should kick Cambodian history's closet door wide open so the rest of the world can peer inside and examine any skeletons should they exist.
If this happens, although it's doubtful it will, I implore Cambodia's small and shrinking elderly population to; Please continue relaxing on your porch, reading your comic books, going to temple, riding your bicycles and enjoying your grandchildren should a few more Khmer Rouge members deservedly be indicted. Cambodia's young people need you to continue your exemplary non-violent behavior to help maintain social order.
The question of whether former Khmer Rouge communist regime members who may or may not be in government now should continue working to uphold Cambodian Democracy or be sent to the slammer is a question 7 billion people deserve an answer to, not just 13.3 million Cambodians.
To 13.3 million Cambodians; Do you know anyone who still feels that Pol Pot's doctrine is worth fighting for in order to preserve the Khmer Rouge legacy or would they just be fighting to maintain their positions so they and their comrades could avoid jail?
To the rest of the world. Instead of continuing to fund this "trial", go take care of a kangaroo and let Mr. Hun Sen run things as he sees fit.
Please continue reading about why 200,000 to 300,000 Cambodians could face death according to Prime Minister Hun Sen
Follow Me On Twitter
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
BACKGROUND
It's no secret that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has long opposed the indictment of more Khmer Rouge at a special hybrid court known as the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
As Taipei Times writer Putsata Reang described the court's makeup in December, 2007, "The court -- with its improbable blend of Cambodian and foreign judges and attorneys as well as laws -- is meant to be a model for judicial reform and independent justice in a country where impunity has long been the rule." Since the term "human right" by its very definition applies to all 7 billion of us, this is hardly a local issue.
Nevertheless, Mr. Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge member who seized power in a coup America refused to acknowledge, (political stability trumped human rights) has appointed himself as the gatekeeper charged with keeping the closet of history's door neither open nor closed.
As Mr. Hun Sen reminded us all in a speech delivered on Veterans Day, June 20 2009, "No one is bigger than Hun Sen; please ask who is bigger than Hun Sen…"
At present, the ECCC's door rests only slightly ajar with just a handful of Khmer Rouge members awaiting trial while one, former Tuol Sleng S21 Prison Chief Kaing Guek Eav, also known as Duch, is on "trial" now. He's previously confessed to his role relating to the great Cambodian genocide of 1975 to 1979 and people appointed to finding the "truth" are currently picking Mr. Kaing Guek Eav's brain in Phnom Penh.
ONLY FIVE PEOPLE FACE CHARGES - WHY ?
In early September, 2009 Hun Sen was quoted by AFP as saying, "If you tried (more suspects) without taking national unification and peace into consideration and if war re-occurred, killing between 200,000 and 300,000 people more, who would be responsible for it?"
Hun Sen made the remarks 6 months after a March, 2009 speech in which he made similar comments, asserting that further prosecutions at the Khmer Rouge court could destabilize Cambodia. He added that he would prefer the court failed than indict more suspects.
Khmer Rouge Prosecutor Robert Petit announced his intention to resign in November 2008 after his desire to put 6 more people on trial was met with resistance by Cambodian Co- Prosecutor Chea Leang. "We already have indicted enough [5] suspects", she said.
If the court fails, international donors would see nearly 100 million dollars join the flotsam of Phnom Penh's sewer system, about 10% of the amount Cambodia will receive from the global donor community in 2009.
Critics have viewed Mr. Hun Sen's remarks as nonsense and have stated that there is no risk of renewed fighting since the country's civil war ended in 1998. Further, they have accused the administration of trying to protect former Khmer Rouge regime members now holding positions in government.
Peter Maguire, a specialist in international justice and author of "Facing Death in Cambodia" said, "I would put this [trial] under the category of therapeutic legalism." Other detractors state that the court is being distracted by social agendas from its core task of seeking justice for crimes against humanity.
DOING THE MATH
Although I'm not a war demographer, it appears that most organized "official" and "outlaw" units of force around the world are comprised of fighting men between the ages of 11 and 35 years old. The Khmer Rouge members who face trial are all about 80 years old and Mr. Hun Sen himself is in his late 50's. The life expectancy of a typical Khmer man is about 60, meaning men in Mr. Hun Sen's age bracket and above are dying off. Pol Pot himself died several years ago and Ta Mok passed away as well.
So who will be motivated to fight for the Khmer Rouge ideology by picking up weapons and killing 200,000 to 300,000 of their fellow citizens?
Surveys have indicated that a low percentage of Cambodia's citizens understand the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia proceedings or "two headed" structure. Further, since 70% of Cambodia's population is below age 34, they have neither memory nor knowledge of the genocide. The only objects the majority of this age group seems to have an ideological interest in holding in their hands are legal land titles (PDF), scooters, mobile phones and their newborn babies.
Therefore, it seems that Mr. Hun Sen feels that senior citizens between 50 and 100 years old, about 12% of the population, will go to battle if the Khmer Rouge court prosecutes 5 or 6 more Khmer Rouge members. If those people are now among Cambodia's wealthy and dominant perhaps he has a point. That group will stop at nothing (PDF 4.6 MB, pp 16, 19, 41, 85) to keep their social status in tact according to a report issued by Global Witness.
Perhaps, will it be international NGO's laden with terrorists who will bear arms. Cambodian People's Party (CPP) members have agreed with portrayals of NGO workers as rich scammers who receive money from international donors for the sole purpose of criticizing the Cambodian government. CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap (PDF 4.6 MB, pp 15) remarked that a TV comedy show offering such portrayals represented the activities of NGOs accurately.
A PLEA TO CAMBODIA'S ELDERLY
Since international donors have far and away been Cambodia’s chief money-source over recent years and account for most of the symbols of affluence that one sees displayed by the rich and powerful in Cambodia, perhaps Mr. Hun Sen should kick Cambodian history's closet door wide open so the rest of the world can peer inside and examine any skeletons should they exist.
If this happens, although it's doubtful it will, I implore Cambodia's small and shrinking elderly population to; Please continue relaxing on your porch, reading your comic books, going to temple, riding your bicycles and enjoying your grandchildren should a few more Khmer Rouge members deservedly be indicted. Cambodia's young people need you to continue your exemplary non-violent behavior to help maintain social order.
The question of whether former Khmer Rouge communist regime members who may or may not be in government now should continue working to uphold Cambodian Democracy or be sent to the slammer is a question 7 billion people deserve an answer to, not just 13.3 million Cambodians.
To 13.3 million Cambodians; Do you know anyone who still feels that Pol Pot's doctrine is worth fighting for in order to preserve the Khmer Rouge legacy or would they just be fighting to maintain their positions so they and their comrades could avoid jail?
To the rest of the world. Instead of continuing to fund this "trial", go take care of a kangaroo and let Mr. Hun Sen run things as he sees fit.
Please continue reading about why 200,000 to 300,000 Cambodians could face death according to Prime Minister Hun Sen
Follow Me On Twitter
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
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