Australia Pledges to Give US $3.3 Million to ECCC

BY SOY SOPHEA

The Australian government has announced its intentions to contribute over $AUS 5 million (about US $3.3 million) to the international side of Khmer Rough Tribunal. The official announcement was made by Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, and obtained by the Cambodia Weekly on October 21.

“I am pleased to announce a further $AUS 5 million for the United Nations (UN) to be used by the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal,” said Smith.

He said that the Australian government has been a long-term supporter of Cambodia’s efforts to bring Khmer Rouge leaders to justice.”This new funding will support the United Nations’ contribution to the work of the ECCC over the next two years. Australia has previously provided over $4 million towards the ECCC’s operations,” he mentioned in his statement.According to an agreement between the United Nations and the Royal Government of Cambodia, the ECCC will conduct trials of former Khmer Rouge leaders charged with crimes against humanity during the period of 1975-1979, in which it is estimated that up to three million people perished.In 1997 the then newly formed Cambodian Government requested UN assistance in establishing a trial process to prosecute the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge. The Cambodian National Assembly in 2001 passed a law to create a Court to try serious crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime.However, Australia also urged Cambodia and the international community to intensify their cooperative efforts to ensure that the trials are completed in a timely manner and according to internationally acceptable standards of justice, fairness and due legal process.

Reach Sambath, Press Officer of Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), welcomed the Australian government’s donation to the UN side.

“We are happy to see Australia’s strong commitment as part of the UN family to support the court,” he said. “This generosity will help us find justice for Khmer Rouge victims.”

Former S-21 prison survivor Van Nath welcomed the donation. However, he doubted the amount would make much headway against the ECCC’s financial crisis when he realized that the $ 56.3 million spent so far had proved insufficient.

“My hope was extinguished when the money started running out.” he said. “Time has passed, I am 62 years old and I am not sure when I can expect to see justice.”

While the court was created by the Cambodian Government and UN, the ECCC is an independent body and will provide a new model for court operations in Cambodia.There has been significant progress since the ECCC began its work, with five individuals charged and held in provisional detention awaiting trial. The ECCC provides an historic opportunity to achieve justice for the victims of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime.