Picture: KR Tribunal in action.
US to consider funding Cambodian genocide tribunal after problems cleared up
The Associated Press
The United States will consider giving money to fund Cambodia's U.N.-backed genocide tribunal only after the court properly addresses allegations of corruption and mismanagement against it, a U.S. diplomat said Friday.
Clint Williamson, the U.S. ambassador for war crimes issues, said the arrests of five Khmer Rouge suspects have shown that the tribunal, after repeated delays, "is making progress and moving in a very positive direction."
"How that plays out in terms of direct funding to the court, we'll have to see," he said at a press conference at the end of a three-day visit assessing the tribunal's work to help decide whether or not Washington should provide funds for it.
The communist Khmer Rouge, who held power in 1975-79, are blamed for the death of estimated 1.7 million people from hunger, diseases, overwork and execution. None of its leaders have been tried.
The tribunal plans to begin its first trial in mid-2008 but it has not yet set a date.
Williamson said any decisions about U.S. funding "are going to be contingent" on how the U.N. and the Cambodian government deal with its internal problems and on the court's ability "to deliver justice at international standards."
Early this year, the tribunal, staffed by Cambodian and international officials, was shaken by allegations of kickbacks from Cambodian job applicants and an internal audit alleging that Cambodian staff members without proper qualifications had been hired.
"Obviously, we're troubled when we hear reports of mismanagement or improprieties in the institution," Williamson said. "We feel very strongly that such allegations have to be investigated, explored and dealt with."
The tribunal has been appealing for more funding on top of its already budgeted US$56.3 million (€38.7 million), saying its original planned three years of operation through 2009 will likely be extended for one more year.
The U.S. has so far not donated any funds to the tribunal, though it has spent more than US$7 million (€4.8 million) over the past decade to support the work of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, in independent group that collects evidence of the Khmer Rouge crimes.
The group has given many documents to the tribunal to assist it in investigating cases against the Khmer Rouge suspects.
The Associated Press
The United States will consider giving money to fund Cambodia's U.N.-backed genocide tribunal only after the court properly addresses allegations of corruption and mismanagement against it, a U.S. diplomat said Friday.
Clint Williamson, the U.S. ambassador for war crimes issues, said the arrests of five Khmer Rouge suspects have shown that the tribunal, after repeated delays, "is making progress and moving in a very positive direction."
"How that plays out in terms of direct funding to the court, we'll have to see," he said at a press conference at the end of a three-day visit assessing the tribunal's work to help decide whether or not Washington should provide funds for it.
The communist Khmer Rouge, who held power in 1975-79, are blamed for the death of estimated 1.7 million people from hunger, diseases, overwork and execution. None of its leaders have been tried.
The tribunal plans to begin its first trial in mid-2008 but it has not yet set a date.
Williamson said any decisions about U.S. funding "are going to be contingent" on how the U.N. and the Cambodian government deal with its internal problems and on the court's ability "to deliver justice at international standards."
Early this year, the tribunal, staffed by Cambodian and international officials, was shaken by allegations of kickbacks from Cambodian job applicants and an internal audit alleging that Cambodian staff members without proper qualifications had been hired.
"Obviously, we're troubled when we hear reports of mismanagement or improprieties in the institution," Williamson said. "We feel very strongly that such allegations have to be investigated, explored and dealt with."
The tribunal has been appealing for more funding on top of its already budgeted US$56.3 million (€38.7 million), saying its original planned three years of operation through 2009 will likely be extended for one more year.
The U.S. has so far not donated any funds to the tribunal, though it has spent more than US$7 million (€4.8 million) over the past decade to support the work of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, in independent group that collects evidence of the Khmer Rouge crimes.
The group has given many documents to the tribunal to assist it in investigating cases against the Khmer Rouge suspects.
No comments:
Post a Comment