Duch in court.Kayla Hutzler
4th March, 2009
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When people attend a Cambodian Genocide symposium, most are expecting to hear story of heart-wrenching despair about the victims. However, at his lecture "Genocide in World History" on Feb. 24th Ben Kiernan introduced about 35 students to another side of genocide - the side of the leaders and their consequences.
Keirnan wrote six names on the board, one up higher and then next five a few inches lower in list form. Those were the names of six influential leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot was the infamous leader who is now dead. The other five however are currently awaiting trials in Cambodia before an international criminal tribunal. This is a government composed of UN and Cambodian judges, where neither group of judges can make a decision on their own.
Duch was the second name that appeared on the board. He controlled Tuol Sleng prison, a prison/death camp, where he was responsible for the murder of at least 14,000 people. Towards the end of Khmer Rouge command, Duch was told by Nuan Chea to destroy the documents and photos they had taken at Tuol Sleng. (Nuan Chea was a chief decision maker in the Khmer Rouge.)
However, Keirnan explained, Duch killed the last of the prisoners and never had time to destroy the documentation. This has resulted in about 4,000 photo negatives being found, a large part of evidence against them.
Duch; Kheiu Samphan, who was head of state; Ien Sary, the former foreign minister; and his wife Ieng Thirith, who was involved in the Khmer Rouge Central Committee, have all been imprisoned for the past ten years. Duch's trial began last week, and it is believed that he will release incrimination information about other Khmer Rouge leaders.
While some formal charges have been lodged against these leaders, it is not yet known what they will be charged with. The prosecutors seem to have enough evidence to ensure they receive charges of crimes against humanity, forced labor, crimes against political parties and war crimes.
Unfortunately, to charge them with genocide is an extremely large task explained Kiernan. The genocide convention act requires that the alleged group must prove to have deliberately attempted to destroy an entire group of people.
This appears to be the case, as they murdered almost every Vietnamese, Chinese, and Muslim person. However, Keirnan seemed skeptical as to whether or not there was enough evidence to charge the remaining five leaders with genocide.
A large concern of Kiernan and many of the Cambodian Genocide survivors is that the ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) will run out of money before all the leaders are put on trial. The mixed tribunal and the ECCC do not receive nearly enough funds to continue working through the evidence and putting on the trials. A large concern is they will run out of money before all five can be rightfully charged.
Kiernan spent the rest of his time explaining history of the Khmer Rouge, something a few of the confused students found great relief in. While getting heavily into the current day issues of legality and punishing the leaders, many students still seemed to be wondering exactly what it is they had done, and how this had occurred in such a recent age.
The Q+A time proved to be the moment most students will remember and take with them. As students were asking questions, an older Cambodian raised his hand, and in a foreign language spoke with Kiernan, who then translated. He explained that he and two of the gentlemen with him were Cambodian Genocide survivors and that everything he said was entirely true, and he genuinely thanked him.
Keirnan wrote six names on the board, one up higher and then next five a few inches lower in list form. Those were the names of six influential leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot was the infamous leader who is now dead. The other five however are currently awaiting trials in Cambodia before an international criminal tribunal. This is a government composed of UN and Cambodian judges, where neither group of judges can make a decision on their own.
Duch was the second name that appeared on the board. He controlled Tuol Sleng prison, a prison/death camp, where he was responsible for the murder of at least 14,000 people. Towards the end of Khmer Rouge command, Duch was told by Nuan Chea to destroy the documents and photos they had taken at Tuol Sleng. (Nuan Chea was a chief decision maker in the Khmer Rouge.)
However, Keirnan explained, Duch killed the last of the prisoners and never had time to destroy the documentation. This has resulted in about 4,000 photo negatives being found, a large part of evidence against them.
Duch; Kheiu Samphan, who was head of state; Ien Sary, the former foreign minister; and his wife Ieng Thirith, who was involved in the Khmer Rouge Central Committee, have all been imprisoned for the past ten years. Duch's trial began last week, and it is believed that he will release incrimination information about other Khmer Rouge leaders.
While some formal charges have been lodged against these leaders, it is not yet known what they will be charged with. The prosecutors seem to have enough evidence to ensure they receive charges of crimes against humanity, forced labor, crimes against political parties and war crimes.
Unfortunately, to charge them with genocide is an extremely large task explained Kiernan. The genocide convention act requires that the alleged group must prove to have deliberately attempted to destroy an entire group of people.
This appears to be the case, as they murdered almost every Vietnamese, Chinese, and Muslim person. However, Keirnan seemed skeptical as to whether or not there was enough evidence to charge the remaining five leaders with genocide.
A large concern of Kiernan and many of the Cambodian Genocide survivors is that the ECCC (Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia) will run out of money before all the leaders are put on trial. The mixed tribunal and the ECCC do not receive nearly enough funds to continue working through the evidence and putting on the trials. A large concern is they will run out of money before all five can be rightfully charged.
Kiernan spent the rest of his time explaining history of the Khmer Rouge, something a few of the confused students found great relief in. While getting heavily into the current day issues of legality and punishing the leaders, many students still seemed to be wondering exactly what it is they had done, and how this had occurred in such a recent age.
The Q+A time proved to be the moment most students will remember and take with them. As students were asking questions, an older Cambodian raised his hand, and in a foreign language spoke with Kiernan, who then translated. He explained that he and two of the gentlemen with him were Cambodian Genocide survivors and that everything he said was entirely true, and he genuinely thanked him.
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