PHNOM PENH, 3 September 2013 - Deputy Prime Minister His Excellency Dr. Sok An, Minister in Charge of the Council of Ministers, on Tuesday sought Australian support towards making up the shortfall of funds for the national side of the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC).
The national side of the ECC still needs U.S $2.9 million of its $9.4 million budget for 2013. Early this month nearly 200 Cambodian staff, including interpreters and translators, suspended temporary their work starting from September 1, 2013 because their wages have not been paid since June.
Australian Ambassador Alison Burrows told Dr. Sok An, who is the Chairman of the Royal Government Task Force on the Khmer Rouge Trials, that Canberra does not have any contribution for Cambodia’s side of the ECCC at this time, because Australia is already the second largest donor to the ECCC and has recently announced new pledge of A$ 3.25 million for the international side.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on 28 August for more international donations to the tribunal, said in remarks in The Hague: “Today, the court is in crisis. The voluntary contributions on which the court depends have run dry.
“I call on the international community to come forward with financing to continue this most important judicial process—not just for the weeks ahead, but to see all the cases through to their conclusion.”
A joint mission by David Scheffer, the Secretary-General’s Special Expert on United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials, and Secretary of State Keo Remy, a Cambodian government representative, last month visited five capitals of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in an effort to raise funds for national side of the court, but no pledges were made, said Sok An.
An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died under the Khmer Rouge regime due to forced labour, starvation, medical neglect and execution committed by the Khmer Rouge from 17 April 1975 to 6 January 1979. The ECCC is currently trying two former Khmer Rouge leaders, former head of state Khieu Samphan, 82, and chief ideologue Nuon Chea, 87, for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other offences. Former Khmer Rouge foreign minister Ieng Sary died in March during the trial.
Concerning the current political situation in Cambodia, H.E. Sok An assured the Australian Ambassador that there will be no political deadlock. According to the current legal process and internal regulations of the National Assembly, only 62 lawmakers will be required to establish new National Assembly and new government.
The Ambassador, in response, said that it is up to Cambodia to resolve the election process. Canberra continues to support Cambodia in infrastructure, agriculture, health care and justice. End.