Civil Parties Agree on Reparation Requests for Khmer Rouge Tribunal

Wide ranging support has been secured for the civil party reparations requested in the cases of two top leaders of the regime, before the UN-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal issues a verdict for the case, officials said this week.

The court’s Victims Support Section and civil party attorneys are seeking redress for survivors of the regime, particularly in the case against former leaders Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan.

Both men are currently on trial for atrocity crimes, including genocide, for their role as leaders of the regime. They are awaiting the verdict in one phase of the trial and the opening of the second and final phase.

A total 13 projects, including a national day of remembrance, national memorials, mental health centers, and even an illustrated storybook about the trials, have been agreed upon, tribunal officials said.

However, Latt Ky, an independent tribunal monitor, said even though the reparations are agreed upon, they fell short of what the regime survivors really wanted.

Sum Rithy, a Khmer Rouge survivor, said he wants to see public memorials in every province, as well as at individual sites of atrocity crimes.

And they should be built quickly, he said. “The victims are aging, and they could die before the verdict.”