Khieu Samphan in the courtroom during the pronouncement of appeal judgment in case 002/02 by the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on 22 September 2022. ECCC/Nhet Sokheng
The Kingdom’s former and current prime ministers have announced that they will host a conference on the future of Cambodia without genocide.
The three-day event will discuss the operations of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), better known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, over the past 16 years, as well as its ongoing work.
The event will be broadcast nationwide by state media.
The conference, titled “Cambodia's Future Without Genocide, Protecting and Responding through Education and Health Care" will take place from May 20 to 22 at the former Khmer Rouge Tribunal, under the patronage of Hun Sen, president of the Senate and chairman of the Supreme Council of the King, and Prime Minister Hun Manet.
“Four state media outlets under the Ministry of Information are ready to collaborate with the ECCC Resource Center Working Group,” said Tep Asnarith, undersecretary of state and spokesman for the ministry.
These outlets include Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), the National Television of Cambodia (TVK), the National Radio of Cambodia (RNK) and the information ministry’s app.
“Our collaboration with the resource centre aims to ensure that the justice served by the hybrid court is communicated effectively to the public, especially the youth,” said Asnarith.
He stressed the importance of educating young Cambodians about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge regime, which resulted in the deaths of more than three million innocent Cambodians.
"The Cambodian people and the world need to understand the history of Cambodia's descent into the killing field regime, as well as the justice that has been achieved for the victims and the nation as a whole," he said.
The general overview during the pronouncement of appeal judgment in case 002/02 by the Supreme Court Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) on 22 September 2022. Photo: ECCC/Nhet Sokheng
Kranh Tony, acting director of the ECCC’s Office of Administration, highlighted the importance of the establishment of the ECCC Resource Center.
“It plays a crucial role in the post-tribunal phase, focusing on outreach and education about the tribunal's achievements,” he explained.
It also manages public access to the archives and oversees the implementation of civil litigation and justice for the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime.
"What the Trial Chamber has achieved is historic for the Cambodian people and humanity," he said.
"With the support of Cambodia, the UN, and the international community, the tribunal process has been smooth, timely, and successful, contributing to the maintenance of peace and national unity, embodying the spirit of January 7, 1979,” he added.
The ECCC was established under an agreement between the government of Cambodia and the UN in June 2003.
Although it operates independently, it functions under a framework agreed upon by both entities to prosecute crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979.
From February 2006 until August 2022, the ECCC spent $337.70 million on its mission.
Following the conclusion of the tribunal, the UN agreed to collaborate with the government for an additional three years, beginning in 2023.
This collaboration focuses on maintaining all remaining jurisdictional functions, managing archives in line with international standards, and disseminating the ECCC’s achievements.
It also involves monitoring the implementation of compensation plans for civil parties.
