Cambodia

Before I can even begin to describe my time in Cambodia, I need to give everyone a background of the conflict and crimes against humanity. Had I not read a book when I was younger (First They Killed My Father), I don't know if I ever really would have learned about this. It's a shame that this type of cleansing can still happen (and is still happening today in places like Darfur, DRC, Uganda, Rwanda...) and no one learns about it. Quick tidbit: although Invisible Children is a highly contested organization, please watch the #STOPKONY video. Make it stop. Protect the children and their innocence; no one should be conscripted for a war of religious ideologies by fanatics who believe they have been touched by God.

Cambodia in a nutshell, SUPER DUPER BRIEF (this is my outline for a group project... enjoy.) But seriously, look into this more, it's actually fascinating. 

1.     Independence --> over throw of government

I.               In 1863, King Norodom signed an agreement with the French to establish a protectorate over his kingdom; eventual colonialism

II.             On 9 March 1945, during the Japanese occupation of Cambodia, King Norodom Sihanouk proclaimed an independent Kingdom of Kampuchea but Japan maintained a Consulate in Phnom Penh

III.           After Allied military units entered Cambodia, the Japanese military forces present in the country were disarmed and repatriated. The French were able to re-impose the colonial administration in Phnom Penh in October the same year.

IV.            A partial independence agreement was struck in October 1953. Sihanouk then declared that independence had been achieved and returned in triumph to Phnom Penh.

V.              Cambodia remained neutral throughout the 1950s and 1960s, letting North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong utilize its land for bases.

VI.            In 1969, the US began a 14 month long bombing plan to destabalzie. These raids took place about 20 miles within the Cambodian borders in an area that had already been evacuated by the NVA

VII.          Prince Sihanouk did not want the US to utilize its air bases and air space due to his attempt to keep Cambodia neutral as the Khmer Rouge began to gain power.

VIII.        General Lon Nol, and a right government, won the 1966 elections which lasted until 1967 and again in 1969.

IX.            Prince Sihanouk went abroad for medical reasons in January 1970.

 

2.     History of the Khmer Rouge Policies

I.               Khmer Rouge was the name for the group given to the Communist Party of Kampuchea

II.             The Khmer Rouge tried to institute social reforms that aimed to create a purely uneducated and agrarian-based society

III.           Khmer Rouge policies firmly against capitalism àCommunist influence from immigrants from China

IV.            Hostility towards religion and education

V.              Forced Labor

 

3.     1979-Present

I.               In response to the KR beginning to push into Vietnam, Vietnam overthrew the KR

II.             The People's Republic of Kampuchea was established however it was a coalition of 3 groups (ex prince, ex prime minister, and the KR) that was still recognized internationally as the legitimate state party regardless of Vietnam's intervention and the clear evidence of genocide (the Coalition Government of the Democratic Kamp)

III.           1980s à civil war

IV.            89 & 91 à 2 international peace conferences in Paris… which were accompanied by a UN peace keeping mission

V.              in 1993 prince was reestablished as the king of Cambodia

VI.            Coup in 1997 led by communist leader Hun Sen

VII.          Sen is opposed to trials of former KR and this is probably due to the fact that many of them hold high ranking positions in his government

VIII.        But in 1998 held elections, which were followed by greater stability and less KR

IX.            It took the country a long time to begin to recover bc they killed off all the doctors, educated people, etc

 

4.     Centers/Torture/Life Today

I.               Life in Cambodia today

A.              Cambodia still facing very evident impacts from the Khmer Rouge's 4-yr reign till this day

II.             biggest issue in Cambodia today is the psychological impact caused under Pol Pot's reign

III.           Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - also know as S-21 in Phnom Penh

A.              Bussed there, forced to "confess" to crimes not actually committed

IV.            Documentation Center of Cambodia 

V.              Virtual Tribunal Project at University of California-Berkeley

VI.            National Archives of Cambodia and the Legal Document's Center

5.     Introduction to the ECCC:

I.               Cambodian government request, UN backed, hybrid court

II.             Established in 2001, lack of funds, support from international community

6.     Structure of the court:

I.               Three chambers, 30 Cambodian and International judges

II.             Co-investigating judges and co-prosecutors

7.     History of ECCC

I.               Overview of progress

II.             Challenges facing the court, health and age of perpetrators

III.           Updates on cases 001-004

 

8.     Cases 001 / 002

I.               001:

A.              Kaing Guek Eav alias Duch, the former Chairman of the Khmer Rouge S-21 Security Center in Phnom Penh

1.     Sentenced to 35 years

2.     Appealed

3.     Resentenced to life

4.     Charges

5.     Charges

II.             002

A.              Nuon Chea, aged 84, former Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea; 

B.              Ieng Sary, aged 85, former Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs; 

C.              Khieu Samphan, aged 79, former Head of State

D.             Ieng Thirith, aged 78, former Minister of Social Affairs

E.      Problems: incontinence, age, dementia

     1.   Can you try them? valid witnesses? 

     2.   Does their age justify leaving the court  

III.           003 / 004

A.              Not being prosecuted, dropped

IV.            Current probs

A.              Money

B.              Government

C.              Illness

D.             UN doing anything?

E.              Kofi and Moon? Passive.

F.              Two months between

G.              Corrupt judges

H.             Fixing the problems now!!