Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam)

	VPA Summary

	Victim Participation Project Overview of DC-Cam’s Capabilities and Activities Relating to Victim Participation UPDATED JULY 2008 1. Background and Objectives ż The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), commonly referred to as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, allows survivors of Democratic Kampuchea to take part in proceedings against the regime's former leaders as complainants and civil parties. ż With the aims of promoting justice, contributing to national reconciliation, and creating a comprehensive historical record, the Victim Participation (VPA) Project of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam) seeks to inform survivors of Democratic Kampuchea of their rights to participate in the now-functioning Khmer Rouge Tribunal and to help them register with the Tribunal’s Victims Unit. ż In locating survivors, the Project will use the so-called “Renakse Petitions” (held in DC-Cam’s archive) collected by the successor government to the Khmer Rouge in 1982-83 from over 1.1 million Cambodians. 2. PROJECT STRUCTURE ż The Victim Participation Project’s Team Leader is Mr. Terith Chy, LL. (Hong Kong) (Email: chyterith@gmail.com). ż The Center has 10 core staff members (8 full-time, 2 part-time) and 1 international Legal Fellow (a British lawyer, Sarah Thomas) dedicated to working on the Project. ż In addition, the Project has the ability to draw on other DC-Cam staff members, when necessary, to assist with outreach activities involving large numbers of potential complainants/civil party applicants. Ć Example: In October 2007, twenty DC-Cam staff members assisted participants at a Conference in completing the Tribunal's Victim Information Form. ż The Project works in cooperation with other DC-Cam projects, including the Living Documents Project, Promoting Accountability Project (PA) and the Cham Muslim Oral History Project. 3. OUTREACH MATERIALS ż The Project has produced the following articles to inform survivors of the Democratic Kampuchea regime of their participation rights, the Project’s activities and recent developments (available on the Project’s website and reproduced in the Center’s magazine, Searching for the Truth): Ć “Article on the Victim Participation Project,” Farina So & Sarah Thomas Ć “Victims Still Waiting to Hear From Tribunal—Response Will Come,” Farina So & Sarah Thomas Ć “Provincial Report – Kampong Thom Province,” Terith Chy & Sarah Thomas Ć “Focus on the Eastern Zone Purges: Visit to Daun Daok Village, Prey Veng Province,” Terith Chy & Sarah Thomas Ć “Victim Participation Visit to Pursat Province,” Sarah Thomas & Terith Chy Ć “Civil Party's Repeated Attempts to Address Bench and Poor Management of Proceedings Force Worrying Precedent for Victim Participation Before the ECCC,” Sarah Thomas ż In addition, the Project has produced a one-page Information Sheet on Victim Participation (distributed to all potential complainants/civil party applicants) and a detailed Guidance Sheet on Completing the Victim Information Form in English (designed for foreign and overseas complainants/civil parties). 4. OUTREACH ACTIVITIES TO DATE ż The Project began its activities in October 2007 with a Conference on Victim Participation attended by 280 Cham Muslims, where 200 participants chose to complete the Form. ż The Project has conducted field trips to Kampot, Prey Veng, Kratie, Ratanakiri, Kampong Thom, Kampong Chhnang, and Siem Reap Provinces to meet with survivors (in particular, Renakse Petitioners and ethnic minorities) to inform them of their rights, to distribute the Form and to assist them, if necessary. Ć A number of these trips were in response to requests from village or commune chiefs. ż The Project has provided assistance in person at the Center and via e-mail and telephone to individuals, including several foreign and overseas survivors, interested in completing the Form. ż The project has, at the Tribunal's request, conducted several follow-up trips to meet with potential civil parties of interest to the Victims Unit. ż Please check List of Complaints for the total number of complaints/civil party applications collected. All materials mentioned in this Summary are available on the Project’s website at: http://www.dccam.org/Projects/Tribunal_Response_Team/Victim_Participation/ Victim_Participation.htm