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The Cambodia Daily
Volume 33 Issue 37
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
US Reluctance To Fund KR
Trials Understandable
Youk Chhang
In his Washington Post opinion
piece (“KR Tribunal Desperately Needs US Involvement,” Dec 27, page 15),
Nathaniel Myers states that the US has not budgeted a dollar for the upcoming
tribunal of Khmer Rouge leaders. Myers does not mention that all funds required
for UN participation have already been raised. The gap that remains is to be
filled by the Royal Government of Cambodia, which initially agreed to make $13
million available from its own resources.
It is true that America has
given no direct support for the trials, but Myers neglected to note a number of
important contributions that America has made. Since 1995, the US has poured
millions of dollars into Yale University and several Cambodian NGOs for the
collection of documents produced during the Khmer Rouge regime, as well as
monitoring and public outreach during the trials.
Without US funding, it is
doubtful that enough evidence would have been collected and preserved to hold
the trials at all. In addition, many Cambodian and US scholars, law and other
students, filmmakers, archivists, and museums working on Khmer Rouge issues have
benefited from the generous (and visible) support of the American people.
Myers also says that Senator
Mitch McConnell and Senate staffer Paul Grove are opposed to the trials because
they feel Prime Minister Hun Sen might try to hijack them. Many in the Cambodian
and the international community, including some officials in the Cambodian
government itself, share this concern.
Whether the US should
contribute to the Royal Government of Cambodia’s share of the costs is not clear
in light of this uncertainty. But in his May 2005 visit to Phnom Penh, Pierre
Prosper, US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes, made it clear that if the
tribunal proves to be credible and transparent during its first year, the US
would provide both political and financial support. The 17 nations that have
provided direct financial support for the trials are taking the same position,
and like the US, will be watching the proceedings carefully.
In the meantime, the US
government is working to build Cambodia’s civil society so that it can serve as
the tribunal watchdog and help ensure its success.
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