PHNOM PENH —As talks aimed at clamping down on alleged corruption at the Khmer Rouge war crimes tribunal failed to reach agreement, rights groups warned that a clean and independent judicial system remains a long way off for Cambodia.
More than one-quarter of Cambodian court defendants surveyed reported being tortured or coerced into confession and ordinary [...]
Cambodia’s Judiciary on Trial
Cambodian Spiders Under Threat
Giant spiders might not look appetizing, but in Cambodia they are considered a delicacy. First eaten by starving refugees during the Khmer Rouge era in the late 1970s, they are now a popular snack in Cambodia. They are so popular their numbers are now in decline.
People travel from all over Cambodia to the town of [...]
Khmer Rouge defendant: Pol Pot feigned ignorance
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — The late Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot was lying when he said he was unaware that his 1970s communist regime operated a torture center, the man accused of running it testified Wednesday.
Kaing Guek Eav told Cambodia’s U.N.-assisted genocide tribunal, which is trying him for crimes against humanity, war crimes, murder [...]
Blaze Sweeping Through Provincial Forest
A fire in two provinces has destroyed 2,000 hectares of forest and is still burning, with authorities unable to stop it.
The fire, in Battambang and Banteay Meanchey province, was caused by villagers burning their rice fields, and hot weather and dry conditions allowed it to spread, officials said Wednesday.
“Since April 19, the fire started in [...]
Fearful Monk Seeks Refuge in Thailand
[Editor’s note: Tim Sakhorn, a former monk of the Khmer Kampuchea Krom ethnic group of southern Vietnam, who ran a pagoda in Takeo province, is now in Thailand, seeking political asylum from persecution in Vietnam. He was defrocked in Cambodia in 2007 and allegedly forcibly turned over to Vietnamese authorities, who put him in prison [...]
Tuol Sleng Conceived by Pol Pot: Duch
Jailed Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch told tribunal judges Wednesday that Pol Pot had created the concept for the Phnom Penh prison that would become the regime’s most infamous killing machine.
Duch, who is on trial for his role as chief of the prison, Tuol Sleng, known the Khmer Rouge as S-21, said Pol Pot had [...]
US Bombings Influenced Prison Design: Duch
Jailed Khmer Rouge prison chief Duch told tribunal judges Tuesday that detention facilities were set up ahead of the communist takeover of Cambodia in part to avoid American bombardment.
Pits were dug in rural prisons, such as the M-13 facility run by Duch in the forest of Kampong Speu province, to keep prisoners safe from bombing [...]
Calls Mount for Release of Tribunal Funding
Government and rights officials appealed to the UNDP Tuesday to release Australian funding for the Cambodian side of the Khmer Rouge tribunal, which is facing a budget crisis in the wake of corruption allegations.
The Australian government pledged $456,000 in April 2008 to the Cambodian side of the UN-backed court, but the UNDP, which manages donor [...]
Washington Vigil Held for Khmer Rouge Victims
More than 60 human rights and democracy activists gathered before the White House in Washington to remember Cambodians who lost their lives during the Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule and called for an urgent trial of the regime’s surviving leaders.
“We are here at the candle light vigil today to pay our respects to the souls of [...]
UPDATE 1-Millicom Q1 profit lags, may sell Asia ops
STOCKHOLM, April 21 (Reuters) – Niche telecom operator Millicom (MICC.O) (MICsdb.ST) posted worse-than-expected core earnings in the first quarter on Tuesday, cut its capex forecast and said it could sell part or all of its Asian operations.
The operator, which specialises in emerging markets, said earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation rose 11 percent to [...]