Cambodia's Court at a Crossroads

Hun Sen will be responsible if the tribunal fails.

MARCH 1, 2010
By JAMES A. GOLDSTON, Phnom Penh
The Wall Street Journal

OPINION ASIA

Thirty years after the end of Pol Pot's reign of terror, the Khmer Rouge tribunal is poised to release its first verdict and take on the regime's most senior surviving leaders. Yet political meddling by the Cambodian government and donor fatigue may prevent other perpetrators from ever facing trial.

The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia—a hybrid court composed of Cambodian and international judges—has been an important, if limited, exercise in justice. Cambodians have packed the courtroom each day to watch Kaing Guek Eav, a former prison chief and executioner, finally held to account. Thousands more followed the proceedings on radio and television. By presenting the case publicly, the trial helped bridge the gap between younger generations of Cambodians—who do not learn about the Khmer Rouge in school and often doubt stories of victimization—and their parents and grandparents, who suffered directly under the regime.

But the real test of whether the court can fulfill its promise is yet to come. International donors met in early February in New York to review the court's budget, and will make critical funding decisions in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Cambodian government officials—who apparently fear the prospect of judges deciding for themselves—are trying to block the potential trials of other guilty parties.

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