KHMER Rouge tribunal officials said
Wednesday they are confident the trial of former S-21 prison chief
Kaing Guek Eav will go ahead, despite ongoing funding problems that
threaten to bankrupt the UN-backed court.
The tribunal, which on Tuesday formally indicted Kaing Guek Eav, more
commonly known as Duch, for crimes against humanity and war crimes, has
struggled to find money for the Cambodian side of its operations after
diminishing UN Development Programme funds were halted this month amid
graft allegations.
"We are always worried....We will just take it one step at a time, and
be careful not to slip," said tribunal spokesman Reach Sambath.
Cambodian staffers, who were unpaid in July due to the funding freeze,
are expected to have their salaries resume this week, with the money
coming from an emergency infusion of US$2.9 million from Japan.
The indictment - the first handed down by the court - has been met with
muted optimism by survivors of Tuol Sleng, where court documents say
more than 12,000 people were brutalised before being killed.
"I am very pleased with the indictment," said survivor Chum Mey. "But I
am afraid that the court will not be able to bring all five leaders to
justice because they are very old," he added.
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