In response to the letter, "KR trial standards" by Kenneth Roth of Human

Rights Watch in the Nov 26 - Dec 9, 1999 issue, I have to comment on two points:

"These are crimes of universal jurisdiction," and "The international

community has a legitimate interest to intervene."

As a Khmer Canadian who escaped the Khmer Rouge rule, I see that cultural misunderstanding

has played a major part in the early development of the Khmer Rouge trial. Herodotus

(484-425 B.C.) captured an essential insight when he wrote "For if one were

to offer men to choose out of all the customs in the world such as seemed to them

the best, they would examine the whole number, and end by preferring their own; so

convinced are they that their own usages far surpass those of all others"

This has certainly enticed me to believe that Mr. Roth's statement on the two points

mentioned above is rather invalid, to some extent, in the eyes of some of the Khmer

people.

The disagreement over the trial has involved not just behavioral differences but

the perceptions of cultural phenomena. Culture is so powerful in the way it shapes

individuals' perceptions that understanding the way of life in other societies depends

on gaining insight into what might be called the inner cultural logic.

Naturally, western civilization has ranked highest on the scale because the standard

for judging was based on western values; whereas, Khmer cultural values have not

been applied, and have suffered for most of this century.

As much as I support the International Community or United Nations involvement in

the process, judicially, I still believe that the Khmer people should have more than

an equal say, and should be respected if they choose the American proposal.

After all, Khmers are the victims of this crime which involved perpetrators who are

also Khmers (the KR). In a formal criminal justice system, this crime might have

been called a crime of murder if nothing else, which would have suited for the criminal

justice system of the state involved to decide the case, in whatever standards. Obviously,

this view might have led some of the Khmer people to believe that they, too, have

an absolute legitimacy to be responsible, one way or the other.

So, where is the common ground?

Chansokhy Anhaouy, Vancouver, Canada