So We Will Never Forget

National survey reveals most Cambodians want trials of the Khmer Rouge; but few are aware of the court established for that purpose

 

 

Phnom Penh— Nearly thirty years after the end of the Khmer Rouge regime many Cambodians vividly recall the killings, torture, and starvation they suffered and witnessed. Ninety-three percent of older Cambodians consider themselves victims of the Khmer Rouge, according to a new national survey conducted by the Human Rights Center, University of California, Berkeley. Nine out of ten respondents in the survey said that members of the Khmer Rouge should be held accountable for the crimes they committed.

 

Yet 85 percent of those surveyed had little or no knowledge about the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), a joint Cambodian-international tribunal established in 2006 to try top Khmer Rouge leaders.

 

“These findings are troubling,” said Phuong Pham, lead author and Director of Research at the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center. “On the eve of the ECCC’s first trial, more Cambodians should be aware of the Court’s work, especially as there is such a strong desire for justice.”

 

The report, “So We Will Never Forget,” reveals Cambodians have mixed expectations and knowledge of the Khmer Rouge tribunal. Respondents who were aware of the Court gave it very high marks. Two-thirds believed the ECCC judges would be fair and that it would have a positive effect on the victims of the Khmer Rouge and their families. Still, 33 percent felt the court was not neutral and 37 percent did not know exactly what the ECCC would accomplish.

 

Of those survey respondents who had heard about the ECCC the main sources of information were radio (80%) and television (44%). The vast majority of the survey respondents (98%) said they would watch the trials of the Khmer Rouge leaders if they were broadcasted live on TV.

 

“Local human rights organizations have traveled throughout Cambodia in an effort to inform Cambodians about the workings of the Court,” said Patrick Vinck, a co-author of the report. “Yet much more needs to be done. These organizations cannot bear this responsibility alone, the ECCC, Cambodian government, and the international community must play a more active role publicizing the Court’s activities.”

 

The report, “So We Will Never Forget,” calls on the ECCC to deal immediately with allegations of corruption and lack of transparency and to expand significantly outreach efforts to inform Cambodians about the forthcoming trials. The report also recommends that

  • Public service announcements about the court be broadcast regularly on radio and television.
  • Media interviews with court judges and staff be commonplace during the trials to help explain complicated legal and judicial concepts to the public.
  • A weekly summary of trial proceedings—preferably in a talk show format that encourages debate—be aired on both radio and television.
  • Educational materials combining historical texts and visual materials from the forthcoming trials be created for use in primary and secondary schools as a part of the court’s legacy.

 

“This court exists for the Cambodian people,” said Mychelle Balthazard, a co-author of the report. “It is incumbent on the ECCC and the international community to ensure Cambodians are aware and engaged supporters of these trials and not merely auxiliaries to a process far removed from their daily lives.”

 

Research for “So We Will Never Forget” was conducted in September 2008 among 125 randomly selected communes across the 24 provinces of Cambodia. Sample size was 1,000 adults 18 years of age or older. By the time of the survey, the ECCC had arrested and charged five former leaders of the Khmer Rouge. The first to stand trial will be Kaing Guek Eav (Duch), former head of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison and torture center in the capital of Phnom Penh, and proceedings are expected to begin in March 2009.

 

The UC Berkeley Human Rights Center promotes human rights and international justice worldwide and trains the next generation of human rights researchers and advocates. More information is available at: http://hrc.berkeley.edu.