MEDIA RELEASE
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ADHOC’s Regional Civil Party Applicants meeting in Battambang & Establishment of Regional CP Representative Scheme
Battambang, Saturday 23rd January 2010
Today ADHOC held its first, of four, Regional Meetings for Civil Party Applicants (CPA) for Case 002 at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in Battambang. More than 200 unrepresented victims and survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime who applied to be Civil Parties (CPs) through ADHOC were invited to attend the meeting where they were given the tasks of: choosing their lawyers and electing their “Regional Civil Party Representatives” (hereafter “CP Representatives”). Participants in attendance came from the provinces of: Oddar Meanchey, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Paillin and Pursat.
These regional meetings are building the foundations for ADHOC’s Khmer Rouge Tribunal (KRT) program in 2010 by serving as a platform for unrepresented CPAs to select crime-appropriate legal representation for themselves in preparation for Case 002. Additionally, a CP Representatives scheme is being established with the intention of strengthening the communication channels between ADHOC, lawyers, the ECCC and current and future CPs. Establishing the CP Representatives scheme is imperative in order to adequately deal with the high number of CPs expected in Case 002. Keeping the CPs well informed of developments at the ECCC will guarantee the opportunity for active and meaningful CP participation in the proceedings.
ADHOC President THUN Saray opened the meeting by emphasising the importance of the CPAs having appropriate legal representation especially, in the light of the pending decisions of the Office of the Co-Investigating Judges over all of the CP applications which have been submitted to the ECCC over the last two years through ADHOCs KRT outreach activities. President THUN Saray said:
“ADHOC is trying to facilitate this [CP application] process and give supplementary support to the Court’s outreach activities. Case 002 is most important and will promote justice for all the victims and survivors of the KR regime.”
After a short introduction of the Civil Party lawyers from CDP, LAC, ASF, DED and ECCC, the CPAs were given the opportunity to select their national and international lawyers who will represent their interests in the ECCC by signing Powers of Attorney with them. In the afternoon, the CPAs had the chance to choose their CP Representatives for the different geographical regions from amongst the participants themselves.
During the meeting, the participants asked questions that mainly centred on: the reparations debate (e.g. what does the term “collective and moral reparations” imply?) and Personal Safety (e.g. what kind of protective measures does the ECCC provide?)
To date, more than 1800 Civil Party Applications have been submitted through ADHOC and, prior to this meeting in Battambang, most of the applicants were still without legal representation. With these four Regional Meetings for CPAs, ADHOC is attempting to reach-out to more than 800 CPAs and provide them with lawyers, that are not only best equipped to deal with the crimes alleged in each CPA’s individual case but, ones that are best able to cater to the specific needs of each CP.
In the coming weeks, Regional CPA meetings will be held at Prey Veng, Kampot and Kratie with more Regional meetings planned for the future. ADHOC is currently hoping to receive further financial support to develop and implement its civil party participation support system for Case 002.
For further information or comment please contact:
– THUN Saray (President): 016 880 509
– LATT Ky (Project Coordinator of KRT/ICC Program): 012 82 84 11
– Nadine KIRCHENBAUER (DED Advisor to KRT/ICC Program): 012 973084
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Background Information
ADHOC’s Khmer Rouge Trials and International Criminal Court Program, supported by the European Union, Oxfam Novib, and DED is working to ensure that the ECCC succeeds in delivering justice to the victims of the Khmer Rouge, and to ensure that safeguards are adopted that will prevent the perpetration of similar mass crimes in the future.
ADHOC is running the largest and only truly national outreach program providing information about the ECCC and ICC, and has reached over 100,000 people in its outreach campaign. ADHOC is also leading efforts to assist and support victims of the Khmer Rouge regime in their participation at the trials.
