infonews.co.nz
INDEX
NEWS

More funding to support the Khmer Rouge Tribunal

Thursday 22 November 2012, 2:27PM

By John Key

329 views

Prime Minister John Key has announced further funding to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal to support its work bringing the former leaders of the regime to justice.

New Zealand will provide a further $200,000 to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, bringing the total contribution to NZ$1.2 million over six years.

Mr Key made the announcement during a visit to the Tribunal in Phnom Penh yesterday.

“The Khmer Rouge Tribunal aims to bring senior leaders of the regime, and those most responsible, to justice for genocide and crimes against humanity, and help the Cambodian people move on from a particularly dark period in their history,” says Mr Key.

An estimated 1.6 million people, or one-fifth of Cambodia’s population, died under the rule of the Khmer Rouge.

“We recognise the people of Cambodia have looked to the Tribunal to assist in the process of national reconciliation. New Zealand will continue to help the Tribunal complete its work prosecuting the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge,” says Mr Key.

The Tribunal was established following a request by Cambodia to the United Nations for assistance. New Zealand has provided financial support to the Tribunal’s work since 2006.

Former New Zealand Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright is one of seven international judges appointed to the Tribunal.

The Prime Minister has been in Cambodia for the East Asia Summit. Today he is in Yangon, the first stop in an official visit to Myanmar.