Civil society is deeply saddened to hear that the Government now claims it cannot contribute its $13.3 million share to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (KRT) three-year budget. It declares that it can only give $1.5 million leaving a short fall of $11.8 million. It is interesting to note that the $4.4 million per year required from the Government to run the KRT amounts to only 0.5% of the Annual National budget of $792 million. This seems like a ridiculously small price to pay for the possible achievement of justice and reconciliation for victims of the Khmer Rouge regime and for Cambodia as a whole.

Civil society questions whether this is just another attempt of the Government to postpone the setting up of the Tribunal? What has changed for the Government since 2003 when it signed the Agreement with the UN and pledged $13.3 million to the KRT budget? We demand a detailed explanation for why, suddenly, the Government cannot allocate the 0.5% of its annual budget as promised.

Civil society argues that if Government has a genuine commitment to establishing the KRT it should allocate a proportion of the national budget to this cause. If the Government will not contribute such a small amount then it is not taking seriously the terrible crimes committed during the Khmer Rouge rule. Therefore the responsibility for these horrendous events should fall on the Government's shoulders.

Civil society calls for the Government to fulfill its promise to the Cambodian people and contribute $13.3 million without any further excuses or delay.

For more information, please contact:
▪ Sok Sameoun, Cambodian Human Rights Action Committee, CHRAC
▪ Koul Panha, COMFREL
▪ Nhek Sarin, Star Kampuchea

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