The Khmer Rouge Tribunal is actually trying someone. Today. For the first time. Ever. Better later than never, I suppose.
Kaing Guek Eav - more commonly known as Duch (charming) is the first ultra-Maoist to be tried. Duch was the director of the notorious torture center S21 (he was the Head Torture Chief. No, really), where approximately 17,000 of the regime's enemies were tortured and exterminated. In total, 1.7 million people died between 1975 and 1979.
Today's hearing is largely procedural, with the main hearings due to start next month and a verdict expected by September. Hundreds of people allegedly filled the public gallery today, including Buddhist monks, diplomats and survivors from the era, in what marks a important step for justice in Cambodia. Many, however, remain skeptical over the legitimacy of the trial, as concerns about corruption and political interference continue to grow. The Cambodian judges have the majority in all chambers and, well, let's be honest, the Cambodian judiciary isn't exactly know for its independence (many human rights organizations have questioned the efficiency of the Tribunal, for instance Human Rights Watch).
In any event, this is an interesting (and quite monumental) judicial experiment, and it can only be hoped that it helps the Cambodian people come to terms with their past.
[HT: Wronging Rights]