Cambodia

A new take on the bottom (three) billion

Three billion individuals. That's the approximate number of people that would be scrapped if we were to eliminate the bottom 5% global GDP contributors, the vast majority of which are found in either Africa or Southeast Asia. 81 countries comprise this bottom 5%. Together they represent half of the 192 UN member states and nearly 43% of the world population.


What would the world look like without them? Via Strange Maps we are offered a glimpse:


















In reverse order of magnitude the 81 countries are:

Zimbabwe, Burundi, DR Congo, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Malawi, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Afghanistan, Togo, Guinea, Uganda, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, Nepal, Myanmar (Burma), Rwanda, Mozambique, East Timor, the Gambia, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Lesotho, Ghana, Haiti, Tajikistan, the Comoros, Cambodia, Laos, Benin, Kenya, Chad, the Solomon Islands, Kyrgyzstan, India, Nicaragua, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Mauritania, Pakistan, Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe, Ivory Coast, Zambia, the Yemen, Cameroon, Djibouti, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Nigeria, Guyana, the Sudan, Bolivia, Moldova, Honduras, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Bhutan, Egypt, Vanuatu, Tonga, Paraguay, Morocco, Syria, Swaziland, Samoa, Guatemala, Georgia, the Congo, Iraq, Armenia, Jordan, Cape Verde, the Maldives, Fiji and Namibia.


It is equally curious to note which countries are not included among the bottom 5%. Any surprises?

It's an international law miracle!

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.