HE Keo Remy Presided Over the Opening Ceremony of Workshop on “Achievements and Legacy of the ECCC”
HE Keo Remy Presided Over the Opening Ceremony of Workshop on “Achievements and Legacy of the ECCC”
Phnom Penh: In the morning of Thursday, 28 November 2024, HE Keo Remy, Senior Minister, President of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee and Permanent Vice Chairman of the Royal Government Task Force for the implementation of the residual functions of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), representing HE Vongsey Visoth, Standing Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Royal Government Task Force for the implementation of the residual functions of the ECCC, and HE Atsushi UENO, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Cambodia, presided over the opening ceremony of the Workshop on “Achievements and Legacy of the ECCC” at the Office of the Council of Ministers.
This workshop was co-organised by the Office of the Council of Ministers and the Embassy of Japan to Cambodia, with the participation of members of the Royal Government Task Force for the implementation of the residual functions of the ECCC, Judge Motoo NOGUCHI, International Reserve Judge of the Supreme Court Chamber of the ECCC, HE Tony Kranh, Secretary of State of the Office of the Council of Ministers and Acting Director of the Office of Administration of the ECCC, as well as the dignitaries and civil servants of the Office of the Council of Ministers, representatives of embassies and the United Nations in Cambodia.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, HE Senior Minister Keo Remy stated that the ECCC is an international model court established by the Royal Government of Cambodia, with the participation of the United Nations, as well as funding from the Royal Government of Cambodia and the international community to prosecute the genocidal crimes of Democratic Kampuchea, aka the Khmer Rouge regime. The tribunal uses the jurisdiction of the host country, Cambodia, and uses a combination of civil law and the common law for the trial process, with two goals going hand in hand: first, to provide justice to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime, and second, to ensure the sustainability of peace, national unity, and national reconciliation for the country.
He highlighted the invaluable role of the Japanese government since the peace-building process in Cambodia and its active contribution from the negotiation stage to the establishment of this hybrid tribunal, i.e. Japan having mediated and helped break the deadlock over differences between the negotiating team of the Royal Government of Cambodia and the UN side regarding the model of the court to be established. At the beginning of the trial process from 2006 to the present time, Japan, along with France, as Co-Chairs of the Friends of the ECCC, has been mediating and raising funds to support a smooth and successful trial process.
HE Senior Minister Keo Remy added that as of October 2024, Japan has been ranked as the first country to provide a total funding of approximately 88.5 million US dollars to support the ECCC trial process, which accounts for about 21% of the total expenditure of approximately USD412 million.
Taking this opportunity, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, he expresses his deep gratitude to the international community and all stakeholders who have always provided financial and spiritual support to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal until the successful completion of its trial proceedings.
