Former Khmer Rouge deputy denies mass killings
- 13 years ago
The trial of Khmer Rouge leaders continues over atrocities that killed around 2 million Cambodians in the late 1970s.
The Communist regime's deputy, Nuon Chea, denies committing the atrocities, telling a UN-backed tribunal the government was defending the country against Vietnam.
(SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CAMBODIA, NUON CHEA, SAYING:
"The policy of Democratic Kampuchea is we wanted to free Cambodia from being servants of another country. We wanted to build Cambodia into a clean and independent society, without any killing people or genocide."
The prosecution says Nuon Chea and two other former top officials ordered mass exterminations of intellectuals, capitalists, Vietnamese and others perceived to be threats to the state.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-PROSECUTOR ANDREW CAYLEY SAYING IN COURT:
"These crimes were a result of organised crimes, developed by the accused and other CPK leaders, and systematically implemented through the regional, military and government they controlled."
Prosecutors showed the court a video clip where he defends the killings.
VIDEO CLIP SHOWN IN COURT OF EXCERPT FROM DOCUMENTARY "KILLING FIELDS" IN WHICH NUON CHEA SAYS (Khmer)
"Believe me if these traitors were alive, the Khmers as a people would have been finished. So I dare to suggest our decision was the correct one."
Victims' families, including one woman who lost her husband and children, watched the trial on monitors outside the courtroom.
(SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) SURVIVOR WHO LOST 10 FAMILY MEMBERS, SIN SINETH, SAYING:
"I think the accused should be punished with life imprisonment, in order to compensate for the suffering of all victims."
Many Cambodians have lost faith in the tribunal, which took more than a decade to establish and is expected to cost more than $150 million by the end of the year - but has so far handed down just one sentence.
Rights groups say the trials have been marred by government interference and delays.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
The Communist regime's deputy, Nuon Chea, denies committing the atrocities, telling a UN-backed tribunal the government was defending the country against Vietnam.
(SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CAMBODIA, NUON CHEA, SAYING:
"The policy of Democratic Kampuchea is we wanted to free Cambodia from being servants of another country. We wanted to build Cambodia into a clean and independent society, without any killing people or genocide."
The prosecution says Nuon Chea and two other former top officials ordered mass exterminations of intellectuals, capitalists, Vietnamese and others perceived to be threats to the state.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-PROSECUTOR ANDREW CAYLEY SAYING IN COURT:
"These crimes were a result of organised crimes, developed by the accused and other CPK leaders, and systematically implemented through the regional, military and government they controlled."
Prosecutors showed the court a video clip where he defends the killings.
VIDEO CLIP SHOWN IN COURT OF EXCERPT FROM DOCUMENTARY "KILLING FIELDS" IN WHICH NUON CHEA SAYS (Khmer)
"Believe me if these traitors were alive, the Khmers as a people would have been finished. So I dare to suggest our decision was the correct one."
Victims' families, including one woman who lost her husband and children, watched the trial on monitors outside the courtroom.
(SOUNDBITE) (Khmer) SURVIVOR WHO LOST 10 FAMILY MEMBERS, SIN SINETH, SAYING:
"I think the accused should be punished with life imprisonment, in order to compensate for the suffering of all victims."
Many Cambodians have lost faith in the tribunal, which took more than a decade to establish and is expected to cost more than $150 million by the end of the year - but has so far handed down just one sentence.
Rights groups say the trials have been marred by government interference and delays.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters