International Co-Prosecutor Resigns

ECCC's International Co-Prosecutor Robert Petit announced his resignation in an official statemet of June, 23. The resignation becomes effective on September 1, 2009.

As for the reasons for his resignation Petit first refers to "personal and family reasons". This reason, however, is given an interesting dimension later in the document when Petit lets on frustration by acknowledging that he and his staff "have tried to contribute to the goal", as opposed to phrasing it more affirmatively into a more satisfaction-bearing "we have contributed to the goal". Leaving the original reasons for resignation aside Petit seems to acknowledge that there might be other reasons for this resignation than "personal and family" when he notes that this was not a knee-jerk decision but one which was "reached after months of deliberation and consultation". Unless "deliberation and consultation" is the way Mr. Petit chooses to describe family discussions of his resignation, there might be other -- or prevailing -- reasons for this step. The unresolved dispute between the Co-Prosecutors regarding the indictment of additional suspects and Petit's frustration with the political brass of Cambodia having made an executive -- rather than judicial -- decision to limit the number of suspects and accused to the present 5 might have been the overriding reason for this resignation.