$85 Million Tribunal Budget Confirmed

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer

Original report from Washington

04 March 2010

Donors have approved an $85 million budget for Khmer Rouge tribunal operations over the next two years, a court official confirmed, but actual pledges are still under consideration.

Donors in New York approved $42 million for this year and $43 for 2011, said Lars Olsen, a spokesman for the tribunal.

“What remains is then to see the donations from the different countries,” he said.

The budget request includes the possibility of trying five additional Khmer Rouge suspects for atrocity crimes, as well as administration, outreach and a Victims Unit to spur participation by everyday Cambodians.

Without specific donor pledges, it remains unclear whether the tribunal will be fully funded for its budget, but countries have said they are willing to put money forward for justice at international standards.

“In Sweden’s view, for the sake of justice and reconciliation, it is important that those ‘most responsible for the crimes and serious violations’ according to law are held accountable,” Hilding Lundkvist, first secretary of Sweden’s UN mission, said in an e-mail.