Ratanakiri Public Forum

on

Justice & Reconciliation

28 March 2008

Theary Seng moderating the one-day public forum

UN Co-Prosecutor Robert Petit

Cambodian Co-Prosecutor Chea Leang

Chief of Public Affairs Reach Sambath explains the ECCC

|
Chief of ECCC Defense Support Section Richard J. Rogers explains the role of the defense and need for fair trial rights

Viewing the Time for Justice film series

Viewing the Time for Justice series, background information for the day.  (I miss my silky hair, no more perm!)

I love this photo!  Suffering and grace.

Theary Seng listening a man who recounts with raw emotion the murder of his wife by the Khmer Rouge and pleads for reconciliation in society.

Too much intensity to absorb...trying to rest the mind amidst the heavy conversations.

Long Panhavuth of Open Society Justice Iniative

Theary Seng impressing on the need to address the impunity of the past in order to start addressing the current human rights abuses.

American lawyer Ben Fleming of the Office of Co-Investigating Judges

Sok Leang translating.

An ethnic minority woman speaking in her dialect recounts her suffering under the Khmer Rouge, translated in Khmer than simultaneously into English.

Theary Seng comforting an ethnic minority woman as she recounts her Khmer Rouge ordeal.

Anne Heindel, legal advisor at DC-Cam

At every public forum, we invited at least 5 monks.

Monks jump into the discussions.

Adhoc officer in Ratanakiri

One of the former KR leaders who had met with the senior KR leaders (Ieng Sary?) in the 1970s.  I believe the Prosecution got a few pieces of information from this man and others in the room.

Another great photo...suffering, grace, steeliness being thawed.

The suave men of the ECCC and DED - Richard Rogers, Ben Fleming, Reach Sambath, Christoph Sperfeldt, Wolfgang Mollers

Theary Seng, Christoph Sperfeldt.  I have acquired more scars on my face during my years in Cambodia than anywhere else...mainly from the different insects/little critters in the provincial guesthouses during the travels : (

Another great photo...mesmerized to receive news about a very dark period.

A student speaks out.

Another student expresses disbelief and thanks the adults for sharing their stories.

Lots to suffering to absorb and reflect upon.  DED Christoph Sperfeldt, Theary Seng, DC-Cam Anne Heindel

DED country representative Wolfgang Mollers closing the public forum with inspirational/practical reminders.

DED Wolfgang Mollers wrapping up the day long public dialogues with thoughts/reminders to take home.

Participants are asked to complete a questionnaire before breaking for lunch, assisted by CSD staff.

German interns assisting with English transcription.

Gersche and Amy.

The very talented Try Vannak of the CSD Voice of Justice Radio Program... here making sure the sound is of high quality recording.  The day-long conversations are then edited to approx. 6 hours of broadcasting, highly professional in sound and presentation.  We had the two top radio personalities in Cambodia - Ms. Chap Chandina and Mr. Try Vannak, later joined by another dynamic, creative force Ms. Ry Noyel.

Before starting the 2nd half of the day, after a heavy lunch beaten down by the oppressive heat (not to mention the heavy conversations), we give each other massages to break the monotony of  sitting.

The month-long engagement with each provincial participants (Ground Preparation, Tour Visit to Phnom Penh, culminating in the Public Forum Day and for some the Civil Party of Orphans Class seminars), we reinforce the knowledge and engagement of the participants with reading materials, as well as the radio broadcasts of their conversations for the whole country to hear... in addition to T-shirts, posters etc, care packages.

Listen to the entire Ratanakiri public forum dialogues on the Voice of Justice Radio Program, high-resolution, professionally mixed and prepared... Approx. 6 hours.

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Background Info on Ratanakiri

23. In January 1965, the Workers Party approved a resolution that rejected the possibility of a “peaceful transition” to socialism, and confirmed that it was “absolutely necessary to use revolutionary violence” in the struggle against the imperialists.  In a Central Committee meeting held in September or October 1966, the leaders decided to change the name of the Party to CPK (although that decision was kept secret until the next Party Congress), to relocate Office 100 to Ratanakiri province, and that each zone would begin preparations for armed struggle.  In 1967, several Party leaders agreed to launch a general uprising in 1968.44 Shortly thereafter, a new Central Committee headquarters (also called Office 100) was established in Ratanakiri, a few kilometres away from Office-102, the Northeast Zone Office used by Ieng Sary (who had been appointed Zone Secretary).

-  Para. 23 of Closing Order, Case 002