Cambodian Genocide Tribunal Denies Financial Mismanagement
PHNOM PENH (AFP)--UN officials Friday denied allegations of financial
mismanagement at Cambodia's genocide tribunal after ordering a review
of the cash-strapped court in an effort to restore the confidence of
foreign donors.
International backers have appeared hesitant to pledge more money to
the UN- backed court, which was set up to try former Khmer Rouge
leaders, amid allegations of mismanagement and political interference.
"Through the various audits that have been conducted to date, there
has never been any issue with regard to the management of the
(tribunal's) financial resources," said Jo Scheuer, country director
of the UN development program, which now oversees the financial
management of the Cambodian side of the court.
"All of their financial transactions have passed audit scrutiny," said
Scheuer, who is also a member of the tribunal's project board.
Last year, the New York-based Open Justice Society Initiative alleged
that Cambodian tribunal staff, including judges, had bought their
jobs.
Tribunal administrative director Sean Visoth said the allegations were
" unspecific, unsourced and unsubstantiated."
"There is no government policy to take kickbacks from staff," he said,
but added no one could guarantee a system was 100% corruption-free.
"With the results of the special review we are sharing with you today
we can finally close this chapter and move on to continue the very
positive achievement the (court) has made in discharging its historic
mandate," Visoth said.
The officials made the comments during a press conference to release
an independent special human resources management review of the
tribunal.
The review stated "there were no recent allegations of mismanagement"
in the tribunal and found staff on the Cambodian side were "robust and
ready to take on the challenges of the next phase of operation."
Scheuer said the review was im****tant "to restore donors' confidence"
and address all the allegations.
Originally budgeted at $56.3 million over three years, the tribunal,
which opened in 2006 after nearly a decade of wrangling between the UN
and Cambodia, has significantly raised its cost estimates to $170
million.
Up to two million people died of starvation and overwork, or were
executed as the communist Khmer Rouge dismantled modern Cambodian
society in a bid to forge an agrarian utopia during its 1975-1979
rule.
Five former regime leaders have been detained by the tribunal for
their alleged role in one of the 20th century's worst atrocities.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
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