Wide ranging support has been secured for the Civil Parties’ reparation projects requested in Case 002/01 before the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC). These reparation projects will benefit victims of the Democratic Kampuchea regime from 1975-1979. The Victims Support Section (VSS) and the Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers Section (LCLS) who are leading this groundbreaking effort to bring redress to the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime, wish to express gratitude to all current donors as well as governmental authorities and civil society organizations for their contributions either financially, politically or technically to the 13 reparation projects requested in Case 002/01.
Civil Parties seek the Trial Chamber’s recognition of the reparation projects in Case 002/01 which aim to provide formal acknowledgement to the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime in order to mitigate the harms and suffering they have experienced, to preserve collective memory and restore victims’ dignity. In case of conviction of the accused, the Trial Chamber may grant moral and collective reparations to the Civil Parties in its judgment if certain conditions are fulfilled; among them the requirement for documentation of sufficient external funding for each proposed project. The Trial Chamber has previously set the deadline of 31 March 2014 by which Civil Parties must submit any further documentation and information on the reparation projects they seek in Case 002/01, including updates on funding.
Having passed the deadline of 31 March 2014, the VSS and the LCLS are pleased to announce that for all requested reparations projects where funding was needed, sufficient voluntary financial contributions have been secured, except for one project. Please see the table attached to this press release for information about the proposed projects and funding submitted to the Trial Chamber.
The VSS is an official organ of the ECCC, and it is mandated to facilitate and coordinate victims’ participation in the ECCC proceedings, except legal representation. Furthermore, the Section is mandated to seek external funding and support and, in close cooperation with the Civil Party Lead Co-Lawyers, to identify, design and later implement reparation projects.
Annex: Overview of Civil Party Reparation Projects in Case 002/01
