Southeast Asian Women Call for Tribunal Against Khmer Rouge Leaders Demand End to Human Rights Violations Against Women in War
Asian Centre for Women's Human Rights (ASCENT)

The Asian Centre for Women's Human Rights (ASCENT) expressed full support for the initiative led by the United Nations in the setting up of an international tribunal to try former leaders of the Khmer Rouge for genocide and crimes against humanity. It is an important step for genuine peace in Cambodia and in the region. True justice and reconciliation will only be achieved when the perpetrators of the heinous crimes committed against the Cambodian people are made accountable for their acts committed during the 1975-79 Democratic Kampuchea regime.

It is with hope and concern that the Asian Centre for Women's Human Rights (ASCENT) expressed, that the issues of violence against women in war, perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge regime will finally be brought to the attention of the international community. Testimonies stating how women in Cambodia suffered during the Khmer Rouge regime include crimes of forced marriages, disappearances, starvation, torture, summary execution, rape, and sexual violence, could finally be brought to justice.

We call upon the present government of Cambodia, led by Prime Minister Hun Sen to support the plan of the United Naitons to set up an International Tribunal. We support the work of UN Special Representative Thomas Hammarberg to ensure that the International Tribunal is set up without undue delay.

We call upon the Group of Experts appointed by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, to study the nature, structure, and characteristics of the International Tribunal, so that it will be taken into account and that there will be gender balance in the composition and administration of the International Tribunal.

Indai Lourdes Sajor, Executive Director of ASCENT, calls on women from around the world to support this initiative, so that crimes committed against women in armed conflict situation will not be forgotten and perpetrators will not be subject to impunity. The participants of the Indochina Training on Investigating, Documenting and Monitoring Human Rights Violations, held in Phnom Penh from January 18-22, 1999, which include twenty four distinguished women's human rights activists from seven South East Asian countries support the process of the UN Group of Experts on the establishment of the International Tribunal.

Pham Kim Ngoc
Research Center for Gender, Family and Environment
In Development (CGFED), Vietnam

Hoang Ba Thinh
Research Centre for Gender, Family and Environment
In Development (CGFED), Vietnam

Le Thi Chieu Nghi
Centre for Women’s Studies, Institute of Social Sciences, Vietnam

Truong Thi Kim Chuyen, PhD
University of Social Science and Humanities, Vietnam

Esther Saw Lone
Women’s Rights Project, EarthRights International, Thailand

Thet Thet Mar
Burmese Women’s Union, Thailand

Bouachanh Ssyhanath
Gender Resource Information and Development Center
Lao Women’s Union, Lao PDR

Chanhdy Pankeo
Lao Women’s Union, Lao PDR

Pornpit Puckmai
EMPOWER, Thailand

Nataporn Ongwisith (Grib)
Migrant Assistance Programme, Thailand

Somkid Mahissaya
Friends of Women Foundation (FOW), Thailand

Supawadee Petrat (Kratae)
Friends of Women Foundation, Thailand

Herlina Permata Sari
Mitra Perempuan, Indonesia

Cut Zahara
YIBI (Yayasan Inoeng Bale Indonesia), Indonesia

Ly Sunlina
International Human Rights Law Group, Cambodia

Peung Yok Hiep
Legal Aid of Cambodia (LAC), Cambodia

Tun Samphy
Urban Sector Group (USG), Cambodia

Keo Sokkhim
Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO), Cambodia

Keth Mardy
Project Against Domestic Violence (PADV), Cambodia

Khun Chanpha
Khmer Women’s Voice Center, Cambodia

Chin Yahan
Women for Prosperity, Cambodia

Ouk Kim Chantara
Cambodian Human Rights and Development Association (ADHOC), Cambodia

Lek Mom
Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, Cambodia

Ung Vanna
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Cambodia

Nancy Spence
CIDA-SEAGEP, Singapore

Teresa Crawford
The Advocacy Project, USA

Laura McGrew
The Advocacy Project, USA

Keo Keang
Kampuchebot Association, Cambodia

Alex Marcelino
Kampuchebot Association, Cambodia

Indai Lourdes Sajor
Asian Centre for Women’ Human Rights (ASCENT), Philippines

Gina Alunan Melgar
Asian Centre for Women’s Human Rights (ASCENT), Philippines