The third day of the expedition in Cambodia was extremely busy and thought provoking. Our day started with a visit to the primary documentation and research center of Cambodia: DC-Cam, followed by a meeting at the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator. Finally, the day was concluded as we dined with the inspirational feminist figure of the Sam Rainsy Party, Mu Sochua.
First thing in the morning, the Deputy Research Director of the Documentation Center-Cambodia, Mr. Kok-Thay Eng welcomed us. He provided brief information on the work they are doing –ranging from documenting the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime and providing genocidal education to working with the victims of the regime. We were surprised to hear that they interviewed more than 1,000 perpetrators anonymously for the hearings at the ECC. Moreover, Mr. Eng was kind enough to translate an official document about a Cambodian citizen killed by the Khmer Rouge due to allegations of him being a CIA agent. Even though we knew thousands of people killed the same way, it was interesting to read an actual report about one of the victims.
After the presentation, we toured the DC-Cam building and met the director of the institute, Mr. Youk Chhang. He told us about their project on building a museum, and showed us copies of its architectural plan. As we asked Mr. Chhang about his own background, it was significant for him to mention his own history with the Khmer Rouge and underline how important it is for the victims to receive an apology.
Following our visit to DC-Cam, we headed off to the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator. Mr. Douglas Broderick, who is the highest-ranking UN official in Cambodia, received us. Our meeting started with a presentation on the work the UN carries in Cambodia. Mr. Broderick listed the following as the five priorities of the UN until 2015: economic development, health and education, de-mining, human rights and good governance. With regards to the Cambodian Millennium Development Goals (CMDGs), he stated they were doing better on decreasing child mortality, combatting diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, and de-mining. However, provision of primary education, maternal health and the environment were classified as more challenging subjects.
Aware of the value of such an opportunity, we directed many questions to Mr. Broderick. He claimed that despite all the criticisms, most Cambodians believed the Court delivered some sort of justice. Yet, he underlined how highly political and complicated the entire process is. He acknowledged the presence of corruption and defined it as the ‘elephant in the room’. However, he considered the fight against corruption as a long process that could not be dealt in the short-term. He gave the example of the US’ own experience with corruption and how long and difficult the process was. In response to our question regarding the possibility of sanctions to halt corruption, he stressed there was a delicate balance the UN had to protect. Accordingly, the UN did not want to let down the people who desperately need aid because there are corrupt officials. Finally, when asked about the evictions at Boeung Kak, Mr. Broderick responded that it is the responsibility of the UN and other NGOs to make sure the process occurred according to the Constitution (which has an article on land evictions).
As we were leaving, they pointed out that the most significant thing we should know about the UN in Cambodia is their motivation to create a balance between the need for economic development and protection of human rights. They perceived the moral role of the UN as an important aspect of their work.
We completed the third day of our Expedition as we had dinner with Ms. Mu Sochua, a prominent opposition figure and an important women’s rights advocate in Cambodia. Over dinner, we had the chance to learn about her own history with the Khmer Rouge, her experiences as a former partner of the current government, and her current struggle for land issues, women’s empowerment and human rights in general. Her honesty and enthusiasm was inspirational. She specifically indicated her disappointment with international organizations like the UN and the World Bank for not demanding democratic reform. She mentioned the foremost importance of strengthening state institutions and having a bureaucratic system based on merit. Civil rights education also came up as a strategic method to combat corruption. However, she insisted that the entire education system needed reform, specifically that the state needed to enable access to education, pay special attention to the first six years of education and prepare a curriculum that would teach students to think critically. Since she is such an important figure in an authoritarian country, we wondered whether she was afraid. Her answer was moving: ‘I am not afraid. Confront your opponent without fear and with principles… you will win’.
Stay tuned to hear more about our experiences in Cambodia!
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