Cambodian parliament to debate Khmer Rouge issue this week+

0 Comments | Asian Political News, Jan 1, 2001

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 26 Kyodo

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of Cambodia's National Assembly, announced Tuesday a full debate on a bill to establish a court to try former Khmer Rouge leaders over the deaths of at least 1.7 million people during their 1975-1979 rule of terror, will start Friday.

It remains uncertain when the draft bill will be adopted, but it will take at least until early next year.

After a draft is adopted, the Senate will take it for review then hand over to the Constitutional Council for legal examination whether the procedure applies under the Constitution. Lastly the king will sign and promulgate the law.

Cambodia and the United Nations will sign a memorandum of understanding on the issue before moving forward on the court's procedures.

The Cambodian government submitted a draft bill on the Khmer Rouge trial to parliament early this year, but it has become bogged down in deliberations.