VOA标准英语2009-First Khmer Rouge Trial Begins Final Hearing

The court has heard how Kang Guek Eav, also known as Duch, ran the S-21 death camp.

Luke Hunt | Phnom Penh 23 November 2009

 
Photo released by the Extraordinary Chambers¹ in the Courts of Cambodia shows a general view of the U.N.-backed tribunal court hall while Kaing Guek Eav iis being tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 23 Nov 2009

"I think this first case of Duch is important in setting the momentum² for the whole Khmer Rouge³ tribunal, after 30 years of waiting," said Theary Seng.

In Cambodia, the final hearings have begun in the first trial of a Khmer Rouge leader.

The court has heard how Kang Guek Eav, also known as Duch, ran the S-21 death camp. Sixteen thousand people are thought to have been held there before being executed by the Khmer Rouge government between 1975 and 1979.

Duch has pleaded no contest and given evidence that 196 such camps existed. At the camps, favorite methods of torture ranged from electric shocks and whips to water-boarding.

In their arguments representatives of S-21 victims said Duch sought to minimize his involvement as commandant of the camp throughout the trial, which began in February.

The court also heard that ultimate responsibility for the death camps rests with Nuon Chea, known as Brother Number Two, who is awaiting trial.

Human rights activist⁴ and lawyer Theary Seng says overall the tribunal has only enjoyed mixed success. Among the complaints that have been made are that the victims' representatives have too little time to speak before the court, lengthy⁵ delays in the process and allegations of corruption⁶ among the court staff.

But Theary Seng says important lessons have been learned that will be used when at least another four Khmer Rouge leaders go on trial.

"I think this first case of Duch is important in setting the momentum for the whole Khmer Rouge tribunal, after 30 years of waiting, after the politicking⁷ of negotiating the agreements after 1997," said Seng.  "So it was very, very important to jump start the tribunal."

As many as two million people, or a third of the population, perished under the ultra-Maoist government - through execution, starvation or illness caused by forced moves into rural areas and overwork. The leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, intended to turn Cambodia into an agrarian⁸ utopia.

This week, the victims' representatives, Duch's lawyers and the prosecution⁹ will deliver their final statements before the tribunal goes into recess¹⁰. A verdict and sentence are not expected until early next year.

The trials of former foreign minister Ieng Sary and his wife Ieng Thirith, former head of state Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea are not expected to begin until late 2010 or early 2011.

1 chambers   

n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅

参考例句：

• The body will be removed into one of the cold storage chambers. 尸体将被移到一个冷冻间里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Mr Chambers's readable book concentrates on the middle passage: the time Ransome spent in Russia. Chambers先生的这本值得一看的书重点在中间：Ransome在俄国的那几年。 来自互联网

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 rouge   

n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红

参考例句：

• Women put rouge on their cheeks to make their faces pretty.女人往面颊上涂胭脂，使脸更漂亮。
• She didn't need any powder or lip rouge to make her pretty.她天生漂亮，不需要任何脂粉唇膏打扮自己。

4 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

5 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

6 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

7 politicking   

n.政治活动，竞选活动v.从政( politic的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A lot of politicking preceded the choice of the new director. 在选新领导人之前进行了大量的拉拢活动。 来自辞典例句
• This colleague is always politicking. 这位同僚总是忙于政治活动。 来自互联网

8 agrarian   

adj.土地的，农村的，农业的

参考例句：

• People are leaving an agrarian way of life to go to the city.人们正在放弃农业生活方式而转向城市。
• This was a feature of agrarian development in Britain.这是大不列颠土地所有制发展的一个特征。

9 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

10 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。