Justice delayed, or justice denied? : impunity in Cambodia 1979 - present day

This master’s thesis focuses on how the leaders of the Khmer Rouge were able to get away with Genocide for over 30 years and whether this has meant that justice has been delayed or denied. The Cold War had a major impact on the delay in justice in Cambodia as the US and other Western states behaved in a way that suited their own interests rather than addressing humanitarian issues. This was a choice between moral principles and international law, yet the scale weighed heavily in favour of law due to the fact that it also served security interests. However, it was not only the fact that Cambodia was ignored by the Western world that lead to this delayed justice, as domestic factors appear to have been exacerbated by international causes. The failings of the UN allowed Prime Minister Hun Sen to consolidate his power and create a culture of impunity. The ECCC has been able to resolve this to an extent through creating social change, yet the corruption and interference within the court, proved once again that politics are an inevitable part of any war crimes trial. Masters thesis: Holocaust and Genocide Studies, University of Amsterdam. .. pagina's. : illustraties. ; .. cm.