Perceptions of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal among Cambodians

Abstract

Cambodia has established a special tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge cadres. For such a transitional justice programme, local ownership is deemed to be crucial. This article assesses public perceptions of the tribunal by analysing interactions between local participants and tribunal officials in public forums held by a local non-governmental organization (NGO). In doing so, it identifies sound reasons for Cambodians' pervasive indifference, as indicated in preceding surveys. The article has implications for the ownership of transitional justice programmes, suggesting that such nationwide forums must be recognized as a unique device for eliciting local perceptions, because they differ from traditional mainstream survey methods.