PHNOM PENH: The ECCC Mobile Bus is ready to travel Cambodia’s 25 provinces to publicize the process of the Khmer Rouge Trials and their legacy to the public.
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), also known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, officially ended in December 2022 following 16 years of trials that resulted in three total convictions for crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge from 1975-1979, which killed a quarter of the Cambodian population.
ECCC Acting Director Tony Kranh, noted the importance of educating the youth. "We want our students, especially our youth, who make up more than 60- 70% of society, to understand our history," he said.
The bus will serve as a mobile library and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology such as laptops, an LCD screen and projector, and an interactive touch screen panel/ TV that can be used for easy presentation and for video/movie screenings. These and other educational materials and multimedia related to the ECCC trial process will serve the research of the general public and students.
Head of the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Chet Chealy, stated, “If you want to know the story of the Khmer Rouge, there is no better place to consult than the Khmer Rouge Tribunal. Since the Khmer Rouge Tribunal has ended, what remains is its resource center, which has its own library. ”
The ECCC Mobile Bus was officially launched on January 31, 2024 to provide education and outreach to the public, especially in rural communities.
