NGO Coordination Workshop
In early June 2006, AIJI facilitated an NGO Coordination Workshop. The workshop brought a group of five international experts to Phnom Penh to discuss areas of coordination and cooperation amongst non-governmental organizations and civil society in their engagement with the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia. The workshop succeeded in addressing some of the expectations of the NGO community regarding what was feasible and capable of being accomplished vis-à-vis their engagement with the court.
AIJI has worked closely with the Khmer Rouge Tribunal (KRT) to facilitate legal workshops for both the Office of the Co-Prosecutors (OCP) and the Defence Support Section (DSS). The goal of the workshops has been to provide lawyers at the KRT with intensive, focused trainings in international criminal law, to further enhance their knowledge of the jurisprudence and expertise in the field. AIJI has worked closely with senior members of both the OCP and the DSS to ensure that the workshops respond directly to their needs. The workshops have brought together experts whose combined experience in international tribunals spans the globe, from locations as far flung as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Bosnia and the Hague and as close to home as East Timor. AIJI’s workshops at the ECCC have had a 100 per cent attendance record and have been generally praised for their interactive format, their ability to engage participants effectively, and the impact they are having in helping the ECCC’s lawyers to prepare for trial.
AIJI will likely continue to conduct workshops in 2009, as and when they are needed by the tribunal.
KRT Community Outreach Video Program, 2007 - 08
During the pre-trial phase at the KRT, between 2006 and March 2009, AIJI teamed up with its partners the Center for Social Development and Open Society Justice Initiative (in Cambodia) to create and disseminate a series of videos explaining the rationale behind the ECCC to a general audience in Cambodia. The videos were produced by local production company, Khmer Mekong Films (KMF). Four films were completed in this series. They were shown on Cambodian television as well as by NGOs in Phnom Penh and the provinces.
The pre-trial phase videos describe the reasons for the establishment of the ECCC and give the audience an introduction to the Courts itself through the eyes of a Cambodian family. The scripts were drafted by KMF and then reviewed by the AIJI team, as well as members of the NGO community. The scripts are also reviewed by the ECCC itself, including members of the Office of the Co-prosecutors, the Defence Support Section and the court's press and public affairs team.
AIJI is now making weekly trial summaries of the proceedings. Building on the foundation of the pre-trial phase, these trial phase videos will take on a different form, comprising more of a reportage-style news piece, with some limited analysis / commentary. Funding for the trial phase videos was generously provided by the British Embassy, Phnom Penh and Open Society Institute.
For further information on the trial phase videos, click here .
Workshops at the ECCC
AIJI is working closely with the ECCC to facilitate legal workshops for both the Office of the Co-Prosecutors (OCP) and the Defence Support Section (DSS). The goal of the workshops is to provide lawyers at the ECCC with intensive, focused trainings in international criminal law, to further enhance their knowledge of the jurisprudence and expertise in the field. In order to do so, AIJI works closely with senior members of both the OCP and the DSS to ensure that the workshops respond directly to their needs. The workshops bring together experts whose combined experience in international tribunals spans the globe, from locations as far flung as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Bosnia and the Hague and as close to home as East Timor. AIJI’s workshops at the ECCC have had a 100 per cent attendance record and have been generally praised for their interactive format, their ability to engage participants effectively, and the impact they are having in helping the ECCC’s lawyers to prepare for trial.
AIJI has teamed up with its partners the Center for Social Development and Open Society Justice Initiative (in Cambodia) to create and disseminate a series of pre-trial and trial phase videos explaining the rationale behind the ECCC to a general audience in Cambodia. The videos are being produced by local production company, Khmer Mekong Films (KMF). Two of the four films in the series have been completed and shown on Cambodian television as well as by NGOs in Phnom Penh and the provinces.
The pre-trial phase videos describe the reasons for the establishment of the ECCC and gives the audience an introduction to the Courts itself through the eyes of a Cambodian family. The scripts were drafted by KMF and then reviewed by the AIJI team, as well as members of the NGO community. The scripts are also reviewed by the ECCC itself including members of the Office of the Co-prosecutors, the Defence Support Section and the court's press and public affairs team in the process.
AIJI currently anticipates making a further two films in the pre-trial phase, and will then make weekly trial summaries of the proceedings during the trial phase. Building on the foundation of the pre-trial phase, the trial phase videos will take on a different form, comprising more of a weekly summary of proceedings, with some limited analysis / commentary - and will be more closely linked to our anticipated regional trial monitoring program. AIJI is currently seeking funding for its trial phase videos.