With no signs of salaries, Cambodian staff at Khmer Rouge tribunal start taking other jobs

PHNOM PENH (Herald) - Some of the 300 Cambodian staff at the Khmer Rouge tribunal have started taking other jobs to make ends meet since they haven't been paid since October, Rasmei Kampuchea reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said the "temporary resignations" at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia particularly affected the Office of Co-Prosecutors including judges, co-prosecutors, co-investigating judges and lawyers.

Court officials told the newspaper Tuesday that staff from other offices and the trial chamber were also likely to leave if the Cambodian side of the UN-backed hybrid court continued to withhold salaries.

Court spokesman Neth Pheaktra was quoted as saying that the salary issue was a source of "serious concern" since Cambodian judges, prosecutors and lawyers had not been paid since October while other local staff had not received their salaries since January. No salaries for any of the Cambodian staff are expected in February or March.

"Working without a salary has indeed discouraged all national staff," the spokesman said, adding that he hoped foreign donors would help. "While the foreign side of the court is okay, this is the fourth time that the Cambodian side of the court has encountered problems with insufficient funds to pay the 300 Cambodian staff."

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