Proceedings at the Khmer Rouge tribunal have been canceled for the third consecutive day as blocked drains pushed flood waters inside the compound on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.
The current trial, in which Khmer Rouge second-in-command Nuon Chea and head of state Khieu Samphan are being prosecuted for crimes including genocide, has failed to reconvene following the Pchum Ben holiday break after heavy rain led to flooding in Pur Senchey district’s Choam Chao commune.
Lars Olsen, the tribunal’s spokesman, said proceedings would be canceled again today because the waters had failed to subside.
“The water is too high in the whole area around the court and up in the national highway,” he said, adding it was “not possible to get personnel into the building.”
Mr. Olsen said that proceedings were last canceled due to flooding in 2010.
Another assessment would be made today to decide whether proceedings can go ahead tomorrow, he said.
Commune police chief Theng Kosal said the flooding occurred “because the drains got blocked,” but that he did not know what caused the blockage.
