Book Review: The Justice Facade: Trials of Transition in Cambodia

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epidemiks
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Book Review: The Justice Facade: Trials of Transition in Cambodia

Post by epidemiks »

Since 2006, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) have prosecuted international crimes committed between 17 April 1975 and 7 January 1979. In those years of Democratic Kampuchea, the Khmer Rouge regime caused perhaps a quarter of Cambodia’s population to die through starvation, forced labour, torture and killings. An innovative “hybrid” tribunal with both Cambodian and international staff and procedures, the ECCC represents the key transformational mechanism to secure justice for these atrocities, leading Cambodia from its violent past toward a prosperous, rule-of-law-abiding democratic future.

Or so the story goes.

Alexander Laban Hinton holds up a mirror to this aspiration for “justice” and invites the reader to jump through, and find not one, but innumerable reflections of what transitional justice means—for different people, and in different times and spaces. He counters the idea that international crimes tribunals deliver a “better future” through prosecuting crimes, leading from a time and place of violence and authoritarianism toward reconciliation and stability, delivered by a liberal democratic state. Instead, he calls this idea of transitional justice “imaginary”, a “facade” that leaves out crucial matters—including the impact of power, geopolitics, and individual experiences.


http://www.newmandala.org/book-review/j ... b1bb80.jpg[/IMG]
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RorschachRev
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Re: Book Review:The Justice Facade: Trials of Transition in Cambodia

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Link is a 404 error
I always worry about the contrast between intentional harm and trying to make the best of a bad situation not of your design. The movie "V for Vendetta" departs from its book roots and depicts a bunch of decent people in a bad authoritarian system. The book was more of a contrast between facism and anarchy while the movie was more about GW Bush and the choices people make when things go bad. My personal view is that "Justice" isn't really beating up the people who "did less evil" in a horrible situation, but rarely can we actually hold the architects or even the puppets of a situation accountable for their actions (see again, Cheyney and Bush). The democractic processes that other nations often use, often fail. In many situations a *letter* is sent to a senate inquiry instead of testimony under oath. While I may agree, if I read the book, that transitional justice could be imaginary, it is one of the few processes we have to uncover the true depth of evil lurking in the shadows. The Rothschilds weren't held accountable for the death of the Russian Czar, or Lincoln, or ...
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Re: Book Review:The Justice Facade: Trials of Transition in Cambodia

Post by Anchor Moy »

Link to the OP book review:
https://www.newmandala.org/book-review/ ... -cambodia/

Interview with Alex Hinton on his book here: https://www.voacambodia.com/a/the-justi ... 15791.html

Interesting stuff. I must've missed it the first time around. :thumb:
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Re: Book Review:The Justice Facade: Trials of Transition in Cambodia

Post by SternAAlbifrons »

Mr Hinton is one of my intellectual and moral heroes and my go-to guy when the topic turns to justice for genocide.

I've got some homework to catch up on it seems, this 2018 release completely slipped me by. (thanks OP)
Bloody Hell!! Au 42 bucks for a paper copy!! (this is not a book for kindle)
Expect a review from me... in about six months.

Alex at the KRT
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...and the loveliest bloke in the world
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