PHNOM PENH // In the final day of statements at a UN-backed war crimes tribunal yesterday, the Khmer Rouge's former prison chief, Kaing Guek Eav, asked to be released, saying he was not a high-ranking member of the regime. A panel of Cambodian and international judges will now deliberate the sentence for the man who ordered the torture and killing of as many as 17,000 people while he was in charge of the S-21 prison.
Prosecution lawyers have asked the court to sentence the 67-year-old to 40 years in prison, arguing that Mr Kaing, commonly known by his nom de guerre, "Duch", was a key intelligence operative in the regime who was devoted to his gruesome work.
Defence lawyers this week asked for leniency, noting that Duch is the only suspect among the five former Khmer Rouge leaders who have been arrested to admit his guilt. They have also claimed Duch was made a scapegoat, pointing out that S-21 was only one of a network of similar prisons.
Duch himself has repeatedly begged forgiveness from his victims. But he also argued that he and his family would have been killed had he not followed orders.
Regardless of the verdict, the trial has generated much needed "community discussion", said Panhavuth Long of the Open Society Justice Initiative. He said people travelled to Phnom Penh from all over the country to watch the proceedings and closely followed it in the media. He said such interest was a factor in integrating Khmer Rouge history into high school curriculums for the first time.
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What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en