The 1970s in Cambodia is described as one of the darkest periods in modern history. That was when the Communist Pol Pot regime, or the Khmer Rouge, exterminated nearly 2 million people during its rule from 1975 to 1979. Now, a quarter of a century since the regime collapsed, some of its former leaders face trial in a U.N.-backed special court of justice.
The country's bicameral legislature has ratified an agreement on setting up the tribunal, which was reached between the Phnom Penh government and the United Nations in June 2003 following more than six years of negotiations. The parliamentary approval comes at a crucial moment in Cambodian politics: the ascension of Prince Norodom Sihamoni to the throne. On Thursday, he will succeed his 81-year-old charismatic father, King Norodom Sihanouk.
Memories of the genocide -- a systematic killing of people -- still haunt many Cambodians. Only by coming to terms with that murderous past can the country carve out a new future for itself. It is, therefore, imperative that those responsible be tried in an open and fair setting. Such a trial is indispensable not only for conveying the sense that justice prevails in Cambodia but also for preventing a similar crime against humanity.