The ECCC Centre Becomes a Place for Motivated People and Students
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) Resource Centre is now open to the public, enabling researchers, students and the public to access the materials compiled during the trials of the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime. Photo: Chhuon Kongieng
- By Chhuon Kongieng
- November 5, 2023 9:00 AM
PHNOM PENH — The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) Resource Centre is now open to the public, enabling researchers, students and the public to access the materials compiled during the trials of the senior leaders of the Khmer Rouge regime.
The ECCC centre, which was officially open on Sept. 27, has on file the trials’ judicial directives, over 11,000 hours of audio and video recordings, and more than 233,000 documents written in Khmer, English, and French.
Located on the first floor of the ECCC office in Building 40 in Khan 7 Makara in Phnom Penh, the centre has on file 1,600 books and ECCC publications as well as E-resources including e-books, LexisNexis, access to the United Nations library, and more than 3,000 bibliographies and other materials.
The center’s aim is to disseminate information regarding the work of the ECCC and support research regarding trials, its librarians are on hand to assist the public with research and reproduction services. Four PCs with access to electronic resources—including the ECCC archive—are available.
According to librarian Em Chanthy, most readers are university students who come to do research, read, and also do their own assignments.
Students come from different universities, such as the Royal University of Laws and Economics, the Royal University of Phnom Penh, the Cambodian University of Management and Technology, and even foreign students wanting to learn about the ECCC’s legacy and post-trial work from the officer of the Public Affair Section, Resource Centre officer, and Record and Archive officer, Chanthy said.
“Not only law students but also students from other majors come here for their self-study time,” he said. “Moreover, everything here is free, and we welcome all students. The library also provides space and monitor for students who want to meet to do group assignments and practice presentations for free.”
Song Lyly, a fourth-year student from the University of Phnom Penh, said that she is interested in the library where she can find thousands of resources for free, which helps her complete her school assignments in no time. “The peace, the abundance of books, the friendly librarians, the fast-speed internet, the security camera, and its convenient location really motivate me to study,” she said.
For group meetings, students just have to book the space, which is available for 10-to-15 students, Chanthy said. They can book the place through the Resource Centre’s email ([email protected]) by sending the number of students, date, time, and duration of the meeting and specifying whether they need a monitor for presentation.
The library welcomes researchers and students on Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The library only closes its doors during the major national holidays, such as Khmer New Year and Pchum Ben.
