article_snippet.sent: We had great hope for this process," said Seng.
article_snippet.sent: This, coupled with persistent accusations of political interference from the Cambodian government, has soured attitudes towards the court.
article_snippet.sent: Seng, who once appeared as a civil party in proceedings, today regards it as a "sham.
article_snippet.sent: Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia's strongman leader for decades, has long been a vocal opponent of 003 and 004, claiming that pursuing the cases could push the country towards civil war.
article_snippet.sent: Hun Sen himself is a former Khmer Rouge battalion commander, who defected to the Vietnamese side; Hun Sen himself perceived political interference is viewed by critics like Seng as an attempt to shield political allies from the tribunal.
article_snippet.sent: Hun Sen himself said the most important aspects of the tribunal's work are those that take place outside the courtroom -- triggering changes in Cambodian society.
article_snippet.sent: In that respect, the proceedings ... may be shaping up to be more successful than anyone could have hoped," Hun Sen himself added.