It's now 12:20 AM on Monday, May 25, 2009. Nearly 14 years since my first trip to Cambodia. In those years, Cambodia has become an important part of my life. I have been blessed to be part of the University of San Francisco's School of Law's involvement in Cambodia efforts to rebuild itself after the Khmer Rouge reign of terror that took the lives of one to two million in four short years through torture, murder and starvation from 1975 to 1979.

The law school's involvement in Cambodia began in 1993 when Professor Dolores Donovan who had worked in the Cambodian refugee camps on the Thai border secured a grant from USAID to bring Cambodians to USF to begin to reengage in their legal studies which had been interrupted during Pol Pot's time. That initial grant led to intense involvement in efforts to promote the rule of law with justice in Cambodia by the law school, including creating an independent law school, a Center for legal education, training teachers, developing curriculum and, during one very eventful summer, training would-be judges who might serve on a tribunal.

Of course, the tribunal did not come to pass in those days, but since has been established and is in session, finally, in Phnom Penh. For years, preceding the tribunal, the law school has taught a course on war crimes during summers in Phnom Penh. This summer is particularly poignant because, for the first time, the tribunal is actually in session.

Now, I'm at SFO about to board a plane for Phnom Penh to join our students and Howard de Nike who has been teaching the course for the past three years. We have arranged to see the tribunal in session as early as Wednesday and Thursday of this week. It will be fascinating to see Duch, who headed the notorious Toul Sleng prison, in the dock.

For those that have followed the tribunal to date, you know that it has been fraught with charges of corruption and claims that few if any of the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Regardless, this must be such an incredible moment for so many Cambodians to finally have a forum that is hearing evidence about the tragedy that was Cambodia during the time of the Khmer Rouge.

One thing I've learned over the years is that it is difficult for any Westerner to truly understand Cambodia and all that has gone on. I feel this acutely because I have not been there is in such a long time -- nearly 6 years. So I'm anxious to listen and learn. I'm anxious to see how my good students react to all that they are about to experience. I'm anxious to try and understand whether the tribunal will be a moment of justice and healing for Cambodia.

To be continued...