A Cambodian lawyer whose lost family members under the Khmer Rouge urged other victims to file complaints with the tribunal, to join a rare chance for reconciliation.

The chance to participate in trials of former regime leaders was rare and should be taken, said Seng Theary, executive director of the Center for Social Development, who was the first victim to file a suit against Khmer Rouge ideologue Nuon Chea.

Even though the jailed former leaders of the regime had not directly killed her parents, they ordered the killings, she said.

"They did not directly kill my parents and other victims, but they were policymakers," she said, as guest on "Hello VOA."

Civil cases will be tried separately from the criminal cases now facing the jailed leaders.

Nuon Chea was the chief ideologue of the regime and was arrested in September. He has been jailed along with four other former leaders, all of whom await trial on atrocity crimes charges.