Monday, September 25, 2006

Opposition Calls for Transparency in Cambodia, Vietnam Border Demarcation

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Sam Rainsy does not support border treaties concluded by Hun Sen with neighboring countries

By Hang Ouddam
Moneakseka Khmer

Translated from Khmer

While the border activists reacted to the planting of the Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers by claiming that it is carried out secretively with the public knowing nothing about it and without the participation of national and international border experts, Sam Rainsy Party [SRP] president Sam Rainsy emphatically noted, "Since the beginning, I have never supported the border treaty that the country's leader signed with the neighboring country."

Moreover, Sam Rainsy stressed that this treaty did not respect Cambodia's territorial integrity, meaning that it would make Cambodia lose more of its land and waters in a most regrettable manner. He said that this installation of the Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers is totally meaningless. Besides, it could be dangerous and disadvantageous to the entire Cambodian nation.

Because of these all-sided reasons, SRP president Sam Rainsy made it clear that the SRP and he himself could not join this unfair operation.

Furthermore, Sam Rainsy continued to demand that all aspects concerning the border should be re-examined. In particular, Sam Rainsy wanted to have national and international observers and the use of the Cambodian map of 1967 for demarcating the border along the international borderline recognized by the United Nations.

The current secretive installation of the Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers was bluntly criticized by Sam Rainsy, who called it an act bereft of transparency and without the participation of the people. He said the people along the border often wept over the loss of their land because of the wanton encroachments by the authorities of the neighboring country. And the leaders of the current government have never intervened in their favor.

Also concerning the installation of the Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers, the Cambodian Border Defense Organization [CBDO] and the Students Movement for Democracy [SMD] have earnestly appealed to the Border Affairs Commission [BAC] of the Hun Sen government to provide public information on the emplacements of the border markers to be planted along the border with Vietnam. They have demanded that topographic reasons of the sites be clearly explained to the public and announcement made so that the people can examine and monitor the markers' installation activities.

The request for public information on the emplacements of the markers to be planted between the two countries has lasted for two weeks now before the first border marker is installed on 27 September 2006 at the Mok Bai pass in Vietnam's Tay Ninh province and Bavet pass in Cambodia's Svay Rieng province following the ground-breaking ceremony hosted by both countries on Thursday last week.

CBDO president Chuop Kampuchea expressed concern over the days the border markers are officially installed in the future. He said his task force would monitor the installation operation. He again appealed to the head of the Cambodian Government to be careful in installing these border markers. In particular, he said, the head of the government should help preserve the country's interests and must study the border to the best of his ability.

Chuop Kampuchea claimed that according to a study on the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, there are many changes almost at every point of the Cambodian border because of the incessant encroachments by the Vietnamese authorities.

This CBDO president gave his view on transparency by suggesting that the government and BAC should clearly publicize the emplacements of the border markers to be planted so that the public would know about them in advance.

He went on to say that he continued to affirm that he would absolutely send letters or petitions to the Hun Sen government to seek solutions acceptable to the people if he sees that the installation of the border markers is not done properly.

As for the representative of the SMD, he made a remarkable comment, saying, "We oppose forever the planting of the border markers done on the basis of the period in which Vietnam was occupying Cambodia. If the SMD cannot change the government's decision that the installation of the border markers should go on, we still hold that any installation of the border markers contrary to the Paris peace treaty but agreeable to the treaties signed under Vietnamese colonialism is illegal."

The SMD representative said that when the Cambodian-Vietnamese authorities proceed with the installation of the border markers and if there is no menace from any side, "we will send our activists to inspect the planting of these border markers to see whether it is correctly and fairly done and whether it is acceptable or not."

While the border activists were protesting this installation of the border markers, the map-confused BAC chairman Va Kimhong immediately defended himself by saying, "If those in the SMD or CBDO want to observe this job, it is their right to do so provided they are invited by the local authorities. If not, they should write to request a permit from the Phnom Penh government first."

Moreover, Va Kimhong rejected the border activists' remark about the need for public announcement on the emplacements of the border markers to inform the general public in advance. Va Kimnhong arrogantly claimed that "the government has no plans to publicize anything as demanded by Chuop Kampuchea."

Va Kimhong said that according to the project, seven out of a total of 353 2-meter-tall granite markers with the carving of Angkor Wat on the Cambodian side and a star on the Vietnamese side to be paid by Vietnam at a cost of $15 million would be placed at various major border passes between the two countries along the 1,270-km border by the end of 2006. And the installation of all the markers would be completed by the end of 2008.

However, SRP president Sam Rainsy reiterated his stand by affirming that since the beginning he has never supported the border treaty that the country's leader signed with the neighboring country. He stressed that this treaty does not respect Cambodia's territorial integrity; it has only caused Cambodia to lose much more of its land.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU MR. SAM RAINSY.

KEEP FIGHTING ON!

Anonymous said...

Mr. Rainsy, Hun Sen is good at threatened citizens and making them disappeared or make it like a accident. Watch you back, good on fighting the about our country sovereignty. Keeps on...

kone khmer