Vietnamese Troops Said Entering 'Sovereign' Cambodia 'At Will' in Bavet Town

31 May-1 June, 2008
By Den Sorin
Moneakseka Khmer
Translted from Khmer by Anonymous

No one knows what the word "sovereignty" about which Hun Sen keeps telling the world mean and how it is spelled after seeing Vietnamese troops entering Cambodian territory freely. A foreign aid agency member said that when some aid providers and foreign experts advised the government not to use the word "development" to destroy its own natural resources Hun Sen retorted that Cambodia has sovereignty and no one can tell it what to do.

Hun Sen claimed, we are merely trying to develop our country; if you bar us from doing so, it means that you want us to live in poverty and that you want our people to make a living by tapping tree resin forever.

Some companies have been investing here not in order to help develop Cambodia and improve the Cambodian people's living conditions. They have been here just to destroy Cambodia's natural resources, exploiting them for their own interests only. When they saw this, some international aid donors, as well as some foreign businessmen, tried to advise the government, particularly Hun Sen, since he is the head of state and the strongman. But not only has Hun Sen refused to listen he also has mocked at them, saying, you have logged out the forests in your own countries and now you have the galls to give us advice.

Hun Sen even vociferated that Cambodia is a sovereign state. We can develop ourselves without you telling us what to do, he said. Hun Sen then belittled the foreign experts, saying, people like you guys, do not try to teach Hun Sen; he would not listen to you. What we do is within our right as a sovereign country.

Some foreign aid agency members said that if Cambodia really has sovereignty, the Vietnamese soldiers would not be able to come in and out of this country at will. A foreign aid agent expressed surprise when he went to Svay Rieng province on the Vietnamese border and saw Vietnamese soldiers entering Cambodia in military uniform.

On 25 May a Vietnamese soldier in Army uniform with the rank of lieutenant was seen in company of two Vietnamese women having lunch at a restaurant called Nita in the Bavet international market, which is located some 2 km from the Cambodian-Vietnamese border. It was amazing to see a Vietnamese officer in full military uniform entering the country as if nothing happened. If the troops of a foreign country can do this to Cambodia does it mean that Cambodia's sovereignty is violated? What does the term "sovereignty" that Hun Sen has vociferously declared to the whole world mean? Does Hun Sen's "sovereignty" apply only to all foreigners with the exception of the Vietnamese?

The same foreign aid agency member said that a soldier of a country can wear uniform and enter another country only if he is part of an international mission or a delegate at the national level. He cannot do this if he travels as a tourist.

According to the merchants at Bavet market, Vietnamese soldiers in uniform like this come in and out of Cambodia everyday. The sight of these Vietnamese troops has become customary, especially since the Vietnamese currency is the most accepted legal tender in Bavet. Transactions of most goods are rarely made in the Khmer riel currency. They are mostly dealt in Vietnamese dong. Moreover, there are many Vietnamese living in Bavet. They are either merchants or construction workers as construction in Bavet is a booming business. Many buildings and casinos are now under construction.

An official at the Bavet border pass who talked on condition of anonymity said that the Vietnamese soldiers coming to Bavet market are Vietnamese border guards. At the border, Cambodian troops also can enter Vietnam since they work together with Vietnamese side for a long time, know each other quite well, and have good relations with one another. One difference is that when Cambodians enter Vietnamese territory they cannot wear Army or police uniforms. Moreover, even the customs officers who are civilian also cannot enter Vietnam in their civilian uniform. On the contrary, Cambodia has permitted Vietnamese border troops to freely cross the border into Cambodia in their uniforms. This has stunned many foreign observers and agency workers.

In reality, this is just a habit at the border. However, such a habit is also seen as a violation of Cambodia's sovereignty. It affects Cambodia's sovereignty because in the eyes of the foreigners, the Vietnamese troops still can encroach on Cambodian territory at will. Therefore, the term "Cambodian sovereignty" that Hun Sen has vociferated so often is meaningless or it applies only on other foreigners, not on the Vietnamese.