DPA
MONTREAL - The annual scramble for world heritage status opens Wednesday in Quebec City, where 41 countries are seeking the high-profile designation from UNESCO for cultural or natural sites.
Among applicants are five countries seeking their first sites on the UNESCO list - Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, San Marino and Vanuatu.
Among Eastern European countries, Albania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Russian Federation and Slovakia are applying for recognition of special sites, and Hungary and Slovakia have a joint application for designation of a network of fortifications where the Danube and Vah rivers converge in Komarno.
In the Middle East, applicants include Yemen for its Socotra Archipelago; Saudi Arabia for archaeological site Al Hijr; Iran for the Armenian monastic ensembles in its Azerbaijan province; and Israel for the triple-arch gate at Dan and the Bahai holy places in Haifa and western Galilee.
The World Heritage Committee is chaired this year by Canada, which planned the meetings, which conclude July 10, to coincide with the kickoff of Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations as one of North America's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Those festivities begin Thursday.
UNESCO's World Heritage list currently includes 851 properties of ‘outstanding universal value,’ including 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 countries.
At least 30 are on an endangered list, meaning they either need special attention to preserve them or have risked being delisted because conservators have failed either to take proper care of the sites or to comply with UNESCO rules.
Among those on the endangered list is one of Germany's most historic and scenic areas of 18th and 19th century significance, the Dresden Elbe Valley.
German authorities had decided to build a bridge in the heart of the well-known landscape against the advice of UNESCO, which urged a tunnel. Warnings were issued about the site's status in 2006 after the decision to build the bridge was taken.
No site has ever been delisted from the programme, but the issue is on the agenda for this year, UNESCO said in a press release.
Cambodia is seeking designation for its millennium-old temple, Preah Vihear, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, but Thailand has challenged the move over a border spat dating to a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling.
In a compromise in May, Cambodia agreed to redraw the inscription map, including only the temple, but the move would limit UNESCO's say over how Preah Vihear would be preserved, officials in Cambodia and Thailand said.
Among applicants are five countries seeking their first sites on the UNESCO list - Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, San Marino and Vanuatu.
Among Eastern European countries, Albania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Russian Federation and Slovakia are applying for recognition of special sites, and Hungary and Slovakia have a joint application for designation of a network of fortifications where the Danube and Vah rivers converge in Komarno.
In the Middle East, applicants include Yemen for its Socotra Archipelago; Saudi Arabia for archaeological site Al Hijr; Iran for the Armenian monastic ensembles in its Azerbaijan province; and Israel for the triple-arch gate at Dan and the Bahai holy places in Haifa and western Galilee.
The World Heritage Committee is chaired this year by Canada, which planned the meetings, which conclude July 10, to coincide with the kickoff of Quebec City's 400th anniversary celebrations as one of North America's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Those festivities begin Thursday.
UNESCO's World Heritage list currently includes 851 properties of ‘outstanding universal value,’ including 660 cultural, 166 natural and 25 mixed properties in 141 countries.
At least 30 are on an endangered list, meaning they either need special attention to preserve them or have risked being delisted because conservators have failed either to take proper care of the sites or to comply with UNESCO rules.
Among those on the endangered list is one of Germany's most historic and scenic areas of 18th and 19th century significance, the Dresden Elbe Valley.
German authorities had decided to build a bridge in the heart of the well-known landscape against the advice of UNESCO, which urged a tunnel. Warnings were issued about the site's status in 2006 after the decision to build the bridge was taken.
No site has ever been delisted from the programme, but the issue is on the agenda for this year, UNESCO said in a press release.
Cambodia is seeking designation for its millennium-old temple, Preah Vihear, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, but Thailand has challenged the move over a border spat dating to a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling.
In a compromise in May, Cambodia agreed to redraw the inscription map, including only the temple, but the move would limit UNESCO's say over how Preah Vihear would be preserved, officials in Cambodia and Thailand said.
38 comments:
Why the thai has a say in this business. Is UNESCO blind?
Thai must stop daydreaming on Preah Vihear temple and use your brain to concentrate your own endless internal crisis
The best way is that Cambodian Government should use the old proposal in this meeting rather then the new, because Thai already withdrew even with the new map.
"Among Eastern European countries, Albania, Croatia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Russian Federation and Slovakia are applying for recognition of special sites, and Hungary and Slovakia have a joint application for designation of a network of fortifications where the Danube and Vah rivers converge in Komarno."
Good role model for Khmer in Cambodia and Thailand, even though the temple belong to Khmer in Thailand. However, because people in the area are related to each other they should share all their inheritances equally. It is not right to cut off Khmer people just because they moved across the border.
It is not cutting off Khmer people from crossing border to see the temple.
It is just if those Khmer in Thailand is patriotic they should rise up against Thailand and join with our brothers in Khmer to have our lands back so they won't have to cross border to visit the temple.
For those Khmer in Thailand needs to speak up and fight the Thais to join our family again.
We don't mind that you live under Thai so many years we still want to embrace you within our open arms. We will honor those rise up and bring back our provnices: Those provinces are:
1-Si Sa Ket
2-Boriram
3-Nokor Reachseyma
4-Surin
5-Kok Khan
6-Chanthabon
7-Chanthaburi
8-Odon Thani (Odor Theani) cause Thai can't say the word "r" right so they pronounce it "n"
9-Trat
10-Ubon Ratchani (Reacheatheani)
etc..,
There are alot more. I couldn't remember atm.
Please find out and read more about Khmer empire.
Nowaday it is very benefits to us Khmer cause with the technology we can learn alot about our history.
Now you can just google it, it will show alot of news and history.
Go for it fellow, Khmer all the way!!!!
To 7:19 PM,
Wrong! You Siam had plundered Khmer provinces, maltreated Khmer people, siamized them and manipulated the whole history.
You Siam have no any right whatsoever to speak on behalf of, or relate yourself in any manner to, Khmer and Cambodia.
To be clear: Khmer is Khmer. And Siam is Siam. We are two different species.
-Khmer will never ever BLEND with Siam.
-Khmer will never ever BEND in the face of Siam's shameless thieves.
-Khmer will never ever MEND this one bitter history twisted and turned by Siam.
It's a broken bond beyond repair with this shameless neighbor by the name Siam or Thai, Thief of Territory and Swindler of History.
Should putatleast all Sisaket as part of share between thai and Cambodia!If thai do not want to be doom!
Yeah I am also support those Khmer living in Thailand to rise up and bring back our provinces to join our Khmer in Cambodia. Hurry rise up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No, the Khmer in Thailand loves their land and love being free from Cambodia ruling. They don't want to come back and they want their temple and their land back. Cambodia has not right to use the French to invade and steal land and temple from Khmer people in Thailand who just wanted to be independence from Cambodia.
the hindu temple will not be registred. We will claim it back from you. Think of unversal value for human kind, this hindu temple should be owned by Thailand.
To 9:43 PM & 10:09 PM,
You two are typical of Siams un-educated and ill-educated by your past and cuurent parents and leaders trying to find ways out of identity crisis.
Again, Khmer is Khmer, and Siam is Siam. Khmer is is the founder, the owner of all subjects Khmer and Cambodian. Get it or get lost!!!
khmers in Thailand are also sons and daughters of ancient khmers (maybe only them because people in Cambodia who are claiming they are khmers might be Vietnamese (you call Yuon) or Chinese). So they have right to claim their ancestors' blongings too. Just let that small hindu temple go back to its real owners. You got angkor wat(France took it from us for you), so don't be so greedy
To 1027 PM,
Nope, Wrong, Wrong! I can see how desparate you Siams are trying to find a real identity, which you never will.
You Siams are invaders of Khmer Kingdom, and destroyers of Angkor civilization. For historical references, proof and evidence abound in Siem Reap. You need to try to learn and accept truth. Just go to Siem Reap which literally means "flattened/crushed Siam" and see for yourself how the Siamese ugly and cruel invaders were portrayed in the carvings on Angkor Wat stone walls.
Too much shame on you still deep in shit.
hmm..for us, Siam Reap means Siams put in order the city. Maybe, your ancestors lie to you about the real meaning. Guides in your country are also making mistake in interpreting the meaning of that wall. So don't be savage again if hindu temple,Prah Viharn, is not registered. because it deserves to be thai belongings. At this time, if you invade thai embassy in Phnom Penh again, thailand will send F-16 to Phnom Penh. Tell you the truth, in Thailand, we think that Khmer war plane can be shot with stone throwing(hehe). You are good only at fighting each others and genocide your own people.
So true! and the truth will prevail.
To 10:58 PM,
Always and forever wrong!
There was no any such a thing called Thailand back then when Angkor Wat and other temples were built in the Khmer Kingdom between the 8th and 11th centuries.
You didn't exist yet as a country yet, man. You were Chinese etthnic expelled from Sothern China, and came to invade and destroy the Khmer Kingdom. Too bad, if the Khmer civilization had not fallen, we might have seen more great monumental wonders buit for human race to see and appreciate.
Do you know when and where you got your country's name Thailand from? Maybe either you don't, or you alter the truth!
Get educated, and be a man, a real man, a man of decency!
You can't fight Cambodia(ns) militairly. We never have fear of you!
Just ignore Ah Karmen in Cambodia. Anytime they disagreed with anyone, they called them foreigners like Siam Yuon or Lao. We know who we are, and the temple belong to us (Khmer) in Thailand.
Nope, 11:19 Pm, you're not of us Khmer. Get it or get lost!
Ok, let's suppose that you built angkor wat (France took it from us for you). Siams came to freed Khmer people from the slavery that their kings put on them for building a big monument for them. It is like Vietnam came to help you to freed you from Pol Pot. I don't wonder,hehe,,Vietnam helped you from Genocide but you insult its people in stead. How good you are!!!
Take a look at a paragraph of thai scholar's writing:
-------------------------------
Luang Wichit (1941, pp. 129 – 30) writes:
The Cambodians are otherwise called ‘Khmer’ (pronounced as ‘Khamair’). But it is an
established fact that the Khmers and the Cambodians are not the same people. . . . About
fifteen centuries ago the Thai came down to this peninsula and, according to Monsieur
Etienne Aymonier, poured out in important influx, covering almost all the plains of
Indochina. The Thais, according to the eminent French orientalist professor Louis Finot,
spread themselves like an immense piece of cloth over the land from South China as far as
Burma. The Thai blood poured into Khmer veins with insinuating effect like water, to use
the expression of professor Louis Finot. The Khmers changed century by century. After five
hundred years of blood mixture, the Khmers became more and more similar to Thais both
physically and mentally. The coming into existence of this new name ‘Cambudja’ marked the
end of the old Khmer race and the birth of a new people who have 90 per cent Thai blood.
----------------------------
11:15, you called your part of the Khmer Empire whatever you want, and we called ours part whatever we want. You don't own the Khmer Empire by yourself. We (Khmer) in Thailand owns some of that too. You got that?
Siams can't even pronoounce the word Khmer right. They say "Karmen". What the hell is that? Agian, 11:19PM, you're not one of us Khmer. Got it!
So are you not us (Khmer,) 11:21, and we'll never want to be losers like you. Get the picture?
Oh yeah? And what the hell is "Khmer", 11:24? You loser can't even pronounced Karmen properly, and you claimed that you owned our temple? Hahaha, LOL, hahaha, No one will ever buy that one.
You guys try to make sense by trying to connect yourself to the Khmer Kingdom in ways and manners that were, are and will be irrespetive of the truth and the facts. The whole wide world knows about this.
Khmer, Cambodia
That is a total self contradiction, 11:49. The idea behind being divided is so that we each can be free and independent of each other, but that doesn't make you boss of the Khmer Empire to claim our temple as yours. The temple is in our Issan province and it belongs to all Khmer in Issan provice, not Khmer in Cambodia.
Preah Vihear: A traumatic and sad story of stone of the two nations:
I am sorry to say that
many of us,
academics and old boys of Thai foreign service,
are doing disservice to the country.
The question of the Preah Vihear was settled
by King Chulalongkorn and
Prince Damrong, his Interior Minister in 1907.
It was to save sovereignty of Siam
and that Siemreap, Battambang, Srisophon
were exchanged with
Chanthaburi, Trad, and Dansai (Loei).
But this was not recognized by Phibun-Luang Wichit, nor Sarit,
when in 1939 Siam was unwisely changed to Thailand and that
ultra nationalism was running high, in 1940s and 1960s;
and it is returning now.
I am sure we will regret this.
And what I could say is that:
Father
forgive them they know not what they do. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon_sad.gif)
Regards.
Charnvit
Yes dear Khmer all! I can see Ah Siamese have desparatly tried to identify themselve to be an owner of the Temple. Khmer in Siam are not Siamese nor Thai, they are all Khmer period...I agreed, Khmer in Thai wanted to be owner of the temple, not with Ah Siamese or Thai but with our brothers and Sisters Khmer in(Cambodia). Khmer In Thai are exclude from Ah Siam-thai, they wanted to reunited our relatives(as myself) and will be an ownership together once again all the our Khmer Temples, prsaats ancestral that layed over the Thai occupied land today. I support you 1:12PM,9:29PM, 8:53PM many of you have made a verry god point. Ah Siameses 7:19PM,10:09AM are insane I BAR ther ther! pen ruok prasat jieng! jieng! Down to you Ah Siamese!
To 12:43 AM,
As a Khmer, I know just how some Thai people as much educated as you may have felt as you have been seeing Thai people treat and deal with Cambodia and her people the wrong way.
Maybe your Father may forgive what Thais have been doing to Cambodia now, it's way too late, man. The matter has already run deep in the meats, minds, hearts and souls of Cambodians to the point where there's turning back to being truthful friends with Thais.
What will be will be! The truth will prevail and speak for itself!
yeah, what's next for thailand? using siem who live in the USA to claim and steal from america too? no wonder they lost the icj in 1962 for their argument is so stupid. god bless cambodia.
Correction: Previous post by 1:20AM should be written: ................The matter has already run deep in the meats, minds, hearts and souls of Cambodians to the point where there's NO turning back to being truthful friends with Thais. Thanks.
Thai have senseless arguments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the UNESCO won't buy their story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay 1:01, then let us (Khmer) talks about joint development of the temple and the surrounding area. We'll both be out of poverty and suffering soon if we can get started.
Thai you should use force to solve this problem! and send out the volonteers first! I wait for you in Cambodia dude!
Preah Vihear : " La mauvaise foi de l'opposition politique thaïlandaise "
02-07-2008
Dans une tribune libre, le vice-président de l’académie royale du Cambodge livre son analyse de la querelle khméro-thaïlandaise au sujet du temple de Preah Vihear.
Photographie : DR« Le temple sacré Preah Vihear demeure toujours un sujet d'actualité et de contentieux entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlande. Quarante-six ans après le jugement de la Cour internationale de justice (CIJ) de La Haye - qui avait reconnu la souveraineté du Cambodge sur le Temple Preah Vihear - cette affaire reste un point sensible entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlande. Elle a pris un tour plus passionnel quand le gouvernement royal du Cambodge a déposé sa demande afin de classer le Prasat Preah Vihear sur la liste du patrimoine mondial.
En juillet 2007, à Christchurch, Nouvelle-Zélande, en sa 31e session, le Comité du patrimoine mondialde l'Unesco avait fait connaître sa décision, exprimant « son accord de principe sur le fait que le site doit être inscrit sur la liste du patrimoine mondial » et en notant « que le processus d'inscription est en cours ».
À l’époque ce même comité avait « demandé à l'Etat partie du Cambodge de renforcer la conservation et la gestion du site, en avançant dans l'élaboration d'un plan de gestion approprié, ce qui permettra son inscription formelle par le Comité en sa 32e session, en 2008 ». Cette dernière se tient au Québec, Canada, du 2 au 12 juillet 2008.
À l’approche de cette date fatidique, certains politiciens thaïlandais de l'opposition ont tenté, par tous les moyens, de s'opposer et de faire échouer la demande cambodgienne de faire inscrire le Prasat Preah Vihear sur la liste des patrimoines mondiaux. Ils ont agi comme si ce temple khmer leur appartenait depuis la nuit des temps, organisant des manifestations et des marches vers le site sacré.
Evidemment, la majorité des Thaïlandais, par manque d'information, par désinformation, par méconnaissance de l'histoire et de la culture khmère, à cause d'une programme scolaire voulant ignorer volontairement le Cambodge - le programme officiel d'histoire de la Thaïlande du ministère de l'éducation nationale de la Thaïlande, en primaire de la première à la sixième année, ne consacre que quelques lignes au Cambodge - ont toujours cru et prétendu que le Prasat Preah Vihear faisait partie intégrante de leur patrimoine.
Cette attitude perdure depuis l'année dernière et reflète exactement l'état d'esprit de la population thaïlandaise que certains chercheurs ne manquent pas de reconnaître publiquement. Cela voudrait aussi dire qu'une partie des politiciens thaïlandais rejette le jugement de la CIJ et, de mauvaise foi, n'a pas voulu comprendre la convention de base du Comité de patrimoine mondial de l'Unesco de 1972.
Or, selon l'arrêt de la CIJ du 15 juin 1962, il est stipulé que:
« 1- le Temple de Preah Vihear était situé en territoire relevant de la souveraineté du Cambodge,
2- la Thaïlande était tenue de retirer tous les éléments de forces armées ou de police ou autres gardes ou gardiens qu'elle avait installé dans le temple ou dans ses environs situés en territoire cambodgien,
3- la Thaïlande était tenue de restituer au Cambodge les sculptures, stèles, fragments des monuments, maquettes en grès et poteries anciennes qui, depuis la date de l'occupation du temple par la Thaïlande en 1954, auraient pu être enlevés du temple ou de la zone du temple par les autorités thaïlandaises. »
Le jugement de la CIJ est définitif et sans recours, selon l'article 60 de son statut. Toutefois, son article 61 accorde la révision de l'arrêt « en raison de la découverte d'un fait de nature à exercer une influence décisive(...) dans un délai de dix ans à dater de l'arrêt. »
Ce délai étant passé, le Prasat Preah Vihear appartient au Cambodge qui possède tous les droits d'en disposer et, à forte raison, de le faire inscrire sur la liste des patrimoines mondiaux, sans avoir besoin de consulter la Thaïlande. Mais, au nom du bon sens, du bon voisinage et de la bonne coopération, le gouvernement cambodgien préfère consulter son voisin. Notamment pour le tracé des zones de préservation, afin de trouver un accord acceptable par les deux parties et ainsi, éviter toute divergence.
L'acceptation et le soutien du gouvernement thaïlandais au Cambodge dans cette affaire avaient provoqué une vive opposition de la part de quelques politiciens thaïlandais qui ont crié aux « voleurs », accusant leurs dirigeants, en premier lieu le premier ministre Samak Sundaravej, d'avoir cédé au Cambodge une partie du territoire thaïlandais jouxtant le temple, en contrepartie des facilités accordées par le gouvernement cambodgien à l'ancien premier ministre Taksin Sinawatra, qui souhaitait investir dans la province maritime khmère de Koh Kong. Et de mauvaise foi, ils font semblant d'ignorer l'arrêt de la CIJ, la convention du patrimoine mondial et l'histoire et la culture millénaires des Khmers.
Agissant de telle sorte, les opposants du premier ministre Samak Sundaravej - qui ont perdu récemment les législatives - espèrent soulever la colère du peuple thaïlandais, provoquant des remous et de nouvelles manifestations au sein du royaume, pour arriver enfin à le renverser.
Mais ces opposants thaïs, pour assouvir leur ambition personnelle par tous les moyens, ont oublié que leurs faits et gestes ne contribuent pas au renforcement des liens amicaux et de coopération entre le peuple khmer et thaïlandais.
Ils ont également oublié que le Cambodge est un marché très important pour la Thaïlande.
D'autre part, la communauté internationale pourrait réagir à ce comportement extrémiste qui ne respecte pas les droits et la souveraineté des pays avoisinants et qui n’accepte pas leur réalité politique, historique et culturelle.
Ainsi, le temple Preah Vihear khmer est entré de plain-pied dans la querelle politique thaïlandaise. Il est devenu le cheval de bataille des partis de l'opposition. Ces entraves pourraient causer de graves préjudices quant à son inscription sur la liste du patrimoine mondial.
Oui, les Thaïlandais ont pris le Prasat Preah Vihear Khmeren otage !...
Cependant, nous, Khmers, osons penser et espérer que les 21 pays membres du Comité du patrimoine mondial, qui se réunissent dès le début de ce mois de juillet 2008 au Québec, ne sont pas dupes, qu'ils ont leur bon sens, leur logique et leur connaissance parfaite de l’état juridique, de la situation géographique, culturelle et historique du Prasat Preah Vihear khmer. Nous espérons qu’ils ne manqueront pas à leurs devoirs et qu'ils ne se laisseront pas aveugler par le spectre du profit. »
Dr. Ros Chantrabot
Membre de l'Académie
Vice-président
Académie Royale du Cambodge
I don't see how the khmers in thailand can protect the temple given that the thais (minority chinese group) are out number maybe 90 to one. Come on brothers! In thailand, 95% are Thais, whereas in Cambodia 95% are Khmers. In democratic world, majority win. I know that khmer temple belongs to all khmers, but not to thais in general. If the majority Khmers (14 millions - what is yours?) are living in Cambodia, it makes Cambodia is the real khmers kingdom. Look at its flag with angkor wat on it. You khmers in thailand have no flag. What makes you more khmer than Cambodians? Can you write and speak khmer? Do you know khmer history like we do? I hope you realize that you are stateless. Well, you are thai citizen. You call yourself independent khmer? You live under the thais and chinese. We are more independent because we have khmer king and khmer leaders (even if they are corrupt) and we have our own country called Cambodia. What do you have? Khmer Isan Country? Do you think the thai allows that? Wake up! countryless people, if you claim you are khmer too. So, internationally you have no say in Cambodia affairs. I hope you are educated enough to know that your view serves the thais, not khmers. So, you are no difference that the group of khmers who view serves the Viets.
All we have to do is to unit in supporting anything that is khmers. Come on man!
The Siam descent from my female Rottweiler.
No you cannot claim my dog.
That is better than Ah French Karmen in Cambodia descents from African Gorilla.
We all are descents from African Gorilla.
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