The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: The Cambodian government organized another mass rally Monday to celebrate the recent listing of the country's 11th century Hindu temple as a world cultural landmark.
Some 10,000 people were expected to gather late Monday to celebrate Preah Vihear temple's new status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, said Mann Chhoeun, deputy governor of Phnom Penh Municipality that organized the event.
"We have succeeded in this goal not by just sitting idly. We struggled hard to get it," Mann Chhoeun said.
Preah Vihear was declared a World Heritage site last week despite objections from groups in Thailand. The two countries have a long-standing dispute over the land that surrounds the border temple, and Thai activists have recently revived nationalist sentiment over the issue.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.
Mann Chhoeun said the temple's new status is "the second success" for Cambodia following the ruling.
He said speeches will be read and nationalist songs will be sung at the ceremony purely to express "our pride and modest joy."
As Cambodians celebrate the recognition for the temple, a small group of Thais continue to protest, demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple.
Responding to Thai protests, Cambodia has sealed off access from Thailand to the temple, forcing many Cambodian vendors who survive on income from tourists to close their shops, said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple.
He said some villagers were surviving on food aid sent by the Cambodian Red Cross.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has accused Thai opposition politicians of exploiting the cross-border dispute to advance their own domestic political agenda and warned they might endanger bilateral relations.
Last week Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple designated as a World Heritage Site.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Noppadon, whose resignation takes effect Monday, has denied the allegations.
Some 10,000 people were expected to gather late Monday to celebrate Preah Vihear temple's new status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, said Mann Chhoeun, deputy governor of Phnom Penh Municipality that organized the event.
"We have succeeded in this goal not by just sitting idly. We struggled hard to get it," Mann Chhoeun said.
Preah Vihear was declared a World Heritage site last week despite objections from groups in Thailand. The two countries have a long-standing dispute over the land that surrounds the border temple, and Thai activists have recently revived nationalist sentiment over the issue.
In 1962, the International Court of Justice awarded the temple and the land it occupies to Cambodia, a decision that still rankles many Thais even though the temple is culturally Cambodian, sharing the Hindu-influenced style of the more famous Angkor complex in northwestern Cambodia.
Mann Chhoeun said the temple's new status is "the second success" for Cambodia following the ruling.
He said speeches will be read and nationalist songs will be sung at the ceremony purely to express "our pride and modest joy."
As Cambodians celebrate the recognition for the temple, a small group of Thais continue to protest, demanding the eviction of Cambodians living on land near the temple.
Responding to Thai protests, Cambodia has sealed off access from Thailand to the temple, forcing many Cambodian vendors who survive on income from tourists to close their shops, said Hang Soth, director-general of the national authority for Preah Vihear temple.
He said some villagers were surviving on food aid sent by the Cambodian Red Cross.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has accused Thai opposition politicians of exploiting the cross-border dispute to advance their own domestic political agenda and warned they might endanger bilateral relations.
Last week Thailand's Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama resigned after the Constitutional Court ruled that he had overstepped his authority in supporting Cambodia's application to have the temple designated as a World Heritage Site.
Some political opponents have charged that the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej deliberately bypassed Parliament and backed the bid in exchange for business concessions from Cambodia for toppled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Noppadon, whose resignation takes effect Monday, has denied the allegations.
3 comments:
ខ្ញុំមានមោទនភាពណាស់ដែលបានកើតមកជាជនជាតិខ្មែរ
another party to distract people from the election.
The ruling party is using this event to further their political levarage during the political campaign.
true khmer
Post a Comment