Cambodian soldiers stand guard at Preah Vihear temple in the Cambodian Preah Vihear province on July 17. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice led calls for restraint over a Thai-Cambodia border dispute and North Korea signed a non-aggression treaty during annual Asian security talks. (AFP/File/Tang Chhin Sothy)25/07/2008
BY SUY SE
AFP
IN PHNOM PENH
''We pledge to protect the temple, we cannot let Thai soldiers take it ... We vow to protect our nation forever'' - You Eang, Cambodian soldier in Preah Vihear templeRocket launcher on his shoulder, former Khmer Rouge fighter Hem Veb sits under the Cambodian flag at the ancient Preah Vihear temple, overlooking Thai soldiers crossing the border.
The 11th-century Hindu temple is perched serenely on a mountain top, just across from Thailand, with sweeping views over the Cambodian jungle as well as the thousands of Thai and Cambodian troops facing off in a territorial dispute.
Despite the political tensions, the mood here is casual, with many from both sides sharing meals with each other and snapping photos.
Soldiers lean their weapons against tree trunks and stroll off to chat with colleagues as villagers, tourists and Buddhist monks walk through the area.
But strong nationalist feelings bubble underneath pleasantries. Cambodian soldiers and citizens are mobilised to fight for what they believe is rightfully theirs.
Hem Veb, 33, said, ''We all vow to protect the Preah Vihear temple and our territory. It is our temple and I am sure if they dare to come, they will be destroyed.''
The ruins of the Hindu temple are the most important example of ancient Khmer architecture outside Cambodia's famed Angkor Wat, and have weathered centuries of wars and duelling territorial claims with Thailand. Thai soldiers in the 1950s occupied its series of complexes with elegant carvings linked by stone stairways and causeways, but left after a World Court ruling in 1962 declared the temple belonged to Cambodia.
The temple bears bullet holes and is surrounded by signs warning of landmines, scars from Cambodia's civil war that raged from the 1970s to 1990s.
Now, although it sits on Cambodian soil, the easiest entrance is in Thailand and a section of the surrounding land remains in dispute.
The latest controversy over the temple erupted after the United Nation's cultural body UNESCO inscribed Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site earlier this month.
Days later, three Thai protesters jumped a border fence to protest against the decision.
They were followed by hundreds of Thai troops and now Preah Vihear's dramatic location in the Dangrek mountain range is the scene of an escalating stand-off.
High-level military talks in Thailand between the two countries failed to solve the problem, as did a meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers in Singapore. Now Cambodia has asked the UN Security Council to step in.
Cambodian soldiers say they are eager to fight Thai troops, saying their ''chests almost break'' from heeding government orders to hold their fire.
Some of the thong-wearing forces with Cold War-era weapons jocularly say they want to shoot Thai soldiers for their boots and nice guns.
Soldier Heng Chantha said, ''We want our land back. We will not give the land to Thailand.''
Another soldier, armed with an AK-47 rifle said, ''We are on high alert all the time. We have been told not to open fire first. But if the Thai troops fire at us, we will fire back.''
That sentiment is shared throughout Cambodia, as donations flow into the area from the royal family, government officials and people to support troops and local villagers. This week Cambodian pop stars arrived with a television crew to hand out food.
Hundreds of soldiers, military police, journalists and villagers are camped uncomfortably around the temple, lining up for the handful of toilets in the area and complaining of the smell.
However they all remain adamant not to back down.
''We pledge to protect the temple, we cannot let Thai soldiers take it,'' soldier You Eang said. ''We vow to protect our nation forever.''
14 comments:
Copy from Anonymous
How much 4.6KM square at Preah Vihar Temple was? Let’s talk about DOLLARS only, regardless of sovereignty, cultural, and other values.
4.6 km square is 4,600,000 meter squares. If this area was developed it would be one of the hottest tourist destinations. Let’s compare: The hottest land in Cambodia reached $3,000 par 1 meter square. This partial of land will worth US$ 13,800,000,000.00 with this price. Yes, baby, yes, almost US$14 billion. Let‘s continue our dream. If Cambodian Government imposes 1% property tax on this partial, it would generate $138 millions a year. One more thing I want to address: this land is not depleted like under water oil along the Cambodian shore.
Oh! God! Buddha! Jesus! Allah! That is why Thai wants it without shameful action.
it is a khmer-built hindu temple, not just a hindu temple because if it's just a hindu temple, there are also hindu temples in india, too; but the ones in southeast asia are "khmer-built" hindu temples, not just hindu temple. all journalists should be educated to write as "khmer-built" hindu temple from now on so not to confuse the readers the hindu temples in india. khmer kings built it as the state religion of ancient cambodia was hinduism, amongst many more, switching back and forth after the death of a ruling king, etc...
Don't worry my brothers, you will have a chance to shoot those Siem sheeps soon..Like you said they are big and so they are easy targeted...But now hold ur trigger and keep calm to show that we are poor but civilized and strong..
I have been your supporter since before this standoff happened..I always went there with Governor Chea Sophara of P.Penh and Governor Preap Tan of Preah Vihear..Soon I will go there again with our special forces, the 911 Parachute Troop, to support you from the back..It is really a good idea to let the enemy look down on us without doubt...
yep it's what I thought just one shot from the Thais then those Thais boots will be Khmer boots. All Khmers overseas are behind you brave khmer soldiers. But make sure that Hun Sen not secretly deal with Samak.....already we can see that after a phone conversation with Samak, Hun Sen withdraws Cambodia's request for UN intervention.....Hun Sen shows weakness and bows to the Thais begging again.....as usual.
my dear, we have to show UN that we have exhausted all diplomatic talks first. then thailand will not have any more lame excuse. what our gov't in phnom penh did was just to postpone the UN council on this issue as many advisors suggested that we must exhaust all talks first. however, from the way the way violated the icj verdict and the treaty of 1907, i don't think cambodia will agree with anything they say without the respect for the 1907 treaty and the icj verdict which they have violated and damaged already but their illegal attempt to block the listing of preah vihear and then now they invaded cambodia to stake their illegal claim without regards to the treaty of 1907 and the icj verdict. what else is new for them? nothing, if you ask me. god bless cambodia.
Don't be too much presumptuous and look down at us, you, Thai thieves.
Though your soldiers are very well equipped and cruel, you are unable for decades to handle the insurgency of the small group of PATRIOT MALAY or to WIN the 1986 war with SMALL LAO which made your country ASHAMED of YOUR PRETENDED GLORIOUS SOLDIERS ( MORE THAI KILLED THAN LAO).
May be you will win some battles, but you will never win the war. And for 1 skinny soldier khmer rouge killed, we swear to have your FAT SOLDIERS 10 and if the war keep on we will make you terribly suffer as the Malays have been doing to you.
REMEMBER THAT!
If this is the will of the UN we'll hold more talk without the Siam government if nothing get solved. Cambodia must reiterate to the UNSC that we need their assistance.
The Cambodian government must urge the UNSC to solve the issue is nothing come out of the bilateral talk.
Special thanks to our troops he never give up.
Also special thank to our mosquitoes in Preah Vihear who did a wonderful job.
Keep up the good work little ones.
"'We pledge to protect the temple, we cannot let Thai soldiers take it ... We vow to protect our nation forever'' - You Eang, Cambodian soldier in Preah Vihear temple"
You will died, my friend, but your leader (Sihanouk) who's responsible for your dead by stealing temple that don't belong to him will be burnt in Hell for that.
Good luck!
The siam soldiers were vanquish by tiny mosquitoes. Are you sure you're ready to take on us.
We don't load Malarone (pills for Malaria) in our guns but real bullets.
You idiots Khmer leaders here still donot understand!!!!!!!! Think about this idiots? What is the number of troop from Thailand? Is it on rise or decrease? Are they launching attacks? Yes that's the possible answer. And now you idiots cox of the fear and your selfish councerns of losing vote bow your head and give another concession to Thai. You idiots realized that how weak and chicken and non-diplomatic you are when surrender yourself to the enemies all the time? How about if this talks fail again and you went to UN again for their intervention? How stupid and shameless you idiots are!!!!!! or you will concede land to Thai or let Thai share interests on your fucking soil and temple?????
I can smell abnormalities with the negotiation here.
Khmer will call any lose-interest of the temple or land in nigotiation by by these corrupted, power-addicted leaders as the act of TREASURY!!!!!
KHMER WAKE UP!!!!!! BEAT UP THESE BASTARD IF THEY EVER SELL OUR LAND OR TEMPLE TO FOREIGNER JUST FOR THEIR OWN POWER-SURVIVAL!!!!!!!
They said their chest almost breuo up becauae they had to respect govt order not to shoot first. They can't wait to kill the fiuckin siams invaders.
We will teach them a lesson - those Khmen daeng killed 60,000 viets during the ten years war.
the siam will have a hard time thsitime. humilaition after humilaition underthe law, they can't take it anymore, so do we khmer can't take anymore robbers. we will slit their throats andfry their livers. i hate killing but not the fucin robbers liver.
I saluted ours hero soldiers who stand firm againt enemies.They never give up any second to protect our border.From my military point of view I see in this picture our heros wairing filp flop shoes to the front line.I don't mean they do not know how to fight but I want to ask Tea Banh where is money go for your militairy budget.We can see how much corrup in the government.The money gone to the hight rang Generals but not to the low rang.Bravo Tea Banh for your successful negociation with your brother Thai.You are the war hero.Fuck you.
TEA BANH or kill the damned duck said; << FUCK YOU too 9:39am.>>.
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