Cambodians celebrate but many Thais are unhappy with the World Heritage Committee's decision on the Preah Vihear temple.
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Wednesday, July 09, 2008
By Piyaporn Wongruang
Bangkok Post
The controversial struggle to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site ended on Monday, with Unesco announcing that the Hindu temple's application had been accepted. The decision, by the World Heritage Committee (WHC), received a mixed reaction from Cambodians and Thais.
Impromptu celebrations coursed through Cambodia as people learned the news. But over the border, dissatisfaction among Thais is growing.
According to a Thai source who attended the meeting, Cambodia's proposal sailed through the consideration of the committee members.
The WHC chairwoman had proposed the draft resolution and asked the committee members to approve it without opening the floor to any debates, the source said.
Cambodia had underlined three key points in its bid to get Preah Vihear listed, but in the event the temple won over the committee with its first criterion-the representation of a masterpiece of human creative genius.
This prompted Thailand to express its opposition to the "unilateral inscription of Preah Vihear on only one criterion". Thailand is now also further challenging the integrity of the site, as well as the unsettled border line.
"We are very disappointed that our appeal for the joint nomination has been repeatedly denied, and now an exception has been made to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site on the basis of just one criterion," said a draft statement by the Thai World Heritage Committee.
"Without the proper buffer zones, and without the necessity cultural and natural landscapes on all sides, the temple has been denied the dignity and the integrity it deserves in being listed as a World Heritage site."
Standing on top of the high cliff on the Dangrek Range separating Thailand's lower Northeast and Cambodia, the temple has long been valued as an exceptional piece of work from the ancient world.
The temple, built in the early 11th century to worship the Hindu god Shiva, featured a succession of courtyards and key buildings including gopuras, stairways and pavements stretching in a north-south orientation.
This clearly reflects the Khmer aptitude for domesticating vast territories and adapting to the landscape, and it is these qualities which convinced the committee to accept the application under the first criterion.
According to the International Council of Monuments and Sites, an advisory body for the WHC, it was noted that "the full value of the temple of Preah Vihear is inextricably linked to the surrounding landscape and that the planning and orientation of the temple, facing north, is quite different from other Khmer temples."
The temple complex, however, was separated politically from its surrounding land in 1962, when the International Court of Justice ruled that the temple - but not all of its immediate surroundings - was situated on Cambodian soil.
Arguments about which country has sovereignty over the temple and its surroundings have continued ever since between Cambodia and Thailand.
Cambodia has sought World Heritage status for Preah Vihear since the early 1990s, but until this year's joint communique controversy, Thailand has never been involved in the development of the application.
Cambodia's original proposal included the overlapping area stretching beyond the stairways towards Thai soil, but Thailand protested.
Cambodia eventually removed the overlapping area from its proposal and won the WHC's approval.
Historian Srisakra Vallibhotama said listing Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site betrays a lack of understanding of the site's universal value.
Instead of securing the site as a treasure for enthusiasts of ancient civilisations, he said this listing could lead to confrontations.
"It is important to understand the site's universal value," said Mr Srisakra.
"And we should understand the boundary is not a geographical one, but rather a cultural one. Turning the area into a World Heritage site does not preserve the culture, it only preserves the physical structure in order to attract tourists."
The WHC, meanwhile, has clarified its stance on the border issue.
It says that under Article 11.3 of the Convention, the inscription of Preah Vihear has no implications for any ongoing negotiations concerning the boundary between the two countries, and this does not prejudice the rights of both governments to reach an amicable settlement.
The organisation has asked Cambodia to further define the perimeter of the buffer zone, complete the management plan for the property and its buffer zone, and convene an international coordinating committee for the safeguarding of the property, inviting Thailand and other "appropriate partners" as members, according to the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Bangkok.
"The WHC's decision encourages Cambodia and Thailand to work together for the safekeeping of the property," the agency said.
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Wednesday, July 09, 2008
By Piyaporn Wongruang
Bangkok Post
The controversial struggle to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site ended on Monday, with Unesco announcing that the Hindu temple's application had been accepted. The decision, by the World Heritage Committee (WHC), received a mixed reaction from Cambodians and Thais.
Impromptu celebrations coursed through Cambodia as people learned the news. But over the border, dissatisfaction among Thais is growing.
According to a Thai source who attended the meeting, Cambodia's proposal sailed through the consideration of the committee members.
The WHC chairwoman had proposed the draft resolution and asked the committee members to approve it without opening the floor to any debates, the source said.
Cambodia had underlined three key points in its bid to get Preah Vihear listed, but in the event the temple won over the committee with its first criterion-the representation of a masterpiece of human creative genius.
This prompted Thailand to express its opposition to the "unilateral inscription of Preah Vihear on only one criterion". Thailand is now also further challenging the integrity of the site, as well as the unsettled border line.
"We are very disappointed that our appeal for the joint nomination has been repeatedly denied, and now an exception has been made to list Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site on the basis of just one criterion," said a draft statement by the Thai World Heritage Committee.
"Without the proper buffer zones, and without the necessity cultural and natural landscapes on all sides, the temple has been denied the dignity and the integrity it deserves in being listed as a World Heritage site."
Standing on top of the high cliff on the Dangrek Range separating Thailand's lower Northeast and Cambodia, the temple has long been valued as an exceptional piece of work from the ancient world.
The temple, built in the early 11th century to worship the Hindu god Shiva, featured a succession of courtyards and key buildings including gopuras, stairways and pavements stretching in a north-south orientation.
This clearly reflects the Khmer aptitude for domesticating vast territories and adapting to the landscape, and it is these qualities which convinced the committee to accept the application under the first criterion.
According to the International Council of Monuments and Sites, an advisory body for the WHC, it was noted that "the full value of the temple of Preah Vihear is inextricably linked to the surrounding landscape and that the planning and orientation of the temple, facing north, is quite different from other Khmer temples."
The temple complex, however, was separated politically from its surrounding land in 1962, when the International Court of Justice ruled that the temple - but not all of its immediate surroundings - was situated on Cambodian soil.
Arguments about which country has sovereignty over the temple and its surroundings have continued ever since between Cambodia and Thailand.
Cambodia has sought World Heritage status for Preah Vihear since the early 1990s, but until this year's joint communique controversy, Thailand has never been involved in the development of the application.
Cambodia's original proposal included the overlapping area stretching beyond the stairways towards Thai soil, but Thailand protested.
Cambodia eventually removed the overlapping area from its proposal and won the WHC's approval.
Historian Srisakra Vallibhotama said listing Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site betrays a lack of understanding of the site's universal value.
Instead of securing the site as a treasure for enthusiasts of ancient civilisations, he said this listing could lead to confrontations.
"It is important to understand the site's universal value," said Mr Srisakra.
"And we should understand the boundary is not a geographical one, but rather a cultural one. Turning the area into a World Heritage site does not preserve the culture, it only preserves the physical structure in order to attract tourists."
The WHC, meanwhile, has clarified its stance on the border issue.
It says that under Article 11.3 of the Convention, the inscription of Preah Vihear has no implications for any ongoing negotiations concerning the boundary between the two countries, and this does not prejudice the rights of both governments to reach an amicable settlement.
The organisation has asked Cambodia to further define the perimeter of the buffer zone, complete the management plan for the property and its buffer zone, and convene an international coordinating committee for the safeguarding of the property, inviting Thailand and other "appropriate partners" as members, according to the office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in Bangkok.
"The WHC's decision encourages Cambodia and Thailand to work together for the safekeeping of the property," the agency said.
18 comments:
oH, cry baby SIAMES , WA WA WA WA
" "The WHC's decision encourages Cambodia and Thailand to work together for the safekeeping of the property," the agency said."
Yes there will be cooperation between Cambodia, Thailand and others. But first Thailand have to give all status and cultural objects which Thai steal from this temple back to Cambodia as ICJ ruled in 1962.
In generally case, if Thailand still oppose and look down on Cambodia, useless to cooperate with Thailand. Let them bark until their last blood drop
This is a great victory without declaring war against Thai. Hey, it will be more coming regarding where is the Cambodian Border to all her surrounding neighbor, Watch out Vietnam....
Khmer's Kheiv
"Dr Surachart cautioned that it is virtually impossible to try to claim lost territory back."
Thais have too much shit in their head or what?!!!!!
WHAT MEANS TO CLAIM LOST TERRITORY BACK.
Let's clarify with these stupid thais and journalists of shiting Bangkok Post:
1. Preah Vihear has never been Thais territory.
2. Province of Battambang, Sisophon, Siem Reap and Preah Vihear was under Thais influence because the khmer governors under the khmer government suck thais dick on the pre-protectorate from France. They administered these province under khmer government so under khmer territories, but it is just that they liked to suck thais, while the Phnom Penh government (yes even on that period...) suck Vietnamese dick.
It was due to stupidity and ill governance of the fucking khmer king.
BE REMINDED that France did not give back the western province to Cambodia from the thais, but rather prevent the Thais thieves to colonize it!!!!! THe argument was: you want the western provinces of Cambodia? Well here our weapons and soldiers.... Then as thieves, thais just ran away.
Please note that when Cambodia sternghen its power in Battambang provinc, the khmer governor who behave as a king in the province fled to Thailand and his descent was the one who write thai constitution. So there is a khmer who write the thai constitution!
The matter of thais nationalism and to claim Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear was to create virtual patritism among that nation of thiefs against an external ennemy. It simple as tactict: to unit your soldiers, you mount a case against a black sheep where you put in it all the hatred so that everybody will recognize your leadership.
3. YES IMPOSSIBLE TO CLAIM LOST TERRITORY:
a. DO KHMER PEOPLE CLAIM THE SOUTH AND ESTERN REGION OF THAILAND THAT USED TO BELONG TO KHMER TERRITORIES?!!!!!!!!
b. DO MALAYSIA FEDERATION CLAIM THE SOUTH OF THAILAND THAT USED TO BE MALAYS TERRITORIES?
And the actual thai king and royal, why he does not say anything?!!!!!!!
Finally, other there and here locally, royalty is very useless...
It is because of such attitude that the two country get problem of misunderstanding. The two people are very similar, but because of personal interest and sefl power consideration, they make their people suffering and fight each other.
Thai nation of thieves, you must recognise and acknowledge the region history. Stop eating shit. And stop acting like shit. For the moment, the whole world is just laughing at you.
By the meanwhile, long live Hun Sen and his government and end to monarchy!!!
Don't forget to vote CPP in July!!
Yes I am thinking to vote for CPP> But if CPP take back our land surrounding aread of our Preah Vihea, I sure will vote for CPP.
10;31AM. Are you Youn Communist infiltrating in CPP? You fucking history is not correct. If Sihanouk did not fight to get his ancestors' Temple back your shitting CPP/Youn don't have anything to be proud about before this election 2008 but shooting intermidating killing people.
Didn't Hun Sen ask Youn to come and help to minitor the election after Rainsy got a lot of youngs support?
If French did not come to save Cambodia from Siam & Youn how the hell do you think Cambodia exists?
And if French did not enter South Asia, China would have eaten Youn already.
Stop lying you son and duaghter of whore.
Bravo Samdach Hun Sen!
Thank you much for your work toward the nation.
Certainly! I'll vote for CPP of Samdach Hun Sen as always.
Not only the Preak Vihear, but Also Samdach Hun Sen will take ownership and be resposible for next generations that there won't be a single centimeter lost to any countries.
I've always believed that Samdach Hun Sen had assured the exact seize 181,035sq.km remain actualy NOT only in the paper.
Samdach Hun Sen! you are the great hero of the Khmers.
Reaj
Yes, 11:07 go ahead and vote for CPP!
You may want to befriend with the Thais just in case the CPP started to pull a land grabbing from you too.
Good Luck!!
11:29 & 10:31,
FYI, your dumb ass AH Som-ite Hun Sen didn't say a fucking word up until the UNESCO decisions was announced.
Open your fucking eyes unless you're blind like your Som-ite. He don't deserved any fucking credit what so ever! You should be thanking the ICJ and UNESCO.
Idiots!!!
Reaj,
Don't speak for CPP, idiot.
Do you know million Khmers already knew from reading online that the American Lawyers were strong defended Cambodia's temple? They also knew the King Father struggled to get Preah VIhear back. So why do you give a credit to one person?
You want their votes then stop your fukking brainless messing up the whole thing ah rumball yor ah trov krorb.
Don't minh ah jumkourt Reak ach 11:29AM. We CPP know who are opportunists. He not only messed up made us look bad, but he is a traitor.
We CPP thank to King Father, US Lawyers, ICJ, Our Royal government, HE Sok An, and UNESCO.
Congratulation!
You have shown your culture of bitting each other.
You 11: 29am, 12:28pm and 1:34pm only three heads have bickered each other, this is your real nature of Khorm People
I can bet your joyous won't be last long. None nation in this world has killed thier own people like your Khorm.
Go a head to bark and bite yours.
4:18 : ENTIRELY AGREE WITH YOU.
As usual, even during that time of joy, khmers know only how to bite each other. No wonder why Thai and vietnamese can do whatever they want with us...
10;31AM: I am totally agree with you with all your point and in deed all these points were raised [between the lines] in what i have written.
The only think i 'm not agree is the action of Sihanouk. He s the one who is opportunist. Here in Cambodia, we did not see him did anything for that matter. Don't forget that he is eating viet pussy everyday and it is himn who supported the vietcong and help to create the khmer rouge.
Without Hun Sen and the CPP (with the backing of yuon of course), be sure that thais would dare to invade cambodia since a long time...
For the CPP, everybody in the party recognise Hun Sen as our leader, other wise, why choose him as the leader? and by the meanwhile, he is the boss, so HS and CPP shall be thanked for their action.
As Hun Sen said, during Sangkum Near Riyum, Sihanouk kill or jailed all the oppsoants.
Today in Cambodia, the situation may be not good, but at least, Cambodia government authorise you speaking like that. Go to other countries in SE asia, there is no freedom to speak or even crtitisize king. So we can say that Cambodia is real democracy. period.
Long live the khmer patriots and death to stupid!
For me I will never vote for CPP.
My family are in CPP and me and my relatives. We are living with adjacent to the Phnom Penh but recently our lands was maniplated by CPP control justice and turn the case to the other opponent of us and we lost the cast without fair trial. CPP clans or crooks with money they grab all kind of valueble lands they want. CPP is not getting my vote and my family and relatives. CPP is going down.
Right now in Phnom Penh everyone is voting for Mr. Sam Rainsy and everyone looking into SRP.
SRP is the savior of Cambodian citizen.
I am surely vote for SRP!!!!
........."Cambodia's original proposal included the overlapping area stretching beyond the stairways towards Thai soil, but Thailand protested".
What the hell is this Thai is talking about? Wrong! Cambodia only includes in its original proposal the white area which is under dispute and does not belong to Thai soil.
Stop bullshitting Cambodia, loser!
The Thaicong news media need to stop spitting out all the garbage how they can still retain the ownership of Khmer Phrea Vihear temple!
There is no room for Thaicong speculation and interpretation on the issue of Khmer Phrea Vihear temple any longer!
The Thaicong news media need to shut the fuck up from now on otherwise the discussion of Khmer Phrea Vihear temple will go on indefinitely!
The Thaicong news media need to shut the fuck up from now on!
The temple belongs to Khmer people in Issan Province, not the monkeys in Cambodia.
Khmer people in Issan Province? That once was a Khmer territory and province, so don't diss on the Khmer people in preah anachak kampuchea. You Khmers in Issan Province show no unity/samaki with the Khmers in the motherland. So, this goes to show that Khmer people need to show loyalty to their identity. One day, the days of the Khmer Empire will return! Mohanokor=Angkor! Cheyo!
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