Editorial by Khmerization
“While I am exuberant with the victory over Thailand on the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List, I, like many of my compatriots, felt somewhat sad. I am sad because I felt that it is a Pyrrhic victory due to the fact that there is a possibility that Cambodia might lose the ownership of the 4.6 square kilometres to Thailand.”
I would like to begin this editorial with my condemnation to the demand by the Thai locals to forcibly evict Khmer residents in the so-called “disputed area”. Recently, there are disturbing news that the Thai people living in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple complex had pressurised the Thai Army to use force to evict the Cambodians living in the Preah Vihear temple surroundings, but, fortunately for the hapless Cambodian residents, the demand had been rejected by the Thai Army. (Full details click here).
Cambodians of all political persuasions should be outraged by this disturbing news. It is a news that cannot be ignored by the Cambodian authority. The Cambodian government has an obligation to safeguard Cambodia’s territorial integrity and to protect its citizens. So, it is imperative that the Cambodian government recognises the seriousness of this threat and do everything within its power to deter the threat from being carried out. The Cambodian government must also send a strong message to Thailand that the use of force to settle any border disputes will not be tolerated. Cambodia need also to remind Thailand that the border issue in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple had been settled once and for all by the 1907 treaty and again in 1962, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague adjudged to give ownership of the temple and its surrounding areas to Cambodia.
While I am exuberant with the victory over Thailand on the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List, I, like many of my compatriots, felt somewhat sad. I am sad because I felt that it is a Pyrrhic victory due to the fact that there is a possibility that Cambodia might lose the ownership of the 4.6 square kilometres to Thailand. The fact that only the temple proper had been listed and the surrounding areas, including the staircases and the reservoir, had been left out of the listing suggested that Cambodia will face an uphill battle to recover the 4.6 square kilometres claimed as a “disputed zone” by Thailand. As of late, there is a suggestion by the chairman of Thailand’s World Heritage Committee, Mr. Pongpol Adireksan, that the “overlapping area” could be turned into a Thai-Cambodia peace park. Cambodia must not allow itself to be hypnotised by this proposition and it must vehemently resist this idea and fight with veracity to put this so-called “overlapping area” under Cambodia’s sovereignty in accordance with the 1907 treaty and the 1962 ICJ’s verdict.
It is also a disturbing news to hear Mr Francesco Caruso, an advisor to the director general of Unesco, suggesting that the listing of the Preah Vihear temple is not a fait accompli and that it is open for future amendment if contested by Thailand. He went on to say that it could be amended “to a bi-national listing of the temple”. No country on earth, in their rightful mind, should agree to share their territorial lands and surrender their sovereignty to any country. And Thailand will never agree to share its territorial lands with Cambodia. By the same token, Cambodia must never agree to share its territorial lands with Thailand.
In wrapping up this editorial, I would like to opine, as suggested by some political circles in Cambodia, and I concur with their rationale, that Mr. Hun Sen and his government had hidden agenda in agreeing to list only the temple body, by leaving out the surrounding historic sites. There had been a suggestion that Mr. Hun Sen wanted to use the listing of the Preah Vihear temple to campaign for the election and this is the reason that he agreed to list only the temple. Mr Hun Sen’s hidden agenda, if proven to be true, is a treasonous act and is impeachable. Trading Cambodia’s territorial integrity for his own political interests is an unforgivable act of treason that should be condemned in the strongest term by Cambodians from all walks of life. But I will give Mr. Hun Sen the benefit of the doubt and if, in future negotiations, the 4.6 square kilometres fall under Cambodia’s sovereignty, Mr. Hun Sen will be hailed a national hero. I hope the future negotiations on the 4.6 square kilometres will end happily for Cambodia. I hope.
17 comments:
Dear All,
All of your comments are nationalistic and patriotic. No doubt. But, please cease for a moment to think and rethink critically what we have done and we are to do next to resolve the issues troubling Cambodia and Thailand for decades or probably centuries.
I would say the first and foremost priority should be given to setting the history between these two neighbors straight, clear and clean. I REAPEAT: STRAIGTH, CLEAR AND CLEAN. By rectifying any and all of the misunderstandings, confusions, distortions or exaggerations concerning the history between the two countries—historically, territorially, culturally, traditionally, etc—Cambodia will be able to move on, focusing all her time, energy and resources on nothing but developing the country. In so doing, a special task force or a committee should be set up and mandated to address the mentioned issues between Cambodia and Thailand. The committee should be composed of historians and all other earth-, water-, air-, human-related scientists from both countries, including, if possible, assistance of this regard from international community.
The work of this committee will be of paramount significance as it can make the history a true, just and complete one for both countries to learn, accept and honor. I know the work of the committee is one that may not be easy, yet it isn’t one too big or hard to do. At any price, correct history must be written, and it’s a must. Cambodia won’t be able to go nowhere without first having these history-related issues settled between its neighbors.
I don’t know if such a special task force or committee already exists for this purpose. If so, I would want to know the status and progress of its work. And if such a committee did exist, I would greatly appreciate its keeping up its hard and good work for the best interests of the two nations, especially Cambodia.
Thank you,
From PL
Fuck the King Bhumibol Adulyadej!
I want him to suck my balls.
"But I will give Mr. Hun Sen the benefit of the doubt and if, in future negotiations, the 4.6 square kilometres fall under Cambodia’s sovereignty, Mr. Hun Sen will be hailed a national hero. I hope the future negotiations on the 4.6 square kilometres will end happily for Cambodia. I hope".
I don't agree with your above comment. Sihanouk is the hero. we all must hail him. He won brillianly the HAGUE court in 1962 because of his genious fighter.
Because of him Preah Vihear is internationally, legally recognized as our property. He is the only unique hero for this.
Please don't put HUN XEN and SIHANOUK on the same pedestal.
Khmer must submitt again Preah Vihear surroundings to Unesco alone without any negociation with SIAM. We have all the proofs to win with American good lawyers as did SIHANOUK.
why we should negciate with the thief Siam to get our land?
Negociate shows to ennemy our weakness, our vulnerability.
Please, all Khmer, stop call Khmer Temple Preah Vihea "Hindou Temple": it's really a disgrace
For PL comment :
Your comment is non sens, you are not clever then the khmer at 1904 and 1907. The border's problem with Thailand is finished already at those times but YOU, the hun sen's gouvernment who bring back this question. Why is hun sen's gouv. to sing another treaty with Thailand at 2002 ? You do not see that is the problem that re-make by Vietnam's politic ? And now, you crie out that you are very clever, you want STRAIGTH, CLEAR and CLEAN ? STRAIGTH what ? STRAIGTH into Cambodia ! CLEAR what ? CLEAR all khmer propeties ! and CLEAN what ? CLEAN all khmer peoples and the khmer becomes a minority in their own country like Khmer Krom or Lao !
If you are clever, you just do what Cambodia have had (the treaties with thais from 1904-1907) that is enough.
Chetra !
Hun Sen may be not educated man but he knows the history of his country very well. The Khmer Empire existed long time before Siam Kingdom was born.
Thailand and Cambodia should teach their people the history between them to know the facts. If not the hate between them continues.
King Sihanouk won the Preah Vihear and the around area 4.6KM, he did a superb job. Now it is Hun Sen's job.
Can Hun Sen protect what belongs to Cambodia after King Sihanouk won Preah Vihear at ICJ?
If Hun Sen ceded this land 4.6KM to Thailand means he is not a Hero but a traitor.
If some body knows VERY WELL about the history of their own country, they will not make a bad things like hun sen, aren't you ?
chetra
Siam is appeasing its people by threatening Cambodia that it's might lose the land.
So every time that the Siam is raising their voice we just pee in our pants.
In your dream my friends.
They think that treaty sign with France is piece of toilet paper, they should think again. France are very much alive and kicking.
Wake-up Siam the whole world goes round because of treaties between country. If you start invalidating treaty because you feel like it, then you have a problem with the rest of the world.
Whatever paper your king signed with France well just to bad for you but it still in effect.
If the Siam succeed invalidating 1907, they just tell the whole world that France has no credibility at all.
I don't think France is ready to take this insult from the Siam.
When we are weak everyone just wants to step on us flat. Thai lost. If French have no credibility then South Vietnam (KKK) and Koh Trol can be pursued by Khmers rite?
To Chetra,
I'm Khmer student studying abroad and having no political attachment. And all is want is the best for my homeland Cambodia.
I can see where you are coming from. You seem to have jumped into judgment too fast too soon. That was one of the reasons when problems always become worse. You may not have gotten my message.
My friend, what I want to say is that we Khmers already know where we came from historically as a race and as nation. But times and again, history has been altered, modified and at worst falsified by neighboring Thailand that has taught generations after generations of Thai children an untrue history of Cambodia and Thailand. That was because Thais have an identity crisis and want to relate themselves to Khmer ancestors and Khmer Empire.
Thus, if we as Khmers can’t make our own history with Thailand STRAIGHT, CLEAR AND CLEAN, the country and people of Cambodia will always run into future problems with Thailand with regards to land, border, culture, etc. We need to have a complete, correct and clear history, one that will be accepted and honored by both countries otherwise confusions and misunderstandings of various sorts, shapes and sizes may still exist as a consequence of unclear history.
As I said earlier, rectifying the twisted and turned history isn’t easy. But, it isn’t a task too big and too hard to achieve. We want all the history text books to speack the truth, only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the history of Cambodia and Thainland. We must make it clear beyond reasonable doubt so we will be able to move on, progress and prosper as a nation. That’s why a committee comprising experts of historical knowledge and background from both countries will have to work together to put an end to all the misunderstandings surrounding Khmer-Thai history.
I hope you'll get me.
Than you,
From PL
Previous message correction:
........................ And all I want is the best for my homeland Cambodia. Thank you. PL
PL, I agreed with you for your sincerity to bring peace to Cambodia and its neighbor. However, we should remember that Thailand is not a country to easy deal with They have no respect for Cambodia and they will not accept the result unless it is on their behalf. The Cambodian government or the border committees must be careful not to be deceipted by their proposal. Thailand is trying hard to turn the border issue of Preah Vihear for a control over Cambodia tourism and the land along the border. Cambodia must be firm on our demand with the border resolution between France and Thailand in 1907 and the World Court verdict of the land and Preah Vihear in 1962. Anything else is Thailand's manipulation to gain control.
Successfully stealing temple from Khmer People in Issan Province using dirty trick like calling them "Chinese Thai" is no victory.
yes, it is the responsibility of gov't to take care of its citizens' needs. i'm wondering, is thailand threatening cambodia with all these contempt of court on thailand's part. apparently not all their people were educated enough to understand the international laws of the icj verdict. i think cambodia needs to bring to the attention of the icj once more time so they can deal with thailand once and for all. this is what cambodia needs to concentrate our energy with. don't deal directly with thailand as they show they have their own political agenda. only the icj can show them what the law is all about, really. use the icj, when dealing with them. thailand obvious have a superiority syndrome with cambodia and this is good for icj to tell them off. god bless cambodia.
To Chetra 11:29 PM, you have raised the issue of the 1904 and 1907 treaty with Thailand. I am 100% with you. If Thailand and Cambodia go back to revisit and re-examine the 1904, 1907 and 1908 field studies and agreements between these two countries, everything is finished. The Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding areas will be shown located in Cambodia. The fact of the matter is that Thailand wanted to cheat Cambodia out of the lands around Preah Vihear, that's why it summoned the French and Cambodian ambassadors to Thailand a few months ago to protest against them using the 1904, 1907 and 1908 maps by saying that they are "obsolete". "obsolete" or not, this was the only border agreement that Cambodia signed with Thailand, so it is still valid.
You idiot, there was nothing agreed between Thailand and Cambodia, only Thailand and France. But now the French is no longer here, and so as any agreement.
And that goes for the Japanese as well.
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