Sam Campbell
Asia Sentinel (Hong Kong)
Thailand and Cambodia rattle the war drums in an unlikely dispute over a Buddhist oasis of peace
Cambodia is appealing for the United Nations to intervene in the “volatile and tense” standoff over a disputed Buddhist temple on the Thailand-Cambodian border after Thailand refused to withdraw troops and rejected offers of mediation, Cambodian officials say.
The UN’s Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is “closely following the situation” and is “concerned about the current escalation of tensions between the two countries, including the buildup of troops” according to an official UN statement. Ban called for restraint, urging a diplomatic solution.
Both sides have a considerable interest in fanning the flames of a long-running cultural dispute in a region where border disputes have been largely solved—unless political considerations reawaken them. Cambodia is in the throes of preparing for an election on Sunday, with otherwise disheartened opponents of Prime Minister Hun Sen attacking him for his handling of the situation, not to mention his new emphasis on the Cambodian ownership of the 10th century temple, an architectural jewel.
In the meantime, in Bangkok, Thailand’s government, led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, has been beleaguered for months by protesters demanding his ouster. Sovereignty of the Preah Vihear Temple has become a Thai hobbyhorse to power.
Addressing international diplomats, Cambodian VIPs and media Wednesday, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Cambodian attempts to avert the crisis – including urging the withdrawal of troops on both sides of the disputed area, relocating border residents and a market further inside Cambodian territory and to setting up an Asean ministerial group to help resolve the standoff – have all been rejected by Thailand.
“In spite of our maximum restraint, in spite of our spirit of compromise, we have not received a positive response from the other side,” he said. The appeal to the UN was a last resort, Hor Namhong stressed, adding that the situation leaves Cambodia with only two choices: accept Thai occupation of Cambodian territory or to appeal to the UN Security Council. As to the first option, “who can accept that?” he asked.
Thailand seems to be preparing for a fight, he continued, with “thousands of troops, tanks and artillery” massing close to the border. “In the face of an imminent state of war, and a very serious threat to our independence and territorial integrity, we had the obligation to resort to the UN Security Council,” the minister said, adding that a request for an urgent meeting had been submitted Monday. He hoped the Security Council would convene to discuss the temple, known as Preah Viheah, early next week.
The US Ambassador to Cambodia, Joseph Mussomeli, yesterday expressed similar sentiments. “We have suggested to both sides that troops not be augmented. When you have that many young men, with that many weapons, in that close proximity, there’s always a danger of violence,” he told reporters. “We remain hopeful that this thing will be resolved bilaterally. It would be better it this could be resolved in Asean.”
During his address, Hor, the foreign minister, repeatedly referred to Thailand’s obligations under international law and criticized their lack of officially endorsed maps. Cambodia is using maps agreed by the French government and Thailand (then known as Siam) in 1908 and subsequently endorsed by the International Court of Justice in 1962, he said, which that show the temple as being 700 meters inside Cambodian territory.
In contrast, “Thailand drew their own map,” he noted.
Official demarcation was further discussed by Pen Ngoeun, secretary of state for the Council of Ministers, at another press conference yesterday afternoon. Maps based on the 1908 French-Siamese agreement and the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling were passed out, the disputed temple shown clearly inside the Cambodian border with a red dot.
Thai King Chulalongkorn, also known as Rama V, signed off the 1908 agreement, noted Information Minister Khieu Kanharith. The Thais later reneged on the deal, he added, spurring then-King Norodom Sihanouk to bring the dispute before the International Court of Justice in 1962.
The situation at Preah Vihear remains tense.Cambodian soldiers stationed in the disputed area have orders to fire “in self-defense only,” Khieu Kanharith said. However, he warned that “Cambodia is a sovereign state and we need to defend our country.”
Cambodia is appealing for the United Nations to intervene in the “volatile and tense” standoff over a disputed Buddhist temple on the Thailand-Cambodian border after Thailand refused to withdraw troops and rejected offers of mediation, Cambodian officials say.
The UN’s Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, is “closely following the situation” and is “concerned about the current escalation of tensions between the two countries, including the buildup of troops” according to an official UN statement. Ban called for restraint, urging a diplomatic solution.
Both sides have a considerable interest in fanning the flames of a long-running cultural dispute in a region where border disputes have been largely solved—unless political considerations reawaken them. Cambodia is in the throes of preparing for an election on Sunday, with otherwise disheartened opponents of Prime Minister Hun Sen attacking him for his handling of the situation, not to mention his new emphasis on the Cambodian ownership of the 10th century temple, an architectural jewel.
In the meantime, in Bangkok, Thailand’s government, led by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, has been beleaguered for months by protesters demanding his ouster. Sovereignty of the Preah Vihear Temple has become a Thai hobbyhorse to power.
Addressing international diplomats, Cambodian VIPs and media Wednesday, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Cambodian attempts to avert the crisis – including urging the withdrawal of troops on both sides of the disputed area, relocating border residents and a market further inside Cambodian territory and to setting up an Asean ministerial group to help resolve the standoff – have all been rejected by Thailand.
“In spite of our maximum restraint, in spite of our spirit of compromise, we have not received a positive response from the other side,” he said. The appeal to the UN was a last resort, Hor Namhong stressed, adding that the situation leaves Cambodia with only two choices: accept Thai occupation of Cambodian territory or to appeal to the UN Security Council. As to the first option, “who can accept that?” he asked.
Thailand seems to be preparing for a fight, he continued, with “thousands of troops, tanks and artillery” massing close to the border. “In the face of an imminent state of war, and a very serious threat to our independence and territorial integrity, we had the obligation to resort to the UN Security Council,” the minister said, adding that a request for an urgent meeting had been submitted Monday. He hoped the Security Council would convene to discuss the temple, known as Preah Viheah, early next week.
The US Ambassador to Cambodia, Joseph Mussomeli, yesterday expressed similar sentiments. “We have suggested to both sides that troops not be augmented. When you have that many young men, with that many weapons, in that close proximity, there’s always a danger of violence,” he told reporters. “We remain hopeful that this thing will be resolved bilaterally. It would be better it this could be resolved in Asean.”
During his address, Hor, the foreign minister, repeatedly referred to Thailand’s obligations under international law and criticized their lack of officially endorsed maps. Cambodia is using maps agreed by the French government and Thailand (then known as Siam) in 1908 and subsequently endorsed by the International Court of Justice in 1962, he said, which that show the temple as being 700 meters inside Cambodian territory.
In contrast, “Thailand drew their own map,” he noted.
Official demarcation was further discussed by Pen Ngoeun, secretary of state for the Council of Ministers, at another press conference yesterday afternoon. Maps based on the 1908 French-Siamese agreement and the 1962 International Court of Justice ruling were passed out, the disputed temple shown clearly inside the Cambodian border with a red dot.
Thai King Chulalongkorn, also known as Rama V, signed off the 1908 agreement, noted Information Minister Khieu Kanharith. The Thais later reneged on the deal, he added, spurring then-King Norodom Sihanouk to bring the dispute before the International Court of Justice in 1962.
The situation at Preah Vihear remains tense.Cambodian soldiers stationed in the disputed area have orders to fire “in self-defense only,” Khieu Kanharith said. However, he warned that “Cambodia is a sovereign state and we need to defend our country.”
3 comments:
It is unheard of for any country on this planet Earth to have bilateral talk with the aggressor in hoping to find peaceful settlement! So tell all you UN stupid motherfucker, did Kuwaiti people give bilateral talk a chance in finding peaceful settlement with the Iraqi army? Of course not!
If the international community forces Cambodian leaders to have bilateral talk with the Thaicong aggressor then the International community is condoning and rewarding Thaicong aggression and make the door open wider for the Thaicong to commit future aggression on Cambodia!
The international community must not and can not accept any aggression whether it is big or small and international community must send a clear message to the Thaicong government to withdraw their troop from Cambodia before any peaceful bilateral talk can take place! The present of Thaicong military force on Cambodian soil is an act of defiant and the Thaicong government is violating international map, international law, and disrespect international community! For these reasons there is no point for Cambodian leaders to talk, to negotiate, and to discussion the naked Thaicong aggression on Cambodia any longer and it is a waste of time and time is what Cambodia doesn’t have!
Right now the Thaicong-Cambodian conflict is very small and manageable and the UN has a greater chance of success in solving it by acting now without delay! But once the bullets and the bombs start to fly and there is no point of return and the war can't be stop and that why Cambodian leaders still insist on third party (super powers, UN, and International community) intervention! Otherwise there is no reason for Cambodia to have bilateral talk because the Thaicong government doesn't even respect international map, international law and international community!
Cambodian leaders must draw a line on the sand and say no to Thaicong aggression!
NO TALK, NO DISCUSSION, AND NO NEGOTIATION AND NO TO NAKED AGGRESSION!
Let's evacuate our embassy from Thailand and let's test our courage against the black clad thais. Let's fight.
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