Saturday October 25, 2008
Bangkok Post
EDITORIAL
When Thailand and Cambodia signed and later ratified the 1997 Ottawa Convention outlawing anti-personnel landmines, both countries joined 154 others in promising to destroy any stockpiles and do everything in their power to rid themselves of the deadly devices within a set deadline. Implicit in this was an understanding that none of the signatories would acquire or lay landmines ever again.
Both countries were believed to be honouring their commitments until, on Oct 6, something went horribly wrong. Two Thai paramilitary rangers from the Suranaree task force stepped on mines and their legs were blown off, while on a routine patrol deep inside Thai territory to the north of Phu Ma Khua in an area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province. The explosion was so powerful that parts of the wounded soldiers were blown up to 5-6 metres into the air.
The Thai Mines Action Centre and other non-governmental organisations identified the culprits as Russian-made PMN2-type landmines which were retrieved and appeared to be new as no rust was found on them. They were also in an area marked as landmine-free and used regularly by villagers to get to their farms as well as by soldiers on patrol. These landmine-free areas were separated from those yet to be cleared by a barbed wire fence and both of the wounded soldiers were outside that fence.
Quite rightly, anger has flared on the diplomatic front. The Foreign Ministry noted that the new mines appeared to have been laid after a brief clash in the area on Oct 3 and called on Cambodian authorities to investigate whether any individual had violated legislation banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. It recalled that the Phnom Penh government had submitted a report to the United Nations secretary-general in 2002 noting that 240 PMN2-type landmines from a total of 3,405 were transferred from its Interior Ministry to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre for development and training. It asked the Cambodian government to verify where the remaining mines were and expressed disappointment and alarm as the mine blasts indicated a violation of the 1997 Ottawa Convention as well as a threat to international peace.
Not so, said Cambodian officials in Phnom Penh. The Hun Sen government denied it had recently planted landmines along the border and said any there "are the remnants of almost three decades of war."
Now a question mark and suspicion cloud the air. If, as Cambodia claims, the two mines in question were not new, why were they not detected in previous sweeps and clearing operations? And if the mine ban treaty is being flouted, what a dreadful omen this would be for mine-clearing operations in the future and joint demarcation of the border. We already have enough trouble with mines strewn along the Burma-Thai border and elephants, their mahouts and villagers being blown up with disturbing regularity. But Burma isn't a signatory of the Ottawa Convention; Cambodia is.
Any weakening of the Mine Ban Treaty increases the threat to the half a million Thais living in 27 provinces along the Cambodian, Lao and Burmese borders who are exposed on a daily basis to death, dismemberment or disability from uncleared mines. Aid agencies say from 30 to 100 people are maimed or killed in these mine-contaminated areas every year.
It would be a terrible betrayal of trust for anyone to lay more of these barbaric devices on our soil after pledging not to. Anti-personnel mines have no place in the civilised world.
Both countries were believed to be honouring their commitments until, on Oct 6, something went horribly wrong. Two Thai paramilitary rangers from the Suranaree task force stepped on mines and their legs were blown off, while on a routine patrol deep inside Thai territory to the north of Phu Ma Khua in an area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province. The explosion was so powerful that parts of the wounded soldiers were blown up to 5-6 metres into the air.
The Thai Mines Action Centre and other non-governmental organisations identified the culprits as Russian-made PMN2-type landmines which were retrieved and appeared to be new as no rust was found on them. They were also in an area marked as landmine-free and used regularly by villagers to get to their farms as well as by soldiers on patrol. These landmine-free areas were separated from those yet to be cleared by a barbed wire fence and both of the wounded soldiers were outside that fence.
Quite rightly, anger has flared on the diplomatic front. The Foreign Ministry noted that the new mines appeared to have been laid after a brief clash in the area on Oct 3 and called on Cambodian authorities to investigate whether any individual had violated legislation banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. It recalled that the Phnom Penh government had submitted a report to the United Nations secretary-general in 2002 noting that 240 PMN2-type landmines from a total of 3,405 were transferred from its Interior Ministry to the Cambodian Mine Action Centre for development and training. It asked the Cambodian government to verify where the remaining mines were and expressed disappointment and alarm as the mine blasts indicated a violation of the 1997 Ottawa Convention as well as a threat to international peace.
Not so, said Cambodian officials in Phnom Penh. The Hun Sen government denied it had recently planted landmines along the border and said any there "are the remnants of almost three decades of war."
Now a question mark and suspicion cloud the air. If, as Cambodia claims, the two mines in question were not new, why were they not detected in previous sweeps and clearing operations? And if the mine ban treaty is being flouted, what a dreadful omen this would be for mine-clearing operations in the future and joint demarcation of the border. We already have enough trouble with mines strewn along the Burma-Thai border and elephants, their mahouts and villagers being blown up with disturbing regularity. But Burma isn't a signatory of the Ottawa Convention; Cambodia is.
Any weakening of the Mine Ban Treaty increases the threat to the half a million Thais living in 27 provinces along the Cambodian, Lao and Burmese borders who are exposed on a daily basis to death, dismemberment or disability from uncleared mines. Aid agencies say from 30 to 100 people are maimed or killed in these mine-contaminated areas every year.
It would be a terrible betrayal of trust for anyone to lay more of these barbaric devices on our soil after pledging not to. Anti-personnel mines have no place in the civilised world.
12 comments:
Bangkok Post is a bias media and source. Don't believe what they said. Ofcourse, it's Thai.
typical Nha Heey
Thai made up to prove that they are good, but bad.
k.serey
How deep the Thai rangers usualy patrol in thai territory? if it was true what Bangkokpost said, Why Thai rangers were so stupid that let foreign soldiers plant mine without knowing? if it was in thailand,Thai authority must be responsible for the Ottawa convention violation. Assume that rangers are smart and cautious on their duty, then the most likely reason is Thai rangers patrolled within Cambodian territoryand stepped on landmineleft from civil war.
Let's me repeat this - The world sees and knows the true color of the Viet/Yuon already.
And now, the world has begun to see and know the true color of the Thai. Enough said?
Passer-by
" Two Thai paramilitary rangers from the Suranaree task force stepped on mines and their legs were blown off, while on a routine patrol deep inside Thai territory to the north of Phu Ma Khua in an area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province."
This sentence make me wonder how this article writer know about the history? or they know but they lie the world? or they use media to provok the situation? they have professional to be journalist or not? Bangkok post is bias media.
Why did they were such stupid and patrolling "deep inside Thai teritory.."? Were there dangers and thieves "deep inside" their land??? How dumb?
Bangkok Post is just another piece of cow dropping, worthless newspaper written base on lie. Those writter mind full of twisted, faulty, poisoneous. They all have no crediability, one side story, reasons pull from the air. A robbers who stepped on Khmer soid fully armed should apology to Khmer and yet they blame the victime.
I agree with you all above. Thai territory??? CRAZY. This Post's message tells us that Thai is a shameful nation that claims all land around it as its. I wish Burma's mines kill them all.
" Two Thai paramilitary rangers from the Suranaree task force stepped on mines and their legs were blown off, while on a routine patrol deep inside Thai territory to the north of Phu Ma Khua in an area adjacent to the Preah Vihear temple in Si Sa Ket province.BANG KOCK POST,Even my dog couldn't buy your story.You go tell that story to yor thai king,will see if he would believe your story.If your thai king buy your story,then he is the dummest king on the planet,and if he can not buy your story then your troops at the border are useless or too busy looking for khmer temple inside cambodian jungle,or maybe they are too busy killing cambodian migrant workers.BANG KOCK POST,I suggest that you should use someone with better knowledge that can find more reasonable story that the world can accept.Personally,I think the two thai rangers did not step on the mines,instead they were planting them inside khmer territories.Unfortunately,they mishandle the land mines and hurt themself due to lack of skill and training.Thailand never admitted that they possess anything that caused a human life,last time they said their troop never use ak47,then we saw them with ak47 at the preah vihear temple.Now they said thailand never used or possess russian made land mine.THAI IS A RACE OF SHAME,LIE,STEAL,KILL,ROBB,CHEAT,ARE A FEW THING THAT THEY PRACTICE FOR EVERYDAY LIFE.
I think, we, cambodian are so nice to thai/siam. They invaded our land and step on landmine, nothing to blame but to blame the real estate owner.
Cambodian authority watch out, Thailand may be trying seek monetary damaged to its own thieves.
By the way those thieves are Khmer long lost identity.
Thai dare nothing with Burma, they step on landmine along burma border, they dare not accused burma, and yet has the gut to say that burmese did not sign the treaty. Open your eyes siam, sign it or not, it made no difference, it killed siams.
Siam you ass will be wipe out from where you are now, if you keep gaining enemies with your neighbors. Plus your southern portion of siam are muslim, and you know that khmer also has muslim population. Everyone stand against you, you will be gone. You need to learn khmer, burmese, and lao if you are not Khmer, Lao, Burmese ethnics.
It's a shame for the already unreliable THAI newspaper Post to have even allowed this article of accuse to be printed as fact. It tells a lot about the creditibility of this newspaper company. The Thai acuse of Cambodia planted new mines is not true and should never take it as such. As everyone should know that the Thai are good at deceiving and exploiting the public for their own greedy foreign policy toward all its neighbors, especially the weak and vulnerable. The problem of Preah Vihear is the Thai problem and they was able to drag Cambodia into it for their own political gain. It is about time that other countries and journalists question this country, this people and this Thai newspapers of their ulterior motive toward its neighnor countries. Thanks and may God bless you!
Post a Comment