November 5, 2008 A. Gaffar Peang-Meth
Pacific Daily News (Guam)
It takes two to make a quarrel and two to find a solution. As we see and do things differently, conflict cannot be avoided, but "we are able to manage and solve it by using necessary skills," asserts Cambodia's Youth Resource Development Program, a non-governmental organization. Maybe one of its cost-free courses, Conflict Resolution, should be mandatory in Cambodia's educational system!
It has been said that heaven ordained Cambodians, Thais and Vietnamese to live side by side until the end of time. They cannot move their respective countries elsewhere, but they have a choice: live harmoniously as neighbors or hurt one another as enemies.
Sadly, they have fought over land ownership throughout history. Nationalists from the three lands have displayed incredible eagerness to make "supreme sacrifices" to fight the transgressors -- the "bad" guys on the other side of the border. It's the "we, us, ours" versus "they, them, theirs" problem in human nature. Nationalist leaders have seized opportunities to incite the ready, able and willing in the name of the flag against their neighbors, and it has taken little provocation for the sentiment to be returned.
But beware, today's heroism may be tomorrow's foolishness, as memories fade, human thinking evolves, events are rewritten and brave heroes' names lost in a pile.
Some readers in Cambodia enlightened me after my column, "Soldiers' deaths could've been prevented." Oh, no, war deaths could not have been prevented. Premier Hun Sen, who threatened a "life-and-death battle" and a "death zone," was "right" to play hard ball with the Thais. Would the loved ones of the three Cambodian soldiers, and one Thai, who were killed on Oct. 15 agree?
If, from the cradle to the grave, man lives in the midst of politics, and if war remains an instrument political leaders will use for a political end, there are worries for the future of the three peoples condemned by destiny to be neighbors.
Who would find disagreement with the July 7 decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to inscribe the 9th century Preah Vihear ruins as a World Heritage site?
The Temple, built by Khmer kings, is viewed by both Thais and Cambodians to hold "outstanding universal value." It was awarded in 1962 to Cambodia by a 9 to 3 verdict of the International Court of Justice, which also voted 7 to 5 for Thailand to return to Cambodia antiquities it had removed.
UNESCO's decision brought military tensions that broke out in armed fighting. On the one hand, there is Thailand's five-month-old street protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy that seeks to bring down the Somchai Wongsawat government, elected by the rural and urban poor but opposed by Bangkok's powerful elites. PAD accused Wongsawat of surrendering Thai sovereignty to Cambodia. To show it wasn't so, Wongsawat beefed up Thai forces at the border.
On the other hand, the Thai troop buildup was opportune for Cambodian Premier Sen, who wanted votes in the July 27 national elections. His "death zone" talk showed an uncompromising strongman fighting to protect the Khmer heritage. Cambodians rushed to the colors and gave Sen their votes to rule as well.
The Khmer Empire once encompassed current Thailand to the west, the whole of Laos to the north, the former South Vietnam to the east, and a portion of Malaysia to the south. Today, the 181,035 square kilometers called Cambodia is all that's left of the Empire.
So, up to 1,000 armed men dug in and eyeballed one another. The first armed clash of Oct. 3 resulted in injured soldiers. On Oct. 15, the fighting broke out in different locations. Yet, both Sen and Wongsawat are aware that a war between their forces is a no-win for them. Except Sen knows and executes his game plan better than Wongsawat.
Sen's twist-and-turn maneuver saw Sen first wanting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore involved. Then he made noises about taking the matter to the United Nations Security Council. On Oct. 17, Sen changed tactics, dubbed the fighting "a minor armed clash," and assured, "People should understand that there won't be any large-scale war."
On Oct. 24, Sen met with Wongsawat in Beijing. They agreed to avoid future conflict and maintain peace. At the border, their generals met for the 11th time and vowed "utmost restraint" to avoid future fighting. Continued bilateral talks are planned for Nov. 10.
Meanwhile, Sen's military recruitment process has added some 3,000 "volunteers" to troops at the border. And, despite foreign donors' concerns over Cambodia's increasing military expenditure, the Sen administration seeks legislative approval for a 2009 budget of $2 billion, an increase of 28 percent from last year, with an increase of almost 70 percent in a military budget that totals $500 million.
Yet the areas of health care, education, rural development, agriculture, women's affairs and social affairs are budgeted for an increase of about 5 percent.
What's wrong with this picture of Hun Sen's Cambodia?
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years.
It has been said that heaven ordained Cambodians, Thais and Vietnamese to live side by side until the end of time. They cannot move their respective countries elsewhere, but they have a choice: live harmoniously as neighbors or hurt one another as enemies.
Sadly, they have fought over land ownership throughout history. Nationalists from the three lands have displayed incredible eagerness to make "supreme sacrifices" to fight the transgressors -- the "bad" guys on the other side of the border. It's the "we, us, ours" versus "they, them, theirs" problem in human nature. Nationalist leaders have seized opportunities to incite the ready, able and willing in the name of the flag against their neighbors, and it has taken little provocation for the sentiment to be returned.
But beware, today's heroism may be tomorrow's foolishness, as memories fade, human thinking evolves, events are rewritten and brave heroes' names lost in a pile.
Some readers in Cambodia enlightened me after my column, "Soldiers' deaths could've been prevented." Oh, no, war deaths could not have been prevented. Premier Hun Sen, who threatened a "life-and-death battle" and a "death zone," was "right" to play hard ball with the Thais. Would the loved ones of the three Cambodian soldiers, and one Thai, who were killed on Oct. 15 agree?
If, from the cradle to the grave, man lives in the midst of politics, and if war remains an instrument political leaders will use for a political end, there are worries for the future of the three peoples condemned by destiny to be neighbors.
Who would find disagreement with the July 7 decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to inscribe the 9th century Preah Vihear ruins as a World Heritage site?
The Temple, built by Khmer kings, is viewed by both Thais and Cambodians to hold "outstanding universal value." It was awarded in 1962 to Cambodia by a 9 to 3 verdict of the International Court of Justice, which also voted 7 to 5 for Thailand to return to Cambodia antiquities it had removed.
UNESCO's decision brought military tensions that broke out in armed fighting. On the one hand, there is Thailand's five-month-old street protest by the People's Alliance for Democracy that seeks to bring down the Somchai Wongsawat government, elected by the rural and urban poor but opposed by Bangkok's powerful elites. PAD accused Wongsawat of surrendering Thai sovereignty to Cambodia. To show it wasn't so, Wongsawat beefed up Thai forces at the border.
On the other hand, the Thai troop buildup was opportune for Cambodian Premier Sen, who wanted votes in the July 27 national elections. His "death zone" talk showed an uncompromising strongman fighting to protect the Khmer heritage. Cambodians rushed to the colors and gave Sen their votes to rule as well.
The Khmer Empire once encompassed current Thailand to the west, the whole of Laos to the north, the former South Vietnam to the east, and a portion of Malaysia to the south. Today, the 181,035 square kilometers called Cambodia is all that's left of the Empire.
So, up to 1,000 armed men dug in and eyeballed one another. The first armed clash of Oct. 3 resulted in injured soldiers. On Oct. 15, the fighting broke out in different locations. Yet, both Sen and Wongsawat are aware that a war between their forces is a no-win for them. Except Sen knows and executes his game plan better than Wongsawat.
Sen's twist-and-turn maneuver saw Sen first wanting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore involved. Then he made noises about taking the matter to the United Nations Security Council. On Oct. 17, Sen changed tactics, dubbed the fighting "a minor armed clash," and assured, "People should understand that there won't be any large-scale war."
On Oct. 24, Sen met with Wongsawat in Beijing. They agreed to avoid future conflict and maintain peace. At the border, their generals met for the 11th time and vowed "utmost restraint" to avoid future fighting. Continued bilateral talks are planned for Nov. 10.
Meanwhile, Sen's military recruitment process has added some 3,000 "volunteers" to troops at the border. And, despite foreign donors' concerns over Cambodia's increasing military expenditure, the Sen administration seeks legislative approval for a 2009 budget of $2 billion, an increase of 28 percent from last year, with an increase of almost 70 percent in a military budget that totals $500 million.
Yet the areas of health care, education, rural development, agriculture, women's affairs and social affairs are budgeted for an increase of about 5 percent.
What's wrong with this picture of Hun Sen's Cambodia?
A. Gaffar Peang-Meth, Ph.D., is retired from the University of Guam, where he taught political science for 13 years.
14 comments:
If we don't build our military we cease to exist, the two neighbors wants our land. Wake up, this is not rocket science.
good idea to have a "conflict resolution course integrated into the education system of all of these countries so they all can learn to live side by side and get along together with respect for each others' rights.
Bull shit, build up military is not going to work.
Cambodia doesn’t have any modern weapon, are you going
to use people to blocking the missile?
I believe Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth comments is correct.
I guess you have to buy those modern weapons and train the soldiers. No? Do you think the solution is to try to reason with the Yuon and Siem that want to swallow Cambodia. Are we living on the same planet?
To 2:08AM
Hey! Give me $500 million dollars and I can buy the best modern weapon in the world! And not just buy but can create the weapon system from scratch!
Anything you want in the world and you can have it as long as you have money! Just remember everybody have a price including you!
=======================
If the Siam leaders are so foolish to destroy million and billion of dollars of Chinese, Malaysian, Korean, Vietnamese... investment in Cambodia without any repercussion and they are one daring crazy mother fucker! In today world, Cambodia is not interconnected than before!
Nobody is stopping the Siam from invading Cambodia and in fact I want the Siam to invade Cambodia so that they can learn their lesson!
Definitely Cambodia needs to rebuild its military. We need to defend our land.
As we can see, Siam and Youn always have the ambition to take khmer lands (even under french colonial).
As the thieve can use the economic insterest to stop the intervention of the international community in case of confict, Cambodia must be able to protect itself.
So I am agree to increase the military budget.
Increase military spending is another trick.
The government didnt show how they spend or the budget guideline to the National Assembly. H.S may use it for his personal bodyguards or his dogs to bite Khmer people as he did many times ago.
Increasing gains success? No, however we increase, we are still inferior to Siam. They are richer. Without International Intervention, we will never win.
In a word, it is H.S trick to increase military spending.
Yes 5:49 AM, you are perfectly right. I can not understand
People above they let Hun Sen fool them easily.
Yuon is not that smart. They talk big, because they are small.
Singapore is very small country but they are ordering SG-1 for AIRFORCE why not Cambodia. If you have a very nice house but there is no strong fence. Will your nice house can remain for last long? We are supposing not using force for protecting our country but in deplomacy way. However, we should have both sides for making sure that we are capable enough on protecting our land/country.
please dont put your picture!!! OK? your text is ok.
Dr. Gaffar Peang-Meth,
Highly appraciate and I totally agreed to most of your comments.
As a Cambodian, I might be politically fooled by this border issue. However the good thing about this is, it is at least the issue is made known to people unlike the boder deal with Viet.
My personal view is, Cambodia unlike Thailand, plays this politically provoked-border conflict at a "loss" or a "break-event" at the most. This is the responsibility of Hun Sen and his entire gangs.
The two countries is the victim of this political game set up by a handfull of their respective leaders just because to strengthen their power.
I have no other choice but to do with all means to defend the country though I know that the "win" will benefit Hun Sen the most. On contrary I can not afford the "loss" anyway.
I, kind of forcing myself to support Hun Sen's maneuver, the so-call self-defend at the moment. But I hope that the issue will be calmed down at regional or international level. So that to put a "complete stop" to all leaders of these two countries to stop further shedding their own people blood.
Cambodia's prime minister called friday for more talks with Thailand after a deadly armed clash raised fears the two neighbors were headed for a full scale war over a patch of disputed land along their border.Thai army spokesman col. Sansern kaewkumnerd said military officials from the two sides agreed thursday to hold joint patrols to reduce tension and the chances of another clash.
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kesha
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