By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
18 February 2010
Thai officials should seek clarification from the International Court of Justice if they believe a 1962 judgment does not explain the boundaries between the two countries, Cambodia’s top border negotiator said.
Thai officials have been quoted in the media saying the 1962 judgment of the court awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, but did not address adjacent land.
However, Var Kimhong, head of the Cambodian Border Committee, said the court used a map that was agreed on by both sides at the time to reach its decision—that the 11-th Century Hindu temple belonged to Cambodia and that Thai forces would have to vacate it.
In its judgment, the court cited a map from a French survey conducted in the early 1900s, which delineated the frontier between Cambodia, then under French protection, and Thailand, then called Siam. The border was to follow the watershed of the Dangrek mountains, except where it circumvented Preah Vihear temple, which sits on a high escarpment overlooking the Cambodian plains.
Thailand has since claimed it does not recognized the survey map and subsequent 1904 and 1909 border agreements and has laid claim to a small strip of land west of Preah Vihear temple, land that is also claimed by Cambodia.
The 4.6-kilometer area is now in the middle of a longstanding military standoff that has left eight soldiers dead and created a tense build-up of forces between the neighbors. The dispute was sparked by the addition of Preah Vihear temple to Unesco’s World Heritage list, under Cambodian jurisdiction, in July 2008.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said recently he may seek an international solution if the two sides cannot diffuse the situation alone. Multiple rounds of bilateral talks have so far failed.
Meanwhile, Thailand should submit evidence or arguments over the disputed area rather than act outside the World Court decision, Var Kimhong said.
He blamed internal politics in Thailand, which has been shaken by instability in recent years, as the cause behind the intractability of the dispute.
Thai officials have said they believe the problem will be solved at an upcoming Unesco meeting in Brazil in July.
Thai officials have been quoted in the media saying the 1962 judgment of the court awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia, but did not address adjacent land.
However, Var Kimhong, head of the Cambodian Border Committee, said the court used a map that was agreed on by both sides at the time to reach its decision—that the 11-th Century Hindu temple belonged to Cambodia and that Thai forces would have to vacate it.
In its judgment, the court cited a map from a French survey conducted in the early 1900s, which delineated the frontier between Cambodia, then under French protection, and Thailand, then called Siam. The border was to follow the watershed of the Dangrek mountains, except where it circumvented Preah Vihear temple, which sits on a high escarpment overlooking the Cambodian plains.
Thailand has since claimed it does not recognized the survey map and subsequent 1904 and 1909 border agreements and has laid claim to a small strip of land west of Preah Vihear temple, land that is also claimed by Cambodia.
The 4.6-kilometer area is now in the middle of a longstanding military standoff that has left eight soldiers dead and created a tense build-up of forces between the neighbors. The dispute was sparked by the addition of Preah Vihear temple to Unesco’s World Heritage list, under Cambodian jurisdiction, in July 2008.
Prime Minister Hun Sen said recently he may seek an international solution if the two sides cannot diffuse the situation alone. Multiple rounds of bilateral talks have so far failed.
Meanwhile, Thailand should submit evidence or arguments over the disputed area rather than act outside the World Court decision, Var Kimhong said.
He blamed internal politics in Thailand, which has been shaken by instability in recent years, as the cause behind the intractability of the dispute.
Thai officials have said they believe the problem will be solved at an upcoming Unesco meeting in Brazil in July.
10 comments:
yes! let siem pad thugs deal with the icj for verification, etc... they are obviously showed contempt of court which is a crime in itself!
Cambodian government should seek clarification to support our stance with Thailand.
Thailand is just a sore loser who would change the rules fit their claiming. But the UN is not stupid, they are the world institution and they would let their name stained by Thais.
PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR BROTHER, SISTER, RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND ALL KHMERS TO STAND UP IF YOU WANT TO HAVE CAMBODIA MOVING TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. LET HAVE MORE THAN MILLIONS KHMERS TO KICK HUN SEN'S REGIME OUT OF POWER SO WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENT. PEOPLES POWER THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVAIL. WAKE UP KHMERS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. DON'T LET Communist People Party ( CPP ) ruling the rest of your life.
Take matter to ASEAN FM meeting in upcoming schedule per its charter provision.
Indonesia was one of the Paris Peace Accord sponsors and ASEAN member as well.
Then same time Cambodia stipulates its intent to elevate the case to ICJ attention via UN Security Council.Meantime,it should form an impartial team of border experts other than Ong nhu Hoa Kim Hoang office.
God prediction:
1) Bangkok will be collapsed (political instability in the southern of thailand, the new movement of people in the northern of thailand, a surge of red T-shirt groups and against with the yellow T-shirt groups and a prediction of thai professor regarding the earthquake that will be happened in thai soon at Bangkok city etc...)
2) Phnom Penh was dissolved (already happened during 1975 - 1979: every thing gone).
3) Saigon (Preynokor in khmer name) of south vietnam destroyed (already happened from 30 April 1975 by occupation of vietcong/north vietnam and changed the Saigon city name to be Hochi Minh city).
4) Happiness in Angkor Watt (ongoing developing).
ឥន្ទទំនាយ
១)បាងកករលំៈអស្ថេរភាពនយោបាយនៅក្នុងប្រទេសវានឹងធ្វើឲបាងកករលំក្នុងពេលដ៏ឆាប់ខាងមុខមិនខានដោយហេតុថាមានបះបោរក្នុងខេត្តខ្លះនៅភាគខាងត្បូងប្រទេសដោយជនជាតិដើមមូស្លឹមម្ចាស់ដីការវឹកវរនយោបាយចេញពីជំលោះរវាងក្រុមអាវក្រហមនិងក្រអាវលឿងមានការស្នើរឲមានស្វ័យតភាពខេត្តបះបោរនៅភាគខាងត្បូងពីលោកឆាវលីតឆុងឆៃយុទ្ធប្រធានគណៈបក្សភឿថៃប្រជាជនជាតិដើមនៅខេត្តខ្លះភាគខាងជើងដូចជាឈៀងម៉ៃឈៀរៃ។ល។កំពុងតែមានការងើបប្រឆាំងនឹងរដ្ឋាភិបាលបច្ចុប្បន្ន។
២)ភ្នំពេញរលាយៈរលាយរួចហើយពីឆ្នាំ១៩៧៥ដល់១៩៧៩ដោយពួកខ្មែរក្រហម។
៣)ព្រៃនគរខ្ចាត់ខ្ចាយៈខ្ចាត់ខ្ចាយរួចហើយនៅឆ្នាំ១៩៧៥ថ្ងៃ៣០ខែមេសា១៩៧៥ដោយពួកយួនកុម្មុនិស្ត(យួនខាងជើង)វាយបណ្តេញយួនសេរីធៀវគីអាមេរីកាំង(យួនខាងត្បូង)ហើយប្រែឈ្មោះទីក្រុងព្រៃនគរទៅជាទីក្រុងហូជីមីញវិញ។
៤)សប្បាយអង្គរវត្តៈទីក្រុងសៀមរាបអង្គរនៃប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកំពុងតែអភិវឌ្ឍន៏។
THE THAI CONTINUED AGGRESSION AND DISTORTIONS OF A KHMER PREAH VIHEAR TEMPLE
การดำเนินต่อไปในการรุกรานและการบิดเบือนของประเทศไทยถึงปราสาทเขาพระวิหารของเขมร
Forty-eight years after the International Court of Justice rendered its decision regarding Preah Vihear Temple on June 15, 1962, Thailand continues to blindly disobey the world court's decision and distort the truth in an attempt regain the Khmer cultural heritage as belonging to Thailand. Thailand had 10 years to appeal the case up to 1972. Since 1962 up to the present, the Thai government had no new evidence to contest the case. It went dormant for 40 years until Cambodia initially tried to apply for a UNESCO World Heritage status on June 28, 2002 in Budapest, Hungary. Thailand wanted to be a joint applicant for the listing of Preah Vihear temple, an idea Cambodia adamantly could not accept. To do so would be like sharing one’s wife with a neighbor. On July 8, 2008, the World Heritage Committee at the 32nd session of the Committee in Quebec City, Canada, decided to add Prasat Preah Vihear as "Outstanding Universal Value", along with 26 other sites, to the World Heritage Site list, despite several protests from Thailand. Since then, the Abhisit government continues to oppose and undermine the listing.
The Cambodia-Thailand border had been clearly defined in the Franco-Siamese treaties of 1904-07 as noted in the Annex I map. There is no border dispute or overlapping 4.6 km2 areas or other grey areas along 803-mile long border between the two kingdoms. Many Thai newspapers and broadcasting media intentionally distort the facts that the court ruled only the temple as belonging to Cambodia but not the adjacent land. The Abhisit government even told the press that the world court ruled only the stone temple, but not the land beneath the temple or adjacent land. This is an erroneous idea and simply NOT true per ICJ verdict of June 15,1962.
Thai media also distorted the fact that Preah Vihear temple is a Hindu temple instead of a Khmer Buddhist temple. The Preah Vihear temple was built in 9th century and into 10th century A.D by Khmer King Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II and it was dedicated to Hindu god Shiva and his manifestations as the mountain gods Sikharesvara and Bhadresvara, As Hinduism declined in the region, it was gradually converted to use by Buddhists in the 12th century A.D. In essence, the temple became a Buddhist shine on top of 525 m cliff for over eight hundred years. Bear in mind that the first Thai kingdom of Sukhothai was established around (1238 till 1438), some three hundred years later. The reasoning behind the Thai media to use the term ‘Hindu temple’ instead of a ‘Khmer Buddhist temple’ is obvious. It would give the Thais a chance to claim something that is not theirs.
---Khmer Surin
(continues)
Under the Samak administration, Thailand confirmed its decision, as expressed at the 31st Session of the World Heritage Committee held in Christchurch (New Zealand, 23 June to 2 July 2007), to support the inscription of the Sacred Site of the Temple of Preah Vihear. In doing so, Thailand had hope that the adjacent land is still under Thai jurisdiction. During Samak Sundaravej’s first state visit to Phnom Penh on 3 and 4 March 2008 at the invitation of Prime Minister Hun Sen. A month later, the Thai delegation led by foreign minister Noppadon Pattama, in the presence of a number of UNESCO eminent members, led by the Deputy Director General of UNESCO for Culture, Mrs. Françoise Rivere reviewed the joint communiqué for the inscription of Preah Vihear temple. The Kingdom of Thailand reconfirmed its support for the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear on the World Heritage List at the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee which was held in Quebec, Canada in July 2008. For it part, the Kingdom of Cambodia, in a spririt of goodwill and conciliation, accepted to inscribe the Temple of Preah Vihear on the List of the World Heritage, at this stage, without a buffer zone on the north and west of the Temple. Although this was done under Thai pressure, it does not mean that the adjacent land belongs to Thailand. After Samak was dethroned due to a cooking show, Abhisit Vejjajiva took the PM office and continue to use Cambodian Preah Vihear temple to stir national sentiments against Cambodia in an effort to secure his undemocratic Prime Ministerial seat. War of words between Abhisit and Hun Sen intensified and relations with Cambodia became sour. Both countries recalled ambassadors to its respective countries. Many countries considered Abhisit as overreacting over ‘Thaksin’ as advisor to the Royal Government of Cambodia and his insistence on Cambodia to extradite Thaksin back to Thailand. Cambodia considered this as a double standard, while Thaksin enjoyed his stay in Dubai, Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, etc. without any problem. Thailand accused Cambodia of disrespecting its law, while Thailand on the other hand, never respected any international law since 1962! This, without doubts, undermines Thailand credibility in the world.
It’s a mistake for the Royal Government of Cambodia not to take the Thai invasion of Preah Vihear to the World Court or UN Security Council. This should have done the first day whenThai troops invaded Cambodia on July 15, 2008. Prolonging the Thai illegal occupation of Cambodian land creates a misconception in the world that there is a border dispute between the two counties; which in fact, there is none and was final 48 years ago. Cambodia has a long close relationship with China, France, and Russia as her allies. All are permanent members of the UN and if necessary will assist Cambodia in the legal battle against the naked Thai aggression.
---Khmer Surin
thank god these historical data were distributed all over the world for safe keeping and for study. imagine if they were store in thailand, the siem pad thugs would probably destroy all evidence, given they always wanted to steal from cambodia, like they don't get enough already of khmer things! shame on them!
Democratic Kampuchea Pol Pot Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Pol Pot
Nuon Chea
Ieng Sary
Ta Mok
Khieu Samphan
Son Sen
Ieng Thearith
Kaing Kek Iev
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Tortures
Brutality
Executions
Massacres
Mass Murder
Genocide
Atrocities
Crimes Against Humanity
Starvations
Slavery
Force Labour
Overwork to Death
Human Abuses
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime
Members:
Hun Sen
Chea Sim
Heng Samrin
Hor Namhong
Keat Chhon
Ouk Bunchhoeun
Sim Ka...
Committed:
Attempted Murders
Attempted Murder on Chea Vichea
Attempted Assassinations
Attempted Assassination on Sam Rainsy
Assassinations
Assassinated Journalists
Assassinated Political Opponents
Assassinated Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Assassinated over 80 members of Sam Rainsy Party.
"But as of today, over eighty members of my party have been assassinated. Countless others have been injured, arrested, jailed, or forced to go into hiding or into exile."
Sam Rainsy LIC 31 October 2009 - Cairo, Egypt
Executions
Executed over 100 members of FUNCINPEC Party
Murders
Murdered 3 Leaders of the Free Trade Union
Murdered Chea Vichea
Murdered Ros Sovannareth
Murdered Hy Vuthy
Murdered Journalists
Murdered Khim Sambo
Murdered Khim Sambo's son
Murdered members of Sam Rainsy Party.
Murdered activists of Sam Rainsy Party
Murdered Innocent Men
Murdered Innocent Women
Murdered Innocent Children
Killed Innocent Khmer Peoples.
Extrajudicial Execution
Grenade Attack
Terrorism
Drive by Shooting
Brutalities
Police Brutality Against Monks
Police Brutality Against Evictees
Tortures
Intimidations
Death Threats
Threatening
Human Abductions
Human Abuses
Human Rights Abuses
Human Trafficking
Drugs Trafficking
Under Age Child Sex
Corruptions
Bribery
Embezzlement
Treason
Border Encroachment, allow Vietnam to encroaching into Cambodia.
Signed away our territories to Vietnam; Koh Tral, almost half of our ocean territory oil field and others.
Illegal Arrest
Illegal Mass Evictions
Illegal Land Grabbing
Illegal Firearms
Illegal Logging
Illegal Deforestation
Illegally use of remote detonation on Sokha Helicopter, while Hok Lundy and other military officials were on board.
Illegally Sold State Properties
Illegally Removed Parliamentary Immunity of Parliament Members
Plunder National Resources
Acid Attacks
Turn Cambodia into a Lawless Country.
Oppression
Injustice
Steal Votes
Bring Foreigners from Veitnam to vote in Cambodia for Cambodian People's Party.
Use Dead people's names to vote for Cambodian People's Party.
Disqualified potential Sam Rainsy Party's voters.
Abuse the Court as a tools for CPP to send political opponents and journalists to jail.
Abuse of Power
Abuse the Laws
Abuse the National Election Committee
Abuse the National Assembly
Violate the Laws
Violate the Constitution
Violate the Paris Accords
Impunity
Persecution
Unlawful Detention
Death in custody.
Under the Cambodian People's Party Hun Sen Khmer Rouge Regime, no criminals that has been committed crimes against journalists, political opponents, leaders of the Free Trade Union, innocent men, women and children have ever been brought to justice.
Everyone needs to watch this video and tell Thai to shut the fuck up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMNfkFg3WsI
.
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