Op-Ed by Davan Long
Once again the friction between Cambodia and Thailand has reached a flash point that war can potentially erupt any time as a result of a false maneuver or slightest misunderstanding. Despite of such perilous situation, both sides show no sign of backing down, instead opt to flex their muscles through exchanges of war rhetoric, military exercises and troop reinforcements.
From the Cambodian perspective, the ongoing friction between the two countries is a result of a smear campaign of intimidation by Thai radical groups to gain political grounds at home, and PM Abhisit government’s lack of commitment to clamp down on those radical groups. As long as these two conditions persist, war between the two countries will be inevitable.
Cambodian public believes its government has been very accommodating vis-à-vis the Thai counterpart. In deed, the Cambodian government has so far exercised utmost restraint by not requesting the UN to intervene. Thailand has insisted that the issue be addressed at the bilateral level, and in the spirit of promoting friendly neighborhood, Cambodia has agreed to it, at least up to now.
On the other hand, PM Abhisit government’s questionable approach to the issue has perplexed many Cambodians at home and abroad. If Thai incumbent government deems that the Cambodian counterpart is acting outside the framework of legitimate self-defense or contrary to the relevant UN charters, then why not pursuing the matter with the International Court of Justice or other appropriate UN bodies. Cambodia will genuinely and unreservedly abide by the international rulings, and challenges Thailand to do the same.
Thailand is very fortunate that she has not had a war for a long time. Perhaps too long that some Thai ultranationalist or radical groups don’t fully realize what it means to be at war. For Cambodia, war is synonym for collateral damage, human tragedy and mass destruction. Most Cambodians have seen it, lived through it and definitely don’t want to go through another one. That being the case, there should be no doubt to anyone that Cambodians will resolutely stand ready to face the challenge, should a war be imposed on them.
In the interest of both nations, Cambodians are cautiously optimistic that the current political hazard in Thailand will be trumped by the voice of reason, which will put an end to this prolonged and unwarranted friction, and foster a new era of genuine cooperation between the two countries.
Fellow Khmer
(Davan Long)
23 comments:
សេចក្តីថ្លែងការណ៍របស់ក្រសួងការបរទេស ករណីទង់ជាតិកម្ពុជាដែលប្រាកដនៅលើ “វត្តកែវសិក្ខាគិវីស្វារៈ”
៣១ មករា ២៥៥៤ (២០១១) ១៧:៤២:១៨
តាមដែលក្រសួងការបរទេល និងសហប្រតិបត្តិការអន្តរជាតិនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជាដែលមានសេចក្តីប្រកាល
ចុះថ្ងៃទី ២៨ ខែមករា ឆ្នាំ ២០១១ ទាក់ទងនឹងទង់កម្ពុចាដែលប្រាកដនៅលើ “វត្តកែវសិក្ខាគិវីស្វារៈ” នោះសូងការបរទេស (ថ្ងៃ) សួមថ្លែង ដូចតទៅនេះ
១. តាមអនុស្សារណៈនៃការយោគយល់គ្នារវាងរដ្ឋាភិបាលនៃរាជអាណាចក្រថៃ ជាមួយរដ្ឋាភិបាលនៃព្រះវាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុចា ថាដោយការរៀបចំពិនិត្យ និងកំណត់ព្រំដែនដីគោកឆ្នាំ ២០០០ ងនុសញ្ញា និងសន្ធិសញ្ញារវាងសៀម និងបារាំង ឆ្នាំ ១៩០៤ និង ១៩០៧ និងសារដទៃទៀតទាក់ទងនឹងការអនុវត្តប្រើសញ្ញាទាំងពីរច្បាប់ រាប់ថាជាឯកសារខាងផ្លូវច្បាប់ ដែលទាក់ទិននឹងការកំណត់ព្រំដែន ហេតុដូចនេះ ប្រទេសថៃទើបមិនព្រមទទូលស្គាល់ការអះអាងរបស់កម្ពុជាថាផេនទី ១ លើ ២០០.០០០ ជាឯកសារដែលកំណត់ព្រំដែននោះទេ។
២. កម្ពុជាបានទទួលស្គាល់នៅក្នុងសេចក្តីប្រកាសទាំងនោះថា សេចក្តីម្រេចរបស់តុលាការយុត្តិធម៌អន្តរជាតិ កាលពីឆ្នាំ ១៩៦២ មិនបានកាត់សេចក្តីលើមន្ទាត់ព្រំដែនរវាងប្រទេសថៃ និងកម្ពុជា ។
៣. ប្រទេសថៃអះអាងថា “វត្តកែវសិក្ខាគិរីស្វារៈ” តាំងនៅក្នុងអាណាខេត្តថៃ និងស្នើឲ្យប្រទេសកម្ពុជារុះរើវត្តកែវ
(សិក្ខាគិវីស្វារៈ) និងដកទង់ជាតិដែលដាក់នៅលើវត្តកែវ ។ សំណើនេះគីជាការធ្វើទើ្បងដដែលៗ ដែលបានធ្វើការទាមទារជាច្រើនលើកមកហើយ របសើថៃទាក់ទងនឹងពិធីនានានៅក្នុងវត្តកែវ និងបរិវេណជុំវិញ ដែលសុទ្ធសឹងជាការរំលោភអធិបតេយ្យ និងបួរណភាពនៃដែនដីរាជអាណាចក្រថៃ ។
៤. ក្រសួងការរបរទេសអះអាងជាថ្មីចំពោះឆន្ទៈរបស់ថៃដែលនឹងដោះស្រាយបញ្ហាខេត្តដែនជាមួយកម្ពុជាតាមច្បាប់អន្តរជាតិដោយសន្តិវិធី ក្រោមនីតិវិធីរបសើគណៈកម្មការព្រំដែនរួមថៃ-កម្តុជា។ ការកំណត់ព្រំដែនបរិវេណប្រាសាទព្រះវិហារ កំពុងស្ថិតនៅក្នុងការចរចាក្រោមនិតិវិធីនៃគណៈកម្មការនេះ៕
Khmers know war too well but will not shy from defending itself. The colateral damage would weigh heavily on the thai side as it will affect their economiy. As a war with thailand will penetrate straight into the heart of bangkok. The khmers will arm the south. Chaos reign and all sides inflict heavy loss and all over a piece of land that was already ruled as cambodian territory.
SenVerman ain't go to war, therefore he ain't go to UN. Does he simply love Cambodia and Cambodians? No, he ain't!
Why don't we (Cambodian) just go to war to solve this matter, it seem like nothing else will work. This resolution of talking doesn't work, cause every few months or years the matter pop ip again.
ThaiLand is doing the right things.
As long as Cambodia has VIOLATED the 23 October 1991 peace Agreement
Thailand has the rights to do so...
If Vietnam can do Thailand and Laos can do too.
There is nothing wrong with that, due to PARIS PEACE AGREEMENT.
I say Thailand's doing the great job!
Invade as much as Thai can do....
If Viet can do same as Thai and Laos, doing their part.
Thank You Thai...
Last year I had a chance to visit Cambodia and one of the utmost interesting place of visit was Preah Vihear Temple. I was greeted by several Cambodian troops upon the immediate arrival on the mountain top. A few Cambodian soldier and several kids who stayed at the Cambodian ancient temple had toured me and my family from the first goupra to the fifth one. Soon after the immediate arrival at POUY TA DY, sanctum of Ta Dy, one of the Cambodian soldier advised me to burn an incense and prayed to Ta Dy. I was agreed. Within a minute, I had said to all angels and included Ta Dy as follow: "To all angels and Ta Dy's spirit, as I am your devotee, I have come here to ask you all my favor to destroy all THAIS LIVES whenever the war is started between the two countries, CAMBODIA-THAILAND." Soon after my pray was over, a Cambodian soldier patted on my shoulder that my wish would be true in the forthcoming future. I had felt so good after I wish for ALL THAIS LIVES be perished during a war with CAMBODIA.
9:39 AM,
I'm so sorry you are so deceived by these spirits in thinking they can protect Cambodia.
If these spirits are capable of such thing Cambodia would not lost territory to Vietnam or Thailand in the past.
The Thai chose to make the issue about the flag now because the two PAD idiots are Prey Sar Prison.
Why the Thai didn't have problem when it was first erected in 1998.
The Thais think they can always treat Cambodia like a child.
The PADs just like spoiled brats, naive, incapable of understanding the destructive nature of war.
Mr. Oxford Abhisit is spineless, and more than willing to oblige the request of his PAD masters.
Its about time Cambodia needs to stand up to the Thai bully.
Enough is enough of the Thai craps.
In 1979 the murdering Thai rangers forced ten of thousands of Cambodian refugees of the Dang Rak Mountain on to the mine fields. Thousands of Khmer Chinese died. Up to this day the Thai gov't refuse to acknowledge this crime. I was there.
Perhaps now if war break out Cambodia soldiers have an opportunity to obtain a measure of justice by doing an effective on the coward Thai soldiers.
មើលទៅប្រជាជនថៃគេមានសំណាងជាងប្រជាជនខ្មែរ ព្រោះគេមានរដ្ឋាភិបាលដែលស្ដាប់តាមការទាមទាររបស់ពួកគេ ។ ប៉ុន្តែប្រសិនបើប្រជាជនខ្មែរហ៊ានធ្វើយ៉ាងដូច្នេះវិញ ពួកគេមុខជាត្រូវចាប់ដាក់គុក ឬបង្ក្រាបដោយអាវុធជាមិនខាន ។... ប្រជាជនគេមានបញ្ហាបន្ដិចបន្ដួចនៅតាមជាយដែនជាមួយខ្មែរ គេបញ្ជូនប្រតិភូគេមកដោះស្រាយភ្លាម តែបើប្រជាជនខ្មែរត្រូវបានទាហ៊ានថៃបាញ់សម្លាប់ម្ដងៗ កំរឃើញមានមន្ត្រីកម្ពុជាណាចុះជួយដោះស្រាយណាស់ ។ តែបើរឿងចុះទៅបោកប្រជាជនឯងយកសន្លឹកឆ្នោតវិញគឺពូកែមែន ។ ...តើថ្ងៃណាទៅទើបប្រជាជនខ្មែរមានសំណាងដូចប្រជាជនថៃ?
បង្ក្រាបប្រជាជនឯងដោយប្រើអាវុធ គឺមានន័យថា «បិទទ្វារវ៉ៃឆ្កែ» - សម្ដីលោក ហ៊ុន សែន ។ អញ្ចឹងមានតែប្រជាជនខ្លួនឯងជាសត្វឆ្កែទេឬ? លោកគតិបណ្ឌិតមួយនេះគួររៀនប្រើពាក្យសម្ដីឲ្យបានថ្លៃថ្នូរបន្តិចទៅ កុំសូវបង្ហាញសារជាតិដើមរបស់ខ្លួនពេក ។ បើចង់ដឹងថា សារធាតុខ្លួនឯងជាអ្វីនោះ គួរសួរខ្លួនងឯង ឬទៅសួរឪពុកខ្លួនឯងក៏បានដែរ ថាខ្លួនឯងនេះមកពីណា ។ កាលពីនៅក្មេង ខ្លួនឯងធ្លាប់ធ្វើជាក្មេងរបៀបយ៉ាងម៉េចខ្លះ? ខ្លួនបានរៀនសូត្រដល់ថ្នាក់ណា អីក៏ហ៊ានតាំងខ្លួនឯងសម្បើមម្ល៉េះ?
10:02AM, I totally agree with you.
Thai government work side by side with their own people, either opposition party or not, for the benefit of their country.
That's why their country improves so much and never experience any civil war while Khmer government worries that they would loss power to another party and willing to sacrifice lands to give to the foreigner to help to keep them self in power.
That' s our country getting smaller and smaller.
Mr. Oxford Abhisit is stupid. He is subjected to obey to the PAD request. Is PAD a current government of Thailand ?
What kind of person is Abhisit ? He is a child making a cheap shot and very dangerous, both domestic and foreign policy.
Ta Dy's spirit never
to help Khmer to over
come Thai.
Thai soldiers robbed,
raped,killed Khmer,
burned Khmer alive,
destroyed Khmer market etc...
Khmer soldiers are
dead chickens.
Hun Sen can see Thai,but can't see
Vietnam intruder along Khmer Vietnam
border.
Hun Sen is blind and deaf one side,
he can't see and hear well.
A leader should be
healthy,no blind,no mental health problem,well educated person,not to be slave to another country.
Thais look down on Khmer as buffalo, we have to acknowledge that. They treat Khmer as second hand ppl and country. They want to be the boss.
Militarily, Thailand is capable in subduing Cambodia within days. Giving to three reasons:
1. Thai jet fighters and choppers can control Cambodia horizon within minutes;
2. Thai navy can control Cambodian sea within hours;
3. Thai ground forces can push Cambodian army from the border within days.
But this will not happen because it will be a suicide mission.
Thailand can dominate Cambodia within days and weeks but not months and years. If Thai devote their troops in combating with Cambodia, they will lose balance in maintaining peace in other parts of the country. Extremists will exploit the opportunity and attack Thai from the inside. With mounting casualties and economic losses, Thai public will turn against their government and the war.
Therefore, I encourage Cambodian gov. to get tough with Thailand because they don't have the gut to venture this suicide mission.
This is what we call "win before fight".
You have to hit a dog to stop it fromm barking and bullying u.
Military Think Tank
KI know how respond to the postings that criticize them.
But they don’t know how to weed out the annoying repetitive postings that can lower their viewership rating.
KI, your hard work would be a waste if you allow these
repetitive pesky postings to go on.
Thai and Khmer soldiers are relatively two of the same kind. They are only brave against the unarmed civilians. So let’s them have a real war. It does not matter what the outcome of war will be for both sides. What matter is test of courage of the real soldiers against the real soldiers.
It is a Thai trick.
I don't know why ah kwack don't bring this cases to the U.N. why keeps playing games with the enemies for don't wastes our population, is way small then Siamese and Youn. If we do needs a wars it would be ok if our country have technology and modern weapons like North Korea and Israel it ok to do so.
1:53 PM
We have to resolve this problem by ourselves.
When we have a problem, we can't always look for protection and help from other in this case from UN.
"Cambodia behavior is great and not like a small kid." >>>>ឳអើយជួយខ្ញុំផង អាមួយនេះធ្វើបាបខ្ញុំ<<<<
i way i see as a khmer person, siem extremist group like the pad thugs, for instance, often failed to understand how we, khmer people, think of them! to them, it's all about their interest to the point of narcissism, blinded by their biased, ingorant way, you know! they always failed to see or understand how khmer, on the other hand, think of them i.e. khmer view, khmer opinion, khmer perspective, etc, etc... for siem, it's all about them, naturally, that's why they rankled nonstop like a child throwing a trantrum for not getting what it want, you know! that's my khmer view on siem's ongoing bias toward my country cambodia and my khmer brothers and sisters, etc..., you know!
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