Ismira Lutfia
Jakarta Globe
Bogor. A plan to send Indonesian observers to the disputed border region between Thailand and Cambodia has stalled as the two countries argue over where the observers should operate.
Nonetheless, Indonesia’s foreign affairs minister, Marty Natalegawa, said he was confident the impasse would be resolved over the next three days during meetings with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts, Kasit Piromya and Hor Namhong.
Marty said the three ministers would discuss the issue at the Asean-Japan foreign ministers’ meeting in Jakarta on Saturday and the Asean foreign ministers’ retreat in Bangkok on Sunday and Monday.
“This is a pending matter but it is possible to solve,” Marty said.
Last month, the Thai military shot down a proposed plan to deploy unarmed Indonesian Armed Forces personnel as observers to both sides of the border in the disputed area.
Marty said that while Indonesia would not meddle in Thai domestic politics, he had been in constant communication with the Thai foreign minister, who has pledged to raise the matter with his government.
The proposal to send Indonesian observers to the disputed area was hammered out at the Asean foreign ministers’ meeting in Jakarta in February. During that meeting, a regional plan was formulated to ensure a cease-fire agreed to by Thailand and Cambodia was respected.
Both countries at the time agreed to accept observers, a decision Marty said reflected the regional bloc’s confidence in Indonesia playing a larger role in conflict mediation.
He said the Thailand-Cambodia Joint Boundary Commission meeting held in Bogor this week reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to a diplomatic solution to the border issue.
“This is a consolidation of the option that Indonesia has always proposed,” he said.
Marty said that the two historic rivals meeting under the same roof at the Bogor Palace already showed remarkable progress compared to the situation in February, when border clashes resulted in the deaths of at least six people.
“Two months ago they were exchanging artillery fire, now they are here exchanging arguments, and that is obviously a much better way,” he said, adding that Indonesia always preferred peaceful resolution over armed conflict.
The results of the JBC meeting were yet to be announced as the talks were still ongoing on Friday.
“It is an internal matter between the two delegations,” Marty said. “They will inform us later as acknowledgment of our facilitation, and we will then inform the other Asean member states.”
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KAMPUCHEA KROM AT A GLANCE
Kampuchea Krom is composed of 68,965 square kilometers, 21 provinces and municipalities, two large islands - Koh Tral and Koh Tralach, 171 districts, 1,368 communes, 14,778 villages, more than 13 million Khmers, more than 567 Buddhist pagodas and more than 20,000 Theravada Buddhist monks.
99% of populations are Theravada Buddhists.
The Khmer kings, governments, regimes and citizens have never relinquish (give up) this part of their country to foreigners.
Kampuchea Krom has been under an ongoing colonial control since her division from motherland, Cambodia.
June 4, 1949 is the date that the Khmer Kampuchea Krom citizens grieve. The Khmer Kampuchea Krom people have organized Buddhist Service annually to honor the fallen Khmer Buddhist monks and heroes, who sacrificed their lives for Kampuchea Krom and Theravada Buddhism.
Colonial France divided, ceded and transferred Kampuchea Krom to colonial Vietnam on this date. The freedom of Khmer Kampuchea Krom has been mostly stripped by the Vietnamese ruling regimes and governments since. The French colonial administration committed injustice upon the more than 13 million Khmers of this beautiful fertile land.
Justice remains elusive for Cambodia, Kampuchea Krom and her citizens.
And...The struggle to regain freedom and human rights by the Khmers in Kampuchea Krom continues as long as injustice commits by the ruling Vietnamese regime(s) has not produced a fruitful result.
Koh Tral (Tral Island)
in Vietnamese - Phu Quoc island
circa 1939 Vietnamese encroached and conquered
Koh Tral Island has an area of 567 square kilometers; about 62 kilometers long and between 3 kilometers and 28 kilometers wide. The island physically is located closest to Cambodia's Kep seaside city. Visitors can see Koh Tral Island from the coastline of Kep. It is about a 30-minute motorized boat ride.
By Smart Khmer Girl, Ms. Rattana Keo
Koh Tral Island must not be forgotten
By Ms. Rattana Keo
Why do Koh Tral Island, known in Vietnam as Phu Quoc, a sea and land area covering proximately over 10,000 km2 [Note: the actual land size of Koh Tral itself is 574 square kilometres (222 sq miles)] have been lost to Vietnam by whose treaty? Why don’t Cambodia government be transparent and explain to Cambodia army at front line and the whole nation about this? Why don't they include this into education system? Why?
Cambodian armies are fighting at front line for 4.6 km2 on the Thai border and what's about over 10,000km2 of Cambodia to Vietnam. Nobody dare to talk about it! Why? Cambodian armies you are decide the fate of your nation, Cambodian army as well as Cambodian people must rethink about this again and again. Is it fair?
Koh Tral Island, the sea and land area of over 10,000 square kilometres have been lost to Vietnam by the 1979 to 1985 treaties. The Cambodian army at front line as well as all Cambodian people must rethink again about these issues. Are Cambodian army fighting to protect the Cambodia Nation or protecting a very small group that own big lands, big properties or only protecting a small group but disguising as protecting the Khmer nation?
The Cambodian army at front lines suffer under rain, wind, bullets, bombs, lack of foods, lack of nutrition and their families have no health care assistance, no securities after they died but a very small group eat well, sleep well, sleep in first class hotel with air conditioning system with message from young girls, have first class medical care from oversea medical treatments, they are billionaires, millionaires who sell out the country to be rich and make the Cambodian people suffer everyday.
Who signed the treaty 1979-1985 that resulted in the loss over 10,000 km2 of Cambodia??? Why they are not being transparent and brave enough to inform all Cambodians and Cambodian army at front line about these issues? Why don't they include Koh Tral (Koh Tral size is bigger than the whole Phom Phen and bigger than Singapore [Note: Singapore's present land size is 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi)]) with heap of great natural resources, in the Cambodian education system?
Look at Hun Sen's families, relatives and friends- they are billionaires, millionaires. Where did they get the money from when we all just got out of war with empty hands [in 1979]? Hun Sen always say in his speeches that Cambodia had just risen up from the ashes of war, just got up from Year Zero with empty hands and how come they are billionaires, millionaires but 90% of innocent Cambodian people are so poor and struggling with their livelihood every day?
Smart Khmer girl Ms. Rattana Keo,
6:46 AM
6:52 AM
are you chau bury's sister?
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