The Nation
Editorial
Problems in Parliament hindering bilateral talks and peace on border
The Thai-Cambodian problem, it seems, will hound the Abhisit government until the prime minister dissolves the House of Representatives and beyond. The domestic political hiccups that have prevented the Thai Parliament from approving minutes of a meeting of the Joint Boundary Commission are casting fresh uncertainties on bilateral efforts - or lack thereof - to solve a long-standing border conflict that recently erupted into fierce exchanges of shelling. Thai politicians, however, can hardly blame the Cambodians for these latest developments.
Whether or not the Thai government can go ahead with the planned next JBC meeting with Cambodia in Jakarta next week, following repeated failures to get parliamentary approval of the minutes of the earlier meeting, has become an issue of blown-up importance. The Constitution Court has virtually played down the significance of parliamentary approval, which, moreover, was never the case in the past. But nothing seems able to remove the big curse cast upon this bilateral feud and efforts to end it.
Even if next week's JBC meeting can take place as planned, only extreme optimists can see light at the end of the tunnel. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is expected to dissolve the lower House and call a snap election within the first week of May, meaning that whatever is agreed, tentatively or not, at the Jakarta meeting could be made vulnerable by Thailand's domestic political unpredictability during the election campaign and after the poll. The election timing will also complicate another major bilateral meeting on the border issue at the end of May.
The JBC's role in solving border demarcation problems between Thailand and Cambodia has faced difficulties since the contentious issue of Preah Vihear Temple was given priority a few years ago. Before that, both countries' negotiators were working under a philosophy that required them to put hard issues aside and tackle easier ones first. Maybe the switch of priorities was inevitable, as it coincided with Cambodia's acceleration of its World Heritage campaign for Preah Vihear.
With a World Heritage Committee meeting coming up in June to address the explosive question of whether or not Cambodia can unilaterally manage Preah Vihear as a World Heritage site, the Thai-Cambodian stand-off will once again be tied to Bangkok's domestic politics. The ruling Democrats' rivals, the Pheu Thai Party, are known to care even less about nationalistic sentiment led by the yellow shirts. Therefore, if the Pheu Thai Party comes to power, the Thai-Cambodian border conflict could be in for more troubled times.
While Pheu Thai's rise to power could benefit Cambodia, it could make the domestic situation more volatile when border issues are concerned. Phnom Penh's close ties with Thaksin Shinawatra and alleged support or sympathy for red-shirted leaders are certain to come back and amplify future Thai-Cambodian controversies.
Over the past few months, we have seen bloody border clashes and the arrest of Thai activists and MPs as well as their imprisonment in Cambodia. Nationalism has flared on both sides of the border. Troops have been killed. Villages have been burnt. Two neighbouring nations whose border residents share affection for the same actors and actresses are now looking at each other with mistrust and bilateral diplomacy is becoming more and more impossible.
The General Border Commission, the JBC, their minutes of meetings and all the memorandums of understandings are concrete proof that both neighbours have been trying to address the thorny issue of territorial sovereignty in a peaceful way. Considering that, there must still be hope. The current problems dragging both countries away from this track are testing decades of tolerance and attempts to understand each other even at the most trying times. If we take all those efforts to settle the conflict peacefully into account, we will see that at stake is not a temple or piece of border land, but something far more important.
2 comments:
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,
Khmer’s Actuary Financial and economic investigation found that Dr. Hun Sen and his families’ money is not less than US$ 100 billion in all around the world including banks deposited, investments and properties around the world.
All relatives of Dr. Hun Sen ( above 380 families of Dr. Hun Sen together ) is not less than US$ 200 Billion including all their properties and banks deposited and investments all around the world.
Plus the secret money such as drugs dealer, Gold, Silver, diamonds, forest trees cut down, Angkor watt and over 1000 Khmer ancient temples tourist income, oil in the year 2012...During Dr. Hun Sen’s regime, his economic miss calculation and management make Cambodia loss revenue not less that US$ 1 600 Billion to Thailand and mostly Vietnam.
Plus foreign aid Japan alone donates US$ 150 Billion so far. Where is the money? Interesting isn’t it?
Approximately 10 000Km2 to Vietnam (10 000Km2 of sea with full of sea foods protein, oil, minerals include Koh Trol)
65% of Cambodia forest trees have been cut down for private selling only.
Dr. Hun Sen and his families, relatives and friends are stealing from 90% Cambodian people that earn less than $2 per day. They steal 90% Cambodian people health, well being, Khmer dignity, cut down 90% Cambodian people life expectancy, foods...from 90% Cambodian people. Plus pump in more Vietnamese (approximately not less than 5 million Vietnamese in Cambodia) into Cambodia to make 90% of Cambodian people poorer and sufferer.
By Khmer’s Actuary Economic science internal revenue investigation,
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