By Martin Petty
"We've lived in peace for decades with Cambodians, we see them every day. Why are the soldiers fighting?" said Suthep Pringpom, 49.
PRASAT, Thailand (Reuters) - The thousands of Thai villagers sheltering in schools and huddled under tarpaulin sheets are puzzled as to why the Cambodian neighbors they see every day have become their country's enemies overnight.
Rocket-propelled grenades and fierce shelling marked the start of a new round of conflict at a normally peaceful stretch of the disputed border and sent them fleeing from their villages on Friday, killing at least 11 soldiers on both sides in two days of clashes.
They will never know who is to blame for breaching a fragile ceasefire agreed two months ago after fighting 150 km (90 miles) away. Those caught up in the worst border fighting in two decades fear ties with their neighbors, many of whom are blood relatives, may never be the same.
"They are like our brothers and sisters, we have no reason to fight. We don't know what happened, we don't know why it happened but we're all scared," said Wanchai Chaensit, 48, a rubber farmer who fled his village 3 km from the clashes.
Wanchai sits with his wife and three children at a village school 30 km away from the conflict zone, cross-legged on a sheet of cardboard under a plastic sheet tied to the side of his small tractor. This makeshift camp has become his home for the past two days and he fears the fighting will not be over soon.
"Even here, we don't feel safe. We left the village as soon as we heard the loud explosions. I hope the two governments can have dialogue and end this. We all live in peace with our neighbors and never expected this to happen."
LOUD EXPLOSIONS
But the chances of meaningful talks appear slim as both sides with huge pride at stake continue to blame the other for triggering the clashes.
Cambodia ramped up the rhetoric on Saturday, accusing Thailand of using cluster munitions and "poisonous gas" and seeking to take control two 12th Century Hindu temples claimed by both countries.
Thailand said the accusations were "groundless." It says the Ta Moan and Ta Krabey temples are in its Surin province, according to a 1947 map but Cambodia says the ancient, stone-walled temples are in its Oddar Meanchey province.
Calls by the United Nations and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which both countries are members, to find a lasting solution after four days of clashes in February have not been met as both countries disagree over how to settle the dispute.
At the village school in Prasat in Surin, scruffy-looking, bare-footed children played as scores of people queued for food at the makeshift camp. Some elderly people were treated for dehydration, family pets roamed and women dozed on straw mats.
Others fanned themselves with cardboard sheets in classrooms. Many of those evacuated were ethnic-Khmer, proficient in Thai and Cambodian dialects.
A cursory visit late on Saturday by the regional army commander, Lieutenant-General Thawatchai Samutsakorn, and dozens of troops helped ease the boredom in a camp with little to do but wait for a ceasefire.
But the five minutes the charismatic general spent dishing out food and smiling for the television cameras and his promise to protect Thailand's sovereignty did little to boost morale and failed to answer the key question on everyone's' minds.
"We've lived in peace for decades with Cambodians, we see them every day. Why are the soldiers fighting?" said Suthep Pringpom, 49.
"Who is causing this problem? I'm surprised it happened and I'm scared that this is the start of something bad."
(Editing by Alison Williams)
20 comments:
NhiekKiri said...
នៅក្នុងល្បែងសង្គ្រាម អ្នកណាខ្លាំង អ្នកនេាះឈ្នះ! បេីថៃបាញ់៣០គ្រាប់ យេីងបាញ់៦០គ្រាប់ ។ គឺថាឆ្លេីយតប
ចំពេាះសត្រូវជាទ្វេគុណរហូត ។ ខ្មែរក្រ! នរណាថាខ្មែរក្រ? ប្រទេសខ្មែរ អ្នកដឹកនាំខ្មែរ ពួក
មន្ត្រីជាន់ខ្ពស់សុទ្ធតែជាមហាសេដ្ធី ។ បេីអ្នក
ដឹកនាំមានមនសិកាការជាតិអ្ហេះ! អាថៃមិន
បាច់មកក្អកដាក់ខ្មែរបានទេ! ប៉ុន្តែដល់មេខ្មែរ
ជាពពួកជនពាលនិងជាឈ្លេីងសង្គម ថែមទាំង
ជាខ្ញុំកញ្ជះអាយួនផង អាថៃវាមេីលងាយ
ខ្មែរអញ្ចឹងឯង ។ ជាមួយសត្រូវជិតខាងដូចអាថៃ យេីងខ្មែរគឺគ្មានការចរចា ។ គឺដាក់វាឱ្យទាល់
បាក់លេាង ។ តេីខ្មែរនៅក្រេាមការ
គ្រប់គ្រងរបស់ជនខ្លាំងជម្លេីយយង់ឃ្នងនេះ យេីងអាចធ្វេីឱ្យថៃបាក់លេាងបានឬទេ? ចម្លេីយខ្លីហេីយត្រូវគឺថា ” អត់ ” ពីព្រេាះ
បេីនិយាយពីគ្រឿងយុទ្ធេាបករណ៍ទាន់សម័យគឺយេីងអត់មាន ។ យេីងអត់មាន ពីព្រេាះ
មេយេីងមិនទិញ ។ មេយេីងមិនទិញ
ពីព្រេាះយេីងអត់លុយទិញឬ? មិនមែន
អញ្ចឹងទេ! មេយេីងមិនទិញ ពីព្រេាះ
ពួកគេលួចប្រាក់ជាតិចែកគ្នាគេធ្វេីមហាសេដ្ធី ។
ការបន់ស្រន់គ្រាន់តែជាកាយវិការបញ្ឆេាតចិត្តខ្លួន
ឯង ។
Martin Petty is a Western 'Playboy' at San Francisco, CA. Since the California governor cracked down on his brothel 2009, he has no choice, but to enslave the Thia gov't in BANGKOK by writing a short news in a front page, so that he could make a living. This is so ridiculous to this man's life.
It's your PM Abishit vejjajiva and Yellow Shits idea to invade cambodian....Suthep Pringpom! Abhishit vejjajiva trying divert attention toward border, he don't want new election...got that?
Thais want to steal Cambodian temple only.
If they want to invade Cambodia, they could enter to Cambodia in less than 1 month. Yuons took 1 week.
Last time, when Yuons stole Cambodian lands, Hun Sen jailed Cambodian victims and Sam Rainsy.
And now, Hun Sen is looking for someone to jail.
Hun Sen forgets himself, he must be jailed because he's against Thai government, he's with Taksin and Red shirts: Thai government ennemies.
It seems to me that the Khmer People forget how this conflict started!
Hun Sen was the first who talked about: DISPUTED AREAS
When the Thai Government heard about this they jumped on it and confirmed that its about DISPUTED AREAS!
Now its too late to correct this mistake and people suffer.
The people of Surin does not know why this fighting started. I know why! It's because of the Ahbishit government who caused all the problems and they are to blame. I can 110% guarantee you that it was the Thai side who started the shootout with Khmer and they were the first one to fire on us. The villagers even said it themselves, they never had any problems with Cambodia but guess what, it's the Ahbishit government that ordered the shootout and start another border war to claim another Khmer temple. They know they will not get Preah Vihear so now they change their stragety and provoke another fight to get the international world attention again and blame Khmer for starting another fight but in reality the international world knows (or should know) that Thailand is the agressor and not Cambodia. We have not stepped on their territory but they have been constantly stepping on our territory. Ahbishit govt are deceiving, conniving, greedy, hateful and all the bad words to describe them in the dictionary you can think of is how they are. They keep on provoking us Khmer and the only thing we can do is shoot back. Off to another subject, I dont understand why our government (CPP) does not take the opportunity or time to invest in our military esp. when we know that we have 2 agressive neighbors to our east and west of us. I'm very dumbfounded by the greed of the government. Why not make our military the priority to secure our borders from the agressors i.e Vietnam and Thailand. Let's build a Navy, Marine, Air force and Coast Guard to protect our borders. Use the money for the protection of the people of the country that you serve and maybe we'll have a future to look forward to. Why doesn't anybody think like me?
Mike, you got stone age keyboard layout. I suggest you should get Khmer 2.0 version instead.
រៀនភាសាថៃជាមួយខ្ញុំ ។
នោះ = นั่น nan
ពីព្រោះ = จากเพราะ tchaak phrau
បើ = ถ้า thaa!
តើ = ...ไหม mai!
មើល = ดู doo
ក្រោម = ใต้ thaiy
ឆើ្លយ = ตอบ thaaop
យើង = เรา rao
ឈើ្លង = ปลิง pling
ធើ្វ = ทำ thaum
ខ្ញុំចង់បានជួយបងប្អួនខ្មែរយើងទាំងអស់គ្នា ។
ຂອຍອ່ຍາກຊີ້ຊອຍພີ້ນ້ອງເຂມຮເຫົາທົງຫມດ ໆ
Khmer Nimit
12:01am got the point...I do agree with you man!
Chan,
Hun Sen should urge utmost restraint from his soldiers. And have them informed that those they're fighting our not merely the Siamsters who want to take our land, but our own Khmer people who have no choice but to follow orders as soldiers of the Siamese army.
Even if we win these little skirmises, we will suffer a great loss, that might not be recovered, in terms of relationship with our own people in Surin areas.
For centuries Ah Siam and Ah Youn have made our people suffer by using us as shields, buffer, and soldiers to fight each other. And Hun Sen is falling into this very shameful ploy by continuing to play by Siam's rule!
12:00 AM
Of course we Khmer know so well, that Thai in Bangkok started this war and not Hun Sen or someone else.
The Abhishit government just want to separate Khmer Surin and other Khmer descents live in Thailand from the Khmer in Cambodia. This politic of Thai government will have a bad result for the Bangkok people.
Late or soon the Khmer in Thailand will stand up and do the same thing as the Muslim did in Southern part of Thailand.
12:40,
that is a very unlikely scenario. It is more possible that the Khmer will be convinced that Cambodians have no feeling for them and want to harm them. In such event our relationship will further deteriorate between Khmer in Thailand and Khmer in Cambodia.
We lose a lot with this war.
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...
1:13 AM 12:40 AM,
Agree with both, but how about Khmer Krom, our Khmer blood.
Thai and Yuon are really major troubles for Khmer-Cambodian people. Both of enemies, Thai and Yuon/Vietnam have played the major politics and tricks in the region of Southeast Asia. Khmer people are aware of those troublemakers in the scenarios. Khmer people will figure out the ways against these two enemies with the help from the outsiders, interventions and corporations of the UN and International Communities plus the NATO or powerful countries like the U.S., Russia, Canada, France, UK, S. Korea, etc. to their encroachments and propaganda. There is no way for Thai and Yuon to save their lies and fake histories as their reputations in the world.
Khmer people know that Thai and Yuon are very stubborn and hypocrite nations. They need to live in the reality no matter what. It is time for them (Thai and Yuon/Vietnam) to stop being hypocrite and flip-flopped on the planet.
According to the UN, Cambodia and Thailand have not signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions which prohibits the use of cluster bombs.
Thailand and Cambodia are not among the 43 countries that have ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which has taken effect since August 1, 2010, and bans the stockpiling, use and transfers of existing cluster bombs and provides for the clearing up of unexploded munitions.
So,Thai and khmer can be used anything to win the war.
2:01 AM,
Communist Yuon/Vietnamese idiots from Hanoi interfered with Cambodian affairs internally. Khmer/Cambodian people and government will do something like what you mentioned in your comment, but CPP and Hun Sen were set up illegally as the Communist party in Cambodia starting from 1979.
Cambodia needs very serious and careful interventions from the International communities and UN even ASEAN or the US and EU Countries.
I would like to see Thailand invade Cambodia and see how the world and vietnam re-act to it?
We need peace not war. Khmer people have been suffering for too long. We need to negotiate and talk to diffuse tension. People are suffering. Cambodia needs peace time to develop the country. We need proper education and development and employment opportunity to reduce poverty. Thailand will show Cambodia its muscle and will not back down because it has too much pride in its superiority to Cambodia. It will take leaders who have great compassion toward humanity to solve this complicate problem.
DON'T WORRY PATRIOTS, LET THE THAI DO THE DUTY WORK FOR US. ONCE HUN SEN AND HIS CPP GANG ARE GONE WE CAN LET THE UNITED NATIONS DEAL WITH THE INVADING THAI LATER ON. PLEASE REMEMBER, IT'S EASY TO REMOVE THE THAI, BUT NOT HUN SEN!
WE MUST NOT GIVE OUR SUPPORT TO THE TYRANT HUN SEN ANYMORE. DON'T FALL FOR HIS DUTY TRICK.
LONG LIVE KHMER RACE!
Var Kim Hong does recognize that Cambodia, if compared to the colonial Service Geographique de l’Indochine scale map 1/100,000 and the 1985 delimitation treaty, will loses 9,000 hectares; and compared to U.S Army Mapping Service scale map 1/50,000 with the 1985 Treaty, would lose about 7,900 hectares to Vietnam. This statement was confirmed by Var Kim Hong to Mr. Touch Bora Esq through a telephone conversation on 30 August 2002 at 4:30 p.m. (Sydney time), which Mr. Touch Bora Esq wrote in his letter dated on 9 September 2002 sent to Sam Dach Ta Noroudom Sihanouk concerning over border affairs.
In fact, the loss is absolutely more than the 1000 square kilometers stated by MP Sam Rainsy in his statement, if we add the size of the historical water of 30000 square kilometers awarded to Vietnam under the 1982 Agreement which has been into affect and now already become under the full control of Vietnam. And this would not be the last if the equidistance principle be used to delimit the maritime boundary, Cambodia will lose an additional area of sea and seabed measuring at least 860 square nautical miles from the Brevie Line to the north, analyzed by Mr. Touch Bora Esq or another 10000 square kilometers confirmed by Mr. Sean Pengse, the President of the Cambodian Border Committee Worldwide, which exclusively include another Koh Poula Wai to Vietnam added to the previous lost islands- Koh Tral (Dao Phu Quoc) and Koh Poulo Panjang (Dao Thu Chu).
This is why sVar Kim Hong said in front of Students´s Movement for Democracy (SMD), and Sam Dach Ta Norodom Sihanouk on 22 Janaury 2000 during our audience with him concerning the border resolution with Vietnam that; “If we want peace, we must sacrifice our flesh to the tiger.” The truth is discovered now that, “Sacrifice the flesh to tiger actually means cutting our land to the Viet.” This word was clearly spoken out from his mouth and there were Sam Dach Ta as witness and 31 members.
We must condemn this Var Kim Hong for his role in helping the traitorous regime of Hun Sen.
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,
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