Jakarta, May 5 (ANTARA) - The border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has escalated over the last couple of months and no concrete solution is in sight so far despite mediation efforts by Indonesia as the current ASEAN Chair.
The last time Cambodia and Thailand sit together with Indonesia as the facilitator was in the Joint Border Committee(JBC) Meeting in Bogor, West Java, on April 7-8, 2011, but, the meeting did not yield any significant result.
The matter was so complexed that it could not be solved in just one meeting, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said in Bogor, following the meeting on April 8.
"The Bogor meeting on Thursday and Friday was followed by an unofficial meeting on the next day between Indonesia, Cambodian Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong and Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, as a part of diplomatic resolving option effort," Marty said.
In the upcoming 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on May 7-8, the border conflict is most likely to be discussed.
Since the past years Indonesia and other members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) have tried to support both Thailand and Cambodia to solve their border problem through peaceful negotiations.
The relations between Cambodia and Thailand have been strained since the 900-year-old temple Preah Vihear located in both countries` border was granted UN World Heritage status in July 2008.
The World Court ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear itself belonged to Cambodia, although its main entrance lies in Thailand and the 4.6-square-kilometer (1.8-square-mile) area around the temple is claimed by both sides.
The previous border disputes between the two ASEAN member states had erupted into violence in October 2008 and April 2009, as troops from both nations exchanged fire.
In early February 2011, when Indonesia`s ASEAN Chairmanship was just two month old, Cambodia and Thailand had again traded heavy weapons fire near the temple area.
Following the Feb. 4-7 clashes, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as the ASEAN chairman, decided to send Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa to Cambodia (On Feb. 7) and Thailand (on Feb. 8) to meet his counterparts.
"This year Indonesia as the chairman of ASEAN has a moral responsibility to become part of the solution (of the Cambodia-Thailand conflict)," President Yudhoyono said at his office in Jakarta on February 7.
The clashes and the strong presence of both countries` military in the disputed border area, had prompted ASEAN foreign ministers to hold an informal meeting in Jakarta on February 22, 2011.
In the urgent meeting, Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair, had been requested to send observers to monitor a ceasefire in the affected areas of both sides` border.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has also taken on the issue as an urgent matter and supported Indonesia`s peace facilitator role.
The UNSC invited the ASEAN Chair alongside Cambodia and Thailand at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on February 14.
The UN Security Council president, Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil, called in the meeting for a "permanent ceasefire", AFP reported.
Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan in a press statement said the UNSC`s open and official support for conciliation efforts to the ASEAN Chair was a sign that the United Nations had faith in ASEAN to help its Member States find amicable regional solutions to bilateral problems.
Both Cambodia and Thailand welcomed Minister Marty to help in their search for an amicable and peaceful solution to their differences, as ASEAN continued to strengthen its dispute settlement mechanism, in line with the ASEAN Charter, Dr. Surin stated.
However, despite the commitments made by the conflicting nations, a couple of armed clashes had occurred again in their border. There had also been a report saying that Thailand did not wish Indonesia`s facilitating role in its conflict with Cambodia, but the report was later denied by Thai officials.
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa after meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya in Jakarta on April 28, said that the Thai government had reiterated its seriousness in continuing the settlement of its border conflict with Cambodia through dialogues.
"Thailand also wishes to hold a cease-fire like what Cambodia has also expressed. The problem is there has been a lack of trust. So the question is how their determination conveyed in separate occasions could be made into reality as one stance," he said.
"We must develop trust building again by considering various aspects especially the loss of lives, materials and friendship," the minister said.
According to Marty, the Thai government was strongly expecting Indonesia to play a role in settling its problem with Cambodia, ASEAN had also been encouraged to be involved in bilateral dialogues.
Marty denied media reports that Thailand had been reluctant to involve ASEAN in the settlement of the dispute saying that Thailand was open for ASEAN involvement.
"ASEAN is a big family to which Thailand also belongs, so it is no longer considered as a third party in this process," Marty told the press.
In the joint press conference with Marty, the then visiting Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said his government hailed the role of Indonesia as the ASEAN chair in helping solve its border dispute with Cambodia.
"Thailand is one of ASEAN`s founders so that we wish to see ASEAN`s constructive role in settling the border conflict with Cambodia," Kasit told the press.
According to Marty, there was a significant progress related to the formulation of terms of reference from Indonesian monitoring team, and the Thai government has welcomed it.
Marty reiterated that the border problem had erupted because of a crisis of trust between the two parties, so that Indonesia would play a role to bridge their communication.
The United States government has expressed its support to Indonesia to make use the chairmanship of ASEAN Summit in easing the tension between Thailand and Cambodia.
"We support the efforts of Indonesia in their role as chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work with both countries to reach a resolution," US Secretary of States Hillary Rodham Clinton, on April 25.
She expressed deep concerns on clash between Thailand and Cambodian military in border of both countries and urged both to restrain.
The military of Thailand and Cambodia last April 22 to 24 again exchanged fires in Ta Moan and Ta Krabei temples, the border sites of both countries.
Another support received by Indonesia came from Singapore for its effort as the ASEAN chair to facilitate constructive dialogue between Thailand and Cambodia.
"It is important for both countries to work closely with Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair, in implementing the agreements reached during the Informal ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers` Meeting on February 22, 2011," the Singaporean foreign ministry said in a press statement on April 26.
In the statement, Singapore also hoped that a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia can be reached by the time the 18th ASEAN Summit takes place on May 7 and 8, 2011.
Using the momentum of the upcoming ASEAN Summit, an Indonesian legislator, Fayakhun Andriadi, has called on ASEAN to end its border conflicts.
"It will be hard to realize ASEAN unity if the members are still in clash over their border lines," the member of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I dealing with defense and security said in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 3).
He took an example of the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia which took casualties from both sides and other potential Malaysia-Indonesia, Philippines-Malaysia, Indonesia-Singapore and Indonesia-Vietnam conflicts.
"Border conflicts are among vital issues which can trigger people`s anger. I hope Indonesia as the 2011 Chairman of ASEAN can play a role in solving border problems among members of ASEAN," the legislator said.
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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 30,000 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 30,000km2 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 30,000 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 30,000 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,
Don't trust Thais. They stopped SHELLING temporarily just because of the coming ASEAN-EU summit. As always, Thais will shell again after such submit.
Be careful. Without international forces, Thais will never stop invading.
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