Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Cambodia insists deployment of ASEAN observers to temple area after U.N. Court's order

July 20, 2011
Xinhua

Cambodia on Tuesday insisted the deployment of Indonesian observers to the disputed border area next to the 11th century Preah Vihear temple as soon as possible in order to comply with the order of the International Court of Justice.

In an official letter to Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, current ASEAN chair, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nanhong informed Marty about the World Court's decision concerning to the case of the disputed border area between Cambodia and Thailand, according to Koy Kuong, the spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday.

"The minister also insists Indonesia to dispatch its observers to the newly defined demilitarized zone around the temple of Preah Vihear as soon as possible in order to honor the Court's decision."


The letter was made after the U.N. Court on Monday afternoon ordered Cambodia and Thailand to immediately withdraw their military personnel currently present in the provisional demilitarized zone around the area of Preah Vihear temple.

It added that Cambodia and Thailand should continue their co- operation within ASEAN and, in particular, allow the observers appointed by that organization to have access to the provisional demilitarized zone.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to accept Indonesian observers to monitor a ceasefire on their respective border side on Feb. 22 at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta, but the deployment has always been delayed because Thailand demanded that Cambodian soldiers be withdrawn from the disputed area near the temple first.

The World Court awarded Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia in 1962 and the temple was enlisted as a World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.

The border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand occurred just a week after the enlistment as Thailand claims the ownership of 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) of scrub next to the temple.

Since then, both sides have built up military forces along the border and periodic clashes have happened, resulting in the deaths of troops and civilians on both sides.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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, President Ms. Rattana Keo,