By Moeung Tum
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy
Mr. Sean Pengse, President of the Cambodia’s Border Committee (CBC) based in France, told RFA today that his 6-member delegation are touring the USA since 05 April 2007. The goal of CBC’s visit in various US States is to “discuss 4 topics: (1) the border issue, (2) the immigration issue, (3) the development of the Indochinese Triangle, and (4) the gas and oil issue in Cambodia.”
The topics raised by CBC come at a time when the Cambodian people, civil society, politicians, as well as diplomats, are expressing their concerns that Cambodia may lose its revenue from oil exploration due to corruption.
Regarding the illegal Vietnamese immigration issue in Cambodia, Mr. Sean Pengse said that according to his research documents, “the number of Vietnamese people living in Cambodia amounts to more than 4 million already, the root cause of this situation stems from the illegal 1983 treaties [imposed on Cambodia by the Vietnamese army of occupation], and the current government which is not properly reviewing and preventing this illegal flow of immigrants, even now.”
Recently, the CBC delegation visited Cambodian-American people living in a number of US states: Florida, Texas. This week, the delegates will visit Washington DC and will hold a meeting with several Cambodian-American people to discuss the topics above. The meeting will be held on 29 April, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at a library in the state of Maryland.
Mr. Sean Pengse’s main recommendation for all Cambodian people living both inside and outside of Cambodia, to help protect Cambodia’s interest and to help resolve the fours items above, is for all Cambodian people to send in petitions demanding that the Cambodian Prime Minister cancels all treaties with neighboring countries that are detrimental to the Cambodian interest, and instead to apply the stipulations of the Paris Peace Agreements.
The CBC delegation plans to conclude its visit in the US at the beginning of May when they will continue their trip to Canada to bring their message to the Cambodian-Canadian communities.
The topics raised by CBC come at a time when the Cambodian people, civil society, politicians, as well as diplomats, are expressing their concerns that Cambodia may lose its revenue from oil exploration due to corruption.
Regarding the illegal Vietnamese immigration issue in Cambodia, Mr. Sean Pengse said that according to his research documents, “the number of Vietnamese people living in Cambodia amounts to more than 4 million already, the root cause of this situation stems from the illegal 1983 treaties [imposed on Cambodia by the Vietnamese army of occupation], and the current government which is not properly reviewing and preventing this illegal flow of immigrants, even now.”
Recently, the CBC delegation visited Cambodian-American people living in a number of US states: Florida, Texas. This week, the delegates will visit Washington DC and will hold a meeting with several Cambodian-American people to discuss the topics above. The meeting will be held on 29 April, from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM at a library in the state of Maryland.
Mr. Sean Pengse’s main recommendation for all Cambodian people living both inside and outside of Cambodia, to help protect Cambodia’s interest and to help resolve the fours items above, is for all Cambodian people to send in petitions demanding that the Cambodian Prime Minister cancels all treaties with neighboring countries that are detrimental to the Cambodian interest, and instead to apply the stipulations of the Paris Peace Agreements.
The CBC delegation plans to conclude its visit in the US at the beginning of May when they will continue their trip to Canada to bring their message to the Cambodian-Canadian communities.
