Call for Government to ‘Step Down’ Over Border

Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Washington, DC Thursday, 28 April 2011

“...this government must step down to allow Cambodia to avoid wars and losing land to the west and to the east.”

Exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy issued on open letter Wednesday demanding that the administration of Prime Minister Hun Sen step down over his handling of the border conflict with Thailand.

If the government cannot peacefully resolve the border issue, he wrote, “this government must step down to allow Cambodia to avoid wars and losing land to the west and to the east.”

His letter came amid continued fighting on Wednesday and ahead of a reported ceasefire between Thai and Cambodian generals on the border Thursday.

Government spokesman Phay Siphan called the letter a “desire for attention” that ignored positive surveys that say many believe the country is moving in the right direction.

Bangkok is afraid that any involvement by France would lead to a further loss of Thai territory

Suthep rejects French help

10/02/2011
Bangkok Post

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has turned down an offer by France to help resolve the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.

He said Thailand and Cambodia can settle their border dispute without any other country acting as mediator.

Mr Suthep insisted the Thai government wants peace and does not want the conflict to escalate.

He said it is not uncommon for neighbouring countries to have some problems between them, but leaders of the two countries must try to rapidly and peacefully settle the conflict.

The deputy prime minister in charge of security affairs admitted that he was afraid that any involvement by France would lead to a further loss of Thai territory, as happened in 1962 when Thailand lost the ancient Preah Vihear temple to Cambodia by a ruling of the international court.

Rong Chhun asks Hillary Clinton to push the Cambodian gov’t to respect human rights

Rong Chhun (Photo: Den Ayuthyea, RFA)

30 Oct 2010
By Den Ayuthyea
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Komping Puoy
Click here to read the article in Khmer

sVar Kim Hong, president of the government border commission, told RFA on 30 October 2010 that, prior to issuing any letter or statement involving border issues or any other border problems, civil society organizations should reflect about them carefully, otherwise, they will face the same fate as opposition leader Sam Rainsy who was sentenced to more than 10-year of jail sentence. (sic!)

Rong Chhun, the leader of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU), asked US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to help push the Cambodian government to respect human rights and the Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia which has not been fully applied in Cambodia yet.

The 3-page-long letter issued by CCU and sent to Mrs. Clinton on 30 October 2010, during her visit to Cambodia between 30 October and 01 November, asked her to take measures to make the Cambodian government fully respect the UN conventions, the international conventions and the Cambodian Constitution.

Rong Chhun’s letter raised the issue of constitutional violations in regards to Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as stipulated in Article 2 of the Cambodian Constitution. This article stipulates: “The territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Cambodia shall absolutely not be violated within its borders as defined in the 1/100,000 scale map made between the years 1933-1953 and internationally recognized between the years 1963-1969.” However, to the contrary of this article, in October 2005, the Cambodian government under Hun Xen’s leadership signed a border delimitation agreement with the Vietnamese government based on the 1:50,000-scale map instead, and this is contrary to the spirit of the constitution which was borne out of the spirit of the 23 October 1991 Paris Peace Agreements on Cambodia. Furthermore, Hun Xen’s convention with Vietnam turned into law that was signed and approved for use by the Cambodian king on 30 November 2005.

Furthermore, along the Cambodian-Thai border at Preah Vihear temple, there are also invasions perpetrated by the Thai troops inside Cambodia’s territories for more than two years already and the Cambodian government still has not resolve this issue yet.

In addition, Rong Chhun also requested that Mrs. Clinton help push the Cambodian government to immediately put an end to its violation of the law, its culture of discrimination, its impunity, its judicial system that lacks independence, and its corruption.

Rong Chhun stressed that the current Cambodian judicial system is nothing but a tool of those in power and the rich people who use it to oppress weak farmers, opposition officials and civil society officials, etc…

Rong Chhun added: “The planting of border posts will continue and Cambodia is suffering major losses because of the violations of the constitution.

sVar Kim Hong, president of the government border commission, told RFA on 30 October 2010 that, prior to issuing any letter or statement involving border issues or any other border problems, civil society organizations should reflect about them carefully, otherwise, they will face the same fate as opposition leader Sam Rainsy who was sentenced to more than 10-year of jail sentence.

sVar Kim Hong added that in the planting of border posts between Cambodia and Vietnam, the [Cambodian] government is not dumb to allow border posts that lead to the loss of Cambodian territories (sic!). To the contrary the planting of border posts was done to preserve the land through these clear border demarcations (sic!).

sVar Kim Hong said: “Where was the loss, please explain clearly about that. Don’t just talk about it, talking is easy, all you have to do is accuse!”

An anonymous official from the US embassy in Cambodia said on 30 October that in the evening of that day, the embassy did not receive the CCU letter sent to Mrs. Clinton yet.

Thailand plans to restore Ta Moan Thom temple, will Cambodia agree to this plan?

KI-Media note: As can be seen on the third photo below, the Bangkok Post reporter noted that a portion of the temple was damaged during Cambodia Civil War. For this situation to occur, it simply means that the temple was under Cambodian control during all this time and the current occupation of the temple by Thai troops is merely an aggression on Cambodian territories, is it not?

Small yet elegant Ta Muen Thom sanctuary in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district. Both Thailand and Cambodia have claimed ownership over the 13th century temple, which is on the overlapping border. An ownership dispute caused the Thai Fine Arts Department to abandon the site in 2001. PHOTO: SANITSUDA EKACHAI
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE
✦ Ta Muen Tot chapel, built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, on the Ta Muen complex. Also known as ‘arokhayasala’, the structure once served as a hospital.
✦ A ‘soam sutra’ drain, which siphoned sacred water during a Hindu ceremony from one of Ta Muen Thom chapels.
✦ Ta Muen chapel is a rest house for travellers. Like Ta Muen Tot, restoration on the Bayon-styled structure, is completed.
✦ This file photo shows a Thai military ranger standing guard at Ta Muen Thom temple. The site is open to visitors from both sides except when the border dispute heats up.
Traces of damage left behind from the Cambodian Civil War on Ta Muen Thom’s delicately carved sandstones.
Deputy Director-General of the Fine Arts Department Bovornvate Rungrujee hopes there is a chance to resume restoration work at the ancient site.

Thai-Cambodia impasse hinders restoration work

Archaeologists and historians hope an agreement over the long-standing border and ownership dispute can be reached so restoration work at Ta Muen Thom sanctuary can resume

16/09/2010
Bangkok Post

For some, Ta Muen Thom sanctuary in Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district is a testament of a shared heritage between Thailand and Cambodia. For others, however, it is an attestation of long-standing antagonism of the two rivalry neighbours.

Whatever it is, the monumental Khmer-styled sanctuary opposite Oddar Meanchey province in Cambodia has become one of the first casualties of territorial disputes between the two neighbouring countries, which each have aggressively claimed ownership over the ancient site located in the so-called Ta Muen complex, incorporating two other nearby ruins, Ta Muen Tot - also an overlapping site - and Ta Muen chapel.

The Thai Fine Arts Department registered the whole complex as a national archaeological site in 1935 and later began restoration work on the three ruins, which had sustained a great deal of damage from shells during the Cambodian Civil War. Ta Muen, which was an ancient rest house for travellers during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, and Ta Muen Tot, an arokhayasala (hospital) built in the same era, both received proper restoration. However, territory tensions forced the Thai Fine Arts Department to abandon the Ta Muen Thom sanctuary in 2001, leaving the restoration work incomplete, as advised by the security agencies and the Ministry of Foreign Ministry, in response to protests by Phnom Penh that argued the site was on Cambodian soil.

Both sides since then have deployed several units of armed rangers just a stone's throw away from the site, while the surrounding areas are known to be heavily landmine-infested.

Regretfully, the Preah Vihear dispute has aggravated border tensions, particularly at this ancient site, given the overlapping claims between both sides.

Yet the Ta Muen site _ about an hour's drive south of Surin town _ remains a tourist attraction for both Thais and Cambodians who are allowed access into the region to get a glimpse of the ancient beauty; the access would be closed to visitors only if tensions hit the red alert level. Tensions hit a peak earlier this year when a planned visit to the ancient temple by Cambodian strongman Hun Sen during his high-profile border tour, which almost resulted in a confrontation between the two sides.

The Fine Arts Department, meanwhile, is looking for the possibility to resume and complete the restoration work at Ta Muen Thom. This time, it hopes to invite Cambodia to join the restoration effort, if it is to truly happen.

Deputy Director-General of the Fine Arts Department Bovornvate Rungrujee, who led a group of judges and justice personnel on a visit to the ancient site earlier this month, said the half-restored sanctuary has evidently deteriorated, with a number of sandstone blocks crumbling to the ground.

The idea of resuming reconstruction work was proposed during the trip. It was agreed that Thailand and Cambodia should work together for the sake of heritage conservation, putting aside the border conflict and ownership dispute _ at the least temporarily.

Bovornvate said the Fine Arts Department, through the Ministry of Culture, will raise the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the security agencies to find ways to continue the unfinished repair work.

Bovornvate, who was responsible for the Ta Muen Thom excavation in the 1980s, said that Ta Muen Thom is a unique sanctuary, regarding the location of the structure, which lies exactly on a rock-cutting site.

The Ta Muen complex stands on the Angkor-Phimai royal road. Along the route, there were several arokhayasala, cited in an ancient Khmer inscription, as well as rest houses (or dharmasala, also known previously as agnisala, meaning a house with lit-up fire.

Bovornvate noted that Ta Muen Tot is the most complete arokhayasala ever found in Thailand. There are nearly 20 such ancient hospitals _ all built during the reign of King Jayavarman VII _ in the lower part of the Northeast. An ancient inscription found at this particular chapel cited the name of Phaisatchaya Kuruwaituya, a Bhodhisattva who blesses its worshippers with good health.

"The Fine Arts Department has used this arokhayasala as a prototype for restoration of similar chapels in other areas," he said.

It is well realised that the idea of having Cambodia in the renewed restoration plan will not be easy. Immediate question involve with the legitimate right over the overlapping site, if any party is to do _ or continue _ the restoration work.

Historian Charnvit Kasetsiri doubts if Cambodia would consider the "invitation", given the bitterness of both sides.

"Ideally, joint work [on the sanctuary] is good," he said. But personally he does not believe that Cambodia will ever take an interest.

"Such cooperation can be made when two sides truly trust each other. And that is, unfortunately, not the case between Thailand and Cambodia," said Charnvit, who notes that the Ta Muen conflict is but a small part of the Preah Vihear problem, which has worsened due to ultra-nationalism and racial nationalist sentiments that surged after Cambodia's successful bid to have the site registered on the Unesco World Heritage list.

"The Preah Vihear problem will haunt us again and again as long as we are trapped in old history, shrouded by racial nationalism," he said.

The historian also said it is necessary that Thais are better educated about treaties and conventions concerning the obligations and commitment the country has with its neighbours, as well as the international community, otherwise border conflicts, in particular, the Preah Vihear problem, will erupt again and again.

And if that were the case, the historian said that he sees no end to the Ta Muen tension.

"For some issues like border disputes, we'd be better to leave it as it is if we can't fix it. And just wait until we are ready," said Charnvit.

Kom Tha Ei-choeung - "Don't say that - The minor details that are easy to forget" - Op-Ed by Oum Hak

Did you know?

According to the Op-Ed author, following the 1962 decision by The Hague International Court of Justice to award the ownership of Preah Vihear to Cambodia, Thai troops did not immediately pull out of the temple and the surrounding area. A Cambodian colonel by the name of Teab Ben, who later became the Funcinpec army chief of staff during the resistance to the Vietnamese invasion and occupation of Cambodia, and his troops had put tremendous effort to climb up the mountain and fought with the Thai army before they were able to chase them out of the area. Colonel Teab Ben’s victory paved the way for the pilgrimage by Prince Sihanouk and his entourage to the Preah Vihear temple (see photos above). Unfortunately, nowadays, nobody even remember the name of Colonel Teab Ben and his heroic soldiers. Similarly, a Cambodian lawyer and native son of Kampuchea Krom, Mr. Truong Cang, was one of the major contributors to Cambodia’s successful lawsuit case against Thailand at The Hague International Court of Justice. Immediately after Cambodia won the lawsuit, Mr. Truong Cang was proclaimed the Cambodian Hero for Preah Vihear, but less than 50 years later, nobody even remember his contributions. Isn’t it a shame?

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

Cambodians are more concerned about loss of territories to Vietnam than they are with Thailand - Op-Ed by Ven. Hok Savann

Click on the article in Khmer to zoom in

History reminder for a forgetful reader

មានខ្មែរមួយចំនួន មិនដែលគិតអំពីពួកអាសៀម វាចង់យកដីខ្មែរនោះទេ គឺគិតតែអំពីយួនទៅវិញ។ យួនវាបានជួយក្បាលម៉ែឪវា ពួកវាមិនដែលគិតទេ។ ចុះអាសៀមវាយកដីខ្មែរតាំងពី ឆ្នាំ ១៣៥០មកម្តេចក៏ អាពួកវង្វេងប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្រ វាមិនយកមកនិយាយផង? អាពួកទាំងនេះបើ បានកាន់កាប់ ស្រុកខ្មែរច្បាស់ ជាដូចអាឌុចទៀតហើយ។
A number of Khmer people never thought about Ah Siem wanting Khmer lands at all, they only think about the Yuons taking Khmer lands instead. The Yuons came to save their parent’ heads, they never think about it. How about Ah Siem taking Khmer lands since 1350, why these history-confused people do not talk about them? These people if they govern Cambodia, it will surely be like Ah Duch all over again.

The irate and forgetful reader probably did not follow the news closely enough to notice that:

• In November 2009, Mr. Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) organized a protest against the Thai troops presence in Cambodia. His group was prohibited from holding such public protest by the very same puppet regime that was installed by the Yuon invading troops in 1979.

Cops preventing Rong Chhun from holding a protest against the Siamese

• On July 15, 2010, CITA again organized a day of anger against the Siamese troop invasion of Cambodia in Preah Vihear, again CITA was prevented by cops of Hun Xen’s regime from holding such public protest against the Siamese.

Cops preventing Rong Chhun and CITA from holding a protest against the Siamese during the day of anger against Thai troop invasion of Cambodia in Preah Vihear

• Now, who is protecting the Siamese interest? The Cambodian people protesting against the Siamese or the puppet regime installed by Hanoi whose leader is a good friend of Thaksin?

Hun Xen embracing his best friend and Siamese advisor Thaksin

Khmer and Thai troops shoving each other at Ta Krabey temple

29 April 2010
Everyday.com.kh
Translated from Khmer by Socheata

A source from RCAF unit 42 stationed at the border with Thailand at Ta Krabey temple, Thmor Daun village, Kauk Mon commune, Banteay Ampil district, Oddar Meanchey province, told Rasmei Kampuchea on 28 April 2010 that, at 10AM on 27 April, Thai black-clad soldiers from unit 2606 who are stationed in Dongrak village, Surin province in Thailand, attempted to enter Cambodia’s Ta Krabey temple while being armed. At that time, Cambodian troops from unit 42 stationed at Kon Phnom and around the temple tried to stop them. Furthermore, only 3 to 4 Thai soldiers allowed to enter for 1 to 2 hours only. The two sides tried not to resort to their weapons and instead they shoved each other with their hand and bodies. On the afternoon of that same day, Cambodian and Thai commanders met to negotiate at the Ta Krabey temple to improve the situation.

Thai plane patrolled and surveyed the area

A military source told Rasmei Kampuchea that, at the time when about 20 Thai black-clad soldiers came to threaten [Cambodian troops] at border post no. 22A, a Thai plane patrolled and surveyed the area at the Thmor Daun, Chub Koki and Ta Krabey temple several times.

Thai troops built a spirit house to encroach on the border

The Cambodian provincial army deputy officer said that Thai soldiers crossed the border at post no. 22A at 8PM on 26 April 2010. They built military huts to defend the area for building a spirit house, and concrete trenches.

Ruom Ritt's interviews on World Khmer Radio

Click here to listen to Part 1 of Ruom Ritt's interview (17 Feb 2010)
Click here to listen to Part 2 of Ruom Ritt's interview (18 Feb 2010)
Click here to listen to Part 3 of Ruom Ritt's interview (19 Feb 2010)

Thai soldiers lay barbed wires on Khmer territories

22nd Feb, 2009
By Sary Rath
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

A group of Thai soldiers have on Friday 20th February laid barbed wires in an area the Khmer soldiers claimed belong to Cambodia.

The area that the Khmer soldiers accused Thai soldiers of allegedly laying the barbed wires is in Ta Thav district, located 6 kilometres east of Preah Vihear temple.

Mr. Sav Yuth, a correspondence for Radio Free Asia reports: "I have received a report from the Preah Vihear area where the Khmer soldiers claimed that a group of Thai soldiers based at Ta Thav Pass have entered (Cambodian territory) to set up camp next to a Cambodian border post for the last few days and they have laid barbed wires 40 metres deep inside the Khmer territory. Yesterday, the Cambodian soldiers tried to prevent them from laying the barbed wires and asked the Thai soldiers to leave the area, but the Thai soldiers still maintain their barbed wires that they have laid 40 metres deep inside Khmer territory and they have not withdrawn from the area yet."

Sam Rainsy concerned about the territorial integrity of Cambodia

30 October 2008
By Alain Ney
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Tola Ek
Click here to read the article in French

The opposition leader is concerned by the appetite of neighboring countries that nibble a little more Cambodia’s borders during each year.

In a thank you note sent to one of his party activists in Canada, Sam Rainsy is again concerned by the “Motherland which is victim of aggression from everywhere.”

In this message, he discussed about the difficulties that Cambodia face to preserve her territorial integrity in front of neighbors filled with expansionist wills. “Border problems in the country's Western part have been in the limelight over the last few months. But our Eastern neighbor (Vietnam) has been infringing on our territory on a much larger scale and for a much longer period than our Western neighbor (Thailand),” Sam Rainsy wrote.

He called on everyone to “help those of our fellow compatriots who are on the most sensitive frontline to resist,” while recalling that, “on the Eastern side, [the border] has been continuously moved to the detriment of our country since 1979.”

Noppadon Pattama tells Thai army to shut up over Preah Vihear ... unless the world learns about Thailand encroachment inside Cambodia?

Army told to be quiet over temple row

Noppadon doesn't want ties with Cambodia hurt

Saturday June 14, 2008
THANIDA TANSUBHAPOL & WASSANA NANUAM
Bangkok Post

Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama has asked the supreme commander to order military officers who have no authority to refrain from giving interviews about the disputed Preah Vihear temple. The move came after an army source complained to the media on Thursday that a new Cambodian map of the Preah Vihear temple was found to encroach on Thai territory by up to 10 metres in two critical areas.

Mr Noppadon said he had asked the ministry's permanent secretary Virasakdi Futrakul to talk with Supreme Commander Gen Boonsrang Niempradit and insist his subordinates not give interviews about sensitive state issues.

''Just think about who will benefit from this. Don't hide by identifying yourself as 'a source'. I don't want ill-intentioned people to derail this smooth-running train,'' said Mr Noppadon.

He warned those who have no authority to give interviews to refrain from saying anything that could affect Thailand's relations with Cambodia.

''I have the authority to speak about this issue, so let me speak alone. If anybody dares to give interviews, please use your real name. I will let the defence minister warn him,'' said Mr Noppadon.

He also advised people not to arouse nationalistic sentiment and not to let politics damage national benefits.

He was referring to the protest by residents of Si Sa Ket province over the listing of the Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site and about Cambodians building houses and shops beyond Cambodia's border with Thailand.

Mr Noppadon said the issues will be resolved step by step. He noted that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his deputy Sok An were cooperating with Thailand on the temple issue.

The Foreign Ministry will submit the new map to the National Security Council (NSC) and the cabinet to endorse next week, said the minister.

He said all problems about the new map have been resolved now that Thai agencies have verified the map against the actual site.

''I have already discussed this issue with the Cambodian side and I will not do anything on which I can be attacked later,'' said Mr Noppadon.

Cambodia handed the new map to Thailand on June 5 for consideration after both countries agreed in Paris late last month at a Unesco-brokered meeting to draw up the new map.

The Phnom Penh government plans to submit the map to the Unesco committee later this month to propose the temple ruins as a World Heritage Site.

The Unesco committee will meet early next month in Quebec, Canada.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tarit Charungwat said everything had been done openly.

''The government has acted with full transparency, using the principle of national sovereignty as the guiding force,'' he said.

''When the work has been done in accordance with the proper process, we can explain it accurately,'' he said.

Gen Boonsrang yesterday admitted that Mr Noppadon had called him to request the military not grant any interviews about Preah Vihear.

''He told me the military should not give any interviews related to the Preah Vihear temple as the issue is now being handled by the Foreign Ministry.

''If an interview is given, it may cause some trouble. The Foreign Ministry will hold talks with Cambodia over the issue,'' said Gen Boonsrang. He has already instructed his subordinates to hold their tongues.

Gen Boonsrang said the Foreign Ministry, which is the key negotiator, must take the ultimate responsibility.

Thai FM Noppadon Pattama: It's a win-win solution ... as Cambodia has to present a new map for Preah Vihear to UNESCO

Hun Sen and Noppadon Pattama (cutting the ribbon)

Cambodia presents new map of Preah Vihear

Fri, June 6, 2008
By Supalak G Khundee The Nation (Thailand)

Cambodia's new annexe map for a proposal to list the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site does not claim 4.6 square kilometres of overlapping territory, Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Friday.

Following an agreement between the two countries in Paris last month to list only the temple itself as a heritage site, Phnom Penh on Thursday sent the new map to Bangkok for consideration.

"I have seen the map, which makes clear that Cambodia no longer claims the overlapping downhill area as part of the temple for the World Heritage Site," Noppadon said in a press briefing.

However, the Supreme Command's Royal Thai Survey Department will use satellite imaging to verify the map and location on the ground, he added.

If there is no objection, the National Security Council and the Cabinet will endorse the map and respond to Phnom Penh within a week, enabling Cambodia to send its proposal to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation by the middle of this month.

Unesco's World Heritage Committee will make a final decision on the proposal at a meeting in Canada in July.

Though Cambodia won its claim to Preah Vihear Temple in the International Court of Justice in 1962, its proposal to list the temple as a Unesco heritage site was opposed by Thailand because the map appended by Phnom Penh showed an area claimed by both countries as part of the temple site.

The agreement reached by Noppadon and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in Paris will end not only conflict with Cambodia but also allegations made by street protesters that the foreign minister might cause Thailand to lose its territory.

"It's a win-win solution: we maintain good relations with Cambodia and retain sovereignty over the territory," Noppadon said.

Border activitists: Hun Sen did give out lands to VN and Thailand

Hun Sen (L), Sean Pengse (C), and Ear Channa (R)

Left: Vietnamese soldiers (arrow) preventing SMD students from visiting an encroached area in Kampot province. Right: border makers newly installed by Vietnam in the "white zone" of Snuol district, Kratie province

Sunday-Monday 02-03 March 2008
By Sila
Sralanh Khmer newspaper
Translated from Khmer by Heng Soy

Recently, prime minister Hun Sen said in Koh Thom district, Kandal province, that the claim made by those who accuse his government of losing Cambodian lands is tantamount to looking down on the Khmer Nation. However, the Cambodia Watchdog Council International (CWCI) said that Hun Sen’s words are lies to both himself and the Cambodian public.

The Cambodian government deposited maps at the UN in 1955 which indicates that its lands juxtapose with the Vietnamese borders along a length of 1,230 km, the Lao borders along a length of 540 km, and the Thai borders along a length of 804 km. The maritime borders with Vietnam and Thailand extend over a length of 507 km, if measured according to actual border delineation, however, this length is 215 km if measured along straight line.

Civil society, the opposition party and the general public used to criticize the Hun Sen regime which allowed the loss of Cambodian territories, beginning from the 80s when it allowed neighboring countries to move their borders inside Cambodian territories from all directions. However, Hun Sen declared recently that “Based on their propaganda, maybe the current Cambodian borders would be located in Pursat province, and from the east, it would be located at Kampong Chhnang, therefore, the Cambodian borders all disappeared… but Khmer in Koh Thom are witnesses, those who live and are born here in the past, their number still remains the same.”

In response to Hun Sen’s statement regarding the border issue, Ear Channa, the CWCI Secretary-general, said from Norway that, 2 or 3 years ago, he visited the areas where Cambodia lost its territories. He said that in 2004-2005, while he was the deputy Secretary-general of the Students’ Movement for Democracy (SMD), he performed an visit study tour along the eastern borders, next to Vietnam. The SMD clearly observed the loss of borders which are part of Cambodia’s territorial integrity due to Vietnamese violations, almost everywhere, and in particular in the Phnom Prochiev area, located along the border in Kampot province; in the southern area of the province of Takeo; in the area of Pak Nam in Kandal prince, the entire island of Koh Ta Mao was lost; in Kampong Cham province, several areas were lost; in Snuol, Kratie province, large swath of Cambodian territories were lost, therefore, the claim made by Hun Sen saying that Cambodia did not lose any territory is nothing but a lie to deceive not only to himself, but also the entire Cambodian public.

Ear Channa confirmed that his group visited Cambodian victims living along the borders who lost their lands due to Vietnamese aggression, and he said that his group of students visited those areas several times, each time with a group of 50 to 80 students. However, the armed Vietnamese border guards always prevented the students from entering the areas lost by Cambodia, and they were also forbidden from taking pictures showing the truth in these areas as well.

Mr. Sean Pengse, President of the Paris-based Cambodia’s Border Committee, said that in the Cambodian maps deposited that the UN in 1955, there was no indication of so-called “white zones” (disputed border areas). The “white zones” issues raised by the neighboring countries are nothing more than a prevention to stop Cambodian people from entering these special zones along the border. These “white zones” were created stemming from the successive agreements signed by Hun Sen’s regime with neighboring countries, in particular, the border treaties with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1979, 1982-1983, 1985, and more recently in 2005.

Mr. Sean Pengse declared that these white zones are lost territories as far as Cambodia is concerned, because Vietnam and Thailand can do whatever they want in these zones, but Cambodia cannot. Therefore, these are loss territories, and the most blatant case is the Ta Moan Temple which belonged to Cambodia in the past, and it was recognized as such by local people living there, but nowadays, when Thailand proceeds to repair this temple, Cambodia does not even dare say anything at all. Furthermore, Thailand decided that a border road is the borderline, whereas during the French protectorate era, this road belonged to Cambodia, and now Cambodia is not allowed to touch this road at all, therefore, this territory is lost. He said that based on his study, Vietnam encroaches about 40 square-km into Cambodia in the province of Ratanakiri.

Mr. Sean Pengse, the former Minister of Industry, Mining, and Energy of the Khmer Republic regime, claimed that because of Hun Sen’s treaties with neighboring countries, Cambodia also lost a large extent of its maritime territories. Mr. Sean Pengse said: “Cambodia signed a recognition of the border treaty in 1982, and this led to the loss of 30,000-square-km (of our seas), Cambodia also recognized that the Krachak Ses and Koh Tral (Phu Quoc) Islands belong to Vietnam, that was why Vietnam took 10,000-square-km of our seas and turned it into historical waters (to be shared by both countries)… Following the conclusion of the 1982 agreement, Vietnam concluded a treaty with Thailand allowing the latter to occupy about 30,000-square-km of Cambodian seas. Cambodia originally had 95,000-square-km of seas, but Vietnam took away 30,000-square-km, and Thailand took another 30,0000-square-km, so Cambodia is left with about 35,000-square-km of seas only.”

Mr. Sean Pengse calls on Hun Sen’s regime to protect and defend our ancestral territories, and he said that is a good thing that Hun Sen claimed that he can protect our lands, however, Hun Sen’s government should also protect the land and maritime territories as prescribed by the maps deposited by Cambodia at the UN in 1955 as well. Otherwise, Cambodia will surely lose its lands, and those losses can be blamed on Hun Sen’s conclusions of agreements with neighboring countries starting from 1979 and extending until 2005.