Diplomatic Exchanges Heat Up Over Temple

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
20 November 2008

Click here to listen to the Khmer audio program

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hor Namhong called the Thai ambassador to his office Thursday, in an escalating war of words between the two countries over Preah Vihear temple.

Soldiers on both sides remain in positions along disputed border regions, and the temple remains a flashpoint between the two countries. At least four soldiers have died in fighting along the border in recent months.

Hor Namhong told reporters Thursday Cambodia did not accept a statement by the Thai foreign ministry that censured the posting of flags and a signboard above the temple earlier this month.

Unesco has declared the temple a World Heritage site under the care of Cambodia, but in a memo last week, Thailand said it disapproved of the flags and sign.

The Thai foreign ministry has also decried Kathin ceremonies held at a pagoda near the temple. Both sides now claim rights to the land.

Thailand protested against the raising of Unesco flags at Preah Vihear temple

(L-R): Unesco flag, World Heritage flag and a Cambodian flag which were raised on 7th of November in the Preah Vihear complex.

16th November, 2008
By Mayarith
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by Khmerization

The raising of the Unesco flags and the Khmer Kathen ceremony at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak have enraged Thailand which led it to lodge a strong protest.

Radio Free Asia’s reporter based in Thailand reported that Thailand has protested in a statement issued on Friday, 14th of November, 2008.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has protested against a number of activities performed by Khmer authority in the Preah Vihear areas where one activity took place on the 7th of November and the other took place on the 12th of November. Thailand accused that these sorts of activities have violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On the 7th of November, Khmer and Unesco officials have raised Unesco flags in the Preah Vihear complex and on the 12th of November, the Khmer authority has held a Kathen ceremony inside the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda.

In a statement issued on Friday the 14th of November, the Thai Foreign Ministry has said that it had sent a protest letter to Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs because the Cambodian authority did not inform the Thai side about its activities in the areas and accused Cambodia of violating Thailand’s territory around the Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda.

The Thai Foreign Ministry has accused Cambodia of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity because Cambodia’s activity on the 7th of November include the raising of three flags on the towers of the Preah Vihear temple and the construction of two large signposts on the staircase of the temple. Thailand has accused the Cambodian officials who went to raise the flags by crossing through its territory without prior permission from the Thai authority.

There is no news regarding the Cambodian reactions to the protest of the Thai Foreign Ministry.

However, Cambodian border activists based in Europe has reacted to the Thai protest.

Mr. Kiri Setha, a Khmer from The Netherlands, said: “The raising of the Unesco flags, flags representing the International Court of Justice and Cambodian flags is the sovereignty of Cambodia in order to confirm the ownership of its heritage. And the holding of a Kathen ceremony at Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak is purely a Cambodian matter, it’s the right of Cambodia.”

Mr. Kiri Setha said that, because of the outrage against Thai invasion of the Cambodian territories that caused about 270 Khmer people from around the world to stage a demonstration in front of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, The Netherlands, on the 1st of November.

Those 270 protesters include Khmer people from Cambodia, France, The Netherlands, Norway, America, Canada as well as from Germany.

Cambodian, World Heritage, UNESCO Flags Fly at Mountaintop Preah Vihear Temple

The ceremony to hoist the three flags up at the mountaintop Preah Vihear Temple

08 Nov 08
Everyday in Cambodian
Translated from Khmer by Anonymous

Three flags of, respectively, Cambodia, World Heritage, and Cambodian national committee for UNESCO were hoisted up at the mountaintop Preah Vihear Temple during a solemn ceremony held on the morning of 7 November by the representatives of UNESCO and Cambodian Government under the watching eyes of national and international observers as well as of reporters.

The Cambodian nation further glowed with pride on the historic day of 7 November 2008, when the Organization of World Heritage, especially UNESCO, joined hands with the Royal Government of Cambodia to raise the meaningful flags in unison at the mountaintop of Preah Vihear Temple, a World Heritage site that was included in the World Heritage list in Quebec, Canada, on 7 July 2008.

The ceremony to hoist up the three flags was held, with Buddhist monks chanting, at 0400 GMT on 7 November under the chairmanship of Chuch Phoeung, state secretary of culture and fine arts; Ti Yav, chairman of the Preah Vihear Temple Authority; Phay Siphan, state secretary of the Council of Ministers Office; Mrs. Tan Theany, secretary general of the Cambodia-based UNESCO; high-ranking commanders of the Royal Cambodian Armed Force stationed in the region of Preah Vihear; Cambodian Mine Action Center representative, and a total of around 200 foreign guests.

According to a report from a Kampuchea Thmey reporter at the site of ceremony, the flags were hoisted simultaneously up the shining poles made of inox steel of about 12 meter high at the temple's fifth Kou Borak site.

'Heritage' Temple Gets Unesco Flag, Sign

UNESCO flag (L), World Heritage Site flag (C) and Cambodian flag (R) flying over Preah Vihear temple on 07 Nov 2008 (Photo: AFP)

By Heng Reaksmey, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
07 November 2008

A team of Unesco and government officials inaugurated Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site Friday, as Thai and Cambodian troops who have been entrenched in the area were withdrawn.

It was unclear whether the withdrawal from the positions near the 11th-Century temple would be permanent.

The official ceremony included the raising of a Unesco World Heritage sign above the temple entrance and the hoisting of three flags, for Cambodia, Unesco and the World Heritage committee, over its spires.

“Today is a historic day for the Khmer people, and the raising of the flags shows that the boundaries of Preah Vihear temple belong to the world heritage,” said Phay Siphan, a spokesman for the Council of Ministers. “The other side cannot damage Preah Vihear temple, and we the Khmer people should protect and guard [it].”

The July 7 inclusion of the temple on the World Heritage protection list at Cambodia’s behest sparked outrage among a number of Thais and led to the deployment of thousands of troops on both sides in an expanding border dispute.

At least three Cambodian and one Thai soldier were killed in violent clashes near the temple last month.

Another round of negotiations between both sides is expected in Siem Reap Monday.

UNESCO Begins Demarcating Preah Vihear Temple

PHNOM PENH, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- A UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) delegation has begun marking out the boundary of the Preah Vihear temple, said China's Xinhua news agency quoting national media reports Friday.

The Preah Vihear temple was listed as a World Heritage site in July and has since been at the centre of a border dispute between Cambodia, which owns the monument, and Thailand, where nationalists claim the 11th-century ruins were unfairly taken from the Thais.

Both sides have faced off over contested territory near the temple and elsewhere along the border, with troops opening fire on each other last month in a brief clash that left at least four soldiers dead.

Although the border has remained quiet since then, tensions remain high and Cambodian military officials said they would protect the UNESCO team.

"We are ready to provide security for the delegation when they post markers at the temple," Brigade 12 commander Srey Doek was quoted by the Phnom Penh Post as saying.

"Security is good and well-organized," he added.

Meas Yoeun, deputy military commander of Preah Vihear province, said that after the UNESCO had demarcated the temple border, troops guarding it would be withdrawn to another site.

"We will remove (the troops), but we are waiting for orders from higher levels," he said.

He added that both Cambodian and Thai soldiers at the front line are considering declaring the demarcated area a protected zone after the departure of the UNESCO team.

Cambodians protect temple

Nov 7, 2008
AFP

PREAH VIHEAR (Cambodia) - CAMBODIAN officials erected flags and signs near an ancient Khmer temple in a bid to protect the landmark, after accusing Thai troops of damaging it in a recent border gunfight.

In a ceremony at the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, which sits alongside the disputed border with Thailand, Cambodian officials raised a World Heritage flag and signs declaring it an international cultural property under special protection.

Mr Hang Soth, director general of the agency which cares for the site, said two signs each nearly two-metres-wide were also placed on towers of the temple, facing the sky to prevent 'jet strikes'.

'We put up signs in order to ban Thai soldiers from firing at the temple,' Mr Hang Soth said after the ceremony which was not attended by UN officials.

Preah Vihear was hit by rocket and bullet fire during October 15 troop clashes on disputed land which left three Cambodians and one Thai dead.

The Cambodian government blamed Thai troops for damage to a staircase and a sculpture, but Thailand denies the charge.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia flared in July when Preah Vihear was awarded UN World Heritage status, rekindling a long-simmering dispute over ownership of land surrounding the temple.

Although the World Court ruled in 1962 that it belonged to Cambodia, the most accessible entrance is in Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province and the recent conflict has fuelled nationalism on both sides of the border.

Cambodian and Thai officials are scheduled to hold border talks next week in Cambodian tourist hub Siem Reap.

UNESCO to post signs at Preah Vihear temple

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Cambodian National Committee, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will post signs at Preah Vihear temple to create a protection zone around the World Heritage site, national media reported Wednesday.

The move follows claims by Cambodian officials that a statue and staircase at the 11th-century monument were damaged by Thai grenades during clashes on Oct. 15 that left three Cambodian soldiers and a Thai trooper dead, the Phnom Penh Post said.

Phay Siphan, secretary of state at the Council of Ministers, said three signs will be posted around the temple on Nov. 7 to prevent further damage to the site.

"Preah Vihear is not just Cambodian property, but world property," he told the Post.

"Cambodia and Thailand are both members of UNESCO, so we want their cooperation in protecting the temple," he added.

Hang Soth, director general of the Preah Vihear Authority, said the new signs will demarcate a new protection zone to deter fighting in the area.

"There will be no further shooting on the temple or in the protection zone," he said.

"We will post the signs, and Thai soldiers must join us in respecting the boundary," he added.