04 January 2008Op-Ed by Vanak Thom
On the web at http://blogbykhmer.blogspot.com
Please post your comment at Vanak's web site
The Spratly islands are 800km from Ho Chi Minh City, 1300km from Hong Kong. This archipelago comprised of more than 600 smalls rocks and corral reefs located in the South China Sea. It is hotly in dispute between China and Vietnam which both staked claims to the islands. Lately in 08 December, 2007 Vietnamese organised a demontration protest in front of the Chinese embassy in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City. They rallied by shouted slogans against China to "stop invading" their territory.
When this news first came out I didn't have time to write it right away for I was extremely busy helping my mother at the village. Nevertheless, the high tension on high sea between China and Vietnam is still there; hence, it really piqued my interest in region of South China Sea even more. I then began to think the issue in parallel to my Camobodia's Koh Tral island.
Separately in comparison to the incident with the Spratly islands, Cambodia's biggest Koh Tral island is so close to our coastline. It is just 15km from Kampot province. Koh Tral sits right in Cambodia waters. Each time of day when the wind clears away the fog, we can see peaks of our Koh Tral from our coastline Kep or from Mount Bokor in Kampot province.
Yet, the distance of Koh Tral to Vietnam is 3 times more than it is to Cambodia. It's 45km to the closest southern tip Ha Tien province of Vietnam.
Vietnam took our island as 'under their administration'. Vietnam has the tendency to eliminate any trace of Cambodian origin, so they changed the original name Koh Tral to Phu Quoc . The term that the island is 'under Vietnamese administration' are just flowery words to cover up from the international community. I know at the present day there is no direct access to Koh Tral from our Cambodia side. Our Khmer fishermen will be arrested or shot by Vietnamese soldiers if we're straying in waters closer to the island.
So when the Vietnamese shouted to China "stop invading" on the Spratly islands, I was wondering if those demonstrators have any conscience of what they or their government did to our Cambodia Koh Tral island.
To me, Koh Tral is always ours. I am so sad for the lost of this island at this present time. As Vietnam always claimed they are friends of Cambodia. Friends don't take personal properties from one another. So I hope one day and soon, Vietnam would relinquish Koh Tral administration duty and hand it back to us wholeheartedly.
From me, Vanak
Phnom Penh City,
04 January 2008
Vanak
Sources:
http://www.cfcambodge.org/doc/Kohtral.pdf
http://www.khmerinstitute.org/articles/art09.html
http://www.caraweb.org/articles/koh_trol.html
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/IL20Ad01.html
http://www.travelnotes.org/Asia/spratlys.htm
http://www.countrywatch.com/facts/facts_default.aspx?type=text&topic=SESPI
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=175296&p=2
When this news first came out I didn't have time to write it right away for I was extremely busy helping my mother at the village. Nevertheless, the high tension on high sea between China and Vietnam is still there; hence, it really piqued my interest in region of South China Sea even more. I then began to think the issue in parallel to my Camobodia's Koh Tral island.
Separately in comparison to the incident with the Spratly islands, Cambodia's biggest Koh Tral island is so close to our coastline. It is just 15km from Kampot province. Koh Tral sits right in Cambodia waters. Each time of day when the wind clears away the fog, we can see peaks of our Koh Tral from our coastline Kep or from Mount Bokor in Kampot province.
Yet, the distance of Koh Tral to Vietnam is 3 times more than it is to Cambodia. It's 45km to the closest southern tip Ha Tien province of Vietnam.
Vietnam took our island as 'under their administration'. Vietnam has the tendency to eliminate any trace of Cambodian origin, so they changed the original name Koh Tral to Phu Quoc . The term that the island is 'under Vietnamese administration' are just flowery words to cover up from the international community. I know at the present day there is no direct access to Koh Tral from our Cambodia side. Our Khmer fishermen will be arrested or shot by Vietnamese soldiers if we're straying in waters closer to the island.
So when the Vietnamese shouted to China "stop invading" on the Spratly islands, I was wondering if those demonstrators have any conscience of what they or their government did to our Cambodia Koh Tral island.
To me, Koh Tral is always ours. I am so sad for the lost of this island at this present time. As Vietnam always claimed they are friends of Cambodia. Friends don't take personal properties from one another. So I hope one day and soon, Vietnam would relinquish Koh Tral administration duty and hand it back to us wholeheartedly.
From me, Vanak
Phnom Penh City,
04 January 2008
Vanak
Sources:
http://www.cfcambodge.org/doc/Kohtral.pdf
http://www.khmerinstitute.org/articles/art09.html
http://www.caraweb.org/articles/koh_trol.html
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/IL20Ad01.html
http://www.travelnotes.org/Asia/spratlys.htm
http://www.countrywatch.com/facts/facts_default.aspx?type=text&topic=SESPI
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/world/story.html?id=175296&p=2
7 comments:
VN always tried to expand their territorial sea by using small rocks (not qualified to be called as island) as the baseline but did not succeed according on definition in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, so shame on this country. However, when coming into conflict with our country whose government does not take a strong action, we unfortunately lost the island. The current China-VN dispute is not our problem, but I think we ought to learn and watch it closely how it goes, as part of our mission of protecting our beloved motherland, CAMBODIA!!!
I wish the Spratly islands were America's last frontier so that we can control China and Vietnam altogether.
Yeah!American's frontiers,I'd like that.but did you know why American-are friend with Youn-now?because China,is a big thread to America's-so now Youn-is not thing to America-so maybe in the next 10-to 15-years from now you're will see U.S base in srok Youn-again it closer to China-it's ready to strike China-at anytime if China- dare to do stupit thing."ANANIKUM AMERICA RULES!"
That should not be the only demand they should include south vietname as well which only been conlonised since world war 2.
The vietnamese people & government who claimed to be Camnodia's friend should return what belong to Cambodia and the people of Vietname should demand this action if they were to be rational about it territories.
The Vietnamese government and their people are smart and flexible people, not like Cambodia and their stupid leaders. The Viet sides with whoever to protect them. In the 60 Uncle Ho sided with China to fight with Uncle Sam. In the 80 Uncle sided with Soviet to deter the Chinese aggression, and now they sided with Uncle Sam to serve their interest to get Cambodia territory. They do a lot of business with Uncle Sam. That way to make sure Uncle Sam shut their mouth about Cambodia colony under Vietnam. Only the stupid khmer leaders like Hun Sen, and Sihanouk don't flex their muscle according to the wind.
Choy Euy, Koh Tral (Phu Quoc island)is our VN, Not Smers....
Our Bao Dai, Uncle ho and his followers(Ngyuen Van thiv, Great General Giap, Le Zuan, Pham van Dong...tried their best to take over for long time ago..
Why Koh tral is yours... oh Poor Smers???????
Choy Euy....pls blame your Kings your leaders....not VN
pls look at the Mirror to REFLEX YOURSELF !!!
THIS is the result of Our HERO Uncle HO and others VN Comnpatriots..
Choy Euy....
Ngyuen Ay Koy
Do Khmers understand something?
God had been giving you the land. But you do not know how to care for it and to use it. You hate each other, you kill each other, you do not know God, your Creator, your Provider, your Helper, your Protecteur. You always turn to foreigners for help. In doing so you debase your God. You do not know any more God nor have God at your side any more. See? if you debase so low the Buddha you can see, how you know God you cannot see. You are against God. So How God protect you, provide you?
Turn back to God and ask God for Help. Ask anything to God and He will provide you. Only God can defeat Vietnam.
Start to clean up your house. Have or make leaders who know God and listen to God to lead you, and God will give you all the land and anything you can care for.
Because you worship men, God is angry to you, and you are away from His Protection and Blessing.
This piece of advice is a gift from heaven. If you take it, you can ask and get more. Ask it and you get. Otherwise you will be removed from the face of the earth by your own curse you created by yourself.
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