Khmerization's comment: Cambodia should lodge a diplomatic protest in the strongest term. Crossing the border into Cambodia, to arrest Cambodian citizens, in Cambodia's territory is a violation of Cambodia's territorial integrity and international laws. This is another sign of Thailand's attempt to test Cambodia's patience with border violations and encroachments. Cambodia's borders have been raped by our two powerful neighbours since time immemorial. But a violation of this type and this propportion should not be tolerated any longer. The Hun Sen government has not shown that it cares about Cambodia's territorial integrity and border violations by our neighbours because past violations have been met with silence from the his authority. And this time is no difference. Protecting our borders and our citizens should be above all else. Any violations from either side of our neighbours should be met with the strongest protests and reactions.
It seemed that Thailand wanted to lay claim to this area. If Cambodia remain silent on this particular violation then Bansaay Reak will fall into the hands of Thailand very soon, like many areas in the Dangrek Ranges and Anlong Veng etc. Hun Sen must do something and do it very soon.
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By Chiep Mony, VOA Khmer Original report from Phnom Penh
20 December 2007
Five Cambodians are being held in Thailand after a cross-border raid by Thai security forces, witnesses, local authorities and rights groups said Thursday.
Witnesses in Samrong district, Odar Meanchey province, told VOA Khmer that on Monday Thai soldiers arrested five lumber cutters in Bansaay Reak commune. Other workers escaped, witnesses said.
Thai Embassy officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
One escapee, Vinh Phal, told VOA Khmer the people of the area are poor and need to cut wood to survive.
At around lunchtime Monday, Thai soldiers raided the group of workers, arresting five, said Vinh Phal, who hid and watched.
"When they arrested the people, the five people, they told them to cut down a whole tree and told them to drag the tree along with them," he said.
They took the equipment, "everything," he said.
Hin Liep, the wife of one of the arrested men, appealed to the government to secure her husband's release.
"My children and I have a hard time," she said.
Bansaay Reak Commune Chief Hem Teda confirmed the arrests.
"After the arrest, they ordered them to cut the logs and take some pictures," said Srei Naren, a coordinator for the rights group Adhoc. "Then they took all five people, along with the logs, into Thailand. Now they've charged those Cambodian people with logging in their territory."
Five Cambodians are being held in Thailand after a cross-border raid by Thai security forces, witnesses, local authorities and rights groups said Thursday.
Witnesses in Samrong district, Odar Meanchey province, told VOA Khmer that on Monday Thai soldiers arrested five lumber cutters in Bansaay Reak commune. Other workers escaped, witnesses said.
Thai Embassy officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.
One escapee, Vinh Phal, told VOA Khmer the people of the area are poor and need to cut wood to survive.
At around lunchtime Monday, Thai soldiers raided the group of workers, arresting five, said Vinh Phal, who hid and watched.
"When they arrested the people, the five people, they told them to cut down a whole tree and told them to drag the tree along with them," he said.
They took the equipment, "everything," he said.
Hin Liep, the wife of one of the arrested men, appealed to the government to secure her husband's release.
"My children and I have a hard time," she said.
Bansaay Reak Commune Chief Hem Teda confirmed the arrests.
"After the arrest, they ordered them to cut the logs and take some pictures," said Srei Naren, a coordinator for the rights group Adhoc. "Then they took all five people, along with the logs, into Thailand. Now they've charged those Cambodian people with logging in their territory."
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