A Change of Guard

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Wednesday 23 July 2008

Flood of donations for beleaguered Preah Vihear Cambodians

Ly Menghour
The Mekong Times

As the Cambodian public’s anger over the Preah Vihear incursions grows, donations for the poorly-equipped Cambodian soldiers currently standing off against the Thai military have turned into a flood.

King Norodom Sihamoni, King Father Norodom Sihanouk and his wife, King Mother Monineath, have now donated supplies for the Cambodian soldiers deployed at Preah Vihear.

The royals yesterday dispatched plastic tents, mosquito nets, blankets and food by road from Phnom Penh.

A Royal Cabinet official, Um Daravuth, said the humanitarian assistance was to help both the military and civilians affected by the current standoff, including monks staying at Keo Sikha Kiri Svarak pagoda, a modern concrete temple usually called by the same name as the ancient mountaintop sanctuary.

Cambodian fare such as rice, dried and canned fish, MSG and soy sauce are among the food supplies, though plastic tents may be the most appreciated item because of recent rains.

Despite their superior knowledge of the terrain, most Cambodians involved in the current standoff are poorly equipped. The soldiers stationed around Keo Sikha Kiri Svarak pagoda, situated at the foot of Preah Vihear Mountain, mostly wear tattered uniforms and flip-flops with no protection from the monsoon squalls. Food is short and water limited.

Aid campaigns have now begun in earnest, led by Moeung Son’s Khmer Civilization Foundation and the CTN Foundation. Bayon TV and Radio has also provided about US$500,000.

Tok Kimsay, director of the CTN Foundation, said Sunday evening that the CTN channel had received cash donations of about 118 million Riel (US$4,440) and US$580, as well as food supplies. The CTN assistance is to be transported to Preah Vihear Temple this morning.

“The money from the Samaritans will buy plastic tents, raincoats, hammocks and water cans, as well as many other foodstuffs,” Tok Kimsay said.

The Preah Vihear Fund run by Soy Sopheap, a CTN reporter, has received about US$80,000, assistance he said would help provide essential supplies for people in the Preah Vihear Temple area. “The humanitarian contribution indicated that Cambodians are patriotic,” he said. “[F]amilies are scrambling to help our brothers in the Preah Vihear temple area.”

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