Sun, Aug 01, 2010
The Nation/Asia News Network
It was a close call as far as Thailand is concerned. On the other hand, the decision by the World Heritage Committee of Unesco to delay considering Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear Temple to next year must have felt to Phnom Penh like a sucker punch. A diplomatic time bomb has been defused, but barely just, and the most important question is: What's next?
Blame took place in Brazil. Thailand was accused of trying to rock the boat and cling to something that no longer belongs to it. But to the Bangkok government, although the World Court ruled more than four decades and a half ago that the temple was on Cambodia's territory, things are not as simple as it looks. The management plan, the Thai delegation in Brazil insisted, would at least refuel territorial claims around the temple because the plan incorporated some information that Bangkok did not agree on.
Unesco must have been worried. This is not the first time a World Heritage site has become a source of neighbourly conflict. But given the on-and-off military tension at the Thai-Cambodian border and the stormy ties between the two countries, the international organisation must have felt it was best to postpone the Preah Vihear issue to next year.
But can everyone hope things will have calmed down by then? Nationalism aside, the issue has been complicated by the fact that Thailand's two main political parties have different stances on Preah Vihear. In fact, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been forced to resort to uncharacteristically belligerent diplomacy because he used to take a very tough stand against his political rivals' perceived compromise toward Cambodia over the temple.
So whatever will happen next year in Bahrain when the World Heritage Committee meets again to consider the management plan will depend largely on who's in power in Thailand at the time. The Pheu Thai Party's stand, as shown by the Samak Sundaravej government, is that Thailand should lend full cooperation to Cambodia in its promotion and management of the site because the 1962 World Court ruling means any resistance will be futile. The Democrats, on the other hand, as demonstrated in Abhisit's scathing speech in Parliament in 2008, are against any move that will embolden Cambodia about its rights over the temple and claims over surrounding disputed areas.
Some academics have proposed handing over the whole matter to some sort of an independent commission so that domestic politics will have the least impact on where the country stands regarding the Preah Vihear Temple, its listing as a World Heritage site and its management plan. The proposal may be rejected outright, as the issue involves sensitive matters like bilateral ties, national sovereignty and so on. However, some things have to change because otherwise the Bahrain meeting will be a repeat of the Brasilia one.
Most importantly, both countries must talk more and play less politics. Thai officials claimed they had been kept in the dark over what information was in Phnom Penh's management plan submitted to Unesco until the Brasilia meeting was about to take place. Whether the claims are true or not, obviously there has not been a communications line between the two countries over this sensitive and potentially explosive issue, and this has to change.
Territorial disputes can last years, or even decades. They sometimes encompass generations. This, however, should never be used as an excuse for not trying enough to find a common solution, or for not talking to each other when we can. This is not an issue that can be solved through passing messages through a third or fourth party or lobbying. Of course, direct talks will be hard and possibly acrimonious, but if Thailand and Cambodia are sincere about ending the conflict, there's nothing else they can do but try.
It was a close call as far as Thailand is concerned. On the other hand, the decision by the World Heritage Committee of Unesco to delay considering Cambodia's management plan for the Preah Vihear Temple to next year must have felt to Phnom Penh like a sucker punch. A diplomatic time bomb has been defused, but barely just, and the most important question is: What's next?
Blame took place in Brazil. Thailand was accused of trying to rock the boat and cling to something that no longer belongs to it. But to the Bangkok government, although the World Court ruled more than four decades and a half ago that the temple was on Cambodia's territory, things are not as simple as it looks. The management plan, the Thai delegation in Brazil insisted, would at least refuel territorial claims around the temple because the plan incorporated some information that Bangkok did not agree on.
Unesco must have been worried. This is not the first time a World Heritage site has become a source of neighbourly conflict. But given the on-and-off military tension at the Thai-Cambodian border and the stormy ties between the two countries, the international organisation must have felt it was best to postpone the Preah Vihear issue to next year.
But can everyone hope things will have calmed down by then? Nationalism aside, the issue has been complicated by the fact that Thailand's two main political parties have different stances on Preah Vihear. In fact, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been forced to resort to uncharacteristically belligerent diplomacy because he used to take a very tough stand against his political rivals' perceived compromise toward Cambodia over the temple.
So whatever will happen next year in Bahrain when the World Heritage Committee meets again to consider the management plan will depend largely on who's in power in Thailand at the time. The Pheu Thai Party's stand, as shown by the Samak Sundaravej government, is that Thailand should lend full cooperation to Cambodia in its promotion and management of the site because the 1962 World Court ruling means any resistance will be futile. The Democrats, on the other hand, as demonstrated in Abhisit's scathing speech in Parliament in 2008, are against any move that will embolden Cambodia about its rights over the temple and claims over surrounding disputed areas.
Some academics have proposed handing over the whole matter to some sort of an independent commission so that domestic politics will have the least impact on where the country stands regarding the Preah Vihear Temple, its listing as a World Heritage site and its management plan. The proposal may be rejected outright, as the issue involves sensitive matters like bilateral ties, national sovereignty and so on. However, some things have to change because otherwise the Bahrain meeting will be a repeat of the Brasilia one.
Most importantly, both countries must talk more and play less politics. Thai officials claimed they had been kept in the dark over what information was in Phnom Penh's management plan submitted to Unesco until the Brasilia meeting was about to take place. Whether the claims are true or not, obviously there has not been a communications line between the two countries over this sensitive and potentially explosive issue, and this has to change.
Territorial disputes can last years, or even decades. They sometimes encompass generations. This, however, should never be used as an excuse for not trying enough to find a common solution, or for not talking to each other when we can. This is not an issue that can be solved through passing messages through a third or fourth party or lobbying. Of course, direct talks will be hard and possibly acrimonious, but if Thailand and Cambodia are sincere about ending the conflict, there's nothing else they can do but try.
2 comments:
Good news for Hanoi and Bangkok.
Cambodia once was a great and civilized country on the planet. It leaves so much evident of great cultural heritage and ownership of this land from China border to Burma.Ruined stones and Khmer artefact are still found on this massive land.
There are at lease two millions indigenous Khmers still living in Thailand. They still speak Khmer language and about fifteen million indigenous Khmers in southern Vietnam.
Cambodia is now being raped and robbed by both neighbours. I wonder will we be on the map in the near future.
This is the best time for Hanoi to suck all the blood from our weak nation after it establishment of its mechanism called CPP.
There are at lease five millions Vietnamese are now have full right to live in Cambodia. 90% of Cambodia economy is controlled by Hanois' businessmen.
Tea Banh ( Vietnamese ) is running Cambodian arm forces.
Soc Kong (vietnamese) is running Cambodian economy from tourism, internet and petrol companies ect.
What do we have left? As the owner of this country? Nothing.
We should call Cambodia as the kingdom of Hanoi to be politically correct. You should wake up all the big belly below Hun Sen. Your children will be refugees if you fail to reverse this Hanoi's and Bangkok's invasions.
Think of your children's future and your responsibility to your country. Stop listening to ah monkey Hun Sen. He had been brain-washed by Hanoi. He will never change. For him to be faithful to his boss that given him to have this job as a PM is more important than anything in his life. Hanoi choosed the right man for Cambodia.
Two Khmer farmers in Svay Reang are still in jail . Their crime are to stand up against the process of giving away of their farmland to Hanoi. That should say it all about the true colour of Hun Sen and his cronies.
Cambodia need heroes.
True Khmer
Do Khmer HaVE THE gUT TO fIght??
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