Scene of the pagoda after the 4-7 February fighting.
By Khmerization
Source: Koh Santepheap
Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda has been a flash point that have caused several deadly armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops since July 2008. The pagoda was built in 1998 in the so-called "disputed zone", 2 years before the signing of the 2000 MOU between Cambodia and Thailand which prohibited the construction of any buildings inside the zone. However, Thailand has consistenly demanded that it be dismantled after Unesco had inscribed Preah Vihear temple on 7th July 2008 and after the Thai invasion of the area a week later on 15th July of the same year.
Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda suffered substantial damages by Thai artillery shells during the fighting from 4-7 February. Up to now there is no repair works being done on the pagoda due to opposition from Thailand who warned Cambodia not to repair the damages and due to dangers posed by unexploded Thai artillery shells.
Visitors to the pagoda after the fighting will see a very quiet and sad environment around the pagoda. Visitors will see the damages to the roof of the pagoda caused by Thai bullets or shrapnel from rockets or cluster bombs. The images and statues of the Buddha inside the temple, which had suffered substantial damages, look so sad. The scene of the temple ground look sad and eerie, full of craters left by rockets and potholes left by cluster bombs and unexploded rockets are still littered around the temple compound.
Currently, there are 6 monks still residing at the pagoda, 3 of them are senior monks and 3 are novices plus 6 temple boys. There are no nuns residing at the pagoda because all of them had fled during the fighting of 4-7 February.
Ven. Sun Saing, Abbot of Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda, said the monks have to cook their own food (normally nuns cook for them). Food supplies are donated by generous people from faraway places and from troops based in the areas (normally laypeople around the temple supported the monks with daily food ration). The damages, rubbish and rubble left by the burning from Thai shells have not been cleared because unexploded Thai artillery shells are still littered the temple ground. The abbot said the Preah Vihear National Authority has come to inspect and assess the damages, but he does not know when they will come to repair the damages.
However, Cambodian authority said that they cannot do the repair works around the pagoda straight away because the military situations in the areas are still unstable and because Cambodia wants to the leave the evidences for national and international tourists to see for themselves of the destruction caused by Thai troops.
Source: Koh Santepheap
Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda has been a flash point that have caused several deadly armed clashes between Cambodian and Thai troops since July 2008. The pagoda was built in 1998 in the so-called "disputed zone", 2 years before the signing of the 2000 MOU between Cambodia and Thailand which prohibited the construction of any buildings inside the zone. However, Thailand has consistenly demanded that it be dismantled after Unesco had inscribed Preah Vihear temple on 7th July 2008 and after the Thai invasion of the area a week later on 15th July of the same year.
Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda suffered substantial damages by Thai artillery shells during the fighting from 4-7 February. Up to now there is no repair works being done on the pagoda due to opposition from Thailand who warned Cambodia not to repair the damages and due to dangers posed by unexploded Thai artillery shells.
Visitors to the pagoda after the fighting will see a very quiet and sad environment around the pagoda. Visitors will see the damages to the roof of the pagoda caused by Thai bullets or shrapnel from rockets or cluster bombs. The images and statues of the Buddha inside the temple, which had suffered substantial damages, look so sad. The scene of the temple ground look sad and eerie, full of craters left by rockets and potholes left by cluster bombs and unexploded rockets are still littered around the temple compound.
Currently, there are 6 monks still residing at the pagoda, 3 of them are senior monks and 3 are novices plus 6 temple boys. There are no nuns residing at the pagoda because all of them had fled during the fighting of 4-7 February.
Ven. Sun Saing, Abbot of Wat Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda, said the monks have to cook their own food (normally nuns cook for them). Food supplies are donated by generous people from faraway places and from troops based in the areas (normally laypeople around the temple supported the monks with daily food ration). The damages, rubbish and rubble left by the burning from Thai shells have not been cleared because unexploded Thai artillery shells are still littered the temple ground. The abbot said the Preah Vihear National Authority has come to inspect and assess the damages, but he does not know when they will come to repair the damages.
However, Cambodian authority said that they cannot do the repair works around the pagoda straight away because the military situations in the areas are still unstable and because Cambodia wants to the leave the evidences for national and international tourists to see for themselves of the destruction caused by Thai troops.
2 comments:
"Thailand who warned Cambodia not to repair the damages" and Cambodia do give in. That's great. How the hell you claim the land is Cambodia when you actually listen to what Thai have to say? completely DUMP...KHMER ARE SO DUMP.
I wish thai and vietnam take all the land because Cambodia government have no F789King gutts.
it times for those old uneducate bustard to leave and let new generation do the jobs.
Yes, Cambodia must not be scared of Thai warning. This is Cambodian territory and we can do whatever we want inside our territory.
Post a Comment