COMMENTARY: Malaysia’s Fair Stance on Cambodia-Thailand Border Conflict

AKP Phnom Penh, May 11, 2011 –Malaysia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Richard Riot Jaem (pictured) made remarks, widely quoted on 9-10 May 2011 in media coverage, saying that “If Thailand would accept and adhere to the agreement, I think clashes will not arise.”

Cambodia highly appreciates the complete, clear, unbiased understanding about the root cause of the Cambodia-Thailand conflicts, which have repeatedly erupted since 2008, and the acts of aggression by means of large-scale military attacks lately launched by Thailand on Cambodia, which have been the fiercest. The clashes not only claimed many lives of Cambodia’s civilians and armed forces, but they also forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes that were severely damaged as a result of the artillery shells fired by the invading Thai troops. The clashes also caused grave damage to the Temple of Preah Vihear, a World Heritage site, as well as to the temples of Ta Moan and Ta Krabey, situated on Cambodian legitimate territory.

Cambodia has always welcomed the presence of Indonesian observers, as mandated by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting held last February, and recently also called for by the Heads of State and the Heads of Government at the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta. Cambodia has agreed to the terms of reference (TOR) so that the observers may be assigned, in order to determine who started the attack, as well as to put an end to Thailand’s repeated aggression against Cambodia.

To express her goodwill, as early as 3 March 2011 Cambodia signed the letter of acceptance to the terms of reference allowing Indonesian observers to carry out their mission in the area of the Temple of Preah Vihear, and Cambodia has accepted all the following changes to the terms of reference insisted by Thailand as follows:

 First change on 26 February 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 27 February 2011;
 Second change on 8 March 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 9 March 2011;
 Third change on 15 March 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 16 March 2011;
 Fourth change on 08 April 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 08 April 2011;
 Fifth change on 11 April 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 12 April 2011;
 Sixth change on 28 April 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 30 April 2011; and
 Seventh change on 01 May 2011 was agreed by Cambodia on 02 May 2011.

In contrast, as a manoeuvre on 21 February 2011, a day before the meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Indonesia, Thai government announced that it would welcome Indonesian observers to be stationed in the disputed border area, but since then has used every means to delay their assignment by repeatedly changing the terms of reference — seven times so far — and has still not yet agreed to them. As mentioned above, the Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister stated that “All the 10 countries, I stress, including Thailand and Cambodia, agreed to the agreement, but sad to say, the agreement was brought back to the respective two countries. Cambodia accepted it, Thailand did not accept.”

Although Indonesia’s President and Foreign Minister made great efforts to coordinate the meeting between the Cambodian and Thai Foreign Ministers on 9 May 2011, which resulted in a package resolution to the border conflict, including the dispatch of Indonesia observers to the Temple of Preah Vihear, the initiatives remain stalled because Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has destroyed all these efforts, by saying on 10 May 2011 that “Thailand’s stance remains the same. If Cambodia doesn’t withdraw its troops from the disputed border area, no observers will be sent there.” Thailand clearly knows that this condition is not acceptable to Cambodia because Cambodia cannot withdraw her troops and people from Cambodian territory. The Thai Prime Minister’s remarks clearly demonstrate Thailand’s tactics to prevent Indonesian observers from being sent to monitor the permanent ceasefire. This is a continuation of Thailand’s policy of closing the door to attack Cambodia so that it can commit its crime of seizing Cambodian territory before the arrival of Indonesian observers.

From day to day, the international community understands more clearly these Thai tricks, and can see that the assignment of observers in the Temple of Preah Vihear area is the only means to realise an effective and verifiable ceasefire as well as to prevent renewed military attacks launched by Thailand.

Phnom Penh, 11 May 2011
Press and Quick Reaction Unit