Re: Thai soldiers killing of 11 Cambodian loggers
This might seem unexceptional in a Thailand that is increasingly hostile to Cambodians. But to Thai rangers at the border and Thai border armed forces, they have carried out a shoot-to-kill policy for years – even on unarmed local villagers. The toll has been huge. Over the past years Thai security forces have killed almost 20 people since 2008, turning the border area into an Asian killing fields. No one has been prosecuted for any of these killings, in spite of evidences in many cases that makes it clear the killings were in cold blood against unarmed and defenceless local Cambodian residents.
Shockingly, some Thai officials endorsed the shooting of the Cambodians who attempt to cross the border illegally, even if they are unarmed. Almost as shocking is the lack of interest in these killings by foreign governments who claim to be concerned with human rights. A single killing by US law enforcement officer along the Mexican border makes headlines. The killing of large numbers of villagers of Cambodian by Thai forces has been almost entirely ignored.
The border has long been crossed routinely by local people for trade and commerce. It is also crossed by relatives and friends separated by a line arbitrarily drawn by the Franco-Siamese treaty between 1904-1907.
Thailand has the right to impose border controls, but Thailand does not have the right to use lethal force, except where strictly necessary to protect life. Yet some Thai officials openly admitted that unarmed civilians are being killed. Thai journalists or mainstream media never say or feel sorry for the victims, claiming that since these individuals were illegally entering Thai territory, often were "not innocent" and therefore were a legitimate target.
Though Thailand is a state with functional courts, apparently, as often seen, the system has in the past acted as judge, jury and executioner. This approach also ignores the many victims, such as a 16-year-old boy was burnt alive, who cutting down the tree and was burnt alive simply because he was Cambodian. Sadly, Thai officials have also suggested that such killings are acceptable if the victim was engaged in cutting down the trees in Thai territory.
The response of various Thai government officials to allegations of a shoot-to-kill policy has been confusing: we do shoot illegal border crossers since they are lawbreakers; we don't shoot border crossers, we only shoot in self-defence, we never shoot to kill. It should understand that Thailand's behaviour will come under increasing scrutiny. Routinely shooting poor, unarmed Cambodian villagers is not how the world's democracy should behave.
(Human right)
3 comments:
The article said it all Khmerization should send this article to the Thai government and Thai people to read.
The Thai should stop it and stop it right now.
Thai black soldier toture and rape ,killed khmer/vietnamese refugees people during ecape to Thailand in 1979. Cambodia should sue Thailand for their crime against unarmed people...There were a stroy about khmer girl/boy, they both brother and sister, Thai soldier caught them and force them to sleep(have sex) right infront of them, if refuse the soldier threaten to rape the girl..!! Both of the girl/boy hang themselves to death after returning to the camp a week latter..K.I.D Camp 1982
The Thai-Cambodia border is not like any other border, and for very compelling reasons requires sensitivity in its management, a sensitivity which has been belied by the trigger hostiles attitude of the Thai . Unfortunately, border killings have to some extent overshadowed the otherwise the border dispute between the two countries.
Needless to say, Thai-Cambodia relationship, after being in the brink of war for more than 3 years ,In that positive mind frame, Cambodia has acted timely to address the security concerns of Thailand. Its counter-Thai extremist actions,is worth the mention. One would have liked to have seen Cambodia’s security concern addressed in equal measure, particularly border killings.
If for Thailand the border is a cause for concern, by the same token are the killings a highly sensitive matter for Cambodia. So much so, that for every mile of progress made in respect of bilateral relationship in other sectors, Cambodia regress two miles with every death of Cambodian in the hands of the Thai soldiers.
As for other issues related to the border dispute issue Cambodia is happy to note that Cambodia have expressed the hope of reaching consensus on solving all the outstanding border dispute on the world court clarification today . That is indeed great news given that some of the major border dispute issues have resisted resolution for a very long time. Cambodia is confident that those can be resolved if the Thai have the political will which, Cambodia have witnessed in the recent past, The Thai has been lacking .
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