The Great Wall Of Preah Vihear

Opinion by Khmerization
25th August 2008

“Cambodia, as a sovereign nation, must plan the future of Preah Vihear alone for the good and the benefits of Preah Vihear and Cambodia, regardless of whether Thailand agreeing with the ideas or not. This includes the building of a Berlin-style wall or even the Great Wall of Preah Vihear that is comparable to the Great Wall of China.”

It was said that the Great Wall of China was built more than 2200 years ago (220-200 BC) to protect China from the invasion of Xiongnu- a confederation populated by the nomadic tribes which was consisted of the Hunnic tribes, who were said to be the ancestors of the present day Mongolian people. By the same token, with the Thai making a journey eastward by pushing its borders deep inside Cambodia, in particular around the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temple areas, Cambodia’s plans to build a Berlin-style wall is a great idea indeed.

This is the 21st century and to some fair-minded people, the idea of building a wall to shut off foreign invaders or encroachers is too extreme. But with Cambodia’s borders being chipped away on a constant basis by our neighbours, it is imperative and appropriate for Cambodia to do everything possible to protect its borders from being encroached by our greedy neighbours, including going into extreme like building a Berlin-style wall.

The gate to Preah Vihear temple from the Thai side should be shut off permanently with the Berlin-style or the Israeli-style concrete walls which were built to fence off the attacks from the Palestinian extremists. Cambodia should encourage private and foreign investors to invest heavily in the Preah Vihear areas by offering them incentives and concessions in order to develop tourist facilities.

Road-building, proposals for cable cars and hospital buildings are ideas that are very encouraging. Access to the Preah Vihear temple from the Cambodian side is essential for the developments and the growth of Preah Vihear. If Preah Vihear remains dependent on access from Thailand, Cambodia and, to a larger extent, Preah Vihear temple will always be at the mercy of Thailand.

I predict a bleak future for the solutions of the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples that are favourable to Cambodia. The solutions to the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples can only be achieved to the benefits of Thailand. With four negotiations taken place and the status quo still remain, the solutions are nowhere in sight, the situation remain as volatile as ever and the status quo remained unpredictable, the Cambodian people can only be pessimistic. With this scenario in mind, Cambodia must not be too complacent and lethargic about the Preah Vihear issue. On the contrary, Cambodia must be forceful, vigilant and pro-active by taking the initiatives, and not waiting for Thailand to make an offer.

Cambodia must be mindful and wake up to the facts that, with three negotiations that have failed to produce any outcomes so far, the Thai tactics in successfully manipulating the negotiation processes toward their advantages by hijacking the agenda of the negotiations, are aimed at prolonging the Thai occupation until such time a solution that is favourable to Thailand can be reached. So, Cambodia, as a sovereign nation, must plan the future of Preah Vihear alone for the good and the benefits of Preah Vihear and Cambodia, regardless of whether Thailand agreeing with the ideas or not. This includes the building of a Berlin-style wall or even the Great Wall of Preah Vihear that is comparable to the Great Wall of China.

Thailand’s Diplomatic Games Of Hide-And-Seek

Opinion by Khmerization
26th August, 2008

“Thailand’s diplomatic drives, including involving the U.S president in the disputes, is nothing short of dishonesty. Thailand was vehemently opposed to Cambodia taking the issue to the international stage by saying that it is a bilateral issue that should be resolved through bilateral talks. And yet Thailand had actively and dishonestly engaged in a diplomatic coup to get an advantage edge over Cambodia.”

Thailand’s diplomatic games of hide-and-seek over the issues of Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples is nothing short of dishonesty and should be a concern to all Khmer patriots. Equally, the soft, and sometimes lethargic, response of the Cambodian government to Thailand’s aggression and invasion is worrisome. And Cambodia’s agreements to allow 10 Thai soldiers to remain in the occupied territories is a diplomatic disaster and is tantamount to a de jure recognition of Thailand’s rightful claims to the “occupied territories“. It is also tantamount to surrendering the Khmer sovereignty and territorial integrity to Thailand.

I have said all along that Thailand wants to use bilateral talks, as opposed to the internationalisation of the issue, as a mean to buy more time and to prolong the occupation of the so-called “disputed territories”. With three fruitless negotiations so far, the military status quo remains unchanged and the occupation still continues unabated.

Cambodia must not be so naïve and must realise that Thailand was the aggressor and the invader. Any negotiations must include a demand for a total Thai withdrawal from the occupied territories. To agree to a partial withdrawal is tantamount to no withdrawal at all because the reality is that the areas are still occupied by Thai forces, whether with 1,000 troops or 10 soldiers is no different, as the areas remained under occupation. The current agreement for troop reduction, as opposed to total troop withdrawal, is a diplomatic victory for Thailand. In short, Thailand had achieved what they set out to achieve and that is to remain in the occupied territories and stake a territorial claim over the areas.

With Thailand engaging in active diplomatic manoeuvres in recent weeks, Cambodia should have woken up to the facts of Thailand’s real intentions already and that is to remain in the “occupied territories“ permanently and stake a legal claim over the areas. In the past few weeks, Thailand had invited journalists and foreign diplomatic corps to visit the “occupied territories” . The Thai PM, Mr. Samak, had planned to visit the areas. But most worrisome is Thailand’s actions of involving U.S President George W. Bush on the Preah Vihear disputes with Cambodia when it briefed him on the issues during Bush’s recent visit to Thailand. Thailand’s diplomatic drives, including involving the U.S president in the disputes, is nothing short of dishonesty. Thailand was vehemently opposed to Cambodia taking the issue to the international stage by saying that it is a bilateral issue that should be resolved through bilateral talks. And yet Thailand had actively and dishonestly engaged in a diplomatic coup to get an advantage edge over Cambodia.

Cambodia should wake up to the facts by now. With its active diplomatic manoeuvres in recent weeks, Thailand is sending a clear message to Cambodia that it is preparing for a long battle of diplomatic and legal war, or possibly a real battleground warfare with Cambodia over Preah Vihear. With the world focussing their attention on the Beijing Olympic Games and the war between Georgia and Russia raging in South Ossetia, the Cambodia-Thai military confrontations in Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples is only a footnote to the world event and would not warrant their attention. That’s why I have said all along that Cambodia must bring the Preah Vihear issue to the world stage when it is still hot.

The talks in Hua Hin, in Thailand’s southern resort town, on the 18th of August will not yield any fruitful results for Cambodia. On the contrary, it will be another diplomatic victory for Thailand again, if Cambodia did not succeed in its demand for a total withdrawal by Thai troops from the Preah Vihear areas.

Cambodia should go to the negotiating table with clear set of goals. Cambodia must not be ambivalent on the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan temples. It must be unequivocally and consistently insisting on a total Thai withdrawal. Anything else, including border demarcations, should be off the agenda and should be discussed only after the Thai withdrawal had been verified as complete. If Cambodia did not have a clear set of agenda, then it surely will fall into Thailand’s trap of diplomatic games of hide-and-seek like in the previous three negotiations. If so, Cambodia had been hypnotised, duped and naively and unknowingly been deceived times and times again. I am very pessimistic about the Preah Vihear solutions because anything less than a total Thai withdrawal is unacceptable. And I do not hope to see a total Thai withdrawal in the foreseeable future.

The Ranariddh Syndrome

Cartoon by Sacrava at: http://sacrava.blogspot.com

Opinion by Khmerization
13th August, 2008

“Prince Ranariddh’s behaviours can only be equated with the behaviours of a stray dog, running around with no sense of direction. His repeated betrayals of Mr. Sam Rainsy can only be termed “The Ranariddh Syndrome” - a term that should be coined permanently to refer to those who are obsessed with betraying his/her friends only to be repeatedly cheated, betrayed, used, abused and trashed by another friend. And Prince Ranariddh fits this description perfectly well.”

I was in the process of writing an editorial on how wonderful it was to hear the news of a possible merger between the three main opposition parties, including the Norodom Ranariddh Party (NRP), when the news came that Prince Ranariddh, President of the NRP, had taken an about face U-turn by declaring a withdrawal from the Sam Rainsy-led opposition coalition to join the Cambodian People’s Party-led coalition government. And so, I have to abandon that article, re-write it, change it and modify it significantly.

I wasn’t surprised of Prince Ranariddh’s betrayal because this is not the first time, and probably not the last time, that he had behaved in this erratic and mercurial manner. But I was shocked, shocked because I believe that, after being used, abused and trashed repeatedly in the past by Mr. Hun Sen, he had learned his lessons. Prince Ranariddh’s behaviours prove correctly the old saying that “a leopard never changes its spots”.

I dare to predict that, like in the past, Prince Ranariddh has been duped by Mr. Hun Sen to be used as a political tool and then abused and trashed like rubbish. Mr. Hun Sen, well known as a master of tactician and a master of deception, is interested only in achieving his political supremacy and his ultimate immortal iron fist rule, through a carefully planned strategy and deception. And as I said, Prince Ranariddh, like many times before, has been duped and deceived one more time.

The coalition of the disunited, as I would like to call the Sam Rainsy-led opposition, is being significantly weakened by these desertions. One by one, his coalition partners had chosen to betray him and their supporters by joining Mr. Hun Sen’s coalition of evils. First the Funcinpec Party, who had briefly joined the oppositions in rejecting the election results. Two days later it withdrew from the oppositions and declared that it will maintain its long term alliance with the Cambodian People’s Party. Now, Prince Ranariddh had chosen personal interests over the interests of Cambodia by deciding to join Mr. Hun Sen’s coalition of evils and abandoning Mr. Sam Rainsy for the fourth times. Next, it could be Mr. Kem Sokha of the Human Right Party. Mr. Kem Sokha’s commitment to the Sam Rainsy-led opposition coalition is not very re-assuring. Since the election on 27th July, he had only appeared briefly in the public. Since then he had taken a back seat and retreated into the political wilderness, preferring to send his lieutenants to appear in public on his behalf.

Mr. Sam Rainsy is a man of principle and has never betrayed his supporters and his principle. But with people around him are enticed and lured by a possible plum job with the Hun Sen government, he would have an uphill battle to rally them to his cause, and that is denying the Hun Sen government its legitimacy by boycotting the swearing in ceremony. Mr. Hun Sen will employ all strategies and tactics, including using money, coercions and even threats to break up the Sam Rainsy-led coalition and he will employ all tactics and strategy to thwart Rainsy’s political advancement. I hope that his upcoming trip to protest the election results to the UN and to the international community will be a fruitful trip and somehow succeeding in convincing them to re-appraise the election results. But, frankly, with the international election observers declaring the election results acceptable, I doubt that Mr. Sam Rainsy is able to convince them otherwise.

Prince Ranariddh and Mr. Sam Rainsy are not strange political bedfellows. They have had an on-again off-again political love affairs for more than 15 years. But they are strange political bedfellows in the sense that they are politically and ideologically incompatible. One is a non-principled royal lame duck politician and the other is a patrician republican politician with strong conviction and a sense of political directions. And so, their political union is poised to fail from the start.

Prince Ranariddh’s behaviours can only be equated with the behaviours of a stray dog, running around with no sense of direction. His repeated betrayals of Mr. Sam Rainsy can only be termed “The Ranariddh Syndrome” - a term that should be coined permanently to refer to those who are obsessed with betraying his/her friends only to be repeatedly cheated, betrayed, used, abused and trashed by another friend. And Prince Ranariddh fits this description perfectly well. Not only that he suffers from the Ranariddh Syndrome but he is certainly fit to be called the Downs Syndrome Ranariddh.

Thai Hegemony Must Not Be Allowed To Go On Unstopped

Opinion by Khmerization
4th August 2008

“Thai hegemonism must not be allowed to go on unstopped. This is the 21st century and the policy of hegemony, militarism and expansionism is out of date and is a barbaric form of actions to resolving any neighbourly disputes. Diplomatic and legal approach to resolving any disputes, whether of territorial, diplomatic or legal natures, is the international norm and civilised practice.”

Khmer of all political persuasions, regardless of their political leanings and where they live, should be outraged by the news that Thailand had sent troops to occupy another Khmer temple, the Ta Moan Thom temple.

Thai hegemonism must not be allowed to go on unstopped. This is the 21st century and the policy of hegemony, militarism and expansionism is out of date and is a barbaric form of actions to resolving any neighbourly disputes. Diplomatic and legal approach to resolving any disputes, whether of territorial, diplomatic or legal natures, is the international norm and civilised practice.

The Thai occupation of the Ta Moan Thom temple, while the issue of its occupation of Preah Vihear’s “disputed zone” has not been resolved, has stretched the Cambodian patience to its limits. These sorts of barbaric acts must be condemned in the strongest term.

The Cambodian government must not pretend to be a nice guy with Thailand any more. It must act like a grown up person who can stand up to Thailand’s bully. Militarily, Cambodia is no match for Thailand. But there is a saying that a cornered dog will bite back and bite back hard.

Cambodia cannot stand up to Thailand militarily, but Cambodia has the diplomatic and legal advantages over these two disputes. Cambodia must use these two channels to its advantages before it is too late. To pretend to go along with the bilateral negotiations, which is Thailand’s game of a diplomatic hide-and-seek, is suicidal. By now, after two fruitless talks, Cambodia should have realised that it is a diplomatic game played by Thailand to buy more time in order to prolong the occupation in the hope that the international community would lose their interests in the disputes and Cambodia would soften its stand and agree to share those lands.

Cambodia should lodge a formal complaint to the UN Security Council immediately. The occupation of the Ta Moan temple is another good chance for a complaint to the UN Security Council. Should the UN fail to act, Cambodia must not hesitate in bring the matter to the International Court of Justice in The Hague one more time to settle, not just the Preah Vihear and Ta Moan border disputes, but all the border areas along the borders with Thailand.

If Cambodia fail now to take a decisive action to stop Thailand, Thailand will be unstoppable. Now, it is the occupation of the Ta Moan and Preah Vihear temples. In the future it would be Banteay Chhmar temple or other temples located along the borders with Thailand. Cambodia must act now or it will be too late.//

When Thailand Cries Wolf

Opinion by Khmerization
2nd August 2008

“Thailand has come to the negotiations because it has no choice due to international condemnation but most importantly, it came to the negotiating table as a mean to buy time and prolong the occupation until such time Cambodia agrees to share the areas or partitioning the lands.”

The editorial “When Cambodia Cries Wolf” published in Thailand’s The Nation newspaper on 1st of August deserves my attention and warrants my strong response. As someone who believe in the truth, not the twisted truth, such an unfair comment should not be allowed to go unchallenged. And hence, comes my following response.

“Cambodia knows exactly when and where to hit Thailand to inflict the most pain to its neighbour to the east. Repeated attempts by Phnom Penh to raise the Preah Vihear dispute in the international level in forums such as the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement shows a lack of sincerity and ill intentions.” The Nation

With such a truth twisted by the article in The Nation newspaper above, one could not let it goes without a response. Thailand, as an invader, cannot cry foul when it comes to the issue of Preah Vihear. The world, in particular Thailand, knew full well that Preah Vihear was and is the exclusive property of Cambodia. The documents and maps from the 1904 and 1907 treaty, signed between Cambodia and Thailand, showed clearly that Preah Vihear temple and the so-called “overlapping area” are located inside Cambodian territories. And hence, Thailand has no right whatsoever regarding the affairs of Preah Vihear.

Even though Preah Vihear temple is an exclusive property of Cambodia, Cambodia has shown sincerity and good intentions all along. It has showed goodwill by agreeing to consult with Thailand about the listing of the temple. Cambodia was very patient when Thailand twice blocked the listing of Preah Vihear.

So, talking about the lack of sincerity and ill intentions, The Nation cannot say it better than that, but it should be said of Thailand rather than of Cambodia. Thailand has shown its lack of sincerity all along. It has blocked Cambodia’s attempt to list the Preah Vihear temple twice, in 2006 and 2007. Thailand has back-flipped on its decision to support the listing of Preah Vihear on several occasions. It signed a joint communiqué with Cambodia to support the listing and then withdrew it. Is this what The Nation called sincerity and good intention?

And what sincerity and good intentions has Thailand shown to Cambodia when it sent its troops to invade the Cambodian territories in the Preah Vihear area? The Nation was talking about resolving the Preah Vihear issue “in an amicable way without being aggressive”. The author cannot say it better, but again, it should be referred to Thailand’s belligerent and aggressive behaviour of sending in the troops to occupy Cambodian territories. The “amicable way” to resolve the dispute had not been taken by Thailand when it flexed its military might and muscles after it sent the troops to occupy a Buddhist temple and a Cambodian village with over 900 villagers living, by terrorizing them into fleeing en masse. On the other hand, Cambodia had chosen to resolve the Thai invasion “in an amicable way” by not ordering its troops to open fire and by trying to engage Thailand diplomatically to peacefully resolve the issue. But up until now Thailand has steadfastly refused to withdraw its troops. Any other countries would have gone to the UN Security Council or the World Court already.

The article also envisaged a solution within the ASEAN framework and not trying to internationalise the issue. Cambodia is a member of ASEAN and when this grouping refused to heed Cambodia’s call for help, Cambodia has the right to seek other venue to for help and in this case the UN which Cambodia is also a member. Thailand has successfully blocked ASEAN from stepping in and it opposed taking the issue to the UN as it did not want the issue internationalised. Thailand knew full well that it had encroached on Cambodian territories in many places along the border. Thailand is opposed to the internationalisation of the issue because it would expose more of Thai encroachments. This is what Thailand did not want.

Cambodia did not need to tarnish Thailand’s reputation. Thailand’s own actions regarding the Preah Vihear issue will tarnish Thailand’s reputation by itself.

By not taking the issue of Thailand’s invasion to the UN Security Council, Cambodia has shown its goodwill, sincerity and good intentions. Up until now, Thailand has shown nothing of sort. Thailand still refused to withdraw its troops. Thailand has come to the negotiations because it has no choice due to international condemnation but most importantly, it came to the negotiating table as a mean to buy time and prolong the occupation until such time Cambodia agrees to share the areas or partitioning the lands.

Cambodia should not play this game of a diplomatic hide-and-seek with Thailand any longer. Cambodia must stop negotiating with Thailand and take the issue of Thai invasion to the UN Security Council if Thailand still refuse to make a full and complete withdrawal. The two negotiations in the past were games played by Thailand to buy time and prolong the occupation until the international community lost interests in the issue and then the Thai occupation would become a fait accompli. This is the outcome that Thailand would hope for by playing a diplomatic hide-and-seek with Cambodia. Cambodia must not allow itself to fall into Thailand’s trap.//
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1. Related article: Who's The Crying Wolf?
2. More article: Thailand's Croc Tears Over Preah Vihear

United As Losers

(L-R) Sam Rainsy, Kem Sokha (Human Right Party), Sisowath Sirirath (Funcinpec) and Muth Chantha (Norodom Ranariddh Party) united in rejecting the election results.

Opinion by Khmerization
30th July 2008

“United as losers will not achieve anything. Unity must happen when unity is needed the most and in this case, it should happen before the election.”

Once again the Cambodian opposition has shown the Cambodian voters and the world that they are so united against the Cambodian People’s Party and electoral fraud. Time and time again, the Cambodian opposition has proven that they are so united as losers, but evidently they were so divided when they should be united. I am talking about their failure to unite before the election.

I have great sympathy for their cry foul because, like them, I believe that the past three elections have been flawed and fraudulently rigged. But I must say that, without any prejudice or partiality, I am very disappointed with their behaviours so far because, as usual, they are united and on talking term only when they lost the election already. On the contrary, they were fighting each other like cats and dogs before the election. If they have not been so divided and if they were so united before the election, like what they are doing now, the election results and the political landscape would have been a little bit tilted in their favours.

The arrogance that have been shown by the Human Right Party, the Sam Rainsy Party as well as the Norodom Ranariddh Party has costed them dearly. Each and everyone of them were so arrogant about their electoral chances that they never took the formation of an alliance with each other seriously. Now they probably realised that they have made a big mistake by not forming an alliance before the election, but the past is the past and it cannot be undone. And 5 more years waiting in the opposition bench.

In spite of my rave review of the opposition’s disarray, I am sympathetic with their cause. They, especially the Sam Rainsy Party, have been campaigning very successfully with high turn out, only to be robbed at the ballot box and at vote-counting. I believe that the 26 seats said to have been won by the Sam Rainsy Party does not reflect the real election results and the true will of the voters. With the high numbers of turn out at every Sam Rainsy Party’s rally, this party should have won more seats, far more than the 26 seats. Irregularities and electoral fraud committed by the Cambodian People’s Party are the main causes and reasons for the poor performance by the Sam Rainsy Party and the unexpected good performance of the Cambodian People’s Party.

To sum up the election results, I would say that it is a fraudulent election that did not reflect the true will of the Cambodian voters. But equally, it was a result of the disunity of the opposition as well. United as losers will not achieve anything. Unity must happen when unity is needed the most and in this case, it should happen before the election.

The Cambodian Election: It Is A Travesty Of Democracy

Opinion by Khmerization
28th July 2008

“The premature claim of victory by the CPP has a sinister connotation. It was a psychological war and was designed to divert the attention of the electoral observers in order to whitewash the electoral fraud, irregularities and vote-rigging.”

The yesterday’s election can be considered as smoother and better than the previous ones in the sense that politically-related violence is down, but it cannot be said that it is any fairer and freer when it comes to electoral rolls and vote-counting.

The opposition parties, non-governmental organisations and the people themselves have complained that thousands and thousands of eligible voters, a large majority of them are opposition voters, have been prevented from registering to vote or have been deleted from the voting lists just before the election. Half way on the election day, the opposition leader, Mr. Sam Rainsy, held a press conference to declare electoral irregularities when he claimed that more than 200,000 legible voters in Meanchey district of Phnom Penh were not allowed to vote because their names had been deleted from the electoral rolls. If Sam Rains’y claim is true, and those 200,000 people came forward, then this is a serious blow to the credibility of the election.

What should surprise many people is the premature claim of victory by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Just less than two hours after the polling stations closed Mr. Khieu Kanharith, the CPP spokesperson, claimed that his party had won the election by gaining at extra 8 seats. This means that the CPP will win the 2/3 majority of 81 seats, exactly the numbers of seats that Chea Sim and Hun Sen had predicted nearly a year ago that the CPP will win. Mr. Chea Sim’s and Mr. Hun Sen’s prediction was so accurate, even more accurate than Nostradamus’s prediction, the famed French astrologer.

The premature claim of victory by the CPP has a sinister connotation. It was a psychological war and was designed to divert the attention of the electoral observers in order to whitewash the electoral fraud, irregularities and vote-rigging. But to many seasoned observers of the Cambodian elections, this premature declaration of a victory by the CPP should ring the alarm bell- that there might be a hidden agenda behind it. No one will doubt the CPP’s victory this time, but many people should doubt the CPP’s claims of a majority of 81 seats.

Up to this moment, many NGO’s had claimed that the CPP had just won 70 seats and the Sam Rainsy Party had won 50 seats. Mr. Yim Sovan, the MP from the Sam Rainsy Party, had claimed just 40 seats for his party. Let’s hope that at the end of today, the trends would go the way the NGO’s claim, and not the CPP’s claim. If the CPP’s claim is to be believed, it would be a travesty of democracy in Cambodia. And I hope, whoever won the election, it should not affect the Siem Reap Talk today with Thailand to resolve the Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear's so-called "disputed zone".

The Preah Vihear Conflict: What Is The Solution?

Editorial by Khmerization

“First, Cambodia should invite the foreign diplomatic and international press corps to visit the conflict zone in order to win international opinion to its crusade. Secondly, Cambodia should use the upcoming talks with Thailand to press for a total Thai withdrawal from the conflict zone. Thirdly, if that fails, Cambodia can take this matter to the Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Forum, which both Cambodia and Thailand are members. The ASEAN Charter has a policy of non-interference and non-aggression between member states. Fourthly, if ASEAN fails to mediate a satisfactory outcome, Cambodia can take the next step which is referring this conflict to the UN Security Council to mediate. And fifthly and finally, if all else fail, Cambodia can take Thailand to the International Court of Justice like in 1962.”

Thailand’s invasion and occupation of the so-called “overlapping area” in the Preah Vihear precinct has entered its fifth day and there is no sign of it ending very soon. On the contrary, the situation is worsening by the day and both sides, Cambodia and Thailand, are dangerously reinforcing and building up their troops numbers to boost up their bargaining powers at the upcoming talks on the conflict which will be held in Thailand’s Sakeo province on Monday. I can confidently predict that the Monday meeting will not produce any results. The meeting will be a chance of finger-pointing, accusations and counter-accusations. The Cambodian side will demand a total Thai withdrawal and likewise, the Thai side will demand a total Cambodian troop withdrawal, including the evacuation of villagers who settled in the zone for years, before Thailand will agree to any withdrawal. At the end, the meeting will be an impasse, unless one side makes a concession, which is likely to be the Cambodian side. (Full details on the Thai incursion at Preah Vihear).

The Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear precinct at this time is reminiscent of the 1950s’ Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear temple, which ended with the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that adjudicated to give the ownership of the temple to Cambodia in 1962. At that time, like now, the pretext for the Thai occupation of the temple was, after reviewing the maps, Thailand assumed that the temple was situated on Thai soil.

Cambodia and Thailand had only one border treaty, which is the 1907 treaty. The documents and maps of the 1907 treaty showed clearly that the Preah Vihear temple and its surrounding areas fall under Cambodia’s sovereignty. On top of this, the International Court of Justice in The Hague adjudged to give the whole Preah Vihear precinct to Cambodia in 1962. So, the ownership of the Preah Vihear temple and its precinct is unquestionably Cambodian.

Now, what is the solution to end the present Thai occupation of the Preah Vihear precinct?

Cambodia, beside military prowess, has all the advantages over Thailand, under international laws and conventions, to prove the ownership of this so-called “overlapping area” under the 1907 treaty and the ICJ‘s decision in 1962. With this in mind, Cambodia must embark on a crusade of international diplomacy for a peaceful resolution to this Thai-made crisis. Cambodia could use the scenario below in which to go about resolving this crisis peacefully.

First, Cambodia should invite the foreign diplomatic and international press corps to visit the conflict zone in order to win international opinion to its crusade. Secondly, Cambodia should use the upcoming talks with Thailand to press for a total Thai withdrawal from the conflict zone. Thirdly, if that fails, Cambodia can take this matter to the Association of South East Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Forum, which both Cambodia and Thailand are members. The ASEAN Charter has a policy of non-interference and non-aggression between member states. Fourthly, if ASEAN fails to mediate a satisfactory outcome, Cambodia can take the next step which is referring this conflict to the UN Security Council to mediate. And fifthly and finally, if all else fail, Cambodia can take Thailand to the International Court of Justice like in 1962.

My predicted outcome to a peaceful ending of this conflict, that is acceptable to Thailand, would be a two pronged resolution. Thailand, without a doubt, would want to claim total sovereignty over this area and will never accept anything less than half of the 4.6 square kilometres “disputed zone”. So, the first solution for Cambodia is, if it wants a peaceful co-existence with Thailand in the future, it has to agree to a partition of this parcel of the lands. But Cambodia, as a proud and sovereign nation, would be a fool to accept this solution. The second solution would be the judgement of the International Court of Justice, like the 1962 case.

Thailand had never gotten over its wounded pride with the loss of Preah Vihear in 1962. One would not expect Thailand to allow this case to go to that court one more time that can make them lose face and territories further. Many Cambodians believe that, if the 1907 treaty was to be re-examined, Cambodia would see that its territories would have been encroached significantly by Thailand. A re-examination of the 1907 treaty by the International Court of Justice would see Thailand losing more territories.

Finally, I, and I would like to think that many of my Cambodian compatriots, would hope to see a peaceful ending to this conflict, preferably ending with an irreversible and binding decision of the International Court of Justice like the 1962 court case, so that this saga is resolved once and for all.//
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1. Read previous editorial on Preah Vihear: Thailand's Aggression
2. Pictures of new troop movements from both sides: Cambodian-Thai troops

Thailand’s Aggression Over Preah Vihear And Their Rewriting The History Of Battambang and Siem Reap

Editorial by Khmerization

“By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is a blatant aggression and an invasion.”

A while back I wrote in my editorials expressing my fears of Cambodia losing the sovereignty of the 4.6 square kilometres of the so-called “disputed zone” in the Preah Vihear precinct to Thailand. Now, with the Thai sending in the troops to occupy that zone, my fears have been realised. By applying to list only the temple body, the Cambodian government has acknowledged the existence of a “disputed zone” and has effectively given Thailand ammunitions in which to fight for the sovereignty of that zone. The Thai incursion into Cambodia’s territories is a sheer violation of Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity and it is a blatant aggression and an invasion. (Full details here).

From a Cambodian perspective, with the Thai refusing to withdraw the troops and with the Cambodian villagers being terrorised to flee this village en masse, the Thai occupation of this so-called “disputed zone” is a fait accompli. For those who were belatedly and proudly claimed that “Cambodia will lose nothing”, the likes of PM Hun Sen, Deputy PM’s Sok An and Hor Namhong and their proponents, they should hang their heads in shame and do the honourable thing by resigning.

Cambodia must not be complacent over the issue of these significant national interests and it must do everything to publicise this Thai invasion of Preah Vihear to the world in a grand scale to expose the Thai flagrant disregards for Cambodia’s sovereignty. Cambodia must bring out all the documents and maps related to the Preah Vihear temple and put them on the negotiating table for the Thai side to see. If need be, should Thailand fails to acknowledge the historical facts, Cambodia should involve outside mediation, based on historical facts. And if necessary, Cambodia should not vacillate in bringing Thailand to the International Court of Justice one more time.

Cambodia must vehemently reject the proposition and the notion of sharing this zone with Thailand. Cambodia must be firm in any future negotiations with Thailand, not just on this so-called “disputed zone”, but on border disputes in other areas as well. Cambodia has all the relevant documents and maps from the 1907 treaty and then again the decision of the International Court of Justice in 1962, to prove that the “zone” belongs to Cambodia.

The Thai ignorance of the historical facts regarding territorial claims between the two countries cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged. A week ago, the Thai protesters have called for a return of Battambang (Phra Tabong in Thai), Siem Reap and Preah Vihear provinces to Thailand, by claiming that they were once Thai territories. (Full details here).

Well, the Thai should know the history of their presence in that part of the region very well. They must know that they only moved from Nan Chao in southern China to settle in this region in the 13th century, while the Cambodians had settled in the region for more than 2000 years ago. And as recently as the late 18th century (1796?), Thailand had invaded and claimed suzerainty over more than 10 Cambodian provinces. Battambang and Siem Reap have been occupied by Thailand, then called Siam, in 1796(?) and were only returned to Cambodia in 1904 under the French pressure and in exchange for a return of the provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi to Thailand. Other Cambodian provinces, like Surin, Kok Khan (now called Sisaket), Nokor Reach (Korat), Srah Keo (Sakeo), Baschem Borei (Prachinburi), Cholaborei (Chonburi), Aranya Protess (Aranyaprathet), Kanchanak Borei (Kanachanburi), Chanthak Borei (Chanthaburi) and Boeng Kork (Bangkok) and even up to the Ayuddya regions were all Cambodian territories, taken over by Thailand one by one up until the late 18th century (1796?).

My point in bringing all of these former Khmer provinces into the discussion here was to highlight the historical facts and to jog the memories of the Thai people that Cambodia hadn’t taken any Thai lands. But on the contrary, Thailand had taken vast territories of Khmer lands. If the Thai protesters wanted to reclaim Battambang and Siem Reap provinces, then these Thai protesters and, for that matter, the Thai leadership as a whole, must realise that Cambodia has every right to reclaim the territories of the more than 10 provinces lost to Thailand that have been mentioned above.

I would like to end this editorial by expressing my condemnation of the Thai incursion into the Preah Vihear region and, for the sake of regional peace and stability, I call on Thailand to withdraw their troops immediately and unconditionally.//

(Viewing the pictures of Cambodian and Thai troops facing off each other in Preah Vihear).

The Hor Namhong’s Conspiracy: Is It A Contempt Of Court Or A Travesty Of Justice?

Read other Khmerization’s editorials regarding Hor Namhong vs. Sam Rainsy

Editorial by Khmerization

“The refusal of the Phnom Penh Court to receive Mr. Sam Rainsy’s evidence to refute defamation suit brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has undeniably proven that the Cambodian courts are incapable of delivering justice to the people of Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Court has shown its sheer partiality regarding the Hor Namhong vs. Sam Rainsy’s defamation case. The court’s prosecutors, who are supposed to be the exemplary law-abiding citizens, have shown their utter contempt of court by fleeing the court to avoid receiving Mr. Sam Rainsy’s legal documents.”

My comments over this topic is long overdue and probably unwarranted. But when justice is at stake, and with the sheer bias shown by the CPP-controlled court is so evident, I am unable to remain silent but compelled to enter into the fray. In case people are wondering what I am talking about, I shall elaborate here: I am talking about the Cambodian court’s refusal to accept Mr. Sam Rainsy’s documents last Wednesday. (Read full report here).

The refusal of the Phnom Penh Court to receive Mr. Sam Rainsy’s evidence to refute defamation suit brought by Foreign Minister Hor Namhong has undeniably proven that the Cambodian courts are incapable of delivering justice to the people of Cambodia. The Phnom Penh Court has shown its sheer partiality regarding the Hor Namhong vs. Sam Rainsy’s defamation case. The court’s prosecutors, who are supposed to be the exemplary law-abiding citizens, have shown their utter contempt of court by fleeing the court to avoid receiving Mr. Sam Rainsy’s legal documents.

By fleeing the court to avoid receiving Mr. Sam Rainsy’s documents, those prosecutors had made a mockery of the judicial system, the very system that they have sworn to uphold and respect upon their appointments. And by initially shuttering Mr. Sam Rainsy out of the court, I am convinced that there is no doubt that the court officials are just following Mr. Hor Namhong’s instructions. To be point blank, it is a Hor Namhong’s conspiracy. If my assumption is right, then one would believe that it would take Mr. Sam Rainsy a miracle to win against Mr. Hor Namhong.

The Hor Nahmong vs. Sam Rainsy’s case has claimed a victim already - the incarceration of Mr. Dam Sith, the editor of the Moneaksekar Khmer newspaper which printed Mr. Sam Rainsy’s “defamatory” speech. With the assassination of Mr. Khim Sambor, a colleague of Mr. Dam Sith, and his 22-year old son yesterday, I can conclude that it has claimed three victims to date. The assassination of Mr. Khim Sambor and his son is not an isolated incident but premeditated and can be attributed to his many critical articles against many officials of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. One can also assume and conclude that his killing was also linked to Mr. Hor Namhong’s defamation suit as a warning to Mr. Sam Rainsy to not to go too far in his defence against Mr. Hor Namhong. Mr. Sam Rainsy was said to have plenty of documents in his possession that can implicate Mr. Hor Namhong with the Khmer Rouge crimes. This is a factor which precipitated the court officials to hurriedly flee the court when Sam Rainsy went to submit these documents.

In a footnote to this editorial, I wish to express my view regarding Prince Thomico’s view about Mr. Sam Rainsy using his parents’, Prince Sisowath Methavy and Princess Nanette’s, testimonies to defend his case. Prince Thomico’s unhappiness is understandable. As a member of the royal family he doesn’t want Mr. Hor Namhong and his camp to trash the monarchy and to muddy and smear his parents good name. On the other hand, I believe that Mr. Sam Rainsy, a highly educated person from a patrician family, has no ill intention of doing any harm to the monarchy and the good name of Prince Thomico’s parents. He just need evidences to defend against Mr. Hor Namhong’s defamation suit. I am convinced that this is the only reason that he had used the testimonials of Prince Thomico’s parents as court documents.

In summing up, the behaviour of the court officials in their refusal to accept Mr. Sam Rainsy’s documents, by scuttering and scurrying out of the court, are repugnant and abhorrent. They have demonstrated a lack of respect for the laws and their action is a travesty of justice that must be condemned.

Preah Vihear: A Pyrrhic Victory For Cambodia?

Editorial by Khmerization

“While I am exuberant with the victory over Thailand on the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List, I, like many of my compatriots, felt somewhat sad. I am sad because I felt that it is a Pyrrhic victory due to the fact that there is a possibility that Cambodia might lose the ownership of the 4.6 square kilometres to Thailand.”

I would like to begin this editorial with my condemnation to the demand by the Thai locals to forcibly evict Khmer residents in the so-called “disputed area”. Recently, there are disturbing news that the Thai people living in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple complex had pressurised the Thai Army to use force to evict the Cambodians living in the Preah Vihear temple surroundings, but, fortunately for the hapless Cambodian residents, the demand had been rejected by the Thai Army. (Full details click here).

Cambodians of all political persuasions should be outraged by this disturbing news. It is a news that cannot be ignored by the Cambodian authority. The Cambodian government has an obligation to safeguard Cambodia’s territorial integrity and to protect its citizens. So, it is imperative that the Cambodian government recognises the seriousness of this threat and do everything within its power to deter the threat from being carried out. The Cambodian government must also send a strong message to Thailand that the use of force to settle any border disputes will not be tolerated. Cambodia need also to remind Thailand that the border issue in the vicinity of the Preah Vihear temple had been settled once and for all by the 1907 treaty and again in 1962, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague adjudged to give ownership of the temple and its surrounding areas to Cambodia.

While I am exuberant with the victory over Thailand on the listing of the Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List, I, like many of my compatriots, felt somewhat sad. I am sad because I felt that it is a Pyrrhic victory due to the fact that there is a possibility that Cambodia might lose the ownership of the 4.6 square kilometres to Thailand. The fact that only the temple proper had been listed and the surrounding areas, including the staircases and the reservoir, had been left out of the listing suggested that Cambodia will face an uphill battle to recover the 4.6 square kilometres claimed as a “disputed zone” by Thailand. As of late, there is a suggestion by the chairman of Thailand’s World Heritage Committee, Mr. Pongpol Adireksan, that the “overlapping area” could be turned into a Thai-Cambodia peace park. Cambodia must not allow itself to be hypnotised by this proposition and it must vehemently resist this idea and fight with veracity to put this so-called “overlapping area” under Cambodia’s sovereignty in accordance with the 1907 treaty and the 1962 ICJ’s verdict.

It is also a disturbing news to hear Mr Francesco Caruso, an advisor to the director general of Unesco, suggesting that the listing of the Preah Vihear temple is not a fait accompli and that it is open for future amendment if contested by Thailand. He went on to say that it could be amended “to a bi-national listing of the temple”. No country on earth, in their rightful mind, should agree to share their territorial lands and surrender their sovereignty to any country. And Thailand will never agree to share its territorial lands with Cambodia. By the same token, Cambodia must never agree to share its territorial lands with Thailand.

In wrapping up this editorial, I would like to opine, as suggested by some political circles in Cambodia, and I concur with their rationale, that Mr. Hun Sen and his government had hidden agenda in agreeing to list only the temple body, by leaving out the surrounding historic sites. There had been a suggestion that Mr. Hun Sen wanted to use the listing of the Preah Vihear temple to campaign for the election and this is the reason that he agreed to list only the temple. Mr Hun Sen’s hidden agenda, if proven to be true, is a treasonous act and is impeachable. Trading Cambodia’s territorial integrity for his own political interests is an unforgivable act of treason that should be condemned in the strongest term by Cambodians from all walks of life. But I will give Mr. Hun Sen the benefit of the doubt and if, in future negotiations, the 4.6 square kilometres fall under Cambodia’s sovereignty, Mr. Hun Sen will be hailed a national hero. I hope the future negotiations on the 4.6 square kilometres will end happily for Cambodia. I hope.

Mr. Hun Sen: Resign or Not to Resign?

A cartoon by http://sacrava.blogspot.com

"One can only lie once. If one lied too many times over, then that person is no different to a prostitute who claimed to be a virgin. The person who made the claims will no longer be credible anymore."

Editorial by Khmerization:- I welcome Prime Minister Hun Sen’s appeal for all political parties, including his own Cambodian People’s Party, not to engage in political violence and intimidations, before and during the upcoming election. I also welcome his promise to step down if he loses the election (read the link below).
But it is hard to know if his appeal is genuine or deceptively made in his political posturing designed to fool the opposition parties and the international community, including the donor countries.
With past experiences, it is almost inconceivable to imagine an election free of violence and intimidations. In hindsight, it is also inconceivable for anyone to have any faith at all in Mr. Hun Sen’s many broken promises.
Political violence and intimidations, pre- and post-election, were often orchestrated and perpetrated by Mr. Hun Sen's own Cambodian People's Party. It is rather cynical and hypocritical of the Mr. Hun Sen to naively go to great length in order to try to con and fool public opinion. But, with his public appeal, the political tension will ease and the opposition parties will undoubtedly have a peace of mind. But whether his appeal will have any effectiveness at all remains to be seen.
Cambodians had been through the election two times post-UNTAC, with every election violently contested and spuriously claimed by the oppositions as fraudulently rigged.
Cambodians had also heard Mr. Hun Sen’s broken promises all before. Whether his promise this time is anything difference from his previous promises is anyone’s bet. But, mind you, I will not bet on his promises.
Mr. Hun Sen could have resigned after the 1998 and 2003 elections when the oppositions didn’t want him as the prime minister. He could have stepped down and offered the PM post to one of his CPP colleagues, the likes of Mr. Sar Kheng, Sok An, Tea Banh, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin and so on. The fact that he fought bitterly so hard to remain in that post, including the arrest and exiling of Mr. Chea Sim, the president of Mr. Hun Sen’s own Cambodian People’s Party in 2003, proved that Mr. Hun Sen will cling to power at all cost.
The lists of his broken promises go on and on. Mr. Hun Sen had promised to resign if he cannot eliminate illegal logging. Not only that the illegal logging had not been contained, but it continued and continued with the maximum willing participation of Mr. Hun Sen, as reported by Global Witness in the Cambodia’s Family Tree report. He promised to step down if he cannot curb official corruption but it continues. He promised to resign if he cannot stop hoodlums. Again, the lists go on and on.
One can only lie once. If one lied too many times over, then that person is no different to a prostitute who claimed to be a virgin. The person who made the claims will no longer be credible anymore. This time I will give Mr. Hun Sen the benefit of the doubt. But Mr. Hun Sen has to earn my trust if his promise this time is to have any credibility and trustworthiness at all.

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Read the link:http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2008/03/hun-sen-promises-to-step-down-if-he.html

Hun Sen-Samak Talks: Praise or Not to be Praised, That is Just a Question

"The fact that the Cambodian government had taken issues with the Thai PM regrading the extra-judicial killings of Khmer workers are growing signs that the government is trying to right its own wrongs by trying to protect its own citizens, its national heritage and its own borders."

Editorial by Khmerization:-The Cambodian government’s firm stance on the issues of Preah Vihear and the extra-judicial killings of Khmer immigrant workers by the Thai border police is commendable (please read links below). The fact that the Cambodian government had taken issues with the Thai PM regrading the extra-judicial killings of Khmer workers are growing signs that the government is trying to right its own wrongs by trying to protect its own citizens, its national heritage and its own borders. These actions should be commended.
Other good outcomes coming out of the Thai PM’s visit should not be discounted. Cambodia had received pledges in the forms of infrastructure building to the tune of $43.7 million as well as tourism co-operations and co-operations in the energy building capacity.
The initial outcomes of the Thai PM’s visit had produced favourable results for Cambodia. It is imperative that the Cambodian side stand firm on other issues in talks during the tenure of the Thai PM’s visit in the coming days.
In spite of favourable atmosphere, the Cambodian side should not be complacent about other issues of concerns. The Preah Vihear issue, although the Cambodian government had stood firm, the outcomes had not been favourable altogether. The Thai side only said that they will not object to the listing of Preah Vihear temple on the World Heritage List as long as the temple only, and not the who temple complex, is to be listed. The question is: didn’t the International Court of Justice in The Hague award Cambodia full ownership of the temple in its judgement of 1962? If Preah Vihear is to be listed in accordance with the Thai conditions, it means that the temple will have to be partitioned. At the end it means a joint ownership of the temple between Cambodia and Thailand. The Cambodian government has to stand firm on this issue as well.
Other issue of concerns would be Cambodia’s maritime borders. The initial outcomes of the talks had been described as “a win-win situation”. Here, a win-win situation must be clearly defined. If Cambodia has to concede its own maritime territorial integrity to Thailand then it is not a win-win situation, because any “overlapping areas” , declared in the past, are often Cambodian territories, sea or land.
In summary, the initial outcomes of the talks between Cambodian and Thai PMs are favourable. One would have hoped that the Cambodian PM, Mr. Hun Sen, would take a tough and firm stance with the Vietnamese PM on issues of Cambodia’s national interests, including our territorial integrity, during the next leg of the Vietnamese PM’s visit to Cambodia in the future. I just hope that he will. //END//

Link 1:http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2008/03/cambodia-thai-meeting-focuses-on-border.html

Link 2:http://khmerization.blogspot.com/2008/03/thailand-to-assist-cambodia-with.html