war

The Mirror, Vol. 12, No. 577

“Phnom Penh: Prime Minister Hun Sen affirmed his position towards Siam [Thailand] that the incursion by Siamese troops makes the patience of Cambodia running out. He said so during a regular session of the Council of Ministers yesterday morning on 12 September 2008.

“Mr. Khieu Kanharith, the government spokesperson, said that during the session, Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen presented his firm position to the members of the Royal Government, to protect the territorial integrity against the intrusion by foreign troops.

“Mr. Khieu Kanharith continued that Samdech Hun Sen said during the session that Cambodian patience becomes thinner and thinner after Siamese Troops become more impudent by invading very old temples along the border. Legal choices are to send a complaint to the Security Council of the United Nations, and a suit at the International Court of Justice in The Hague might happen in the meantime as two responses by Cambodia, while the Siamese side seems to consider Cambodia to be a very cowardly country.

“Samdech stated that Cambodia is tired of wars, but this does not mean that Cambodia is afraid of wars. We are tired of civil war, but we are brave to fight any foreign country that has the ambition to violate our territorial integrity.

“That does not mean that Cambodia wants war, but Cambodia does not accept an incursion not respecting the law, and not respecting the sovereignty of a country.

“Mr. Chan Saveth, an investigating official of a civil society organization, said, ‘We support the speech by Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen, representing a clear position about Cambodia’s patience. Cambodia has a precisely defined territorial integrity, has laws, and exists on the world map, therefore, it will not let any country with such an ambition to swallow the country.’

“Mr. Chan Saveth expressed his view that this support is not to encourage the government to start a war, but to find ways to send a complaint to the United Nations. He said, ‘I want to affirm again that if the position of the government is as clear as mentioned above, the citizens and the civil society organizations will provide 100% support, but the government has to review its complaint to the UN Security Council it had previously lodged and then suspended. If the government revokes the suspension, it is a sign of not accepting the impudence of the Siamese troops invading along the Cambodian border.

“Mr. Chan Saveth added that Cambodia has no history of invading other countries. Therefore, what Prime Minister Hun Sen said is acceptable, because our patience is limited.

“Mr. Un Phalla, a law student of the Royal University of Law and Economics, said, ‘I support Prime Minister Hun Sen’s speech, something which has never been heard since Siamese troops invaded along the border.’

“Mr. Un Phalla continued, ‘We are hurt, as Khmer students, when hearing that Siamese troops increase their invasion along the border and use many tricks in negotiations. Therefore, my support is not to encourage Samdech to start a war, but to refer to the legal basis as our priority, by sending a complaint to the United Nations as soon as possible.’

“Prince Sisowath Thomico said that if talking about territorial integrity, every Khmer citizen does not want to see an incursion by foreign countries. Prince Thomico added ‘Regarding Prime Minister Hun Sen’s speech, it is now not only me who is supporting it and who is happy, but also many citizens, when they hear such courage of a leader who represent the will to protect the territorial integrity.’

“Prince Thomico said also that the government has to put all territorial issues on the table to be solved together, and all political parties should not show different attitudes toward this problem. Internal opposition [among parties] is one thing, but territorial issues are of nationl concern.

“The head of the government showed also his position on the plan of the opposition parties not to attend the inaugural session [of the National Assembly], saying that this is their problem – and the government does not care about it, because it is better for the whole nation to think about the border issue. The citizens have already voted to give their power to their representatives [the elected members of the National Assembly], so if they do not want the seats they won, the seats should be given to others who can work. Now, the government is caring about the border issue, because the citizens expect the new term government to solve the issue.

“Mr. Khieu Kanharith said that Samdech Hun Sen said during a council of ministers’ session that concerning the Cambodian and Thai border disputes, we are strengthening further legal documents to be sent to the International Court of Justice and to the Security Council of the United Nations about the incursion by Siamese black clad soldiers [of the Thai special Border Protection Unit] at Khmer temples.

“Samdech also said regarding the confrontation, ‘We just avoid armed fighting, as it is better to fight with legal methods. Thai black-clad soldiers invaded Cambodian territory at the Keo Sekha Kirisvarak pagoda, which is 300 meters away from the Preah Vihear Temple, on 11 July 2008, after this temple was listed as a world heritage site on 7 July 2008. Then, Siamese troops have tried to control several other temples of Cambodia along the border in Oddar Meanchey.’

“Samdech Hun Sen added that ‘in relation to the situation before, we understood the Thai government related to the incursion, which was firstly caused by the Thai opposition party. So far, we are patient at the highest level, but our patience was shaken again and again by the Siamese troops, making our patience to run out.’ Samdech emphasized that this issue cannot be solved without going to the International Court of Justice.

The Situation at the Ta Krabei Temple

“The situation at the Ta Krabei Temple is somewhat better, after the Siamese troops withdrew from the temple, about 300 meters from the Cambodian border.

“Mr. Neak Vong, the commander of Brigade 42, reported to Kampuchea Thmey that after tense discussions, the Siamese troops agreed to withdraw from the Ta Krabei Temple at 2:30 p.m. of 11 September 2008. He went on to say that 170 Siamese soldiers withdrew from the Khmer temple and took positions in their territory, about 300 meters from the border. As for the Cambodian troops, their numbers are now balanced. So the situation at the Ta Krabei Temple starts to be better, but the troops are suffering from very cold weather, because there is rain every day.” Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1745, 13.9.2008

Note:

Please have a look at the Editorial of 14.9.2008: you may click with the mouse cursor here; it relates in terms of the content,

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 13 September 2008

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.7, #1745, 13.9.2008

• Siam Is More Impudent – Cambodian Patience Is Running Out
• Thailand Postpones Session of Parliament, as Samak Is Rejected [by coalition parties to take position of prime minister again]
• [Norodom Ranariddh Party secretary general] You Hokry Sues Serey Kosal [a member of Funcinpec] for Riel 100 Million [approx. US$25,000, accusing him to have defamed him in a broadcast over Sambok Khmum Radio in the Voice of the Monarchy Program on 30 May 2008]; Serey Kosal Warned He Will Sue Back for Riel 1 Billion [approx. US$250,000] Compensation [over illegal acts during the elections and election campaign]

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.2, #243, 13.9.2008

• Secretary General of the National Assembly [Mr. Leng Penglong] Asks [Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior] Sar Kheng to Take Action [to investigate Prime Minister Hun Sen’s nephew] Hun To over Beating the Parliamentarian Nuon Vuthy [from the Sam Rainsy Party]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.41, #6449, 13.9.2008

• When Patience Runs Out, There Might Be a Complaint Sent to the International Court of Justice, and If if It Is More Serious, a Complaint Will Be Sent to the Security Council [of the United Nations – according to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s speech regarding border disputes with Thailand]
• The United States Provides US$24 Million for Economic Growth [actually, this grant aid of US$24 million is clearly designated for the health sector – this money for health projects operated by NGOs will be monitored by the Cambodian government]

Moneaksekar Khmer, Vol.15, #3564, 13-14.9.2008

• Democracy Crisis and Irregularities during the [fourth term] Elections Will Be Revealed in Front of US Assistant Secretary of State [who will arrive in Cambodia next week]
• The Increase in the Number of Members of Ministries Will Threaten the Cambodian Economy [the ranking members of ministries will increase to nearly 400, which means the fourth term government will have to cover the expenses for these high ranking officials]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.16, #4693, 13.9.2008

• This Week the Chinese Owners of Three Factories Ran Away [after bankruptcy – Phnom Penh]
• Land Prices on the Cambodian Market Fell 5% to 10% [according to the Real Estates Accessing Association of Cambodia, because of many reasons – not only the elections, but also influenced by the international economic crisis, border disputes, and reforms in the government]

Click here to have a look at the last editorial: Numbers – how to evaluate them: which realities do they really represent?

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