Thai-Cambodian Border Standoff

David Chandler, dean of Cambodian history, has weighed in – judiciously, as usual – on the contentious border issue:

CHANDLER: Well, there’s no legal legitimacy, because I think these were decided by the issue was decided by the International Court of Justice in 1962, a judgement that Thais didn’t like, but it was final at the time and it reflected the way the border was drawn by the French and the Thais together in 1907 when those northwestern provinces returned from Thailand to Cambodia.

Thailand, Cambodia, Coups and Borders

I don’t have the time to properly address this. Thankfully, even the msm is doing a good job, and other sites, such as Bangkok Pundit and New Mandala, are doing fine work here too.

Seth Mydans notes that we’re starting to worry about a coup, especially since the army chief got on television demanding the prime minister resign. Well, yeah.

Bangkok Pundit notes that this was a tactical problem for the army, which is facing other problems:

There are rumours of a coup floating around and I think it would be unwise to dismiss the possibility of a coup, but I do think a coup is unlikely. Making predictions is perilous given the lack of information fromt he inside. On the scale of likelihood, I would only a 10% chance of a coup. Somchai’s resignation is most likely option after the ASEAN summit and I give this a 50% chance. This is followed by a dissolution at 30% and Somchai soldiering on at 10% (and a dissolution sometime next year).

Those other problems? The resurgent border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia near Preah Vihear temple. This time, the bodies aren’t getting back up. Stories of captured Thai soldiers, villagers fleeing the area, delay of talks, and the collapse of joint border patrols do not encourage a sense of stability.

Cham stuff has been well-covered elsewhere. One person decided that the Cham should have their own homeland. People who have a better grasp of reality have taken the bull by the horns and publically, collectively, spoken back against this notion, which endangers the Cham themselves and does not seem to represent any significant portion of the Cham population itself.

Finally, the folks behind the important documentary film project “Who Killed Chea Vichea?” have achieved tax-deductible status! So, if you’ve been making a killing in the market lately, or if you have a few spare quarters from your couch, go drop something in their tip jar.

Oh, F**k. Cambodia and Thailand back at it again

That. is. all.

I guess not. For gods’ sake, stop already. Now people are dead. Go read about it at DAS, ’cause I’m disappearing for a few days.

(Mostly) Southeast Asian Link Dump

• “Thai democracy is in a state of immolation.” via New Mandala
• Wall Street Journal Asia has an editorial on current events in Bangkok. Here, via Bangkok Pundit
• Geoffrey Cain in Asia Times, on how Cambodia’s muslims are geopolitical pawns. Really? Or a lot of hoo-hah about nothing? Chanroeun Pa has reprinted an article by Antonio Graceffo which is slightly more thoughtful.
• The Phnom Penh Post has a few articles of interest, on the resurgence of tensions on the border with Thailand, nothing that this tension has increased enlistments in the Cambodian military, and an article lavishing praise on the  System of Rice Intensification (SRI).
• One of Cambodia’s awesome three independent unions, the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), issued a forceful statement on World Teachers’ Day which attempts to use the (hilarious) rectangular strategy as a rhetorical strategy to demand increases to the salaries of teachers (which are unbelievably low). Via the Mirror.
• PBS’ Frontline has released a short, well-done, documentary on Burma’s Saffron Revolution, pointed out by New Mandala. Very worth checking out.
• Here’s a post which is not strictly Southeast Asian, but comes to us from the land of Nepal. This landscape, of human-created rice terraces, is nothing short of astonishing. Via the agricultural biodiversity weblog

More garbage violence at the Thai-Cambodian Border

Who fired first? Who f**king cares? The Thai troops should back off from the border and pay attention to their crumbling internal government, and the Cambodians should buy some boots for their soldiers with all of that freaking international aid (which accounts for more than half of the government’s annual operating budget).

See also DAS, here.

Chea Mony Receives Death Threats For Protest

I was public last week that I think independent unions should focus on economic issues and worker organization, rather than involving themselves in questions of national sovereignty. Regardless of how I feel about such strategic issues, this is disgusting: Chea Mony, President of the Free Trade Union of the Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the FTUWKC, has started receiving death threats.

Death Threatening Email Toward Chea Mony

Free Trade Union President CHea Mony claimed to have received a death threat by e-mail on Monday after leading a small demonstration Sunday against the Thai troop presence in the dispute area near Preah Vihear temple.

The e-mail, which threatens Chea Mony with death unless he joins the ruling party, was sent from the address prahvihea@yahoo.com, and its anonymous author claimed to be a union activist as well as an employee of the Interior Ministry.

“If you join the CPP, you can find [assassination former FTU leader] Chea Vichea’s killers, but if you join the SRP, everything will be the same,” said the e-mail “I don’t advise you which way to walk, but you need to have some powerful people behind you to protect your security, otherwise [people] will follow to assassinate you.” Chea Mony said he isn’t putting too much stock in the e-mail. “I am not concerned about my security. I feel normal, “he said.

Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak questioned the letter’s authenticity and denied that any ministry officials were involved. “Chea Mony is not an important person. This is not a threat,” he said.

From the Cambodia Daily by Yun Samean, 21-08-2008

FTU President Chea Mony Received Death Threat E-Mail

FTU President Chea Mony received a death threat letter by email on Monday 18, August 2008 at 4:15 PM after riot police cracked down his rally on Sunday 17, August 2008 for a small peaceful demonstration against the Thai presence in the dispute area near Preah Vihear Temple and Ta Moan Thom Temple.

An anonymous e-mail accused Chea Mony joined with the Human Right Party who led by Kim Sokha and warned that the rally of both Rong Chhun and Chea Mony against Thai troop invasion was wrong.

The unknown author e-mail which was received on August 18, 2008 at 4:15 PM meaning both threatening and pity when the big political parties such as Sam Rainsy Party and Cambodian People Party have been functioning in the society, Chea Mony did not join with these two parties but Human Right Party which the e-mail claimed that this party has relationship to an opposition party in Thailand.

The e-mail also threaten that all documents or e-mails have been followed up and controlled and all his activities have been hunted by police.

Chea Mony rejected that he did not have any relation to any political party and he also did not file a complaint to authorities to the author of this threatening letter.

“I don’t involve in Kim Sokha’ s party at all. The author uses me to get something else done. I don’t involve in Kim Sokha, I don’t involve in People Party, I don’t involve in opposition party at all so I ignore all political parties but this is another politics of one who want to kill me, he just told me this party, that party to assassinate me then answer that this party murder that party”

Cambodian Independent Teacher Association President Rong Chhun who led with Chea Mony on Sunday rally said that”We know that at the end there is the threatening to Chea Mony’s insecurity…..all the points in the letter worry us via e-mail.”

Until today, Chea Mony does not file any complaint to the authorities because he loses confidence in the inefficient, corrupted and dependent judiciary system related to this anonymous author of this letter.

“I don’t file a complaint because none impartial investigation have been made or any suspects have been arrested in many high profile assassination over years including Ven. Som Bunthoeun, Funcinpec official Oam Rathsady, Apsara dancer Piset Pilika, FTU leader Chea Vichea, Ros Sovannret, Yim Ry, Hy Vuthy, popular singer Touch Sonich, Pov Pahnapich,Funcinpec Radio Journalist Chour Chetharith, Radio Ek Mongkul, opposition journalist Thun Bunly, Phnom Penh judge Soksetha Moni, as well as the recent murder of an opposition journalist Khem Sambo and his son who were shot in July ahead of national election, all have gone unsolved…they are death with injustice.”

Interior Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Khieu Sopheak told Kampuchea Thmey Daily that he didn’t receive any complaint from Mr. Chea Mony at all just to be aware of this information via journalist who interviewed him. He said that if Mr. Chea Mony files a complaint or not, it’s his right, no one force him and perhaps he thinks that he can responsible for himself.

“Chea Mony’ s accusation for another reason that I believe that this kind of accusation is an purpose that Chea Mony wants and let’s see this image….he might get escape to the third country or other place then claims that seeking threatening asylum “ added Khieu Sopheak “It just serves benefit Chea Mony wants…..don’t need to care at all.”

Labor Leader Receives Threat After Rally

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
21 August 2008

A labor leader received a threatening letter Wednesday, following demonstrations over the weekend by workers upset by the ongoing Preah Vihear standoff.

Chea Mony, who became the president of the Free Trade Union after the murder of his brother, Chea Vichea, in 2004, said he received a threatening letter by e-mail, asking to join the ruling Cambodian People’s Party or live in insecurity.

“They threatened me, wanting me to join the CPP and Human Rights Party,” Chea Mony said Wednesday.

Chea Mony led a demonstration of several hundred workers on Sunday to protest troop deployments at Preah Vihear temple, but authorities broke up the rally.

He had not filed a complaint with authorities, Chea Mony, said, because he had no faith in their ability to protect him.

Chea Vichea was gunned down in broad daylight, and two men widely believed to be innocent are serving 20-year sentences for the murder.

No suspects have ever been arrested in a number of high-profile murders over the years, including union leaders Ven Som Bunthoeun and Ros Sovannaret, Funcincpec official Oam Rathsady and film star Piseth Pilika.

The murder of an opposition journalist, Khim Sambor, who was shot in July ahead of national elections, has so far gone unsolved.

Ministry of Interior spokesman said it was Chea Vichea’s right whether to file a complaint, but he said the police have “tried our best” to arrest suspects in the murders.

Chan Saveth, a rights investigator for Adhoc, said the authorities should take the threat seriously.

“If it’s true, we are concerned about the safety of Mr. Chea Mony,” Chan Saveth said.

Ta Moan Thom (and Touch) – Which Side of the Border?

That’s not a serious question – they are both clearly on the Cambodian side of the border. But it is a question you can expect from the immensely silly Nation newspaper in Thailand, and other crazy nationalist folks. (See here for a nicely-worded rebuttal to a Nation editorial from Ambassador to Cambodia Julio Jeldres.)

In spite of news reports that all military personnel on both sides had withdrawn from the devastated Ta Moan Thom temple….”they’re ba-ack!” Thai troops have re-entered the temple compound, constructed gates, are refusing to allow entry to Cambodian troops, and are reportedly constructing new border markers which move the border onto the Cambodian side of the temple.

Cambodia, of course, rejects the Thai claims to ownership, but aren’t (probably can’t) propose anything more forceful.

At this point, it is very clear that neither side has a plan. They are making it up as they go along, wriggling for a slightly better position, like 14-year-old boys clinched in a sublimated homoerotic wrestling contest in the school’s playyard.

The difference is that these guys have guns. (Actually, if you live in the US as I do, that is very likely not a difference).

Unsurprising News (Links for Today)

• Graft Allegations hit Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge Trial

Helen Jarvis, an Australian working on the Cambodian side of the joint Cambodian-U.N. tribunal, said 250 Cambodians had not been paid a total of $700,000 since June, threatening the future of the long-awaited court, which is running over time and budget.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult for Cambodian staff,” Jarvis told Reuters.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which has been managing donor funding for the trial, said it had decided to freeze payments last week following a renewed series of allegations of kickbacks involving local staff.

• Royalist Parties U-turn and accept Cambodia Poll results

Their apparent u-turn comes after Hun Sen said last week he would include Funcinpec in the new government. He also said another party with two seats in parliament — and apparent reference to the NRP — had approached him.

• Cambodia Reasserts claim over border temples

Late last month, Cambodian officials said Thai soldiers had occupied the site and prevented Cambodian troops from entering. Thai military officials countered that their troops had been in the area for years.

Last week, the standoff there appeared to have eased, with both sides pulling back their soldiers.

But Thai troops have reoccupied the area since then, Maj. Ho Bunthy, a Cambodian army commander in the area, said Tuesday.

He said about 50 Cambodian soldiers have now positioned themselves in close proximity to about 120 Thai troops who are stationed on the temple grounds and in a camp nearby.

“The Thai troops are guarding a gate to the temple, and Cambodian soldiers are standing just outside the gate,” he said in a telephone interview.

Color me unsurprised, and unimpressed. (Is that a light shade of taupe?)

Ta Moan Thom, Touch, and of course, Preah Vihear – 8.8.08

Sheesh. The back and forth reporting makes me wish I could parachute in (like most but not all western journos do with Cambodia) and see what was actually happening, maybe talk to a few people.

We hear that troops have been withdrawn from Prasat Ta Moan Thom, that they haven’t, they they are taking turns, and that nothing has changed.

What is really happening?

Meanwhile, the Cambodian military has started digging trenches near the Preah Vihear site, a sign that they are planning on settling in for a longer stretch than anyone really wants.

Also? This photo rocks. [Ganked from the PPP site]

The Latest on Preah Vihear and Prasat Ta Moan Thom 1.2

The border conflict over the Preah Vihear temple has started to spread, like a cancer that is metastasizing. New nodes pop up, and those who wish to see the whole thing just go away are likely to be disappointed. Instead, border conflicts – the raison d’être and proof of the nation – state’s value in an era when domestic prosperity is declining or nowhere to be found – are likely to merely continue. Can I make a rash prediction? The cancer will go into remission sometime in the next 6 weeks, but will re-emerge within 3 years.

As I mentioned the other day, Cambodia has accused the Thai military of invading more Cambodian territory, this time at Prasat Ta Moan Thom, the name of which translates to The Larger Temple of Grandfather Chicken. (Plea for help – I am assuming that Ta Moan is a neak ta, but I’m not familiar with him – anyone want to enlighten us?) Vittorio Roveda’s astonishingly wonderful book on Angkorean temples, Images of the Gods, has this to say about the temple, but no explanation of the name:

Ta Muen Thom [Thai transliteration]
11th Century

The temple…was built along the ancient road passing through the Dangrek Range to unite Angkor with Phimai. It is some 35km south of Prakhorn Chai and a few metres from the present-day Thai-Cambodian border. The Khmer Rouge during the 1980s and heavy pillaging since have contributed to its almost total destruction. The main tower… was erected on a sandstone outcrop whose form was suggestive of a linga…. Little remains of the decorative elements. The best patterns at the base of the north side of the central sanctuary were probably carved during the second half of the 12th century, along with dvarapalas and devatas…. On one lintel, the figure sits on a kala with his hands in the yogasana position, perhaps a protective deity, although looking like a Buddha.

A number of sculptural elements, particularly lintels, have been moved to museums for safety and restoration. (p. 466)

It remains unclear to me exactly what is going on here. The temple is very clearly inside of Cambodian territory (check out an image from google maps here); I’m not confused about that. What I am confused about is which side is stirring the turd here, as my great aunt might have said. The Cambodian government claims that the Thai military has just now invaded the temple, while the Thai side claims that it has had military stationed there for many years. Either way, asking them to leave seems perfectly reasonable to me.

Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag has made what also seems to be a reasonable proposal – allow the military to negotiate withdrawal from the Preah Vihear temple. Why is this reasonable? Because the military is not the main provocateur here – the PAD is. The soldiers are getting along pretty well, considering that their jobs are to intimidate the hell out of each other until things get hot enough that they have to start shooting.

Meanwhile, AlisoninCambodia has posted a picture of the outside of the Thai Embassy in Cambodia, in which the sidewalk is covered with police and fire trucks. If the 2003 riots against Thai business interests were effected with the connivance of the government, that doesn’t appear to be in the cards this time.

Mongkol has posted about the cyber-nationalists whose conversations are, for the most part, either tedious or hilarious, depending on how altered you are when you read them. He gets quoted in the Phnom Penh Post (which has just gone daily. But no rss feed yet, which means I won’t follow it as closely as I’d like – get on that, folks!).

update: moments after posting this, word came across the wires (I suppose that should be intertubes) that Thai troops and Cambodian troops have all returned to their original positions, withdrawing from their near-engagement at the Larger and Smaller Grandfather Chicken temples (Prasat Ta Moan Thom and Prasat Ta Moan Touch). [AFP, via DAS]