Cambodians overseas sent petition of Preah Vihear standoff to UN and US

Posted by vutha
August 9, 2008

Recently, Cambodian citizens living abroad sent the United Nations and the United States the petition over the Thai troop incursion on the Cambodian territory and sovereignty around Preah Vihear temple since July 15 after the temple was listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO on July 7, 2008 in Canada.

We, the undersigned Cambodians and Cambodian Americans living abroad, would like to submit this petition to the United Nations and to the United States of America to request the support for withdrawal of the Thai military and paramilitary from Cambodia’s Preah Vihear and the surrounding agreed disputed regions.

After the decision by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to include Preah Vihear temple as one of its World Heritage Sites on July 07, 2008, the Thai government sent hundreds of military and paramilitary forces to occupy one of Cambodia’s Buddhist temples called “Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak or Preah Vihear temple” located within the region of Preah Vihear temple and refused to withdrawal these forces even after requested by Cambodian government. Instead these military forces have been increased daily.

As Cambodians and Cambodian Americans living abroad, we hereby condemn these unsavory and egregious incursions on behalf the Thai government and its military forces due to our success in seeking nomination of our highest spiritual temple into the World Heritage Sites; This petition firmly expresses the following:

  1. We urge that the Thai government remove all their military and paramilitary troops immediately and without condition.

  2. We are requesting that the Thai government respect the decision of the International Court of Justice from the Hague in 1962 and to return all sculptural antiques that Thailand has taken over the years.

  3. These unsavory and egregious actions by the Thai government are considered to be demeaning to a neighbor country (Cambodia) and its infrastructures, decision of the International Court of Justice, United Nations, and the most powerful nations in the world, especially the United States of America.

  4. Acknowledgment by the UN and US that the incursion by the Thai military into Preah Vihear temple is considered an invasion into a sovereign country.

  5. We solemnly request the United Nation and the United States to urgently intervene in these dire situations between Thailand and Cambodia.

  6. We support and seek acknowledgement of the utmost patient by the Cambodian government in using international laws and diplomacy instead of war.

  7. We are happy, proud, and with enormous pride support the decision to include our Preah Vihear as one of the World Heritage sites.

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