Preah Vihear: Fresh clashes between Thai and Cambodian army, five victims
Bangkok (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The updated toll is of five dead in clashes on the border between Thailand and Cambodia in the zone of the century-old Hindu temple of Preah Vihear. Officials from both countries report that the victims are three Cambodian soldiers and two Thai soldiers, with several wounded on both sides. The fighting resumed with violence this morning, after weeks of relative calm, and lasted several hours. Meanwhile, Bangkok and Phnom Penh, blame each other for causing the conflict.
In the early morning hours Thai and Cambodian troops exchanged artillery shells, bombs, bullets, causing five deaths and breaking a - fragile - truce that had held for two months. It is the first significant clash since last February when hostilities left at least 10 people dead and prompted the UN to appeal for a "permanent ceasefire". Indonesia, current president of Asean (Association that brings together the countries of South-east Asia) and mediator of the negotiations between the two nations for a peace agreement, has called for an immediate end to violence in order to prevent new victims. Diplomacy is working to avert an escalation of the conflict. Meanwhile, the two sides blame each other for the clash today.
Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon, Thai Minister of Defence, reports that, "Cambodian troops fired first with assault rifles, then launched artillery shells and we took the appropriate countermeasures." Phnom Penh, however, accuses Bangkok’s troops of trespassing at least 400 meters inside Cambodian territory. "The Thai troops marched toward us - says the Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan - and launched an unprovoked attack."
The border dispute between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has been ongoing since 1962, when the International Court awarded the control of the ruins of the Hindu temple of Preah Vihear to Cambodia. The area where the temple stands is considered Cambodian territory, but is surrounded by steep cliffs covered with jungle that Thailand considers its own. In addition because of the morphology of the territory the site is impossible to reach through Cambodia.
After years of negotiations, the dispute was rekindled in 2008 when UNESCO decided to transform the temple into a world heritage site, requiring that Bangkok allow it to be accessed through its borders. In recent years there have been several clashes between the two armies deployed near the site. The last was in April 2009 and cost the lives of four Thai soldiers.
.png)
