Cambodia Demands Thailand To Find Criminals for Prosecution

BY BUTH REAKSMEY KONBGKEA AND SOY SOPHEA


The Royal Government of Cambodia has demanded the Thai government to explain why the Thai black uniform soldiers in Surin province fired at a group of Cambodian villagers and burned Cambodian teenager alive while they were allegedly lodging at the border areas in Oddar Meanchey province on September 11. The demand was announced during a press conference on September 16, which was made by Ouch Borith, Secretary of State in Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The Secretary of State said that the Cambodian government has also demanded the Thai government to take full responsibility for the seriously injured Cambodian villagers and the death of one. The government further requested the Thai government to arrest the criminals and bring them to justice.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already presented its complaint to the Thai government through the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, regarding the shooting of Cambodian villagers resulting in bad injuries and the death of a 16-year old boy who was burned alive,” he said. “We are now waiting for a diplomatic response from the Thai government prior then we have another next step action against Thai. We will receive the response from Thai soon.”

The Secretary of State continued to say that the Cambodian government has also requested the Thai concerned authorities to take appropriate measures to prevent such atrocities from happening again and conduct investigation into this unfortunate incident to bring to justice those who committed the above acts of cruelly to Cambodian villagers.

“We think that if there is no response, we will not stop our actions in protesting and demanding justice from Thais. We will continue this through diplomatic means and international laws,” he told reporters at the press conference.

He continued: “As a Cambodian citizen, I am shocked by the terrible death of a 16-year old boy who was arrested and burned alive by the Thai black uniform soldiers. I think that this act of Thai soldiers is very cruel and inhuman. Therefore, to find justice for our Cambodian villagers, we will not stop our demand and we will continue to do it until there is appreciate resolution for the Thai government.”

The Cambodian Thai relationship endured many problems relating to the borders issue, Preah Vihear temple and the Cambodian workers who crossed the border into Thailand, he said, adding that the Thai authorities have been oppressing their rights, employments opportunities and arresting them without legal basis.

To help Cambodian workers, the government always helped them by diplomatic ways such as negotiating and presenting its compliments to the Royal Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodian Embassy based in Thailand. And as result, they were released and protected by Cambodian government, according to Borith. To avoid the future unfortunate incidents, he appealed to Cambodian people who lived along Cambodian-Thai borders not to pass or traveling illegally to Thailand so that they will no be arrested or tortured by the Thai authorities, he said.

The Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) recently issued a diplomatic note to condemn Thailand for killing Cambodian citizens, who were accusing of illegally entering Thailand’s territory for logging.

The Cambodia MoFAIC added that the Royal government of Cambodia considers these reported acts, as a serious breach of internationally accepted humanitarian principle, which should be committed by any agent a civilized State in official capacity and in contrary to the spirit of Point 77 of the Record of Discussion of the 6th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Cambodia on the 4th and the 5th of August 2009, in Bangkok.

“The Royal Government of Cambodia requests the Authorities concerned of Thailand to take appropriate measures to prevent such atrocity from happening again and conduct a thorough investigation into investigation into this unfortunate incident to bring to justice those who committed the above acts of cruelly,” the ministry added.






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