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Unofficial Translation
Selected Comments at the
Closing of the Meeting on Measures for Protection of Boeng Tonle Sap
| Fish Trap across the Lake
and/or River | Beware of Native Settlements
in Zone III | Reactions to Thai Prime
Minister’s Comments | No
Use of Force – A Similar View | Let’s Have International Involvement in Resolving Border Conflict |
12 August 2010
In addition to the
prepared text, Samdech Techo Hun Sen is making comments on various related
aspects to the conservation and protection of the Tonle Sap Lake and Basin of
Cambodia, which the CNV team is making selections and translations as follows:
Fish Trap across the Lake
and/or River
… In relation to issue of
placing barrier for trapping fish across the river or part of the lake, we
should understand that it will be also a hindrance to tourist traveling by
engine boats or other water transport means. This could cause a disaster. I
would like to urge for immediate attention by the various provincial authorities
that are bordering with the Tonle Sap Lake or basin. Placing bamboo net across
the waterway brings about this condition in which silt is being caught and
therefore making the area shallow. In Cambodia, water is turning unclear in the
rainy or flood season. This is because the flood has brought with it some silt
which is in fact an element that heightens the mud level in the lake every year.
Those who live along the rivers need 1) silt for their cultivation, 2) soaked
land that is easy for plowing and 3) lessening of threat from grass and insects.
It would be a bad year for
them if by any natural reason their villages or cultivation land are not
flooded. In the 1990s, there had been this motivation of channeling assistance
to everyone affected by natural flooding. In fact people living along the river
are so happy with seasonal flooding, only if it is not as disastrously high as
that of the year 2000. Take one real example of a place between Prey Sangke
village and my commune of Peam Koh Sna in Kompong Cham province. In 1995-96
people there requested for my assistance to build a road to connect the two
villages. I dared not say yes because I used to row a boat along this requested
path and it was as deep as a bamboo tree (perhaps eight to ten meters). But the
road has been later built because the place has been silted up by flood every
year and the depth is no longer what it was when I lived there. Four huge lakes
behind my village have now become our people dry season rice fields. Silting up
the lake by flood is not the only reason. Leaves of inundated trees and bushes
have also been adding to the situation as well.
This is not a different
situation to that of Tonle Sap Lake. There have been numerous waterways that are
being dried up within the section from Stoeng Treng province down to Prey Veng,
Kandal provinces and all the way to the border with Vietnam. Dues to a bad flood
situation in 2000, I gave my order to HE Lim Kean Hor, Minister for Water
Resources and Meteorology, to cut through the road to relieve flood water from
one side of the road to the other at the place where the Japanese people and
Government offered to build us new bridge along the national road 1. We did the
same for a section of the national road 2 to relieve flood water from the
western part of Phnom Penh. In fact there used to be a water canal but it was
filled up under Pol Pot’s time. Later it has been excavated with the Japanese
assistance.
Deepening the waterways or
streams to help bring water from river into the lake system plays very important
role in drawing silt into the lake while reducing the speed and thrust of flood
water from upstream, but also would drive the fish and baby fish from the river
into the lake as well. I would say it would be marvelous if HE the Japanese
Ambassador could consider helping us deepen a number of waterways in upstream.
This would also help in relieving flood pressure, which in the last years had
caused flooding in Prey Veng, Kandal and a certain part of Svay Rieng province.
As far as baby fish is concerned, when HE Chea Sophara, now Minister of Rural
Development, was the Governor of Phnom Penh, by pumping silt from the Chadomuk
(four intersections) river, millions of them were carried away by flood current
directly down to Vietnam more than they were to Tonle Sap Lake. It is also
important to know also that in addition to this cause, the high sea water level
in Vietnam has also contributed to heightening the flood level in Prey Veng and
Kandal provinces as it prevented the flood from flowing down to the sea in a
fast manner.
It is to be
understood here that all sort of barriers for catching fish is one major cause
for silting up and the areas adjacent to the river system are in fact the first
to get silted up. That is why I have said it would be great if our Japanese
friend, and/or development partners, could help us deal with this threat of our
waterways being blocked by silt. This should be seen as a matter related to the
Tonle Sap Lake and Mekong Basin as well.
The fact that parts of the
Tonle Sap Lake are getting shallow could be understood to be caused by both
natural and man-made factors. It is true that nature also plays a critical role
in that but what we can do to help with is to avert disastrous human actions.
That is why there have been calls for management. You may have remembered on
April 6, 2010, from the Agricultural University of Chamka Daung, I brought this
matter up and there is also an instruction to dismantle man-made water
reservoirs within the Tonle Sap basin. I wish to see that this instruction/order
is to be uphold and implemented as a national movement for the protection and
preservation of Tonle Sap Lake.
Beware of Native Settlements
in Zone III
However, I have some notes
for us to consider in our policy making vis a vis this actions. There have been
cases in which people in Kompong Chhnang, Pursath and a part of Battambang
provinces, who have been settling for generations in those areas. So it is not a
correct understanding or action to evict them all from the zone three. They have
the rights to continue their settlements there. There have to be discussions and
studies by those of development and preservation works in improving their ways
of life and to keep them from actions that are causing disastrous effect on
environment. This should include also consideration towards infrastructural
development.
It is important to make
them understand that it is not a viable way to clear inundated forest and we
have to help them find other means to support their livings, take for instance
providing them with seeds and job trainings. In various discussions with a
Professor from the Sofia University of Japan on how to go about with the effort
to preserve the Angkor Wat temple, since when it was not yet registered to be
one of the world heritage sites, I have made suggestions that it is important to
reduce firewood cutting, tree chopping and burning for sap, which would in fact
bring about forest fire and/or environmental degradation.
The best way is the state
to create alternative jobs that people in this area could swap from tree sap
collection and firewood cutting. I think we should take similar approach for the
Tonle Sap Lake and its vicinity. Some immediate supply is necessary but it would
be best to provide them with a sort of development so that their living
conditions do not depend too much on actions that cause negative impacts on
environment as it is commonly understood that poverty would have severe impacts
on the environment. It is in this thought that I request for a meeting between
those who belong to the trend of development and those of the conservation
trend, whereby specification of role will be well defined.
Take for instance in order
to prevent the expansion of families on to new land near and around Angkor Wat
area we have developed a village at Run Ta Ek for some 1,000 families, mainly
newly married couples, who traditionally have to move out and set up their own
families or households. If we were to leave this issue unattended, it would not
be long before the area of land around and near Angkor Wat will be encroached
upon with new settlements. This is what I would call a preventive measure with a
long term interest. Again, it is in this belief and thought that those who
belong to conservation and those to development need to meet with each other and
figure out how to help them alleviate their poverty, the progress of which would
relieve pressure of any sort to the Tonle Sap Lake environment.
As is defined, the Tonle
Sap Lake area consists of three zones, in which Zone I is the centre of all. We
have decided to mount markers defining the boundary in Zone III. However, I
would not like to see any intentions to suggest investments in Zone II. I have
just instructed the annulment of the discussion with regard to the proposal for
such development projects from the province of Kompong Thom at the Cambodian
Development Council. There have been quite some proposals from the province of
Kompong Thom for the development of rice cultivation projects in the area. I
would say, let’s leave this project of rice cultivation in the lower land for
the moment and try to increase area of cultivation on high ground.
I would suggest that HE
Chan Sarun (the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) and HE Mok
Maret (Ministry of Environment) should promote development on higher ground area
because I am talking here to protect and conserve both Zone III and Zone II,
including also areas that are adjacent to Tonle Sap Lake. We have land available
along the Mekong River as we can see that they built reservoirs while preserving
bio-diversity of the system. And after the flood recedes, they use water to
irrigate their rice fields in the dry season, where fish that came from the
natural system to reside in those reservoirs can be caught.
We are now one Khmer nation
and for fulfilling this mission one cannot blame failure of any sort on so and
so, like before it had been placed all the impossible on the Khmer Rouge. In
1995, they had in fact come into area behind the Kong Meas district of Kompong
Cham and even shot at my helicopter. Now we have only one Khmer and no one could
have taken the blame for us. Any disaster that would arise would be within the
responsibility of the ruling Party and the Prime Minister will be accountable
before the history of our nation. So if any Governor is to be removed from
position in light of this, I would seek your understanding, because I, as the
Prime Minister, and other Ministers concerned, will be the one most responsible
for whatever happens before the history of our nation.
Reactions to Thai Prime
Minister’s Comments
Now I have one more thing
to talk about and I would excuse foreign diplomats who are present for taking
this issue up on this occasion. I have had to make comment on that. Here is the
letter by HE Abhisit Vijjajiva, Thai Prime Minister, sent to the Security
Council and to the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations. The
point to be noted in this letter is that he (the Thai Prime Minister) put his
blame on me for misquoting the Press (on issue
relating to his comment to use both diplomatic and military means to resolve the
border issue with Cambodia). I just feel pitiful for the Press in
Thailand that every now and then they have been victimized for quoting what was
said. In this case wrong statement by the Thai Prime Minister has been a blame
placed on the press – printed and audio-visual, and also websites.
Taking this development
into consideration, is it still trustworthy as far as the Thai press in
concerned? I think to defend their credibility they should come out and
ascertain the fact about what the Prime Minister had said. The August 7, 2010
news have been written and quoted in many Thai press – ASTV, TNN Online,
Matichon, Thai Rat, etc. I must tell my Thai counterpart that on the Cambodian
side we have recorded from Thai TVs and we could also send the Thai Prime
Minister a copy if he’d like to.
In the same live program,
earlier there was this piece of footage about Siddhi Limthongkul, who happened
to talk about the map of the Thai-Cambodian border. (The Thai Prime Minister)
Abhisit Vijjajiva said and here is the quote – “we must take both measures –
diplomatic and military …” In one other note Abhisit said: “the military will
provide cooperation 100% with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in taking actions
…” If the Thai Embassy here would like a copy, I could have one ready which
includes both the roundtable discussion and the footage in which Abhisit is
holding a microphone and talking. I wish to make a note here to you all that
among all Thai Prime Ministers, only Abhisit Vijjajiva, who happened to have
claimed to use military forces with Cambodia.
This is a grave matter and
a serious humiliation not only for the Cambodian nation but also the UN Charter.
Secondly, with regard to what is said by HE Kasit Phiromya, Thai Foreign
Minister, demanding urgent resumption of meeting of Joint Border Committee
within the framework of the MOU 2000, I must clarify that any foreign minister
level meeting could be held only after the Thai parliament ratifies the three
minutes of previous discussions. There will be no discussion as long as the
three documents have yet to be ratified. I would allow however for such a
meeting of JBC because the meeting would be presided by the two Defense
Ministers.
According to the news we
got here the Thai parliament is to discuss four issues, three of which I could
recall are: 1) Minutes of the negotiation between Thai and Cambodia on border
issue, 2) Minutes of the negotiation on the Thai-Lao border, and 3) Adoption for
loans by the Royal Thai Government from the World Bank and Asian Development
Bank. I regret that on TV the yellow shirt tore up the paper on which has the
signatures of HE Sok An and the Thai delegate, and the Minister of Brazil.
Thirdly, HE Abhisit
declared that their presence at the Preah Vihear temple was to oppose to the MOU,
which this Prime Minister assured will be raised at the General Assembly of the
United Nations next month. My position is that since this matter is to be
addressed to the General Assembly of the United Nations and the Secretary
General of the United Nations, Cambodia would propose to the Secretary General
of the United Nations to coordinate the matter. This is so because HE Abhisit
said in his letter that he informed the Secretary General once last year and
this year he is going to bring the matter up again. I will also have chance to
inform the Secretary General of the United Nations too in his visit to Cambodia
from October 27 through to 28 before his participation in the ASEAN summit.
No Use of Force – A Similar View
I have a point to agree
with Abhisit too as he said “Thailand noted with pleasure the reassertion of the
Cambodian Prime Minister that Cambodia does not have a policy of using force for
solution with neighboring country. Thailand also has the same policy.” Since we
are two of a kind, let’s not use forces. However the problem remains what they
said to send our military and civilians from the overlapping area of 4.6 square
kilometers. I am not aware of where the said area is because in the map that is
recognized internationally, especially the International Court in The Hague,
there is no such thing as 4.6 square kilometers area. Therefore, how on earth do
I instruct my people to leave our land? They do not live on Thai land. Why did
not they talk about their invading troops on July 15, 2008? If they were there
long ago I do not bother ask this question. Did I ever demand for Borei Ram,
Sisaket, Ubon, Surin, etc. which formerly belong to Cambodia?
All I did is to defend the
Cambodian land that is mapped in scale of 1/100,000 in between 1933 and 1953,
with a deposit in 1964 and 1970 at the United Nations, with Laos and Vietnam.
With Thailand we depend on the French-Siamese treaties of 1904 and 1907. If we
observe the map put out by the yellow shirt, Cambodia does not have even its own
land and Preah Vihear is in Thai territory. The map is based upon the watershed.
Someone in the Thai parliament has even suggested sending in aircraft to bomb
the area. They have gone this far. I must assure you that Cambodia is not using
force to solve the problem but retains its rights to defend the country,
territory and people. I totally deny what is called the overlapping area. There
has been only area where Thai invaded Cambodia.
Let’s Have International Involvement in Resolving Border Conflict
Any bilateral negotiation
should be coordinated by a third party if the proposition for the international
conference is not workable. We could call for the third party observer who is
the special representative of the United Nations Secretary General. Despite the
fact that we have agreed to solve the issue bilaterally, the Thai side has opted
to inform the Secretary General of the United Nations, while I never have said a
word about that to anyone. They sent people to internationalize the issue in
Spain and in Brazil (where the UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee held its
meetings) on the territorial conflict but they seem to be afraid of negotiation.
Why else do not we talk together to the world?
An analyst in Singapore
said about ASEAN to be used as a conflict resolution mechanism. ASEAN is also
fine as long as there is an international third party to be a witness. Japan
could also be ok. We cannot afford to meet and negotiate, and in the end all is
to leave in vain. And because Kasit said he had helped explained to diplomats
from eight other ASEAN member nations, it is even better to have ASEAN join in
this mechanism. We could invite foreigners to visit the place and if there is
such thing as area where Cambodia “invaded” Thailand, and if there is proof that
it truly is Thai territory, I would order them out within three hours. What I
wanted to say here there is no need to be afraid of bringing the issue for
international involvement.
By saying so I mean
whatever form of international involvement will do, whether it be ASEAN,
international conference, the United Nations, Special Representative of the
United Nations, or fellow dignitary, such as President of Indonesia, who in fact
have suggested his help. However I then assured him in our meeting in Beijing
and in Singapore that the matter is to be solved bilaterally./.
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