(AKP-Geneva) H.E. Ambassador Dara In, Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the United Nations in Geneva, met with H.E. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Geneva on Nov. 19 to provide an update on the ongoing Cambodia-Thailand armed conflict along the border.
He conveyed that the border situation remains extremely tense, marked by continued Thai incursions, coercive actions against civilians, encircled villages, destruction of civilian property and the continued non-repatriation of 18 Cambodian soldiers, despite prior assurances.
The Ambassador reaffirmed that Thailand’s allegation regarding the Nov. 10 landmine incident relates to legacy landmines from past conflicts, highlighting Cambodia’s long-standing commitment to a mine-free world and the absence of any credible motive for new mine deployment. He stressed that this allegation is being used as a pretext to suspend the peace arrangement and resume aggression.
H.E. Dara In further briefed the High Commissioner on serious violations of human rights and humanitarian law committed by Thai armed forces, including the opening of fire on unarmed Cambodian civilians, resulting in one fatality and three injuries, as well as the joint rape of a Cambodian migrant worker by seven Thai soldiers in black uniform. He requested that the OHCHR investigate and document these incidents.
The Ambassador also expressed concern over the inaction of Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Cambodia, in response to serious human rights violations along the border, stressing that the Special Rapporteur’s mandate extends not only to domestic human rights developments but also to violations arising from, or connected to, the ongoing armed conflict. He reiterated that should the Special Rapporteur remain inactive, Cambodia will take appropriate action.
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