PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has requested that his Asean counterparts support the return of more than 20,000 Cambodian civilians who are unable to return to their homes due to the Thai military’s occupation of Cambodian territory.
The appeal by Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn was made during the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Interface with the Asean Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) representatives and the Meeting of the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission, held in the Philippines on July 20.
“The minister underscored the difficult humanitarian and human rights situation facing Cambodian civilians who have become victims of the border conflict. He informed the meeting that more than 20,000 civilians continue to reside in temporary shelters, with many children unable to attend school and the elderly and other vulnerable persons lacking adequate access to essential care despite the government’s efforts to ease their hardship,” said a foreign ministry statement.
“He called on his Asean colleagues to support the calls for their return to their homes and normal livelihoods, without obstruction and in safety and dignity,” it added.
During a bilateral meeting with Theresa P. Lazaro, Philippines’ Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Sokhonn expressed his appreciation for the Philippines’ constructive support and role in the peaceful resolution of the Cambodia-Thailand border situation and for leading the Asean Observation Team (AOT) in its capacity as the Asean chair.
According to the Ministry of Interior, more than 20,000 Cambodians remain in temporary camps because they cannot return to their homes and villages — many of which were occupied or destroyed by the Thai military, while others contain unexploded ordnance (UXO). - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
