How Border Disputes Continue

I have high hopes for 2011. I almost phrased that sentence in past-tense. But optimistically, I think it still will be a good year, if only because South Sudan will become it's own nation on 9 July 2011. That alone makes 2011 a good year.

Alas though, slightly less then four months after I arrive, Cambodia and Thailand resumed their boarder disputes last Friday and are still continuing. The main issue is a 900 old temple, Preah Vihear, which both countries claim. The International Court ruled in 1962 that the temple was Cambodia's even though it's on semi-deputed ground and the entrance is on the Thai side. In 2008 UNESCO ruled the same temple a world heritage sight. This didn't exactly please Thailand. Regardless, the temple receives little tourism traffic due to remote location and the militarization which has mushroomed up around it doesn't encourage even the most fearless backpacker.

This is not the first time we've been fighting over this temple. It's not unusual to shoot at each other a few hours every few months. This however is the longest sustained exchange of violent hostilities. However Cambodia has requested UN intervention for mediation. Thailand suggests it can be resolved in negotiations.

No one knows who started this latest incident. No one knows how long it will continue. No one knows what the other's motive is. We do know the disputed 11th century temple has now partially collapsed and we know several people have died and several thousand have been displaced. Last week in Cambodia two Thai nationals were jailed for espionage which is attributed as the spark for this fire. People are bothered, but at the same time, life just carries on and people have faith things will just resolve themselves out sooner or later. That's the Cambodian way. If anything, it's tapping into some discontent that the Cambodia government hasn't pushed harder earlier to resolve the border dispute. That's being perceived as a sign of weakness.

I guess what continues to impress me is that intimidating one's neighbors is still the golden standard of international relations...military power first and then economics. It happens all over the world. Does taking what we want really warrant respect? Does expansion of our economic power afford the same respect? Border disputes continue and concessions and talks are signs of weakness. I don't know how to fix it. I doubt anyone truly does in our world of realpolitik which predates the Renaissance. It's a shame. It's a shame to everyone living in disputed territories who aren't given the dignity of living in stability.

And so India and Pakistan continue to war over Kashmir. Thailand and Cambodia dispute over Preah Vihear. Israel and Palestine have been deadlocked for over half a century. And Ethiopia and Eritrea continue to amass troops over the legitimacy of each other's existence. Oh yes...and the Middle East is restructuring. Indeed, I still hope 2011 will be a good year....

Photo Credit: Reuters