(Phnom Penh): The Cambodian Human Rights Committee (CHRC) expresses grave concern and strong condemnation on the recent acts of aggression and serious human rights violations committed by the Kingdom of Thailand against the Kingdom of Cambodia. These unlawful and hostile actions have severely undermined Cambodia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and fundamental rights of the Cambodian people, and constitute a blatant breach of international and regional laws, and universally accepted human rights standards.

“Thailand’s aggression against Cambodia has caused the loss of Cambodian civilian lives and injuries, which violates the right to life. Furthermore, the attacks have forced thousands of Cambodian civilians residing along border areas to be displaced while their homes and livelihoods were destroyed, violating their rights to economy and adequate housing,” according to the statement seen by Fresh News on Friday (Jul. 25).

“The conducted airstrikes using F-16 fighter jet and heavy weapons by Thailand, targeting and destroying parts of the sacred Preah Vihear Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Cambodian pagodas, constitute both a cultural and religious violation, infringing the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, as well as UNESCO regulations and the World Heritage Convention, Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 27 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

Thailand has engaged in acts of racial discrimination against Cambodian migrant workers residing and working in Thailand, including physical assaults, threats, and other forms of violence, which violate Article 2 and 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), to which Thailand is a State Party, and the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (Article 4), which guarantees freedom from discrimination. These acts create a climate of fear and violate the right to life and security under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 3). Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia, has called for Cambodian citizens to uphold morality, dignity, and discipline, and to refrain from any acts of discrimination or actions that may affect the Thai Embassy in Cambodia, Thai companies, or Thai nationals residing in the Kingdom of Cambodia.”
=FRESH NEWS