(Phnom Penh): The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority condemns in the strongest and most unequivocal terms Thailand’s continued military aggression against the Kingdom of Cambodia, as well as Thailand’s deliberate campaign of misinformation aimed at concealing its unlawful actions.
Thailand’s latest accusations, accompanied by selectively released images and unilateral military claims, represent yet another attempt to distort reality and divert international attention from its own ongoing acts of aggression, including cross-border invasion, aerial bombardment of civilian areas, and the use of prohibited weapons on Cambodian territory.
Thailand has unlawfully violated Cambodia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity through the use of force, including the deployment of F-16 fighter jets to bomb areas inside Cambodia, striking locations in proximity to civilian communities. These actions have resulted in civilian casualties, large-scale displacement of innocent civilians, and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, religious sites, and essential civilian infrastructure. Such conduct constitutes a grave violation of the United Nations Charter, the ASEAN Charter, and the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
Cambodia reiterates its grave concern regarding credible reports of Thailand’s use of cluster munitions and toxic gas in or near civilian areas. These weapons are inherently indiscriminate. Their use inflicts long-term harm on civilian populations, contaminates land for generations, and poses ongoing threats long after hostilities cease. The deployment of such weapons in populated areas is inhumane, unlawful, and may amount to war crimes under international law.
In parallel with its military escalation, Thailand is deliberately exploiting the issue of landmines through unverified images, staged displays, and unilateral military narratives as a political smokescreen.
Cambodia categorically rejects Thailand’s attempt to weaponize humanitarian disarmament narratives in order to deflect attention from its use of air power against civilians, distract the international community from its invasion of Cambodian territory, and justify actions that are otherwise unjustifiable under international law. Cambodia will not allow humanitarian disarmament treaties or mine-action principles to be misused as a political shield for military escalation or as a distraction from acts of cross-border force.
Cambodia notes that Thailand’s latest accusations rely once again on unilateral military assertions, unsupported by any independent verification, impartial investigation, or internationally recognized fact-finding mechanism. Photographs and objects presented without verified location, date, chain of custody, or neutral technical assessment do not constitute proof under international law. The repetition of such claims does not transform them into truth.
Disinformation, no matter how frequently repeated, cannot conceal the reality of bombs falling on civilian areas.
Cambodia is a sovereign nation committed to peace, international law, and regional stability. Cambodia has consistently exercised restraint in the face of provocation, escalation, and repeated violations of its territory. However, restraint must not be mistaken for silence, and silence must not be mistaken for acceptance. Cambodia will not accept the normalization of aggression, the distortion of humanitarian principles, or the manipulation of international opinion through false narratives.
Cambodia urgently calls upon the international community to unequivocally condemn Thailand’s military aggression against Cambodia; the United Nations, ASEAN, and relevant international mechanisms to take immediate action to protect civilians and uphold international law; and all States committed to peace and the rule of law to reject disinformation and hold accountable those responsible for attacks on civilian populations.
The credibility of international law depends on action, not silence. Failure to respond decisively risks emboldening further violations.
Cambodia remains committed to peace and dialogue. But peace cannot be built on airstrikes against civilians, cross-border invasion, or the cynical manipulation of humanitarian narratives to justify violence. The international community must see clearly, speak clearly, and act clearly. Cambodia will not be silenced.
=FRESH NEWS
