Phnom penh: Thai forces have escalated their attacks by using MK-82 bombs and artillery shells on Preah Vihear Temple, an ancient Hindu temple built by Khmer ancestors and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, 'Thai invaders bombarded Prasat Preah Vihear, a World Heritage Site, with MK-82 bombs and fired numerous artillery shells, including 155mm rounds containing cluster submunitions,' said H.E. Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC). 'Cambodia's brave armed forces have firmly defended the nation's territory and the sacred Preah Vihear heritage site.'
H.E. Heng Ratana noted that this marks the first time in 50 years-since May 1975-that an MK-82 bomb has exploded on Cambodian territory. During previous conflicts, a total of 919,622 MK-82 bombs were dropped over 55,614 documented sites by 115,886 flights, but there had been no recorded drops at the Preah Vihear site until now.
Preah Vihear is a unique temple situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia. The temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800-metre-long axis and dates back to the first half of the 11th century AD. Nevertheless, its complex history can be traced to the 9th century, when the hermitage was founded.
This site is particularly well preserved, mainly due to its remote location. The site is exceptional for the quality of its architecture, which is adapted to the natural environment and the religious function of the temple, as well as for the exceptional quality of its carved stone ornamentation.
Thailand's indiscriminate attacks, involving artillery shelling and the dropping of bombs by F-16 fighter jets, represent grave and unacceptable violations of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention aimed at strengthening protection of and accountability for cultural heritage, and the 1972 UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, to which Thailand is a State Party.
Thailand is also a state member of the International Coordinating Committee for the Conservation and Enhancement of Preah Vihear Temple (ICC-Preah Vihear), established by UNESCO Executive Board Decision 195 EX/32 in 2014. This committee includes China and India as co-chairs, along with other member states such as Belgium, France, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States, all of whom have the role and responsibility to contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the Preah Vihear Temple World Heritage Site.