19. Demonstration to Support Cambodia on Preah Vihear Temple

Today from 10:00AM to 12:00PM at the business center of White Center, West Seattle, Washington State.
A letter is to be sent to UN Secreatry-General:

Seattle, February 12, 2002
The Honorable Ban Ki-moon
Secretary-General of The United Nations
760 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Dear Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,
We, Cambodian-Americans citizens residing in the State of Washington, would like to express our deepest concerns over the war in the surrounding area of the Khmer temple of Preah Vihear, arising from the registration with UNESCO of the said Temple as World Heritage, on the one hand, and on the other, the dispute over a piece of land of 4.6 km² in the vicinity of the Temple, beginning in 2008.
   Since then, there were small arm clashes each year. Cambodian and Thai talked for about three years to settle the dispute, but could not find a solution to end the dispute, but more conflicts. There were exchanges of gunfire with small arms and artilleries since February 4th this year, causing heavy damages to the World Heritage of Preah Vihear Temple, the destruction of Buddhist Temple of Keo Sekha Kiri Svarak, the villagers’ dwellings, and the losses of human lives on both sides.
   In fact, the conflict seems to gain momentum and spreads fast into other areas along the border with Thailand. A big war is more likely to continue between Cambodia and Thailand, and it can possibly cause other countries to get involved as well, if there were no comprehensive political settlement.
   It is very fortunate that Cambodia is provided with the Paris Peace Agreements of October 23, 1991 for Cambodia, but the Agreements have never been fully applied in the last 19 years, and Cambodian people have never received true peace nor real democracy. Now, we strongly believe that the Agreements need desperately to be reviewed in order to end the conflict in Cambodia among Thailand and Cambodia, and Vietnam as well. A redeployment of a peace keeping force or an international commission of control mechanism in Cambodia is highly recommended.
   On behalf of Cambodian-Americans living in Washington State, we would like to humbly ask You, General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon, to use you capacity and all means available to You to end the conflict before it becomes worse.
Our Humble Respect and Appreciation,
Signed: