Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has challenged the report on the human rights situation in Cambodia by UN special rapporteur Tom Andrews, questioning his impartiality and fairness over some aspects in the report in reference to Thailand.
The Thai Foreign Ministry issued a statement on August 1 in response to Andrews’ report, challenging the credibility and accuracy of some information it contains, such as the numbers of internally displaced persons (IFOs) in Cambodia, the circumstances under which Cambodian migrant workers returned to Cambodia, as well as the origin of the violent conflict between Thailand and Cambodia last year.
As a former chairman of the UNHRC, Sihasak said he would like to make clear that Andrews’ report has not yet been approved by the UNHRC and, according to protocol, must be debated at a meeting of member countries, at which they are entitled to make observations.
He said he is fully aware of the responsibilities and requirements of the UN special rapporteur, pertaining to impartiality and fairness, adding that he is concerned about some aspects of the report referring to Thailand.
His greatest concern, said Sihasak, is that Cambodia will make use of this report selectively for propaganda and political purposes, adding that he does not want to see this report exploited by Cambodia for such purposes.
Sihasak pointed to some of the aspects in the report that he would like to challenge, citing the 650,000 IDPs claimed by the Cambodian government. He said that the actual number of IDPs was not 650,000 as claimed, arguing that many of them had been illegally encroaching on Thai territory for more than 50 years and, eventually, returned to Cambodia after the war broke out last year.
These Cambodians, said the foreign minister, should not be treated as IDPs.
In the meantime, he said that there were about 400,000 Thais displaced by the war, but this issue was totally omitted in Andrews’ report.
“For Thailand, what is unacceptable is that there was no mention at all in the report about the losses on the Thai side in the conflict, the people who were killed, the hospitals and schools which were bombed, despite the fact that it was the Cambodian side which initiated the conflict. For the report to be balanced, the Thai losses must be included,” said Sihasak.
Regarding the returning Cambodian migrant workers, he said they were coerced to return to Cambodia by the Cambodian government, adding that it has not been a policy for Thailand to force migrant workers out of the country.
Regarding the transnational scam and human trafficking problems in Cambodia, which were mentioned in Andrews’ report, Sihasak suggested that the UNHRC discuss this issue in earnest and adopt a resolution.
