Phnom Penh - Cambodians living on the border near an 11th
century Hindu temple newly listed as a World Heritage site danced
with joy Tuesday, students waved national flags in the streets and a
celebratory fireworks display was announced.
Preah Vihear, called Prasat Prasat Phra Viharn by Thais, is sacred
to both sides but was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court
in The Hague in 1962. It became Cambodia's third UN World Heritage
site, after Angkor Wat temple complex and the national ballet.
'Of course we are overjoyed, the people on the border are dancing.
It is a good day for Cambodia,' the government official in charge of
Preah Vihear, Hang Soth, said by telephone.
Thailand had called for a joint listing by the two nations, citing
disputed border territory and the fact that some associated sites of
the temple lie within Thai territory.
Cambodian media could not resist a subdued show of nationalism,
with a live feed from the UN meeting in Quebec, Canada by private
television network CTN at 3 am for Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to
personally announce the news.
The ruling Cambodian People's Party network Apsara featured a
picture of Prime Minister Hun Sen ringed by stars as it read the
entire ruling by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) later in the morning.
But the government took pains not to fan nationalistic sparks too
hard, and Hun Sen promptly stated that Thailand remained 'a good
neighbour.'
Emotions run high between the neighbour countries over cultural
heritage. In 2003, an angry mob burned the Thai embassy and several
businesses after false rumours that a Thai actress had claimed the
nation's icon, Angkor Wat, was Thai.
Hun Sen also reiterated that King Norodom Sihamoni had pursued the
listing since his time as Cambodian ambassador to UNESCO from the
early 1990's until his accession to the throne in 2004, and insisted
the issue was independent of local politics.
At a press conference in the capital, Cambodian Foreign Minister
Hor Namhong was jubilant.
'This is a victory of our Cambodian government,' Hor Namhong said.
'But much more important than this, this is the victory of Khmer
civilization.'
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