Border conflict: Cambodia Culture Minister warns of damage to Preah Vihear Temple, urges Unesco intervention
PHNOM PENH: Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona presented evidence of the damage caused to parts of the Preah Vihear Temple by artillery shelling and bombing by Thai F-16 fighter jets on Thursday (July 24). She called for urgent measures to prevent further damage.
The minister met with representatives from the Indian and Chinese embassies, co-chairs of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Enhancement of the Preah Vihear Temple (ICC-Preah Vihear), and the Unesco office in Phnom Penh to discuss the damage.
According to a culture ministry press release, she asserted that Thailand has targeted parts of the temple with heavy artillery and airstrikes.
During the meeting, the minister expressed concern over the consequences of the current conflict, which has caused damage to the temple's first, second, third, and fifth gopuras (gateways) of the temple and its main structure.
The temple is protected under several international conventions, including the 1954 Hague Convention on the Protection of Cultural Property.
'Minister Phoeurng Sackona requested the ICC-Preah Vihear co-chairs and the Unesco representative in Phnom Penh to take urgent measures to protect the Preah Vihear Temple, a World Heritage Site, from Thai military action,' said the release.
She also urged Unesco to utilise its existing mechanisms, particularly its advisory bodies, to assess the impact and include the findings in discussions at the upcoming World Heritage Committee meeting. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
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