CAMBODIA: Legal Groundwork Underway to Take Border Dispute to ICJ

Posted by Asia Views | Jun 12, 2025 | 0 |

KhmerTimes-June 12, 2025

Cambodia is making steady progress in its plan to take a long-standing border dispute with Thailand to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the move is getting strong support from the public. Pen Bona, Minister Delegate Attached to the Prime Minister and Head of the Government Spokesperson Unit, posted an update on Facebook on Tuesday, saying the legal groundwork is being laid to file a case concerning the Mom Bei area and three ancient temple complexes—Ta Moan Thom, Ta Moan Tauch, and Ta Krabei. The effort was first announced by Prime Minister Hun Manet on June 2 and has been fully backed by Senate President Hun Sen. On Tuesday, the Cambodian government created the Committee to Prepare Documents for Filing a Case with the International Court of Justice Regarding the Areas of Mom Bei, Ta Moan Thom Temple, Ta Moan Tauch Temple, and Ta Krabei Temple. Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn, the committee “shall have the authority and competence to act on behalf of the Kingdom of Cambodia before the International Court of Justice.” The committee includes two working groups: Legal Affairs, led by Justice Minister Koeut Rith, and the Diplomatic Affairs, led by Eat Sophea, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. It will officially represent Cambodia at the ICJ in the court proceedings. “This is more than just a legal process—it’s about national unity and defending our territory,” Bona wrote. “The lawsuit has received full support from the National Assembly, the Senate, and Cambodians everywhere, no matter their political views.” Taking the temple dispute to the ICJ shows how serious the government is about resolving things peacefully but firmly, Bona noted. “Samdech Techo and Samdech Thipadei are seasoned leaders. They know what they’re doing,” he added. He urged the public to remain calm and not let emotions get in the way. “This is a sensitive matter. Don’t let yourselves be provoked by extremists across the border who want to stir things up,” he warned. Read more at:

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501698915/legal-groundwork-underway-to-take-border-dispute-to-icj/

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

CAMBODIA: Legal Groundwork Underway to Take Border Dispute to ICJ

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