By Terry Friel
Tens of thousands of young flag-waving Cambodians, many still in school uniforms or college T-shirts have marched through the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh, calling for peace and an end to “Thai aggression.”
With some carrying signs in English with slogans such as Peace over war and Together for peace, the three-kilometre march behind a banner reading, March for peace, Together for peace, passed the riverside Royal Palace and ended at the Independence Monument.
They demanded that Thailand honor a now-failed ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump.
Almost everyone, including orange-robed Buddhist monks, carried a flag – big or small. The Dec 18 late afternoon rally was organised by the Union of Cambodian Youth Federations. About 70 percent of Cambodia’s 18 million people are under 30.
“Cambodia doesn’t want this,” 15-year-old Som Heng, wearing his blue and white school uniform and waving a hand-held flag, told UCA News at the monument. “We don’t want this!
“Thailand started this. Thailand must stop it! Khmers are a peaceful people.”
Dozens of people have been killed since the latest round of violence, which has included Thai airstrikes deep into Cambodian territory, erupted on Dec 7.
About 800,000 people have fled their homes on both sides of the 817-kilometer border and are living in overcrowded makeshift camps, schools and pagodas.
The march was led by Deputy Prime Minister Hun Many, who also heads the Union of Youth Federations.
“We are all witnessing the consequences of war. This is the second border clash in the seven-month conflict, and the Cambodian people are fully aware of the dangers of war,” he said in a speech to the crowd at the end of the march.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry said on Dec 19 that Thai forces continued to shell civilian areas in the northwestern border province of Banteay Meanchey.
“Thailand’s actions are a brutal, indiscriminate attack by the Thai military, a violation of international humanitarian law,” it said in a statement.
The peace march followed a day after an estimated 4,000 people joined a “Run For Our Heroes” event through the streets of the capital.
It began at Phnom Penh’s Night Market about 4 pm and by just after 5 pm, the marchers were already drifting home, still waving flags.
“Today, we sent a big message to Thailand,” 13-year-old Heng Chanda told UCA News as she walked away with her friends from the imposing brown stone Independence Monument.
“Thailand always hates us. They want our land. They want trouble.
“But we won’t surrender. Our soldiers are brave. We are smaller, but we won’t give in. We will keep fighting. We won’t give up.” – UCA News
