China’s special envoy Deng Xijun visits Phnom Penh to revive ceasefire efforts. Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy attacks Hun Sen and the Cambodian government for fanning the flames of conflict to mask a "personal conflict" with Thaksin Shinawatra. More than 30 Thai and Cambodian NGOs issue an appeal for a truce, stressing that mostly ordinary people are affected by war.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) – China’s special envoy for Asian affairs, Deng Xijun, made an official visit to Phnom Penh this week, in an attempt to mediate the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand following recent violent clashes along the border.

Beijing's diplomatic pressure comes as the United States continues to push the two neighbours to reach a ceasefire ahead of the special meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), next Monday.

Since fighting resumed, undoing the truce previously orchestrated by US President Donald Trump, at least 60 people have died with over half a million displaced, amid growing tensions that are also worrying the Cambodian bishops.

"Deng Xijun reaffirmed that China will continue to play a constructive role in facilitating dialogue between Cambodia and Thailand with a view to promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes," said the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement.

Yesterday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke, describing Washington's as “cautiously optimistic” that the two countries could reach another ceasefire by early next week.

Cambodian activist, economist, and former politician and opposition leader Sam Rainsy also commented on the ongoing violence, saying that the underlying issue is not "a conflict between the Cambodian and Thai peoples" but rather “a personal conflict between Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand.”

He points the finger at the former Thai prime minister and the former Cambodian leader and strongman of the country, who are holding "the peoples of both nations hostage” for "a private political rivalry."

In the message posted on social media, the former politician accuses Hun Sen of providing “shelter, protection and political cover” to Chen Zhi, while at the same time cultivating “illicit business dealings”.

“Chen Zhi has played a key role in financing and sustaining the Hun Sen regime,” Rainsy writes. “As a result, Hun Sen has transformed Cambodia into a mafia state, thereby providing Thailand with a pretext to launch military actions aimed at dismantling transnational criminal networks operating from Cambodian territory.

“Because Hun Sen collaborates with criminal organizations, Cambodia now faces international isolation at a critical moment, as no country wishes to support a state led by criminals.”

For Rainsy, “Hun Sen values power for himself and his family more than he values the nation's land and people, pushing the country toward unnecessary violence and bloodshed.” For this reason, he “must be removed from power to restore peace, sovereignty, and national dignity.”

Meanwhile, 39 Thai and Cambodian NGOs, united in the People's Alliance for Peace, have signed a joint statement calling for an end to the war.

For them, "internal political instability" in both countries is one of the causes of the conflict, with both governments seeking “to conceal their failures," not to mention their inability “to suppress transnational criminal businesses”, which they try to cover with the conflict.

In fact, “conflicts among the ruling elites [. . .] have further intensified the situation," exploiting "ambiguities" over borders to "incite extreme nationalism”.

While leaders are fanning the winds of war to hide domestic problems, “it is the people of both countries – especially villagers, farmers, workers, small traders, and the poor living along the border – who have suffered the consequences.”

“These communities,” the statement goes on to say, “have long lived together peacefully, farming, trading, and crossing the border as part of everyday life. Now they have been forced to evacuate, abandon their farms and livelihoods, and live in constant fear.

“We, the Thai–Cambodian People’s Alliance for Peace, firmly oppose this war, which has never been necessary and exists only to divert attention from the real internal political problems in both Thailand and Cambodia.”

Hence, the NGOs demand that the Thai and Cambodian governments respect the peace agreements, “immediately” cease all fighting along the border, work for peace, and join  together to “ensure the safety and security of people throughout the ASEAN region.”

The list of signatories includes

in Thailand: Assembly of the Poor, Singhadang Feminists' Club, Khon Kaen Urban Riverside Council Movement, Homeless Network of Khon Kaen Province, 4QUEENS;

in Cambodia: Cambodian Grassroots Cross-sector Network, People’s Action for Development Organization, The 78 Water Reservoir Community, Kiri Mean Chey Forestry Community, Phnom Kriel Protected Area Community, and the Tani Land Community.

• cambodia
• thailand
• china
• united states
• border war
• deng xijun
• donald trump
• hun sen
• sam rainsy
• thaksin shinawatra