THAI-CAMBODIAN BORDER, September 10, 2011 (outlookindia.com; by Tarun Vijay): Lovers and protectors of world heritage everywhere celebrate that the Thai government has promised to accept and abide by the verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the matter of the Preah Vihear temple.
Preah Vihear, a Shiva temple built in the 12th century ce, is a UNESCO World Heritage site located near the Thailand-Cambodia border and claimed by both Thais and Cambodians. The ICJ declared in 1962 that the temple belonged to Cambodia, but the land around it remained mired in controversy. Under the Vejjajiva regime, Thailand had even “declared war” with Cambodia over the temple. As a result, 15 soldiers (on both sides) have lost their lives, thousands of villagers have had to flee their homes in the area, and the temple itself has suffered damage from mortar shells. The ICJ has taken up the matter again on a plea from Cambodia.
On July 18, the ICJ announced the first part of its verdict: a) both parties must immediately withdraw military personnel from the demilitarised zone in the temple’s vicinity and refrain from any armed activity directed at it, and b) Thailand should not obstruct Cambodia’s access to the temple.
Preah Vihear is rightly called a “temple in the sky”. It reaches out amazingly to the heavens, with five gopurams along an 800-metre axis. Inside the sanctum sanctorum under the first gopuram is a mesmerising figure of the chief Deity, a dancing Shiva over an elephant head, referred to as Shikhareshwar–the Lord of the Mount. Inscriptions in Sanskrit and Khmer tell the story of the temple. The magic and magnificence of this sandstone structure has made it an overwhelming part of the Khmer mindscape. Cambodia and Thailand, both Buddhist countries, take extraordinary pride in Preah Vihear. It’s a region where the Buddha and Shiva co-exist in happiness.
The temple is in ruins and much of the structure is dilapidated. It cries out urgently for help from the world community, perhaps of the sort the Archaeological Survey of India has rendered in restoring Angkor Wat to its former glory. But although Cambodia, Thailand and UNESCO believe this temple is worth protecting–and the Chinese, Vietnamese, Germans and Indonesians have shown great interest as well–the only reaction from India has been roaring silence.
The full article at source includes a photo of this beautiful temple.