THE HAGUE: The UN’s top court ruled yesterday that most of the area around a flashpoint ancient temple on the Thai border belongs to Cambodia and that any Thai security forces there should leave.
The International Court of Justice interpreted a 1962 ruling saying that “Cambodia had sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear,” Judge Peter Tomka said.
“In consequence Thailand was under an obligation to withdraw from that territory thai military or police forces or other guards or keepers who were stationed there,” Tomka said.
At least 28 people have been killed in outbreaks of violence since 2011 over the ownership of the patch of border land next to the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple.
Sri Lanka faces more criticism
Sydney: An Australian senator detained in Sri Lanka returned to Sydney yesterday accusing Colombo of attempting to “shut down” scrutiny of war crimes ahead of a Commonwealth summit.
Sri Lanka is facing international censure over alleged war crimes and its hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting this week has become mired in controversy as demands mount for Colombo to address the allegations.
Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was picked up by authorities in Colombo and interrogated on Sunday, and said she believed it was because the Sri Lankan government “does not want scrutiny of what is happening in that country”.
“The war crimes need to be investigated; the crimes against humanity clearly continue, the evidence is very strong,” she said.
Police crack down on strike
KATHMANDU: Police in Nepal arrested dozens of protestors yesterday in a crackdown on a nationwide strike called by hardline Maoists seeking to postpone next week’s parliamentary elections.
Protestors belonging to a 33-party alliance headed by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) torched a dozen vehicles across the country while enforcing the shutdown, police spokesman Ganesh KC said.
“We arrested 45 protesters including 34 in Kathmandu... they attacked four vehicles in the capital early morning yesterday,” he said.
Agencies
