Cambodia’s alternate representative told the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Special Meeting 1/2026 that Thai military barbed-wire barriers and shipping containers were preventing more than 20,000 displaced Cambodians from returning to their homes.
ប៉ា ប៉ុណ្ណារ៉ាដា, Cambodia’s alternate representative to AICHR and a member of the Cambodian Human Rights Committee, described the situation of more than 20,000 displaced Cambodians who could not yet return home because of barriers placed by the Thai military, including barbed wire and shipping containers. He described this as a serious human-rights violation.
He again referred to the ceasefire agreement of December 27, 2025, particularly paragraph 4, which he quoted as stating: “Both sides agree to allow civilians living in affected border areas to return to their homes and normal livelihoods as soon as possible, without obstruction, in safety and dignity.”
Addressing AICHR, he called on the parties concerned to fully respect international humanitarian principles and human rights, protect civilians and ensure that affected people could return home safely, voluntarily, with dignity and sustainably. Damage to or destruction of civilian objects, including homes, schools, health centres and other infrastructure, must be prevented in accordance with international law, he said.
According to AICHR’s official release, its Special Meeting 1/2026 took place from July 18 to 21, 2026, in Manila, Philippines, preceded by the AICHR Assistants’ Meeting on July 17. It was chaired by Georgina Ann Hernandez Yang, Acting Chair of AICHR, and attended by country representatives and alternate representatives to AICHR and the ASEAN Secretariat.
By: ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
