Histories, divided land and borders built by empires

ON MAY 28, a routine border patrol between Thailand and Cambodia turned deadly. The exchange of fire near the sacred Preah Vihear temple, lasting ten minutes, may seem like just another regional skirmish.

- BANTHATI SEKWALA

However, in reality, the situation represents a far more complex dynamic, one that collides nationalism, memory, colonial borders, and contested sovereignty that continues to unravel communities across the Global South; particularly formerly colonised nations.

While Cambodia asserts defence and Thailand claims trespass, the crucial question transcends politics: how much longer will the people of this region pay the price for borders never drawn to serve them?

The temple at the heart of this conflict is no ordinary site. Preah Vihear, a 9th-12th century Khmer Empire dedication to Shiva, a prominent god in Hinduism, boasting architecture so exceptional it arguably surpasses even Angkor Wat.

Perched atop the Dângrêk Mountains, its panoramic views were meant to symbolise a profound spiritual link between heaven and earth. Yet, since the 20th century, this sacred meaning has been perversely politicised, caught between aggressive narratives of national pride.

Despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) unequivocally ruling in 1962 that the temple belongs to Cambodia, and again in 2013 reaffirming Cambodian sovereignty over the surrounding land, many in Thailand reject these decisions. This persistent defiance, despite formal legal proceedings, ensures the region remains a zone of friction revealing how unresolved history and nationalist sentiment can ignite violence with alarming ease.