India has voiced concern after reports that conservation facilities at the Preah Vihear temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were damaged amid renewed border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia. The 11th-century Shiva temple sits on a cliff at the edge of the Dangrek mountain range and is renowned for its 800-metre axial alignment and detailed stone carvings. Its remote location has helped preserve the monument, but periodic skirmishes along the border have put it at risk of collateral damage.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Randhir Jaiswal described any damage to conservation infrastructure as “unfortunate” and “a matter of concern,” noting India’s long-standing involvement in preservation work at Preah Vihear. He called the temple a shared cultural heritage of humanity and said New Delhi hopes measures will be taken to fully protect the site and its related facilities. Jaiswal urged both sides to exercise restraint, cease hostilities and return to dialogue.
UNESCO also expressed “strong concern” over the tensions near the temple, reminded parties of their obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property in armed conflict, and shared geographic coordinates of World Heritage and nationally significant sites with the parties. The agency said it stands ready to provide technical assistance when conditions allow.
