Feature Articles: Peace Practice

Here are some thoughts and advice from two Cambodian young leaders practicing peace. Thank you Te Chum and Sam Chanthy for sharing your thoughts with us. The two feature articles aredrawn from CYL (Cambodian Youth Leader) Newsletter.

Practice in Peace
by Te Chum

"Peace" is a wonderful and meaningful word. Its appearance looks and sounds very nice.
The word "peace" is used in a variety of purposes since it is a term that the global community strongly encourages everyone to implement. As a result, some leading countries are trying to use this word to disguise their reasons for invading other countries in favor of their businesses. Therefore, peace can truly appear only when everyone practices it without any hidden reason or agenda regardless of the situation they are in.

Regarding Cambodia and Thailand, there is one main point that is causing conflict and the eventual confrontation. The border lines between these two countries have not been concretely determined. To make peace practically, I would suggest having a neutral, reliable international organization occasionally intervene in the confrontations between these two countries and encourage these countries to withdraw their militaries from the border. When the situation is more peaceful, this organization should to set up a neutral committee to finalize the border lines between Cambodia and Thailand. Then, peace will be possible in these two countries. The vague, unclear border line is the main cause of war between these countries, and it is such matters that destroy peace in our world.

Turning back to the cause of the confrontation between Cambodian and Thailand, there are three problems that I have observed: firstly, the acceptance of reality; secondly, extreme nationalism, and finally, fake history. To make Peace in Practice applicable, Thailand should seek any other bilateral means except for force. If that fails, Thailand should follow other steps which are in compliance with international laws to be at peace with its neighbor and the region.

Peace is possible only when all parties are willing to make it neutrally.

Internal Calmness: A Way of Exercising Peace

By Sam Chanthy

Lord Buddha has said that people in the world seek Happiness in life, but there is no better Happiness than Calmness. This Calmness is from your heart and spirit. People can easily enjoy Happiness with the wealth they have or what they believe it can bring them. But it reminds me of a common saying everyone knows: "Money can buy you a bed, not sleep."

Usually this Happiness does not last for long because it depends on external inputs or support. Likewise, a community of people who wait to be fed and do not wake up and learn how to lead their own lives will not be sustainable and strong enough when their donors or supports leave them. Self-reliance is something we all have experienced, confirmed as true and deemed necessary in this world. Again, Lord Buddha has also mentioned that "Nothing can help you but yourself."

Peace is the ultimate goal everyone desires, but in practice, it does not always reflect the truth because people define peace differently. This is the nature of human beings who are born with individually different thoughts. However, some individuals are too sure about their definition of peace and the ways they approach it. They want others to believe them even though they cannot successfully prove their view and have to twist facts to support it. But others are able to accept all the ideas offered or suggested and make their own decision based on all the facts and evidence they have collected.

The difficult situation and tension at the Thai/Cambodia border has remained for nearly two weeks now and no solution has been dealt yet. There is no way to resolve this unless the two countries can learn to listen and accept each other's reasons; they need to justify their own stands with real facts along with a record of history that everyone acknowledges. At the same time, everyone needs to practice their peace with Calmness.

Personally, I felt a bit frustrated when I heard that Thailand sent out their troops to Preah Vihear, but another feeling urged me to wake up and listen to and learn from enough information and facts before I resort to anger. And it works! My internal calmness exists and I have no serious, negative feelings about this situation. As Lord Buddha advises us,

"Choose the non-violent way to solve the problem rather than aggressively face and fight! Learn to listen and ponder!"