Dear Editor,

I read

with alarm the article "Vietnam aims to lease land for rice crops"

(February 26, 2009), in which it was stated that Vietnam is planning to

lease land from the Cambodian government in the provinces contiguous

with Vietnam in order to plant rice for the purpose of combating

alleged rice smuggling from Cambodia. This is a dangerous project [that

is] very detrimental to Cambodian national interests for a number of

reasons.

First, Vietnam has been encroaching on Cambodia's land

since the 17th century under a scheme known as nam tien, or "southward

march", and annexing the land that they occupied and populating it with

former soldiers and ex-convicts, as well as claiming land that used to

belong to Cambodia, such as the region known as Kampuchea Krom.

Second, there are many Cambodians mired in abject poverty who rely on land for their survival.

Third,

as pointed out in your article "The time of reckoning for Khmer Krom"

(February 22), Vietnam has been committing atrocities against the Khmer

Krom with help from the Hun Sen regime. This, in turn, shows that

Vietnam has not been a defender of Cambodian national interests.

Naranhkiri Tith

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