The lingering dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over the ancient Temple of Preah Vihear has still not been resolved. This may seem strange from the point of view of international law. In 1962,...Show moreThe lingering dispute between Cambodia and Thailand over the ancient Temple of Preah Vihear has still not been resolved. This may seem strange from the point of view of international law. In 1962, the International Court of Justice made a ruling on this issue, which should have resolved the dispute between the two countries. The ongoing dispute is, in fact, an indicator of the more comprehensive problem of demarcation of the past. The origins of the Preah Vihear Temple border conflict date back to colonial times and the subsequent decolonization period. During those times, both Cambodia and Thailand made efforts to augment their territorial sovereignty and to promote nationalism. The conflict thus created unfortunately continues to this day. The temple dispute has always been ready to erupt under the right circumstances if it suited Thai and Cambodian politicians. Moreover, the negative images and memories between Thailand and Cambodia have never ceased to exist, but are instead carefully maintained for political purposes. Such perspectives make it highly unlikely that the Preah Vihear issue will be resolved any time soon. Thai and Cambodian leaders have become stuck in a cycle of distrust about border issues that has been going on for many decades. The Preah Vihear dispute shows just how fragile Thai-Cambodian relations really are. The painful historical background, along with nationalist sentiments in the unfinished development of nation-building in both countries, is thwarting the formation of good relations. Preah Vihear, the temple on the border, has remained at the center of bilateral anxiety. This place of consecration has thus become a bone of contention.Show less
This paper will explore the context of Hissène Habré conviction in 2017 of crimes against humanity, which is unusual as many other former heads of state committed far more serious crimes but were...Show moreThis paper will explore the context of Hissène Habré conviction in 2017 of crimes against humanity, which is unusual as many other former heads of state committed far more serious crimes but were never charged or called upon to account for their actions. This paper hypothesizes that the primary reason that Habré, unlike these other individuals, was charged and convicted, is the development of an anti-impunity or accountability norm in International Law and International Relations. This paper will seek to test this hypothesis by exploring two ideas. The first is whether or not there can be said to be a developing norm of accountability in international relations and international law. The second idea the paper will test is whether the completion of the trial of Hissène Habré can be attributed to this norm of accountability.Show less
