Cambodian Monks Marched for Peace and Thanked Trump for Initiating a Ceasefire

Since taking office for the second time, President Trump has often touted his reputation as a peacekeeper. As is often the case with the president, there is some level of exaggeration behind the claims he makes, but he has negotiated a number of ceasefire agreements since taking office.

One such agreement was between Cambodia and Thailand, and Cambodian monks appeared eager to thank the president for his role in the negotiations. Here's what we know about what they were thanking him for.

The Buddhist monks were conducting a peace march for 1.8 miles from Wat Phnom to the Independence Monument in central Phnom Penh. Along the way, they stopped at the U.S. Embassy to show their gratitude for Trump's role in negotiating a ceasefire to stop the violence between Cambodia and Thailand, according to Buddhist Door Global. One of the monks also nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, a gesture that numerous world leaders have made in recent months.

The fragile ceasefire was negotiated after five days of fighting in late July that led to the deaths of dozens of people and to the displacement of more than 260,000 people along the border. The ceasefire, which Trump urged on but was likely to come together anyway, has brought an end to major fighting, although both sides have accused the other of violating it.

The territorial dispute between the two nations remains unresolved, which is why the ceasefire is so fragile.

Ven. Khem Sorn, chief monk of Phnom Penh, said that the march had been organized to honor those who died and also to support the Cambodian government's efforts to work toward peace.

“It means that we only want to live side-by-side with Thailand as a good neighbor, living with unity and peace with each other,” he said, per The Associated Press.

“This is the spirit of a nation that loves and desires peace,” he added. “If any side wishes to continue fighting, that is their choice. But for Cambodians, especially the monks who follow Buddhism, our spirit is to protect peace. Even if false statements are made about our country, if we remain truthful and united, we will prevail.”

The United States and China were both putting pressure on the countries to come to a ceasefire, with Trump threatening to delay trade talks unless an agreement was reached. The underlying conflict is still simmering, though, and it's clear that the commitment to peace on both sides is fragile, at least for the moment.

Even so, Trump has taken credit for halting the violence, and understandably so, per The Guardian. What might be needed in order to see a lasting peace, though, is a firm commitment to more in-depth negotiation that resolves the underlying dispute and makes another conflict less likely. For the moment, it's unclear whether the president and his administration are committed to a longer process that can push Thailand and Cambodia toward a peace that lasts.