History of Cambodia since 1989
Phnom Penh
in 2012
After the fall of the
Pol Pot
regime of
Democratic Kampuchea
,
Cambodia
was under
Vietnamese
occupation and a pro-
Hanoi
government, the
People's Republic of Kampuchea
, was established. A
civil war
raged during the 1980s opposing the government's
Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Armed Forces
against the
Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea
, a government in exile composed of three Cambodian political factions:
Prince Norodom Sihanouk
's
FUNCINPEC
party, the
Party of Democratic Kampuchea
(often referred to as the
Khmer Rouge
) and the
Khmer People's National Liberation Front
(KPNLF).
Peace efforts intensified in 1989 and 1991 with two international conferences in
Paris
, and a
United Nations peacekeeping
mission helped maintain a ceasefire. As a part of the peace effort,
United Nations
-sponsored elections were held in 1993 and helped restore some semblance of normality, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s.
Norodom Sihanouk
was reinstated as King. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces in 1998.
Political aspects and elections
[
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]
Since the restoration of what is referred to as
multi-party democracy
in 1993, the
Cambodian People's Party
(CPP) has been in a coalition with the royalist
Funcinpec
party however the CPP has been the majority party following the
1997 Coup and purge
against the FUNCINPEC.
Hun Sen
is the longest serving non-royal leader in Southeast Asia and is one of the longest serving prime ministers in the world, having been in power through various coalitions since 1985. He became sole Prime Minister on 30 November 1998 and would go on to lead the CPP to victory in the next three elections, but has been accused of poll fraud and corruption. He stepped down after five terms, with his son taking on the role of Prime Minister in 23 July 2023.
[1]
One of the world's longest-serving leaders, with a reputation as a 'wily operator who destroys his political opponents',
[2]
Hun Sen is widely viewed as a
dictator
that has assumed authoritarian power in Cambodia using violence and intimidation and corruption to maintain his power base.
[3]
[4]
[5]
Hun Sen has accumulated highly centralized power in Cambodia, including a 'praetorian guard that appears to rival the capabilities of the country's regular military units.'
[6]
From July 30 to August 30, 1989, representatives of 18 countries, the four Cambodian parties, and
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Javier Perez de Cuellar
met in
Paris
in an effort to negotiate a comprehensive settlement. They hoped to achieve those objectives seen as crucial to the future of post-occupation Cambodia: a verified withdrawal of the remaining Vietnamese occupation troops and genuine self-determination for the Cambodian people.
On October 23, 1991, the Paris Conference convened to sign a comprehensive settlement giving the UN full authority to supervise a ceasefire, repatriate the displaced Khmer along the border with Thailand, disarm and demobilize the factional armies, and to prepare the country for free and fair elections.
Prince Sihanouk, President of the Supreme National Council of Cambodia (SNC), and other members of the SNC returned to Phnom Penh in November, 1991, to begin the resettlement process in Cambodia. The
UN Advance Mission for Cambodia
(UNAMIC) was deployed at the same time to maintain liaison among the factions and begin demining operations to expedite the repatriation of approximately 370,000 Cambodians from Thailand.
On March 16, 1992, the
UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia
(UNTAC), under UNSYG Special Representative
Yasushi Akashi
and Lt. General
John Sanderson
, arrived in Cambodia to begin implementation of the UN Settlement Plan. The
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
began full-scale repatriation in March 1992. UNTAC grew into a 22,000 strong civilian and military peacekeeping force to conduct free and fair elections for a
constituent assembly
.
Over four million Cambodians (about 90% of eligible voters) participated in the May 1993 elections, although the Khmer Rouge or
Party of Democratic Kampuchea
(PDK), whose forces were never actually disarmed or demobilized, barred some people from participating in the 10-15 percent of the country (holding six percent of the population) it then controlled.
Prince
Norodom Ranariddh
's
FUNCINPEC
Party was the top vote recipient with 45.5% vote followed by
Hun Sen
's
Cambodian People's Party
and the
Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party
, respectively. FUNCINPEC then entered into a coalition with the other parties that had participated in the elections.
The parties represented in the 120-member Assembly proceeded to draft and approve a new Constitution, which was promulgated September 24. It established a multiparty liberal democracy in the framework of a constitutional monarchy, with the former Prince Sihanouk elevated to King. Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen became First and Second Prime Ministers, respectively, in the Royal Cambodian Government (RCG). The Constitution provides for a wide range of internationally recognized human rights, however Cambodia is a "vaguely communist free-market state with a relatively authoritarian coalition ruling over a superficial democracy."
[7]
Cambodia still faces numerous challenges and sociopolitical issues that stunt its development as a nation. In 2013, Cambodia scored a 20 out of a scale of a 100 (highly clean) to 0 (highly corrupt) on the 2013
Corruption Perceptions Index
, which also ranked the nation as the a ranking of 160 out of 175 nations (tied with other nations) making the nation one of the most corrupt in the world and Cambodia is the 2nd most corrupt nation in Asia with
North Korea
being the 1st.
[8]
According to
Freedom House
in their 2013 report Cambodia scored a 5.5 out of a scale of 1 (Free) to 7 (Not Free) indicating that Cambodia as a nation is 'Not Free'.
[9]
As of 2013, the
Human Development Index
(HDI) ranks Cambodia
138th
place (tied with
Laos
) making the nation one of the lowest ranking in terms of human development and that it indicates that Cambodia has lower medium to low development presently.
[10]
Cambodia is a low income economy with it having one of the lowest annual incomes in the world with the agriculture sector dominating the country's economy, followed by the service and industrial sectors. According to the
Global Hunger Index
, Cambodia currently ranks as the 32nd hungriest nation in the world out of the list of the 56 nations with the worst hunger situation(s) in the world.
[11]
Cambodia is a low-income economy, with two million people living in poverty, endemic government corruption and a poor record on human rights. One third of the population live on less than a dollar a day. Forty per cent of children are chronically malnourished.
[12]
1997 clashes in Cambodia
[
edit
]
In 1997, factional fighting between FUNCINPEC supporters of Prince
Norodom Ranariddh
and of
Hun Sen
broke out, resulting in a number of casualties. This event was generally treated by the press, as well as by some scholars, as a "bloody coup by strongman Hun Sen",
[13]
without much serious and neutral investigation into its causes and its development.
[14]
Among the very few who attempted to look at evidence from both sides at the time were
Australian
ambassador to Cambodia Tony Kevin,
[15]
and journalist Barry Wain, who wrote, "in circumstances that remain disputed, Mr. Hun Sen's military forces... defeated Prince Ranariddh's troops in Phnom Penh".
[16]
Hun Sen had alleged that Ranariddh had been planning a take-over with the help of Khmer Rouge fighters, supposedly smuggled into the capital (on the other hand, Hun Sen's army included a number of ex-Khmer rouge fighters).
[17]
After the royalist resistance was crushed in Phnom Penh, there was indeed some FUCINPEC-Khmer Rouge in the Northern provinces, where the fighting against Hun Sen offensive lasted until August 1997.
[18]
Following the coup Prince Ranariddh went into exile to Paris. Some FUNCINPEC leaders were forced to flee the country, many were shot and Ung Huot was elected as the new First Prime Minister.
FUNCINPEC leaders returned to Cambodia shortly before the 1998 National Assembly elections. In those elections, the CPP received 41% of the vote, FUNCINPEC 32%, and the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP) 13%. Many international observers judged the elections to have been seriously flawed, claiming political violence, intimidation, and lack of media access. The CPP and FUNCINPEC formed another coalition government, with CPP the senior partner.
Cambodia since 2000
[
edit
]
A market in
Phnom Penh
, 2007.
Cambodia's first commune elections were held in February 2002. These elections to select chiefs and members of 1,621 commune (municipality) councils also were marred by political violence and fell short of being free and fair by international standards. The election results were largely acceptable to the major parties, though procedures for the new local councils have not been fully implemented.
A riot occurred in January 2003 in which the Embassy of
Thailand
and several Thai businesses were damaged. Following the incident, Prime Minister Hun Sen expressed the RGC's regret to the Thai Government and promised compensation. See
Anti-Thai Cambodian riots of 2003
On July 27, 2003, elections were held and the Cambodian People's Party of Prime Minister Hun Sen won a majority, but not enough to rule outright. The King has urged the two other parties,
Sam Rainsy Party
and FUNCINPEC, to accept the incumbent Hun Sen as prime minister. In mid-2004 a coalition government was formed between FUNCINPEC and the CPP.
In 2004, King Sihanouk, still in poor health, announced his abdication of the throne. Prince Norodom Ranariddh was one of the leading candidates to succeed Sihanouk, but the Royal Council of the Throne selected Prince
Norodom Sihamoni
, as the new king.
[19]
A sign of Cambodia's modernization is the construction of skyscrapers and Phnom Penh's satellite city,
Camko City
. As a result of modernization, many problems such as illegal deforestation are occurring.
After the
2013 Cambodian general election
, allegations of voter fraud from opposition party
Cambodia National Rescue Party
led to
widespread anti-government protests
that continued into the following year. The protests ended after a crackdown by government forces.
[20]
[21]
The
Cambodia National Rescue Party
was dissolved ahead of the
2018 Cambodian general election
and the ruling
Cambodian People's Party
also enacted tighter curbs on
mass media
.
[22]
The CPP won every seat in the National Assembly without a major opposition, effectively solidifying
de facto
one-party rule
in the country.
[23]
[24]
Cambodia's longtime Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders, has a very firm grip on power. He has been accused of the crackdown on opponents and critics. His Cambodian People's Party (CPP) has been in power since 1979. In December 2021, Prime Minister Hun Sen announced his support for his son
Hun Manet
to succeed him after the next election, which is expected to take place in 2023.
[25]
In July 2023
election
, the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) easily won by landslide in flawed election, after disqualification of Cambodia's most important opposition,
Candlelight Party
.
[26]
On 22 August 2023, Hun Manet was sworn in as the new Cambodian prime minister.
[27]
Controversial resettlement of refugees
[
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]
Australia is paying Cambodia money to resettle asylum seekers who arrived by boat on Australian shores. Australia is expected to give Cambodia tens of millions of dollars for accepting the refugees who will be expected to assimilate into a society where '40 per cent of people live in poverty'. They will have no rights to be transferred to another country. That action has been met with widespread condemnation by human rights groups.
[28]
Cambodia, a resource sparse country with a large number of poor people is thought to be unfit for use as a resettlement area because of its poverty and human rights abuses, also because the people being resettled are unable to do some of the most basic things like opening bank accounts. Rights groups accuse Cambodia of playing politics in the past with refugees and using them as bargaining chips in bilateral relations, pointing to the deportation of 20 ethnic
Uighur
asylum seekers to China in 2009.
Beijing
announced a $1 billion aid package for Phnom Penh two days later.
[28]
Sam Rainsy
a political opposition leader commented on the refugee situation from Australia: 'Cambodia is one of the world's most corrupt countries. This government has made Cambodia one of the world's poorest countries. So any money, especially from any foreign source, would be diverted and channeled into the pocket of our corrupt leaders with very little, if any, benefit to the ordinary people.'
[29]
Hun Sen's party accused of political corruption
[
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]
Hun Sen and his government have seen much controversy. Hun Sen was a former Khmer Rouge commander who was originally installed by the Vietnamese and, after the Vietnamese left the country, maintains his
strong man
position by violence and oppression when deemed necessary.
[30]
In 1997, fearing the growing power of his co-Prime Minister, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, Hun launched a
coup
, using the army to purge Ranariddh and his supporters. Ranariddh was ousted and fled to Paris while other opponents of Hun Sen were arrested, tortured and some summarily executed.
[30]
[31]
In addition to
political oppression
, the Cambodian government has been accused of corruption in the sale of vast areas of land to foreign investors resulting in the eviction of thousands of villagers
[32]
as well as taking bribes in exchange for grants to exploit Cambodia's oil wealth and mineral resources.
[33]
Cambodia is consistently listed as one of the most corrupt governments in the world.
[34]
[35]
[36]
Amnesty International
currently recognizes one
prisoner of conscience
in the country: 29-year-old land rights activist
Yorm Bopha
.
[37]
In 2014,
Transparency International
released a National Integrity System Assessment on Cambodia detailing systemic corruption across the country's governance system.
[38]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
"Hun Sen sworn in as Cambodia's PM for new 5-year term"
. Xinhua. 2013-09-24. Archived from
the original
on September 27, 2013
. Retrieved
2014-02-17
.
- ^
Murdoch, Lindsay (2014-02-23).
"Australia asks Cambodia to take asylum seekers amid violent crackdown"
.
The Sydney Morning Herald
. Retrieved
2024-06-07
.
- ^
Brad Adams (September 18, 2012).
"Speak Truth to Cambodia's Dictator"
.
The Financial Times
.
Human Rights Watch
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
"Tenth out of Ten"
.
The Economist (Banyan, Asia)
. November 17, 2012
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
Marshall, Andrew R.C. & Thu, Prak Chan (September 18, 2013).
"Analysis: Punished at the polls, Cambodia's long-serving PM is smiling again"
.
Reuters
. Retrieved
September 29,
2013
.
- ^
Thomas Fuller (January 5, 2014).
"Cambodia Steps Up Crackdown on Dissent With Ban on Assembly"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
January 8,
2014
.
- ^
Political Transition in Cambodia 1991-1999, by David W. Roberts, Curzon Publishers, 2001
- ^
"2013 Freedom House"
.
Freedom House
. 2013
. Retrieved
April 6,
2014
.
- ^
"2013 Corruption Perceptions Index"
.
Transparency International
. 2013
. Retrieved
April 6,
2014
.
- ^
"The 2013 Human Development Report ? "The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World"
"
.
HDRO (Human Development Report Office)
United Nations Development Programme
. pp. 144?147
. Retrieved
2 March
2013
.
- ^
Welthungerhilfe, IFPRI, and Concern Worldwide:
2013 Global Hunger Index - The challenge of hunger: Building Resilience to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security
. Bonn, Washington D. C., Dublin. October 2013.
- ^
Hawley, Samantha (May 19, 2014).
"Cambodia's opposition leader says Australian asylum seeker deal will fund corruption"
– via www.abc.net.au.
- ^
"
"Bloody coup" theory"
. Archived from
the original
on 2009-07-27
. Retrieved
2009-06-08
.
- ^
"Matthew Grainger,
EU media guru says Ranariddh guilty
"
.
- ^
"Tony Kevin,
U.S. Errs in Cambodia Policy
, FEER 21 May 1998"
(PDF)
.
- ^
"Dr. Michael Vickery,
The July 1997 shootout
"
.
- ^
"カンボジア 人?見据えた本?の援助を"
.
Human Rights Watch
. July 27, 2007.
- ^
"Cambodge: les royalistes assiegesAides des Khmers rouges ils defendent leur - Liberation"
.
www.liberation.fr
. Archived from
the original
on 2010-10-20.
- ^
"Cambodia crowns new king"
.
NBC News
.
- ^
Thul, Prak Chan (6 September 2013).
"As protest looms, Cambodia's strongman Hun Sen faces restive, tech-savvy youth"
.
Reuters UK
. Retrieved
14 February
2014
.
- ^
Fuller, Thomas (2014-01-05).
"Cambodia Steps Up Crackdown on Dissent With Ban on Assembly"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2021-07-17
.
- ^
"Cambodia's Government Should Stop Silencing Journalists, Media Outlets"
.
Human Rights Watch
. 2020-11-02
. Retrieved
2021-04-16
.
- ^
Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (2018-07-29).
"Cambodia: Hun Sen re-elected in landslide victory after brutal crackdown"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
2021-07-17
.
- ^
Beban, Alice; Schoenberger, Laura (18 July 2018).
"Authoritarian rule shedding its populist skin in rural Cambodia"
.
openDemocracy
. Retrieved
2021-04-16
.
- ^
"Hun Sen, Cambodian leader for 36 years, backs son to succeed him"
.
Al Jazeera
. 2 Dec 2021.
Archived
from the original on Feb 7, 2024.
- ^
"Cambodia PM Hun Sen's party claims 'landslide' in flawed election"
.
Al Jazeera
. 23 Jul 2023.
Archived
from the original on Feb 14, 2024.
- ^
Petty, Martin (22 August 2023).
"Cambodia's new leader Hun Manet, strongman or reformer?"
.
Reuters
.
Archived
from the original on 22 Aug 2023.
- ^
a
b
Murdoch, Lindsay (2014-05-19).
"Cambodia's PM Hun Sen confirms controversial agreement to resettle refugees from Australia"
.
The Sydney Morning Herald
. Retrieved
2021-08-06
.
- ^
"7.30"
.
abc.net.au
. 2024-06-07
. Retrieved
2024-06-07
.
- ^
a
b
Brad Adams (31 May 2012).
"Adams, Brad,
10,000 Days of Hun Sen
, International Herald Tribune, reprinted by Human Rights Watch.org"
. Hrw.org
. Retrieved
15 March
2013
.
- ^
"Open letter to Second Prime Minister Hun Sen from Amnesty International"
. Hartford-hwp.com. 11 July 1997
. Retrieved
15 March
2013
.
- ^
Adrian Levy & Cathy Scott-Clark (26 April 2008).
"Country for Sale"
.
Guardian
. Retrieved
15 March
2013
.
- ^
"Country for Sale"
. Global Witness. 5 February 2009. Archived from
the original
on 6 March 2013
. Retrieved
16 March
2013
.
- ^
"Cambodia among the world's most corrupt"
. Asia News Network. Rasmei Kampuchea Daily. 2 December 2011. Archived from
the original
on 10 December 2011
. Retrieved
15 March
2013
.
- ^
C.J. Perrin (30 March 2011) "
Australia, Singapore: Least Tainted with Corruption?survey
",
International Business Times
.
- ^
"Transparency International's latest index"
. Transparency.org
. Retrieved
15 March
2013
.
[
dead link
]
- ^
"Convictions of activists in Cambodia demonstrates dire state of justice"
. Amnesty International. 27 December 2012. Archived from
the original
on 1 January 2013
. Retrieved
2 January
2013
.
- ^
"Corruption and Cambodia's governance system: the need for reform"
.
National Integrity System assessment
. Transparency International. 15 May 2014. Archived from
the original
on Mar 4, 2016
. Retrieved
2015-11-11
.
References
[
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]
- Original text from U.S. State Department
Background Note: Cambodia
- Michael Vickery,
The real story of Cambodia cries out to be told
, The Nation, 25 September 1997, Bangkok
- Michael Vickery,
Flip side view of Cambodia's woes
, The Nation, 18 November 1997, Bangkok
Further reading
[
edit
]
- Joel Brinkley (2012).
Cambodia's Curse: The Modern History of a Troubled Land
.
ISBN
978-1610391832
.
External links
[
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]