Drawing by: Phearum Pheara
Intro
Cambodia is characterized by a turbulent history. Despite the fact that the political situation has been relatively stabile during the last years, Cambodia has had long time periods of instability. This instability usually is at the cost of the (economic) development of the country. Because of this, large population groups are struggling for their survival. In order to better understand the current situation of this beautiful country, you can find a short summary of the history of Cambodia below.
The Great Khmer Empire
The first known civilizations appear around the 1st century AD in present day Cambodia. These are the civilizations of Chenla (Chinese name, Khmer name Kambu) and Funan (Chinese name, Khmer name unknown), more in present day Vietnam. From 802 until about 1350, Cambodia was part of a large Khmer empire. This empire stretched from large parts of South-East Asia, a.o. present day Cambodia, parts of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and until the eastern borders of Myanmar. The capital of this empire was for the longest time Angkor, situated close to what is now called Siem Reap. Angkor Wat and other Hindu temples are the famous remnants of this civilization. After several wars with Ayutthaya (predecessor of current Thailand) and Lan Xang (currently Laos), the Khmer moved their capital city to Phnom Penh. From that time on, it’s name changed into Kambu-ja (Cambodia).
As of the middle of the 15th century untill the arrival of the French, Cambodia was being ruled by weak kings and was torn by internal conflicts. Also the many wars with Ayutthaya and Vietnam led to large losses in both land as in wealth. Cambodia would never relive the times of glory of the old Khmer empire. 1
France and independence
From 1863 until 1953, Cambodia stood under the authority of France, just as its neighbours Vietnam and Laos. After the Second World War, people resisted more and more this authority and in 1953, the young head of state, Norodom Sihanouk, succeeded in gaining independence peacefully. Sihanouk tried to follow a neutral political direction in this new Cambodia. Neutral as in not supporting the communist East or the capitalist West. Being surrounded by countries in which a war was going on like Vietnam and later also Laos, and having a pro-US neighbour to the North and West, Thailand, this was not easy. However, he succeeded relatively well in this until the late sixties of the last century. 2
Civil war
In 1970 Sihanouk was set aside by the head of his army, general Lon Nol. With the financial and military support of the United States, Lon Nol started to fight left-wing groups and large parts of the country were being bombed by the US, with consent of the new government. Cambodia became, after Laos, the most bombed country in Southeast Asia.
Because of increasing violence, violations of human rights by government troops and corruption, the popularity amongst the population of different left-wing and communist groups increased also. The Red Khmer, being one of these groups, gained more popularity and terrain at the cost of Lon Nol’s troops. On the 17th of April 1975, soldiers of the Red Khmer marched into Phnom Penh, Lon Nol’s last stronghold. 3
Cambodia under the Red Khmer
Only at the moment of the fall of Phnom Penh, it became clear to many Cambodians what the Red Khmer really had in mind. That same day, everyone had to leave the city to be put at work in the countryside. According to the Red Khmer, city dwellers were the cause of all corruption and capitalism, which caused in it’s turn that Cambodia was being exploited by foreign powers. Therefore, cities should be abolished. Cambodia were to go back to it’s agricultural roots, in order to start a new society from there. Just like the Khmer empire of one thousand years ago, which was once very powerful. Markets were not necessary anymore, the monetary system was changed to a system of trade and schools and religion were abolished. As of now, one only needed to have knowledge of growing rice.
Society was divided into two types of people. Firstly the ‘old’ or original people, being the illiterate farmers and their families in the countryside. Secondly the ‘new’ people, or people from the cities, usually with an education. The latter was used to do the heaviest of jobs under the most relentless situation in the fields. The work slaves were not sure of their lives and had to struggle day by day. Food was, because of bad organisation, hardly available or was being used to pay off debts with China, the Red Khmer’s weapon supplier. The fact that you were educated, spoke a foreign language or that you even wore glasses (as a sign of wisdom), was enough reason to be killed. Of e.g. 1.000 registered medical doctors in 1975, only 54 were still alive in 1979. Through acts of war, but mainly through exhaustion and starvation, a total of in between 1,5 and 2,5 million people, nearly a quarter of the entire population, died during the Red Khmer government. 5
In 1977, the Red Khmer started to raid villages in Vietnam, where also thousands of civilians died. After this, Vietnam decided to invade Cambodia in December 1978, which lead to the retreat of the Red Khmer in early 1979 to the border regions with Thailand and to Thailand itself. 4
After the Red Khmer
Vietnam stayed in Cambodia until 1989, a time period in which it regularly fought with troops of the Red Khmer. The previous year negotiations were started between the different Cambodian parties. Another year later, the permanent members of the UN met to discuss the Cambodian matter. According to international agreements, there would be an interim government, after which in 1993, general elections would be held. From 1992 till 1993 a UN peace corps, UNTAC, who would keep peace and control the elections, would be stationed.
Between 1993 and 1998, the Funinpec of Norodom Ranariddh and the Cambodian Peoples Party of Hun Sen governed together in a coalition. Also during this time, society keeps being violent and still there are casualties because of the power struggle.6
Cambodia now
After the elections of 1998, the country has become much more stabile. Because of the disintegration of the Red Khmer in that year, internal safety has increased a lot. Many Cambodians who fled their country in the 70’s and 80’s of the last century, have returned. Through years of civil war and unrest, the educational system, however, has been destroyed and it will cost a lot of money and effort to restore this. Also, the consequences of the large scale use of landmines can still be seen. Although many have been removed, large parts of agricultural areas are still not safe for usage. Besides that, there are still victims made (usually young of age) to this day, because of the mines laid decades ago. Also corruption is very present in the entire Cambodian society.
Besides the material damage it sustained, the country still struggles with its psychological problems. Many people have experienced such traumas that can still be felt generations onwards. Professional psychological aid is hardly available, which means that these victims can’t cope with their experiences. Having to overcome these problems, but also disease and poverty, entire families are struggling to survive.
But the increasing stability of the country also triggers an increase in the amount of tourists and thus an increase in hard the receipt of currency. Infrastructure has improved significantly during the last decade, of which also the economic development in other sectors profits from. Although more than 40% of the population lives below the poverty line, the country experiences a structural economic growth.7 And that is news well received in this beautiful country with its beautiful people.
2. Southeast Asia, past and present, D.R.SarDesai, edition 1997
3. Zuidoost-Azie, een eeuw van overvulde verwachtingen, Jan Pluvier, 1999
4. Brother Number One, A Political Biography of Pol Pot, David P. Chandler, revised edition 2000
5. Lecture by Dr. Beat Richner, Kantha Bopha Children’s Hospital Siem Reap, December 2006
6. Verenigde Naties, www.un.org, 2007
7. The world Factbook, www.cia.gov, 2007
