State in the southern part of the Indochina peninsula.
Territory - 181 thousand square meters. km.
Population - 4.5 million (1979 estimate), Khmers - 90%, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tai, Por, etc.
The capital is Phnom Penh.
The official language is Khmer.
Most believers practice Buddhism.
Kampuchea is one of the ancient states of Indochina. In 1863, the French colonialists imposed a protectorate treaty on Kampuchea. During World War II, the country was occupied by Japanese troops. In 1945, after the defeat of Japan, Kampuchea was again captured by the French colonialists. The patriotic forces of the country waged a selfless struggle for its freedom and independence. At the 1954 Geneva Conference on Indochina, France was forced to declare the recognition of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Kampuchea. The delegation of Kampuchea made a statement at the meeting that her country would not participate in military blocs and would not allow the establishment of foreign military bases on its territory.
In 1957, a law on neutrality was adopted in Kampuchea. In 1962, Kampuchea came up with a proposal to ensure the neutrality of the country on the basis of international guarantees. All socialist states in 1967 declared their recognition of the neutrality, independence and territorial integrity of Kampuchea.
The Kampuchean government has repeatedly opposed attempts by the United States and its allies to involve the country in SEATO or other military-political groups. In November 1963, Kampuchea refused American "aid" and US news agencies were liquidated in the country.
In March 1970, a coup d'etat took place in the country, as a result of which a group of military and right-wing figures came to power. With their consent, in April 1970, American troops who, together with the troops of the South Vietnamese puppet regime, launched military operations against patriotic forces in the southeastern part of the country. The American aggression was resolutely rebuffed by the Cambodian people. In May 1970, the National Congress of Kampuchea was convened by patriotic forces, proclaiming the creation of the National United Front of Kampuchea, which led the struggle against the pro-American regime. Under pressure from the world's progressive public, the United States was forced in June 1970 to withdraw its ground troops from the territory of Kampuchea. In 1974, by decision of the US Congress, the US Air Force stopped massive bombardments of the country's territory. However, the United States continued to provide "aid" to the Phnom Penh regime led by Lon Nol. Hundreds of American "advisers" were active in the country.
The imperialist aggression in Kampuchea aroused deep indignation throughout the world and was strongly condemned by the USSR and other socialist countries. The USSR came out in support of the struggle of the patriotic forces of Kampuchea for the freedom, independence and neutrality of their country.
In April 1975, the selfless struggle of the Cambodian people ended in victory. Lon Nol's regime was overthrown. From December 1975, the country became known as Democratic Kampuchea (instead of the Kingdom of Cambodia). However, the pro-Beijing clique of Pol Pot - Ieng Sari, who seized power in the country, betrayed the interests of the patriots, established a dictatorial regime of bloody terror in the country, tried to impose on the Kampuchean people the "Maoist mo-goal" of the development of society. The whole country was turned into a huge concentration camp. In less than 4 years, as a result of terror, famine and epidemics, 3 million people died. Almost all the intelligentsia, qualified personnel were physically destroyed, the population of cities was evicted to countryside, in a forced labor colony.
The policy of the Pol Pot regime - Ieng Sari brought the country to the brink of economic disaster. The crisis swept agriculture, industrial enterprises stopped. The monetary system and internal trade were abolished, wages were canceled, free movement of the population was prohibited, families were separated, the healthcare and education system was liquidated. The country was turned into an obedient instrument of the Peking expansionists, who generously supplied arms and ammunition to the dictatorial regime.
At the instigation of Peking, the Pol Pot-Ieng Sari regime carried out armed attacks on the border areas of socialist Vietnam, as well as Thailand. The severance of diplomatic relations with the SRV was announced. The Phnom Penh regime responded to the calls of the Vietnamese government for a peaceful settlement of disputes between the two countries with a new escalation of hostilities.
From the end of 1975 in Kampuchea, mass spontaneous demonstrations of the population against the ruling clique began, and liberated areas began to be created by partisans in various provinces. In early December 1978, the revolutionary patriotic forces at their congress decided to create a mass socio-political organization - the United Front for the National Salvation of Kampuchea, which led the struggle against the dictatorial regime. Heng Samrin was elected Chairman of the Central Committee of the Front. In late December 1978 - early January 1979, the revolutionary armed forces launched a powerful offensive, as a result of which the pro-Maoist regime was overthrown. 8.1 In 1979, a new government was formed - the People's Revolutionary Council, headed by Heng, Samrin. On January 11, 1979, the country was proclaimed the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK).
The USSR, Vietnam and other fraternal socialist countries hailed the victory of the revolutionary forces of Kampuchea. The message of the Soviet leaders stated that " Soviet Union will continue to develop and strengthen the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries, to support the Kampuchean people in building a peaceful, independent, democratic, non-aligned Kampuchea, moving along the road to socialism.
The new leadership is taking vigorous measures to restore the economy and establish a normal life in society. Organs of people's power have been set up in the center and in the localities. Schools and medical institutions have resumed their work, transport and communications are being restored, and cultural life is being revived. During the year, the organized resistance of the remnants of Pol Pot's troops was broken, their main bases and strongholds were liquidated.
In October 1979, the II Congress of the EFNSK was held in Phnom Penh, at which the provisional charter of the Front was approved, and the main directions of the political and socio-economic development of Trapa were outlined. The creation of trade union, youth and women's associations - collective members of the Front - has been announced.
In area foreign policy People's Revolutionary Council proclaimed the course of peace, friendship, non-alignment, good neighborly relations with countries South-East Asia. The Kampuchean leadership stated that the basis of the foreign policy of the People's Republic of China is the development of friendly relations and close cooperation with the USSR, the SRV, the Lao PDR and other fraternal socialist countries.
Importance in strengthening friendship and further development Soviet-Kampuchean relations had an official friendly visit to the USSR of the party and government delegation of Kampuchea headed by Heng Samrin (February 1980), during which agreements were signed on economic, technical, cultural and scientific cooperation, trade agreement, as well as other agreements in the field of trade and economic relations.
Kampuchea is an agricultural country. It is rich in valuable species of wood (black, red, pink, etc.), there are deposits of non-ferrous metals, phosphorites, magnesites, marble, basalt, and precious stones. The main agricultural crop is rice. In 1979, about 600 thousand hectares were sown (previously up to 2.5 million hectares were sown). Other major crops are rubber and corn. Such important sectors of the economy as animal husbandry, river and sea fishing are being restored. The USSR and other socialist countries provide the Cambodian people with disinterested economic assistance.
The industry is dominated by small enterprises for the production of timber, agricultural implements, and the processing of agricultural products. Before the coup d'état of 1970, with the help of the socialist countries, as well as France and Japan, a number of textile and paper factories, plywood, cement, car assembly, brewing, sugar refinery, tire and other plants were built. By the end of 1979, about 40 industrial and municipal enterprises resumed their work. Phnom Penh is connected by railway. road with the Thai border 1385 km) and the port of Kampong Saom - 270 km. Developed road and highway network.
The monetary unit is the riel.
Main export items: rubber, timber, dried fish.
Vietnam is the main trading partner of Kampuchea.
Imported: petroleum products, machinery and equipment, vehicles, cement, food and medicine.
Due to insufficient knowledge of ancient times, it is not known exactly when people settled in the territory of modern Cambodia. Coal found in a cave in the northwest of the country suggests that people who used stone tools lived in this cave already around 4000 BC, and rice was grown long before the 1st century AD. But the first Cambodians came to this territory long before these dates. They probably migrated from the north. However, about their language and Everyday life nothing is known.
At the beginning of the first century A.D. Chinese traders reported the existence of various states in Cambodia, which were located both inland and on the coast. These states adopted a lot from Indian culture - the alphabet, art, architecture, religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), as well as the stratified structure of society. Local beliefs in ancestral spirits, common to this day, coexisted with Indian religions.
The modern culture of Cambodia was formed in the period from the 1st to the 6th centuries in the state of Funan, the oldest Indianized state in Southeast Asia. It was during this period that the language of Cambodia was formed, which is part of the Mon-Khmer family of languages and includes elements of Sanskrit, Judaism and Buddhism. For example, as historians note, Cambodians can be distinguished from neighboring peoples by their clothes - instead of straw hats, they wore checkered scarves (krams).
When Jayavarman II came to power in 802, Funan was conquered by the Angkor Empire. Over the next 600 years, powerful Khmer kings dominated much of present-day Southeast Asia: from eastern borders Myanmar to the South China Sea and from northern borders to Laos. Under the Khmer rulers, the temple complex of Angkor was erected - the largest concentration of religious temples in the world. The most powerful kings of Angkor - Jayavarman II, Indravarman I, Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII - encouraged the construction of another masterpiece of ancient construction - a complex irrigation system that includes barais (huge artificial reservoirs) and canals, thanks to which the rice harvest was collected as many as three times a year. year. Part of this system is still in use today.
Khmer Kingdom (Funan)
The first Chinese chroniclers mentioned a state in Cambodia, which they called Funan. Modern archaeological excavations testify to the society that lived in the Mekong Delta, which in its development reached the stage of trade. Its heyday fell on the period from the 1st to the 6th centuries. Archaeologists excavated a port city dating back to the 1st century. The city was located in the Ok-Eo region in what is now southern Vietnam. Entering a complex network of canals, the city served as an important link between India and China. Ongoing excavations in southern Cambodia have revealed the existence of another significant city near the modern village of Angkor Borey.
Known to the Chinese as Chenla, a group of inland states stretching from southern Cambodia to southern Laos reached their peak in the 6th and 7th centuries. The first stone inscriptions in the Khmer language and the first stone-brick Indian temples in Cambodia date back to this period.
Angkor era
Bayon temple on a cool evening
close to Angkor Wat
At the beginning of the 9th century, a Khmer (Cambodian) prince returned to Cambodia. He probably came from the nearby islands of Java or Sumatra, where he could have been held captive by local kings who had captured some of the continental regions of Southeast Asia.
After holding solemn ceremonies in different regions of the country, the prince proclaimed himself the ruler of a new independent state, which united several local principalities. The center of this state was located near modern Siem Reap in northwestern Cambodia. The prince, known as Jayavarman II, introduced the cult of the Indian god Shiva, who was considered devaraja (translated from Sanskrit - "god-king"). The cult, according to which the king was personified with Shiva, was preserved at the royal court of Cambodia for more than two centuries.
Between the beginning of the 9th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, the Khmer kingdom (known as Angkor, after the current name of the kingdom's capital) had 26 monarchs. Under Jayavarman II's successor, the great temples for which Angkor is famous were built. Historians refer to this era more than a thousand places where temples were erected, and more than a thousand inscriptions on stones.
King Jayavarman VII who built the Bayon Temple
Among the Khmer kings who encouraged construction, Suryavarman II, during whose reign the temple of Angkor Wat was erected in the middle of the XII century, and Jayavarman VII, thanks to which the Baynon temple in the city of Ankor Thom was built, and half a century later, several other temples . In addition to temples, Jayavarman VII, an ardent Buddhist, also built hospitals and rest houses along the roads that networked the kingdom. However, most monarchs were more interested in demonstrating and strengthening their power than in the welfare of their subjects.
Ancient city of Angkor
This map shows a diagram ancient city Angkor, the capital of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The huge stone temples of the city were both the centers of secular life and the religious symbols of the philosophy of Hinduism. According to historians, a network of canals and barays (reservoirs) were used for irrigation.
At its height in the 12th century, the Khmer Empire included parts of what is now Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly Burma), and the Malay Peninsula. In Thailand and Laos, ruins and inscriptions from that time have survived to this day. The kings of Angkor collected tribute from small kingdoms in the north, east and west, and also traded with China. The kingdom's capital was at the center of an extensive network of reservoirs and canals, which historians believe were used for irrigation. Many historians believe that the irrigation system, by providing rich harvests, helped to maintain large numbers population, and rulers needed people in order to build temples and fight in wars. Majestic temples, an extensive network of roads and irrigation canals, expressive inscriptions - all this created the illusion of stability, which, however, was contradicted by the fact that many Khmer kings ascended the throne by overthrowing their predecessors. The inscriptions indicate that the kingdom was often shaken by rebellions and foreign invasions.
Historians still cannot identify the reasons for the decline of the Khmer Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries. The development of powerful Thai kingdoms that paid tribute to Angkor in the past, as well as population losses in wars against these kingdoms, could lead to this. Another reason could be the spread of Theravada, the Buddhist doctrine, according to which every person can achieve nirvana through a proper lifestyle and meditation. The egalitarian ideas of this school undermined the hierarchical structure of Cambodian society and the power of the great Indian dynasties. After the invasion of the Thais in 1431, the remnants of the nobility of Cambodia moved to the southeast, closer to the city of Phnom Penh.
Emperors of the Khmer Empire from 770 to 1336| Jayavarman II | 770 - 850 |
| Jayavarman III | 839/850 - 860 |
| Rudravarman | 860 - 877 |
| Indravarman I | 877 - 889 |
| Yasovarman I | 889 - 910 |
| Harshavarman I | 910 - 923 |
| Ishanavarman II | 923 - 928 |
| Jayavarman IV | 921 - 941 |
| Harshavarman II | 941 - 944 |
| Rajendravarman II | 944 - 967 |
| Jayavarman V | 968 - 1001 |
| Udayadityavarman I | 1001 - 1002 |
| Jayaviravarman | 1002 - 1006/11-12 |
| Suryavarman I | 1001 - 1050 |
| Udayadityavarman II | 1049 - 1066/7 |
| Harshavarman III | 1066 - 1080 |
| Jayavarman VI | 1080 - 1107 |
| Dharanindravarman I | 1107 - 1112/13 |
| Suryavarman II | 1113 - 1150 |
| Dharanindravarman II | 1150 - 1160 |
| Yashovarman II | 1160 - 1166 |
| Tribhuvanadityavarman | 1166 - 1177 |
| Jayavarman VII | 1181 - 1218 |
| Indravarman II | 1218 - 1243 |
| Jayavarman VIII | 1243 - 1295 |
| Indravarman III | 1295 - 1308 |
| Indrajayavarman | 1308 - 1327 |
Troubled times
In the 16th century, the kingdoms of Southeast Asia were constantly at war with each other. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya (modern Thailand) expanded its borders to the north and east, conquering most of the states of Lanna and Lan Xang (modern Laos). Dai Viet (modern-day Thailand) expanded to the south, capturing the remaining territory of the Champa kingdom and the southern outskirts of the Kingdom of Lovek (now Cambodia). Taungoo became the territory of modern Myanmar.
There is little information left about the four centuries of desolation of Angkor, so almost nothing is known to historians about this period, with the exception of only a general idea. Despite the frequent invasions of the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya and the invasion of the Vietnamese troops, Cambodia managed to preserve its language and cultural heritage. During this period, Cambodia remained a fairly prosperous kingdom with developed trade. The capital of the state was in the city of Lovek, located near the modern capital Phnom Penh. Europeans wrote about the piety of the Buddhist population of the Kingdom of Lovek. During that period, the most significant literary work of Cambodia was created - "Rimker", based on the plot of the Indian myth of the Ramayana.
At the end of the 18th century, the Vietnamese civil war and the turmoil caused by the Burmese invasion from Ayutthaya spread to Cambodia, devastating the region. IN early XIX centuries, the newly ascendant dynasties in Vietnam and Thailand vied for control of Cambodia. The ensuing military clashes, which began in the 30s of the XIX century, practically devastated Cambodia.
French rule
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh, as the French planned, began to resemble a provincial French town. By the second half of the 19th century, France began a colonial invasion of the Indochina peninsula, located between India and China. In 1863, France accepted the request of the King of Cambodia to establish a protectorate over his extremely weakened kingdom, thus ending the partition of the country between Thailand and Vietnam. For the next 90 years, Cambodia was under the control of France. Theoretically, the administration of Cambodia was supposed to be reduced to indirect control, but in fact, the French authorities always had the last word in resolving all important issues, including the election of Cambodian kings. Leaving the country's organizations and institutions unchanged (including the monarchical form of government), France gradually developed the state apparatus in Cambodia according to the French model. Without paying attention to education, the French built roads, port facilities and other public facilities. Phnom Penh, as the French planned, began to resemble a provincial French town.
The economy of Cambodia received much more French investment than the economy of Vietnam, which was also under French control. The French invested in rubber plantations in eastern Cambodia and also facilitated the export of large quantities of rice. The temple complex at Angkor was restored and the Angkor inscriptions were deciphered, shedding light on the medieval heritage and arousing pride in the Cambodians for the past of their country. Since the French left the monarchical system of government and Buddhism intact, and also did not interfere in the rural life of the country, anti-French sentiment developed slowly.
In 1953, thanks to masterfully executed political moves, King Sihanouk succeeded in restoring the independence of Cambodia. During the Second World War (1939 - 1945), Japanese troops invaded Indochina, but did not overthrow the compromise-minded French authorities.
In 1945, with war defeat imminent, Japan ended French rule in Cambodia and established a formally independent government under the newly ascended King Norodom Sihanouk. In early 1946, France again established a protectorate over Cambodia, but left the country the right to independently draw up a constitution and form political parties.
Indochina War (1946-1954)
Shortly thereafter, riots engulfed the entire Indochina peninsula. Nationalist groups (some of them adhered to communist views) fought for the independence of Cambodia from France. The largest battles took place during the First Indochina War (1946-1954) in Vietnam. In Cambodia, communist guerrillas, allied with the Vietnamese communists, took control of much of the country. However, thanks to masterfully executed political moves, King Sihanouk managed to restore the independence of Cambodia in 1953 (a few months earlier than in Vietnam). Under the Geneva Agreement of 1954, which marked the end of the First Indochina War, the Sihanouk government was recognized as the sole legitimate authority in Cambodia.
Current position
Sihanouk's independence campaign enriched his political experience and increased his ambitions. In 1955, he abdicated in favor of his father, in order to devote himself entirely to a political career without constitutional restrictions on monarchical power. In order to block the path of the newly formed political parties, Sihanouk founded the national political movement "People's Socialist Union" (Sangkum Reeastr Niyum), whose members were forbidden to join political parties. Sihanouk's popularity and police brutality at the polls ensured that the "People's Socialist Union" won the national elections in 1955. Sihanouk served as Prime Minister of Cambodia until 1960, when, after the death of his father, he was proclaimed head of state. Sihanouk enjoyed wide support among the population, but was merciless towards his opponents.
At the end of the 1950s, the influence of " cold war"- a period of tense relations between the United States and its allies, on the one hand, and the USSR and its allies, on the other hand. Under such conditions, foreign states, including the United States, the USSR and China, tried to woo Sihanouk. For these states, the importance Cambodia was explained by the growing tension in neighboring Vietnam, in the north of which the communist regime dominated, and in the south - Western countries. The USSR supported the Vietnamese communists, the United States opposed them, and China sought to gain control of Vietnam, guided by security issues. Each of the states hoped that the support of Cambodia would strengthen its position in the South-Eastern region. However, Sihanouk remained neutral, which provided Cambodia with significant economic assistance from rival countries.
King Sihanouk
In 1965, Sihanouk severed diplomatic relations with the United States. At the same time, he allowed the communists in northern Vietnam, who participated in Vietnam War against the United States and southern Vietnam, to place their bases in Cambodia. As the military conflict in Vietnam escalated, pressure from radical and conservative groups increased on Sihanouk. The Cambodian communist organization known as the Workers' Party of Kampuchea (later renamed the Communist Party of Kampuchea), which had gone underground after failing to secure concessions under the Geneva Accords, was now starting to mount resistance again. The instability in the Cambodian economy increased, and it became difficult for Sihanouk to govern the country alone. Needing economic and military assistance, Sihanouk resumed diplomatic relations with the United States. Shortly thereafter, in 1969, US President Richard Nixon authorized the bombing of Cambodia to destroy the Vietnamese communist hideouts there. Former King Sihanouk passed away in 2012.
Khmer Republic
Khmer Rouge
In March 1970, the National Assembly, which has legislative power in Cambodia, overthrew Sihanouk while he was abroad. Pro-Western and anti-Vietnamese forces were behind the coup d'état. Cambodia's prime minister, General Lon Nol, who came to power, sent a poorly armed army to repulse the Vietnamese communist forces located near the border. Lon Nol hoped that with the help of the United States he would defeat the enemy, but at that time all the forces of the Americans were thrown into military operations in Vietnam. In April, American and South Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia in search of North Vietnamese forces that were retreating inland. Over the next year, North Vietnamese troops defeated the advance of General Lon Nol's army.
In October 1970, Lon Nol proclaimed the Khmer Republic. Hiding in China, Sihanouk, despite his absence, was sentenced to death. By then, the leaders of China and Vietnam had persuaded the prince to form a government-in-exile with North Vietnamese support. The parliamentary majority was represented by the Communist Party of Kampuchea, which Sihanouk called the Khmer Rouge (translated from French as "Khmer Rouge").
In 1975, despite significant US aid, the Khmer Republic fell and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh.
The US continued bombing Cambodia until the US Congress stopped the military campaign in 1973. By that time, Lon Nol's army was fighting not only against the Vietnamese, but also against the Khmer Rouge. The general lost control of much of the country's countryside, which was destroyed by American bombing raids. Military clashes caused enormous damage to the country's infrastructure and claimed many lives. Hundreds of thousands of refugees poured into the cities. In 1975, despite significant US aid, the Khmer Republic fell and the Khmer Rouge occupied Phnom Penh. Three weeks later, North Vietnamese forces were victorious over southern Vietnam.
Democratic Kampuchea
Pol Pot is the pseudonym of Cambodian guerrilla commander Saloth Sara, who organized the Khmer Rouge Communist Party. After overthrowing General Lon Nol in 1975, the Khmer Rouge established a brutal communist regime that dominated the country until 1979.
Having occupied the cities, the Khmer Rouge sent all urban residents to the countryside to perform agricultural work. This measure testified to the contemptuous attitude of the Khmer Rouge towards the urban population, and also reflected their utopian idea to turn Cambodia into a country of hardworking peasants. At the head of the regime was Saloth Sar, who used the pseudonym "Pol Pot". Controlling the regime in secret, Pol Pot did not appear in public. The government, calling itself "Democratic Kampuchea", declared its desire for independence from foreign countries, however, accepted economic and military assistance from its main allies - China and North Korea.
The atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. During the second half of the 70s, the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, exterminated about 1.7 million people. This photo shows human bones and skulls in the Cambodia Museum, which served as a prison and torture site during the reign of Pol Pot.
Without identifying themselves as communists, the Khmer Rouge promptly put into effect a number of long-term and often difficult to implement socialist programs. The most influential members of the new parliament were mostly illiterate villagers who fought in civil war on the side of the Khmer Rouge. "Democratic Kampuchea" radically restricted freedom of speech, movement and assembly, and banned all religious practices and traditions. The authorities controlled all channels of communication, access to food and information. The attitude towards the former city dwellers, who were now called "new people", was especially dismissive. The Khmer Rouge exterminated intellectuals, merchants, officials, members of religious groups and anyone who was suspected of disagreeing with the party's course. Millions of Cambodians were forcibly displaced, deprived of food, tortured and forced to work.
Nearly 1.7 million Cambodians were
destroyed by Khmer Rouge
(a quarter of the country's population)
During the entire time that the Khmer Rouge was in power, almost 1.7 million Cambodians were destroyed, died of hard work or hunger.
In an effort to regain territories lost to Cambodia many centuries ago, the Khmer Rouge organized attacks on neighboring countries. After a military conflict broke out in Vietnam (at that time united under communist rule), the ideology of "Democratic Kampuchea" became openly racist. Ethnic minorities living in Cambodia, including the Chinese and Vietnamese, were persecuted, expelled from the country or massacred. In order to get rid of state traitors, purges began to be carried out in the ruling party. Hundreds of thousands of people in eastern Cambodia were killed, suspected of complicity with Vietnam. During the entire time the Khmer Rouge was in power, almost 1.7 million Cambodians (more than a fifth of the country's population) were destroyed, died from hard work or hunger.
Modern development
ASEAN countries
In October 1991, Cambodia's warring political factions, the UN and a number of interested foreign states signed an agreement in Paris aimed at ending the conflict in Cambodia. The agreement provided for a temporary division of power between the UN Interim Authority in Cambodia and the Supreme National Council, which included representatives of various political groups in Cambodia. Prince Norodom Sihanouk former king and Prime Minister of Cambodia, headed the Supreme National Council.
The Paris Agreement and the UN protectorate brought Cambodia out of a state of isolation and contributed to the formation of a multi-party system, which the country had forgotten since the early 50s. The UN interim body in Cambodia sponsored elections for the national assembly in May 1993, and for the first time in the country's history, the power regime did not win the support of a majority of voters. The royalist party, known by its French acronym FUNCINPEC, won the majority of seats in parliament. The People's Party of Cambodia, led by Hun Sen, came second. Unwilling to give up power, Hun Sen threatened to disrupt the elections. As a result of the compromise agreement, a three-party parliament was formed, led by two prime ministers. Prince Norodom Ranaridd, one of Sihanouk's sons, became FUNCINPEC minister, and Hun Sen took over as second minister.
By ratifying a new constitution in September 1993, Parliament restored the monarchy and proclaimed the Kingdom of Cambodia. Sihanouk became the king of the country for the second time. Since the 1993 elections, no foreign country has recognized Democratic Kampuchea as the legitimate government of Cambodia. Democratic Kampuchea lost its membership in the UN, and also lost almost all sources of foreign aid.
The seemingly impossible division of power between Ranaridd and Hun Sen functioned surprisingly well over the next three years, but relations between the parties were not smooth. Control over the army and police effectively provided the Cambodian People's Party with power in the country and a dominant role in the coalition parliament. In July 1997, Hun Sen staged a political coup, deposing Prince Ranarrida (who was away at the time) and appointing Ung Huot, a more compliant member of FUNCINPEC, in his place. Hun Sen's actions shocked foreign countries and delayed the admission of Cambodia to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). At the end of 1997, Cambodia was the only non-ASEAN country in the region.
Mr. Obama and Mr. Hun Sen
Despite the coup d'état, the July 1998 elections went ahead as planned. Hundreds of foreign observers confirmed that the vote was relatively free and fair. However, before and after the elections, the Cambodian People's Party organized attacks on opposition candidates and party members. Dozens of people were arrested and several people were killed. The People's Party of Cambodia won largest number votes. But the voting results, especially in cities where local authorities could not control the electoral process, showed that the party did not enjoy mass support from the people. Prince Ranaridd and another opposition candidate, Sam Rainsy, fled abroad and protested the election results. In November, the Cambodian People's Party and FUNCINPEC reached an agreement under which Hun Sen became the country's sole prime minister and Ranaridd served as president of the National Assembly. The parties formed a coalition government, dividing control over various ministries among themselves. In early 1999, in order to form the Senate, the creation of which was required by the 1998 agreement, the country's constitution was amended. Shortly thereafter, signs of stabilization of the political situation in Cambodia contributed to Cambodia's admission to ASEAN.
In 1998, Pol Pot died, and by the beginning of the next year, the remaining Khmer Rouge troops and leaders announced their surrender. The rebel troops were attached to the Cambodian army. In 1999, two Khmer Rouge leaders were arrested. They were charged with genocide for the atrocities they committed.
Since the conclusion of the Paris Agreement in 1991, Cambodia's economic growth has depended on millions of dollars in foreign aid. However, interest in Cambodia from foreign countries has weakened, which has led to a decrease in economic support. This trend, along with the lack of openness of the country's political life, makes Cambodia's weak chances to enter the path of democratic development, as well as sustainable economic growth.
KAMPUCHIA, People's Republic Kampuchea, a state in the Southeast. Asia, on the peninsula of Indochina. Pl. 181 tons km2. Us. OK. 7.3 million hours (final 1983). The capital is Phnom Penh (St. 500 vol., 1984).
In 1-6 centuries. on the territory K. - the state of Funan, in the 9th-13th centuries. Khmer feud. the empire of Cambujadesh is a large state in the Southeast. Asia. In the 16-19 centuries. repeatedly invaded by Siamese troops. In 1863, France imposed a protectorate treaty on the kingdom of Cambodia (the country's official name in 1863-1976), which was replaced in 1884 by a treaty that effectively turned it into a colony. As a result, the duration nat.-liberate, struggle in 1953 established political. independence. In 1970, right-wing forces associated with the United States committed a state. a coup that led to the elimination of the policy of neutrality and peaceful development (US troops and the South Vietnamese regime entered China) and the suppression of the national patriotic. the forces of the country. Nar. the masses launched a struggle against the Phnom Pevi regime and the Amer. interventionists. In Apr. 1975 Phnom Penh and terr. throughout the country, but the reactionaries seized power. Pol Pot's group. In Jan. 1979 Patriotic forces that created the United Front of National Salvation overthrew the antinar. regime, was formed Nar. Republic of Cambodia. A course was proclaimed for building the foundations of a socialist society.
Antinar. The dictatorship inflicted damage on K., which has no analogue in the history of mankind in the non-military. time. The underdeveloped industry and transport were completely paralyzed and mostly destroyed, reduced to an extreme minimum. x-in, other branches of x-va were liquidated. Particularly heavy damage was suffered by the people: in less than 4 years it was destroyed, according to the People's Revolutionary. Tribunal of K., 2.75 million, 568 thousand were missing, entire ethnic groups were subjected to genocide. groups. The standard of living has fallen catastrophically low, the age and sex structure of us has deteriorated sharply - with long-term consequences. and demographic the situation has fundamentally changed the resettlement of us. and the nature of the migrant. processes.
St. 90% of us. K. - Khmers, the people of the Moikhmer group (Austro-Asiatic language family). Until 1975, the country was inhabited by the Chinese, Vietnamese, Chams (Chams), the peoples of the Austronesian language family professing Muslim. The Vietnamese and the Tyams were subjected to especially cruel extermination during the antinar period. dictatorship, the former are almost gone, the latter - only 1/5. A small part of the inhabitants of K. (1-2%) are Laotians, Malays, Siamese, and others. language - Khmer. Over 9/10 believers us. - Southern Buddhists branches (Theravada), the Chinese are Buddhists. branches (Mahayana).
The number of us. K. in the column. period - was determined by the current accounting. In 1906-1953, it increased from 1193 thousand hours to 4710 thousand, as a result. immigration from neighboring countries, and as a result of nature. growth (2-4% per year). According to the 1962 census, no. us, - 5729 tons, Wed-year. overall growth in the beginning. 60s - 2 8-2.9%. In 1975 number. us. - 7.8 million hours (estimate). The intensity of the demographic processes (1970-75, o / oo, UN estimate): birth rate - 46.7, death rate - 19 natural. growth - 27.7. Number us. K. (million hours, estimate) in 1979 - 4.5, in 1981 - approx. 6.7. In the age structure of us. in the beginning. 70s the share of people 0-14 years old - 43%, 15-59 years old - 53%, 60 years and older - 4%.
The proportion of women is 49.8-50%. Wed life expectancy for men - 44 years, women - 43 years. As a result of the policy of genocide, primarily in relation to men, in the beginning. 1979 they were only 25-30% of the adult us. countries - like nowhere else in the world; up to 80% of women became widows, that means. part of them in reproductive age due to severe physical. labor, moral and psychological. exhaustion for a long time or forever deprived of the opportunity to give birth to children; all this significantly undermined the demographic. country's potential. More than 50% of K.'s children are orphans.
Normalization of the situation in K., all-round concern of the people. authorities about the needs of us., including specifically about mothers and children, as well as demographics. the policy aimed at increasing the birth rate (carried out by the Ministry of Health, including its maternal and child health service, mainly by propaganda methods and organizational and legal ones), improve the demographic situation in the country. According to selective data from the government of Kazakhstan, in 1982 the birth rate reached a very high level- 55o/oo, mortality was 7o/oo, natural increase - 48o/oo - one of the highest in the world.
Wed us density. - 38 people per 1 km2 (1982). Over 4/5 of all inhabitants are concentrated in the valleys of the river. Mekong and its tributaries, as well as in the basin of the lake. Tonle Sap (Sap). Sev. and especially app. mountain districts are very poorly populated. In the early 60s. approx. 13% of us., by 1975 - St. 40% (due to the mass influx of peasants from the countryside devastated by the war). In Apr. 1975 reaction. the dictatorship forcibly expelled virtually all the mountains. us. countries, in particular Phnom Penh, in the villages. terrain. In the process of streamlining life in the country, internal migration of us., his return to his former places of residence, including in cities. In 1983 mountains. us. K. was 13%. On the dynamics of the number us. countries influenced external. migration - in 1981-83, Cambodians returned from Vietnam and other countries, who fled terror in 1975-78, and also driven by Pol Pot in 1979 to Thailand.
K. - agr. country (mainly rice growing). Industry, transport, and other sectors of the economy are just beginning to revive. In with. x-ve employs 9/10 of the economically active us., while 60-70% of it are women. Education and healthcare are being restored. By 1984 it was St. 20 thousand teachers and 1.6 million students in general education. schools (the largest number in the history of K.); illiteracy is being eradicated.
There are (1982) 31 hospitals, 1080 polyclinics, 1148 maternity hospitals, 11.3 thousand medical persons in the country. personnel. Social security in full (pensions and all types of benefits) applies to civil servants, financed from public funds. Working women receive maternity leave. Family benefits are paid.
Kosikov I. G., Kampuchea, M. - 1982; Kadulin V., Kampuchea: miracle - revival, 'Kommunist', 1983 No. 11 p. 89-102.
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