Cambodia and Thailand move troops to disputed land near Preah Vihear temple after decision to list it as UN World Heritage Site fans nationalist sentiment on both sides. Thai soldier dies later of wounds. Parliament again strips opposition leader Sam Rainsy of immunity. He is charged but fails to appear in court. Another row with Thailand, after Cambodia refuses to extradite ex-Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and appoints him as an economic adviser instead.
Diplomatic ties with Thailand resumed after Cambodian government announces resignation of Thaksin Shinawatra. Exiled opposition leader Sam Rainsy is sentenced in absentia to 10 years in jail after being found guilty of manipulating a map to suggest Cambodia is losing land to Vietnam. Respective forces exchange fire across the border. Hun Sen calls for UN peacekeepers. Three most senior surviving Khmer Rouge members, including leader Pol Pot's right-hand man, "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea, go on trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
Cambodia and Thailand agree to withdraw troops from disputed area. Swiss Judge Laurent Kasper-Ansermet says going because his Cambodian counterpart, You Bunleng, had thwarted attempts to investigate some former members of the Khmer Rouge regime. He was Parliamentary elections. Ruling party of premier Hun Sen claims victory, opposition alleges widespread irregularities. Parliament approves new five-year term for Hun Sen. Opposition boycotts opening of parliament.
The two, second-in-command Nuon Chea, and the former head of state Khieu Samphan, are the first top Khmer Rouge figures to be jailed. Mr Rainsy was found guilty of posting an inaccurate post about a border treaty between Cambodia and Vietnam. But even then, the Khmer Rouge was seen by many in the West as a powerful challenge to Vietnamese influence in Cambodia, and maintained support and military assistance from the U.
From , the Khmer Rouge held onto its seat in the U. General Assembly, and was recognized as the only legitimate representative of Cambodia. When Pol Pot died in , he was only just about to face the possibility of trial before the world. Cambodia historian David Chandler says that, as time wears on, Cambodians are steadily overcoming the trauma.
Cambodia is a young country, with nearly half its population under the age of Most Cambodians have no direct experience of the conflict. That idea extends to attitudes toward the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.
Contact us at letters time. Based in remote jungle and mountain areas in the north-east of the country, the group initially made little headway. But after a right-wing military coup toppled head of state Prince Norodom Sihanouk in , the Khmer Rouge entered into a political coalition with him and began to attract increasing support.
In a civil war that continued for nearly five years, it gradually increased its control in the countryside. Khmer Rouge forces finally took over the capital, Phnom Penh, and therefore the nation as a whole in During his time in the remote north-east, Pol Pot had been influenced by the surrounding hill tribes, who were self-sufficient in their communal living, had no use for money and were "untainted" by Buddhism.
When he came to power, he and his henchmen quickly set about transforming Cambodia - now re-named Kampuchea - into what they hoped would be an agrarian utopia. Declaring that the nation would start again at "Year Zero", Pol Pot isolated his people from the rest of the world and set about emptying the cities, abolishing money, private property and religion, and setting up rural collectives.
Anyone thought to be an intellectual of any sort was killed. Often people were condemned for wearing glasses or knowing a foreign language. Ethnic Vietnamese and Cham Muslims in Cambodia were also targeted.
This illegal seizure of foreign aid has greatly added to the widespread income disparity which affects most Cambodian citizens today. Human rights abuses soared in recent years, according to Human Rights Watch. Since before the elections, the Prime Minister has continued to escalate political persecution against any political opposition, human rights workers, social activists, and intellectuals.
Recently, new laws and amendments to existing laws have passed, many of which severely limit the freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
From the international community, China is continuing to invest money into Cambodia to strengthen its alliance to the country and for access to valuable natural resources. Japan is also contributing large sums in investment and aid to compete with China for influence.
Justice for past atrocities in Cambodia appears to be progressing very slowly. There are currently four active cases open in the ECCC, one of which remains in a deadlock.
Pol Pot. A victim of Khmer Rouge with her baby. Photos of young Khmer Rouge fighters. Skulls of the victims of Khmer Rouge. Contact us We want to hear from you. E-mail: info worldwithoutgenocide. Paul, MN
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