Chronology of Cambodian History, 1995-1999
1995 Chronology of
Cambodian History
Abbreviations on
this page
Feb. 6, 1995
Sam Rainsy is expelled from FUNCINPEC steering committee.
Feb. 24, 1995
Mines
Awareness Day is celebrated for the time in Cambodia. After decades of war, Cambodia is spoilt
with millions of landmines, which are claiming victims every day.
April 6, 1995
US
Rep. Rohrabachur introduces H.R.1451
July 11, 1995
The US House of Representatives passes Bill H.R.1642, extending Cambodia
unconditional Most Favored Nation (MFN) trading status.
July 20, 1995
Cambodia reopens her embassy in
Washington DC, twenty years after it closed following the fall of Phnom Penh
in 1975. Mr. Var Huoth is ambassador.
Aug. 10, 1995
Cambodia
and International Development Association signed in Phnom Penh an agreement
relating to development credit. [Agreement in English
French]
Sept. 21, 1995
Testimony of Winston Lord, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and
Pacific Affairs, on Cambodia before the House Subcommittee on Asia and the
Pacific.
Sept. 29, 1995
Cambodia
and Thailand sign an agreement on the establishment of border committees.
Oct. 11, 1995
Cambodia
and International Development Association sign in Phnom Penh an agreement
relating to development credit. [Agreement on Power rehabilitation in English
French]
[Economic rehabilitation in English
French]
Nov. 9, 1995
Khmer
Nation Party is found.
Nov. 21, 1995
Prince Norodom Sirivudh is stripped of his parliamentary immunity and
arrested on charges of plotting to assassinate the second PMs Hun Sen.
Dec. 18, 1995
Cambodia
ratified UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. [30822]
Dec. 19, 1995
Prince Sirivudh is released from prison and sent into exile.
1996 Chronology Of Cambodian
History
Abbreviations on
this page
Jan. 24, 1996
King Sihanouk signs into law
Krams, establishing the Ministry of Defense; Ministry of Foreign Affair and International
Cooperation; Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts; Ministry of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fishery; Ministry of Commerce;
Ministry of Social Action, Labor and Veteran Affairs; Ministry of Religious
Affairs; Ministry of Rural Development; Ministry of Economy and Finance; Ministry of Education,
Youth and Sports; Ministry
of Environment; Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy; Ministry of
Information; Ministry of Interior; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Planning;
Ministry of Post and Telecommunications;
Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of Public Works and Transport; Ministry of
Women’s Affairs; The Office of the Council
of Ministers; The State Secretariat of Civil Aviation; The State Secretariat
of Civil Service; and The State Secretariat in Charge of the Relation with
the National Assembly.
Jan. 25, 1996
US Rep. Bereuter introduces H.RES.345
Feb. 22, 1996
Prince Sirivudh is sentenced, in absentia, to ten years imprisonment on
charge of plotting to assassinate Second PM Hun Sen.
Feb. 26, 1996
Heng Ngor, who received Oscar Award for his portray of Dith Pran in the
Killing Fields, is killed in a robbery at his resident in California.
Feb. 28, 1996
UN General Assembly adopted a resolution A/RES/50/178
expressing grave concern about the atrocities that continue to be committed
by the Khmer Rouge; serious violations of human rights and calls on the Govt.
of Cambodia to prosecute the perpetrators. The Council expressed its grave
concern about the reluctance of the Cambodian courts to charge members of the
military and other security forces for serious criminal offences.
March 26, 1996
British de-miner Christopher
Howes and his interpreter Houn Huot are abducted by Khmer Rouge in Preah Ko
Chase village, 17 km from Angkor Wat. The rest of the team, 24 Cambodian
de-miners, are also abducted but released a few hours later.
US
House of Representatives passed a resolution H.RES.345 concerning the
deteriorated situation in Cambodia by (1) urging the Secretary of State to
make human rights concerns among the primary objectives in bilateral
relations with Cambodia; (2) urging the Secretary of State to closely monitor
preparations for upcoming Cambodian elections in 1997 and 1998 and attempt to
secure the agreement of the Cambodian Govt. to full and unhindered
participation of international observers for these elections; (3) urging the
Secretary of State to support the continuation of human rights monitoring in
Cambodia by the U.N., including monitoring through the office of the U.N.
Center for Human Rights in Phnom Penh and monitoring by the Special
Representative of the U.N. Secretary General for Human Rights in Cambodia;
(4) urging the Secretary of State to encourage Cambodia’s other donors and
trading partners to raise human rights concerns with Cambodia; (5) supporting
efforts by the US to provide assistance to Cambodia to broaden democratic
civil society, to strengthen the rule of law and ensure that future elections
in Cambodia are free and fair; and (6) urging that the US raise human rights
concerns at the June 1996 meeting of the Donor’s Consultative Meeting for
Cambodia and during consideration of projects in Cambodia to be financed by
international financial institutions.
April 2, 1996
Cambodia submits application for Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) full membership. The current
members of the grouping are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Cambodia currently is in the organization as an observer.
May 9, 1996
The Council of Ministers makes a decision to reestablish formal diplomatic
relations with South Korea.
May 18, 1996
Thun Bun Ly, editor-in-chief of Khmer Conscience newspaper, is assassinated
in central Phnom Penh.
June 20, 1996
Cambodia
and Thailand sign agreements: on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation;
and the Establishment of the Subcommittee on Finance.
July 14-17, 1996
Second PM Hun Sen visits South Korea.
July 18-23, 1996
Second PM Hun Sent visits China.
July 29, 1996
US
Senator Roth introduces S.RES.285
Aug. 1996
Ieng Sary leads mass defection to the govt. at Pailin. The breakaway Khmer
Rouge faction had named itself the Democratic National United Movement, head
by Ieng Sary.
Aug. 8, 1996
Khmer Rouge radio announces that Ieng Sary had been sentenced to death for
embezzling $16 million for the organization.
Aug. 21, 1996
King
Sihanouk makes clear that he opposed Cambodia’s bid for Asean full
membership. The King argues that the
membership would go against Cambodia’s pledge of neutrality under the Paris
peace agreement of Oct. 1991 and constitution of Sept. 1993.
Aug. 26, 1996
Long Norin, Ieng Sary's secretary-general, claims that Ieng Sary was ranked No.
6 in the Khmer Rouge hierarchy not No. 2 as widely believe. Ieng Sary served
the Khmer Rouge regime as deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Norin
said Ieng Sary had nothing to do with the genocidal rule in which an
estimated 1.7 millions Cambodia died.
Sept. 9, 1996
Ieng Sary denies any role in the Cambodian genocide of 1975-79. He instead
put the blame for what he acknowledged were "the killings and
massacres" of those years on Pol Pot and his secret security committee.
"I have no regrets because I had nothing to do with ordering the
execution of anyone, or even suggesting such a thing," Ieng Sary said at
a press conference.
Sept. 15, 1996
RGC
provides amnesty to Ieng Sary, covering his 1979 conviction and the 1994 law.
Sept. 25, 1996
US President signed into law a bill, H.R. 1642, to extend most-favored-nation
(MFN) status to Cambodia. [Statement by the President]
Sept. 28, 1996
US
Senate passed a resolution S.RES.285 expressing the sense of the Senate that
enforcement of the Cambodian Genocide Justice Act, improvement in Cambodia’s
record on human rights, the environment, narcotics trafficking and the RGC’s
conduct should be among the primary objectives of the US in relations with
Cambodia.
Nov. 19, 1996
Kov Samuth, Hun Sen's brother-in-law, is shot dead.
OTHER EVENTS
HAPPENED IN 1996
New Discovery at Angkor Wat. Archeologist Elizabeth Moore, who studied radar
images from a US space shuttle, made the dramatic discovery of a series of
previously unknown ancient mounds and moats, which she believes were built by
people who lived at the site centuries before Angkor was built. The
discoveries may illuminate the early history of the people who produced one
of the world's great architectural treasures, as well as a massive system of
moats, canals, and reservoirs. "Already, the image provides a pretty
clear indication that water management had a very early and probably
indigenous development, as opposed to being an import from India as some had
suggested," Moore said. [Radar Image]
1997
Chronology Of Cambodian History
Abbreviations on
this page
Feb. 8, 1997
Second PM Hun Sen visited Phnom Malai, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold. He
was accompanied by foreign military attaches from the embassies of the US,
Australia, France, South Korea, and representatives of UNICEF and World Food
Program. The delegation was received by Ieng Sary and several former Khmer
Rouge soldiers and their families.
March 3, 1997
Three suspects are arrested in connection with the killing of Kov Samuth, Hun
Sen's brother-in-law. One of the suspects is Srun Vong Vannak, a member of
KNP's steering committee and also security chief of the party.
The UN General Assembly adopts a resolution A/RES/51/98 expressing concern
about the continuing problem of impunity in Cambodia, whereby the courts in
several areas are reluctant or unable to charge members of the military,
police and other security forces for serious criminal offences.
March 8, 1997
Cambodia and Thailand pledge to respect each other's territorial sovereignty,
with Phnom Penh guarantees strict suppression of the smuggling of stolen Thai
vehicles and proceeds of robberies, and Bangkok reiterates its policy of
disarming armed intruders and pushing them back across the border.
March 30, 1997
Grenades are thrown at a rally, leads by former finance minister Sam Rainsy,
in front of National Assembly, killing at least fifteen people.
April 7, 1997
UN
Secretary-General write letter to
President of UN Security Council concerning Cambodia.
April 11, 1997
UN
Commission on Human Rights adopts resolution 1997/49, requesting the
Secretary General, through his Special Representative, to examine any request
for assistance in responding to past serious violations of Cambodian and
international law.
April 14, 1997
President
of UN Security Council responds
to UN Secretary-General's letter concerning Cambodia.
April 16, 1997
US
Senate passes a resolution S.RES.69
expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the March 30, 1997 terrorist
grenade attack.
April 17, 1997
US
Rep. Horn introduces H.RES.121
May 4, 1997
Rocket is launched at TV station in Sihanoukville (Kompong Som), killing 1
and injured 2. The attack is described as politically motivated.
May 16, 1997
Long
Sarin, FUNCINPEC second secretary of the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok, visits
Khmer Rouge's stronghold Anlong Veng to meet with Khmer Rouge officials Tep
Khunnal and Pech Bunreth.
May 19, 1997
Prince
Ranariddh says Khieu Samphan intent to form a political party; on the same
day, Hun Sen warns against any political alliance that would permit a Khmer
Rouge return to politics.
May 21, 1997
US
House of Representatives passes a resolution H.RES.121 expressing the sense
of the House concerning the terrorist grenades attack on March 30, 1997.
Khieu
Samphan, on Khmer Rouge radio, pledges his new National Solidarity Party's
support for the Funcinpec-initiated National United Front (NUF) of parties.
May 23, 1997
Prince
Ranariddh tells reporters that if Khieu Samphan gets a Royal amnesty and
wants to join the NUF, he has no choice by to say yes.
May 25, 1997
Gen.
Nhek Bun Chhay, Funcinpec deputy chief of general staff, secretly goes to
Anlong Veng and meets with mid-level Khmer Rouge officials.
May 30, 1997
UN
Secretary-General write letter to
President of UN Security Council concerning Cambodia.
June 1, 1997
Nhek
Bun Chhay meets Khieu Samphan at Anlong Veng; and around this time, Prince
Ranariddh meets with Khieu Samphan in an undisclosed location.
June 2, 1997
Nhek
Bun Chhay ignites the controversy by publicly claiming a deal had been struck
for Khmer Rouge leaders Pol Pot, Ta Mok and Son Sen to go into exile, which
clear the way for remaining Khmer Rouge to defect to the govt..
June 3, 1997
President
of UN Security Council responds to
UN Secretary-General's letter concerning Cambodia.
June 4, 1997
Nhek
Bun Chhay claims that Pol Pot, Ta Mok and Son Sen have already left Cambodia;
they are granted political asylum in an unspecified country.
June 5, 1997
Hun
Sen warns Khieu Samphan not to return to Phnom Penh because people would kill
him.
June 9, 1997
King
Sihanouk, in Beijing, issues a statement saying that he will never grant
amnesties to Pol Pot and Ta Mok; however, he leave open the prospect of
amnesties for Khieu Samphan, Son Sen and Nuon Chea if both prime ministers
agreed.
June 10, 1997
Son
Sen, Khmer Rouge defense minister, and his wife (Yun Yat) along with about 10
of his family member are killed by Pol Pot's order.
June 11, 1997
Khieu
Samphan, on Khmer Rouge radio, declares that Son Sen and his wife have been
arrested for running a spy network.
June 12, 1997
The
Bangkok Post reports that Pol Pot, Son Sen and Ta Mok are in Thailand,
enroute to exile in China. The paper
cites Cambodian sources by say the information could not be confirmed. In Beijing, a Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesman says, "There is no question of giving him (Pol Pot) or anybody
else from that organization political asylum." In Phnom Penh, Prince Ranariddh say he has sent military
officials to meet with Khieu Samphan, organized with the help of a friendly
country. (Phnom
Penh Post)
June 13, 1997
Phnom
Penh officials claim intelligence reports of fighting in Anlong Veng. Prince Ranariddh announces that Son Sen, his
wife and 10 others were killed on Pol Pot's orders in the early hours of June
10, and Pol Pot fled the area with Khieu Samphan as hostage. (Phnom Penh Post)
June 14, 1997
Nhek
Bun Chhay, at a press conference in Phnom Penh, produces photographs showing
the bodies of Son Sen, his wife and others.
He says Pol Pot and up to 300 loyal fighters has escaped to about 20
km east of Anlong Veng, and Nuon Chea, Ta Mok and Khieu Samphan are being
held hostage by Pol Pot, as well as British deminer Christopher Howes,
kidnapped in March 1996. Some 1,000
Khmer Rouge troops who had defected to the govt. were in pursuit of Pol Pot,
and that he want the govt. to give them ammunition. Hun Sen opposes such assistance, and says he doesn't believe
Khieu Samphan or Nuon Chea is a hostage of Pol Pot. Thai army chief, Gen. Chetta Thanajaro, denies Pol Pot is in
Thailand and urges news media to take caution in their reporting, saying that
many reports out of Cambodia could be politically motivated. (Phnom Penh Post)
June 15, 1997
Khmer
Rouge's radio broadcast from Anlong Veng announcing the treason of Pol Pot. [Read
the statement]
June 16, 1997
Prince
Ranariddh says Pol Pot should be caught dead or alive within two days. He
also says an unspecified number of Khmer Rouge guerrillas are ready to
formally defect by June 18 and " if someone does not accept this, I will
accept this in my capacity as First PM and co-Commander-in-Chief." The Prince, in a surprise revelation, says
he met Khieu Samphan and two of his associates three weeks ago, but refuses
to provide details. Hun Sen, in s
speech, declares that negotiations with Khieu Samphan to be illegal. He calls
for arrest and trial of Khmer Rouge leaders and disputes that Khieu Samphan
has split from Pol Pot, and alleges a conspiracy to allow the rebels to enter
politics, "The Khmer Rouge is dead militarily, but someone wants the
Khmer Rouge to survive politically. No way." (Phnom Penh Post)
June 17, 1997
Khmer
Rouge radio unprecedented denounces its once fear leader, accusing him of
committing acts of treason between June 9-14 and that the matter was resolved
on June 14. It pledges the support of Khieu Samphan's govt. and party to the
NUF, and speaks of joining all "national forces" in the struggle
against Vietnam and its "lackey" Hun Sen. Prince Ranariddh says he
hopes that Pol Pot will be taken alive and sent to an international court. Ta
Mok had split from Pol Pot and disappeared. Visiting UN human rights
representative, Thomas Hammarberg, tells a Phnom Penh press conference that
both PMs will likely ask the UN to convene an international tribunal to try
Pol Pot and others. (Phnom Penh Post)
June 18, 1997
Thai
newspaper, The Nation, reports that Pol Pot had been offered two
choices" permanent exile or "safe have" in Cambodia's
north. Long Sarin of the Cambodian
Embassy in Bangkok had given this information to former Thai PM Chatichai
Choonhavan. Within hours, the
Cambodian Embassy issues a statement denying the report. Hun Sen delivers an ultimatum to Prince
Ranariddh, "I give you a few day to decide whether to carry on to work
in the coalition govt. or go to work with the govt. of Democratic Kampuchea
led by Khieu Sampha." In
apparent reference to Ranariddh's admission that he met Khieu Samphan, Hun
Sen says, "This is a betrayal that cannot be accepted." US State Department publicly say that the US
"would be gravely concerned if senior Khmer Rouge leaders were permitted
to play a role in Cambodian national politics or permitted to retain
administrative control over areas occupied by Khmer Rouge defectors." AP
reports Nhek Bun Chhay says Pol Pot has surrendered. (Phnom Penh Post)
June 19, 1997
Prince
Ranariddh say Pol Pot has not been found. He expresses surprise at Bun
Chhay's comments, saying the general had not informed him of the surrender of
Pol Pot. The Prince adds that Pol Pot
was left with only 5-10 loyalists, and the remaining Khmer Rouge are trying
to capture him. Hun Sen tells
reporters, "Pol Pot is the top leader of the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot
betrayed who? Pol Pot surrendered to who? This is a political game by Ta Mok,
Khieu Samphan and Pol Pot and some people in Phnom Penh." Nhek Bun
Chhay, who arrives by helicopter from an unspecified location possibly Anlong
Veng, tells Phnom Penh Post that Pol Pot has not yet surrendered but wants to
defect. (Phnom
Penh Post)
June 20, 1997
Khmer
Rouge radio claims a meeting of 3000 people in Anlong Veng was held this
morning, attended by leadership of the Khmer Rouge provisional govt., and
roundly condemned Pol Pot. (Phnom Penh Post)
June 21, 1997
Prime Ministers of Cambodia, Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen, sent a letter
to UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, requesting UN assistance for prosecution
of those responsible for the genocide and crime against humanity during the
rule of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979.
Thai
PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh arrives in Phnom Penh for a one-day visit, scheduled
before the Anlong Veng drama. Prince
Ranariddh tells reports that Pol Pot has been captured, "The source is
me," he says when asked what evidence he has. "One day we will
bring you to see him." He adds, " Hun Sen and I agree that Pol Pot
will be brought…eventually to Phnom Penh" and should face an
international trial. The Prince says Khieu Samphan was with Pol Pot but does
not say whether he will also face trial. Ta Mok's whereabouts, Prince
Ranariddh says, "we have to check further but…to be frank, Pol Pot is
the most important man." Hun Sen
tells reports, "This morning the First PM has informed me Pol Pot and
Khieu Samphan have been arrested."
The pair should be brought to Phnom Penh and sent to an international
trial. (Phnom
Penh Post)
Cambodia
and Thailand sign agreements: (1) cultural and (2) border-crossing between
the two countries.
June 22, 1997
The US and many foreign officials say their countries had asked Canada to be
the key partner in an extraordinary effort to take Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot
out of Cambodia to face an international tribunal for crimes against
humanity, which he committed during his reign of terror 1975-79.
Hun
Sen says he had received a report that Pol Pot was dead. He also explains his version of what
Prince Ranariddh had said about Pol Polt's capture, "He said I heard if
from someone who heard it from someone else. Now I temporarily believe that
Pol Pot has been arrested and died. I take it as a temporary
belief…" Nhek Bun Chhay returns
from Anlong Veng, telling journalists that he saw Pol Pt, "He is still
alive, but I did not take a photo…I did not ask Pol Pot anything. I only saw
him sitting in his house. He is very old. I think very soon may be he will
given to the govt.." Bun Chhay says he also saw Nuon Chea, who he said
was sicker than Pol Pot, and Ta Mok. The general says Khieu Samphan plans a
press conference in Khmer Rouge held Preah Vihear temple to announce the end
of the Khmer Rouge provisional govt. and declare support for the Constitution
of Cambodia. (Phnom
Penh Post)
June 25, 1997
Prince
Ranariddh says he wants to send one or two journalists to Anlong Veng to take
photographs of Pol Pot.
July 4, 1997
First PM Prince Norodom Ranariddh departed Phnom Penh for a previously
unannounced visit to France.
July 5-6, 1997
Fighting erupts on the morning of July 5 when troops loyal to Second Premier Hun
Sen attacked troops loyal to First Premier Prince Norodom. The fighting
halted on July 6, when a white flag was raised over Prince Ranariddh's
residence and all his troops were ousted of the capital or captured. [Read
more about the events]
July 10, 1997
Son Sen was killed. The notorious Khmer Rouge Defense Minister, his wife (Yon
Yat) and fourteen of his relatives were killed by the order of Pol Pot at
Anlong Veng.
The ousted First PM Prince Ranariddh appealed to the international community
not to recognize the "illegal" govt. in Cambodia and freeze any
assistance or aid to Cambodia.
ASEAN, at its meeting in Malaysia, vote to postpone indefinitely Cambodia's
entrance into the group. And the US announces its suspension of more than $30
million in aid to Cambodia for 30 days.
July 11, 1997
US President, Bill Clinton,
writes a letter to congressional leaders regarding fighting in Cambodia.
President of UN Security
Council issues statement
concerning situation in Cambodia.
July 22, 1997
Second PM Hun Sen announces the "Open Sky" policy to a group of
investors. The announcement put an end to the Royal Air Cambodge's,
Cambodia's official airline, monopoly on domestic air transportation.
July 23, 1997
ASEAN reaffirmed its decision to postpone Cambodia's membership indefinitely
because of July 5-6 fighting in Phnom Penh. On the same day, the 30-year-old
group formally admits Laos and Burma; the ceremonies initially were to have
Cambodia as well.
US Rep. Gilman introduces H.RES.195
July 25, 1997
Pol Pot, Khmer Rouge leader
who was responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million of his countrymen,
is put on trial by his former followers at Anlong Veng. After hours of
denunciation and humiliation, the once-feared leader is sentenced to life
imprisonment.
July 28, 1997
National Assembly was reopened with the absence of 14 members.
US House of Representatives
passed a resolution H.RES.195
expressing the sense of the House concerning the July 5-6 fighting.
July 30, 1997
US Rep. Lampson introduces H.RES.205
calling for the prosecution of Pol Pot for crime against humanity. US Rep. Bereuter offers H.AMDT.303
an amendment to prohibit the use of any fund to provide direct aid to the govt.
of Cambodia.
July 31, 1997
Premier Hun Sen urged Thailand to help arrest Pol Pot and bring him before an
international tribunal. In an interview on ABC's "Nightline", the
Premier said "I want to send him to an international court. This is an
international problem."
Aug. 3, 1997
More than 1000 people gathered in Phnom Penh for a peace march, one month
after a blood fighting in the capital that ousted first PM Prince Ranariddh
from power. The marchers, mostly monks, nuns and laymen, were led by the
Buddhist patriarch, Maha Ghosananda, who had been nominated for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
Aug. 6, 1997
Ung Huot is elected PM. National Assembly vote, 86-4 with six abstains, in
favor of Foreign Minister Ung Huot as First PM to replace Prince Norodom
Ranariddh, who was ousted from power in July. The Assembly also votes to
strip Prince Ranariddh of his parliamentary immunity from any criminal
prosecution.
Aug. 11, 1997
ASEAN, after an urgent meeting in Singapore, announced its appointment of
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas and Thai Foreign Minister Prachuab
Chaiyasan to coordinate with newly elected Cambodia First PM Ung Huot and
Prince Ranariddh respectively. The two would follow up on any developments in
the Cambodian crisis and report to ASEAN foreign ministers as a part of the
group's attempt to bring peace and stability to Cambodia.
Aug. 12, 1997
Arrest warrant issued for Prince Ranariddh. A military prosecutor issues a
warrant for the arrest of the ousted first PM on charges of weapons
smuggling. A shipment of weapon was seized at Kompong Som in May, which
Second PM Hun Sen said it was imported illegally and called for legal action.
Prince Ranariddh denied the charged and pointed out that his name was on the
shipping documents, and said he entitled to import the equipment for his
personal security force. The National Assembly stripped the Prince of his
parliamentary immunity on Aug 6.
Aug. 22, 1997
After more than a month of hiding following the July 5-6 fighting, Pen Sovan
- a former PRK premier - emerges to leave Cambodia. He is accompanied to
Pochentong Airport by UN human rights workers and staff of the Australian and
US embassy, including US ambassador Kenneth Quinn who walks Pen Sovan to the
plane.
Aug. 29, 1997
King Sihanouk returns to Cambodia from Beijing; he went directly to Siem
Reap.
Sept. 3, 1997
Vietnam Airlines flight number VN815 crashes near Pochentong Airport, killing
64 of 66 people on board. The Soviet-made Tupolev 134B, en route from Ho Chi
Minh City to Phnom Penh, crashed at about 1:40 p.m. in cloudy weather.
Sept. 9, 1997
Srun Vong Vannak is sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.
Sept. 21, 1997
First PM Ung Huot departs Phnom Penh for New York to attend UN assembly.
Sept. 22, 1997
Second PM Hun Sen departs Phnom Penh for New York to attend UN assembly. On the same day, the Foreign Ministry
issues a white-paper
explaining the origins, history, and the aftermath of July 1997 crisis.
Oct. 8, 1997
UN Secretary-General write letter to
President of UN Security Council concerning Cambodia.
Oct. 9, 1997
Prime Ministers Ung Huot and Hun Sen return from New York.
Oct. 13, 1997
President of UN Security
Council responds
to UN Secretary-General's letter concerning Cambodia.
Oct. 16, 1997
Pot Pol is interviewed, for the first time in 18 years, by an American
journalist Nate Thayer at the Khmer Rouge's stronghold of Anglong Veng. Pol
Pot who was blamed for the death of an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians
denies the extent of the atrocities and remains unrepentant for the genocide.
He blamed almost all the deaths on Vietnam, saying his party had to defend
themselves. Pol Pot also denies the existence of a notorious detention center
Toul Sleng in Phnom Penh, in which some 16,000 people were killed there
including his top lieutenants who were the victims of his bloody purge.
Oct. 22, 1997
PM Ung Huot, Hun Sen and ASEAN
Troika (Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand) write letters to
UN Secretary-General concerning situation in Cambodia.
Oct, 24, 1997
Prince Ranariddh write letter to
UN Secretary-General concerning situation in Cambodia.
Oct. 25, 1997
King Sihanouk departs Siem Reap for Beijing.
Oct. 27, 1997
UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, sends a letter to
inform the President of the Security Council regarding the recent development
in Cambodia with attached letters from Mr. Ung Huot, Samdech Hun Sen, ASEAN
Troika, and Prince Ranariddh.
Oct. 28, 1997
The National Assembly adopted law on creation of political parties. [Full
Text]
Oct. 30, 1997
Cambodia and South Korea
signed an agreement establishing full diplomatic relations. The ceremony, in Phnom Penh, was attended
by co-prime ministers, Ung Huot and Hun Sen, and the head of South Korean
mission, Park Kung-Tai. King
Sihanouk, who was a friend of the North Korean communist leader, Kim Il Sung,
dropped his long standing objections to the agreement last week at the
request of premier Hun Sen.
Ieng Sary, who’s in Phnom Penh
for talks with PM Hun Sen, spook to journalists. He said he did not consider the violent ousting of Prince
Ranariddh last July a coup. He also
added that if fighting between Prince Ranariddh’s supporters and govt. forces
reached Pailin he would support the govt.
President of UN Security
Council write letter to
UN Secretary-General concerning the forthcoming election and the security and
safety of returning political leaders.
Nov. 8, 1997
Pailin, a former Khmer Rouge
stronghold, formally placed under the control of the Cambodian govt. The town had been run autonomously by the
former Khmer Rouge Foreign Minister, Ieng Sary, since he defected last year.
Nov. 24, 1997
Cambodian govt. awarded
provisional contracts to five foreign companies, Australia’s BHP, US-based
Conoco, Britain’s Enterprise Oil, Japan’s Idemitsu and Inpex, to explore for
oil in offshore areas also claimed by Thailand. The contracts valid only when Cambodia had reached agreement
with Thailand on long disputed maritime boundary.
Nov. 26, 1997
Prince Sisowath Sirirath returns to Cambodia from New York.
UN released a report reveal that the infection rate of HIV/AIDS was the
bleakest in Cambodia among Southeast Asia counties. The surveys found that
one in 20 pregnant woman, one in 16 soldier and policemen, and one in two sex
workers are HIV positive.
Nov. 27, 1997
Sam Rainsy returns to Cambodia for the first time since July fighting.
Dec. 1, 1997
First advanced team of United Cambodian Democrat (UCD) returns to Cambodia.
Dec. 3, 1997
Supreme Council of Magistracy is established under chairmanship of Chea Sim.
Pen Sovann returns to Cambodia from self-exile in Malaysia.
King Sihanouk returns to Phnom Penh from Beijing after nine months absent.
Opposition forces loyal to
ousted First PM, Prince Ranariddh, claims that they had captured three
districts in the northwest of Cambodia, and that several hundred of govt.
troops defected. The govt. denied the
districts had fallen, but conceded that some of its troops had defected.
Dec. 5, 1997
PM Hun Sen orders cable
television providers to stop broadcasting pornographic films. Speaking to health officials in Phnom
Penh, the premier said sex films were undermining the govt.’s effort to fight
AIDS.
Dec. 6-8, 1997
US Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck visits Cambodia.
Dec. 7, 1997
Sam Rainsy leads more than 4000 people in a march for peace in Phnom Penh.
The march moves from Olympic Stadium to the western outskirts of the capital
under the watchful eyes of UN monitors. He had originally planned a longer
march but agreed to respect the authority's permission for a scaled down
route.
Dec. 8, 1997
Sam Rainsy meets with PM Hun Sen, for three hours at the Premier's residence,
for the first time since he left govt. in Oct. 1994.
Dec. 11, 1997
First Advanced Team of United
Cambodian Democrat (UCD) returns to Bangkok.
Sam Rainsy visits Srun Vong Vannak at PJ prison.
Dec. 12, 1997
UN General
Assembly adopts resolution A/RES/52/135
concerning human rights situation in Cambodia.
Dec. 13, 1997
UCD issues a statement in
Bangkok saying the conditions have not yet created for free and fair
elections, which schedule to be held next year. The statement said the killing and harassment of opposition
members continued, and urged the US to extend the scope of its monitoring.
Dec. 14, 1997
Khmer Nation Party holds its
national congress attending by some 5000 people.
Dec. 15, 1997
Govt. forces launch an attack
with tanks and artillery on the town of O’smach, a stronghold of opposition
forces loyal to ousted First PM Prince Ranariddh.
Dec. 16, 1997
Govt. officials raised the
prospect that elections planned to be held in May next year may be
delayed. Deputy PM, Sar Kheng, said
there was too little time to prepare for the polling, and suggested putting
off the date to October. Preparations
for the elections were being watch closely by the international community,
which had made continuing aid to Cambodia dependent on free and fair
elections being held.
Dec. 19, 1997
Election Law is adopted by the National Assembly.
1998 Chronology Of Cambodian
History
Abbreviations on
this page
Jan. 5, 1998
King Sihanouk and Queen Monique depart for Beijing.
Jan. 9, 1998
Cambodian authorities proposed
changes to the country’s press law aimed at defining more clearly issues concerning
press freedom and national security.
The new law would ban reporting of classified details on military
operations, criticism of the multi-party system and articles thought to
undermine the national currency. The
information minister, Khieu Khanarith, said the new law would protect
newspapers. The proposed changes came
one day after the govt. closed six opposition newspapers on charge of
defamation.
Jan. 14, 1998
A former Khmer Rouge guerrilla
leader, Phon Pheap who defected to the govt. forces, is killed by police at a
checkpoint in southern Cambodia as he tried to force his way through. Pheap came to prominence last year, when
he appeared at a televised news conference to allege that first PM Prince
Ranariddh was plotting a coup.
Jan. 16, 1998
Sam Rainsy meets with Second PM Hun Sen for the third time.
Jan. 20, 1998
The American ambassador in
Cambodia protested over an incident in Phnom Penh in which an embassy car was
fired on by military police, wounding one occupants and another was
arrested. Cambodia authorities
acknowledged the incident occurred as they were trying to apprehend suspects
in a fraud case.
Jan. 21, 1998
Cambodia National Sustaining Party (CNSP)
formed by Pen Sovann hold its first party congress.
Jan. 22-25, 1998
Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, visits Cambodia.
Jan. 22, 1998
The first group of 39 self-exiles returns to Cambodia.
Jan. 26, 1998
The National Assembly approves the membership of the National Election
Committee (NEC), which would oversee the elections scheduled for July.
Jan. 29, 1998
Thailand expressed it hopes to
hold separate talks with Second PM Hun Sen and ousted First PM Prince
Ranariddh in an effort to persuade them to start negotiations on a ceasefire
soon. After a meeting with Prince
Ranariddh in Bangkok, Thailand’s foreign minister, Surin Pitsuwan, said the
Thai PM, Chuan Leekpai, hoped to act as mediator between the two sides.
Jan. 30, 1998
Japan proposes a peace formula
to ousted First PM Prince Ranariddh.
Japan’s ambassador to Thailand, Hiroshi Ota, offered the formula to
Prince Ranariddh who was in Bangkok for talks with Thai PM Chuan
Leekpai. Ota also intended to show
the plan to Second PM Hun Sen when he visits Bangkok for talks with Thai
premier. The peace formula included a
cease-fire between the two armies along the northwestern Cambodian-Thai border,
royalist forces to sever ties with the outlawed Khmer Rouge, and Hun Sen to
guarantee the safe return home for Prince Ranariddh.
Cambodia accuses U.N. special
representative for human rights in Cambodia, Thomas Hammarberg, of
obstructing its efforts to uphold human rights and political freedoms in the
country. Mr. Sieng Lapresse, a
spokesman for the Ministry of Information, said the U.N. representative did
not listen to the views of the Cambodian govt.. Earlier, Mr. Hammarberg said he did not believe free and fair
elections could be held in Cambodia at the moment, and also urged the
Cambodian authorities to investigate politically motivated killings.
Feb. 1, 1998
Former FM and First PM Ung Huot forms Reastr Niyum Party.
Loy Sim Chheng forms New Society Party.
Feb. 5, 1998
Acting Head of State, Chea
Sim, called for the resumption of foreign aid, saying that without it
Cambodia would face possible instability and human rights violations. He said only the Cambodian people would suffer
if aid was linked to politics. Many
nations had cut off aid following the fighting last year.
Feb. 6, 1998
Environmental group, Global
Witness, says it had evidence of continued illegal logging carried out by the
military. Co-Defense Minister, Tea
Banh, rejected the claim saying that his ministry had received no income from
logging.
Feb. 12, 1998
Ousted First PM Prince
Ranariddh expressed his intention to return home soon in order to prepare for
elections due to take place in July even if he faced being arrested. The Prince had been charged in his absence
with weapons smuggling and colluding with the outlawed Khmer Rouge.
US Rep. Bereuter introduces H.RES.361 calling
for free and impartial election in Cambodia.
Feb. 14, 1998
Khmer New Life Party is
formed.
Feb. 17, 1998
Twenty-three more self-exiles return to Cambodia.
Second PM Hun Sen makes an appeal for King Sihanouk to return to Cambodia.
Feb. 19-20, 1998
Japanese Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs Masahiko Komura visits
Cambodia; he met with Second PM Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy.
Feb. 20, 1998
Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra visited Cambodia; he met
with Second PM Hun Sen and invited him to meet with Thai Premier Chuan
Leekpai.
Mekong River Commission moved its headquarters from Bangkok to Phnom Penh; it
will rotate every 5 years between Phnom Penh and Laos's capital Vientiane.
Feb. 23, 1998
Two widows file lawsuit against Second PM Hun Sen whom they alleged of
ordering his force to kill their husbands on July 7 near Phnom Baset.
Feb. 27, 1998
Prince Ranariddh and govt. declare cease-fire.
The UN General Assembly adoptes a resolution A/RES/52/135 expressing grave
concern about numerous instances of violations of human rights, including
extra-judicial execution, tortures, rape, illegal arrest and detention, and
the violation of human rights committed during the armed violence in July
1997. The Assembly also concern about the corrupt practices within Cambodia
judicial system and in the prison administration, and calls on the Royal Govt.
of Cambodia to address the problems urgently.
March 1, 1998
Khmer Rouge rejected a
ceasefire between govt. troops and opposition forces loyal to Prince
Ranariddh; describing the truce as a “deception” set up by Hun Sen to
“destroy the resistance forces.” The
truce agreement required that Prince Ranariddh severe all links with the
Khmer Rouge who have been fighting alongside his troops since he was ousted
from power last year.
March 3, 1998
The first nation-wide census
since 1962 (population 5,740,115) began; the preliminary figures released on
Aug 25 indicate the Kingdom's population is at 11,426,223 as of March 3.
March 4, 1998
The military court convicts in absentia and sentences Prince Ranariddh to
5-year prison term for weapons smuggling.
Gen. Kim Sang (FUNCINPEC) is shot dead.
March 10, 1998
Khmer Nation Party (KNP) head by Mr. Sam Rainsy changed its name to Sam
Rainsy Party (SRP).
March 11, 1998
Son Sann returns to Cambodia
from France; he left Phnom Penh on April 12, 1997.
National Assembly began debating
a draft law, which would lead to the formation of the Constitutional Council,
the supreme body charged with guaranteeing the rule of law. The council would have power to strike
down laws if it deemed illegal and, most crucially, settle disputes relating
to the election of MPs.
March 14, 1998
Son Sann party held its congress; Son Soubert is elected as president of the
party.
King Sihanouk advises Prince
Ranariddh to remain in exile until he received pardon from the King. Prince Ranariddh, who announced his
intention to return home, had already been convicted on a weapon smuggling
charge.
Cambodia’s anti-drugs police
chief, Gen. Heng Pov, went into hiding with his family citing the fear for
his life. He’s seeking temporary
sanctuary in a Western country because, he said, his anti-drugs crackdown had
made him the target of death threats.
Last week, the general had a narrow escape when military police open
fire around his headquarters and his nearby home.
March 17, 1998
Military court in Phnom Penh opened a second trial of Prince Ranariddh. The
Prince and three of his aids were charged with endangering national security
and colluding with the outlawed Khmer Rouge. One of the aids, Chau Sambath,
was confirmed dead.
Cambodia made an appeal to
foreign donors to help finance the general election to be held in July. Deputy PM Sar Kheng said the election was
essential to Cambodia’s future, and warned that there could be a return to
civil war if there were not enough funds to organize the polling. Cambodia needed about 30 million dollars
to pay for the polling, by had obtained only a fraction of the amount to
date.
US
House of Representatives passed a resolution H.RES.361
calling upon the RGC to restore democratic governance in Cambodia.
March 18, 1998
The court found Prince
Ranariddh guilty of conspiring to overthrow the govt. and sentenced, in
absentia, to 30 years prison term. In addition, the Prince was ordered to pay
millions of dollars for the damage, caused by the July 5-6 fighting. His
three co-defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison each.
March 19, 1998
Princess Boppha Devi sent a letter from Bangkok to her father, King Sihanouk,
in Beijing to ask for amnesty for Prince Ranariddh. In reply, the King said he would do so if Prince Ranariddh
recognizes the sentence and with the approval in writing from the two Prime
Ministers, Ung Huot and Hun Sen.
King Sihanouk, in a statement
issued in Beijing, stated the Japanese peace plan for Cambodia was doomed to
fail. The King said the only outcome
of the peace plan had been to make Prince Ranarridh a double criminal. In Phnom Penh, Justice Minister, Chem Snuguon,
said that even if granted a pardon, Prince Ranariddh must still pay the
damages or face arrest if he returns home.
March 20, 1998
The two Prime Ministers, First PM Ung Huot and Second PM Hun Sen, replied in
letter to King Sihanouk with dissatisfaction to Ranariddh who does not admit
the court's verdict.
March 21, 1998
Second PM Hun Sen sent another letter to King Sihanouk request for total
amnesty for Prince Ranariddh, including the court's order on compensation.
King Sihanouk granted total amnesty to Prince Ranariddh after receiving a
written request from Second PM Hun Sen. The King earlier said he would not
grant amnesty to his son without a written request for govt. leaders.
March 22, 1998
Khmer Rouge radio accused
Vietnam of conspiring to kill former first prime minister, Prince Ranariddh,
and Japan of collaborating with Vietnam to destroy Cambodia. The radio claimed 200 Vietnamese
terrorists were ready to assassinate Prince Ranariddh upon his return to
Phnom Penh and that the Japan’s peace plan was actually a plot to destroy
Cambodian nation and people.
March 24-26, 1998
Princess Diana's younger brother Earl Charles Spencer visits Cambodia.
March 25, 1998
Prince Ranariddh's advance team, which comprise of Tol Lah, Prince Sirirath
and Veng Serei Vuth) arrived Phnom Penh from Bangkok.
March 26, 1998
Khmer Rouge soldiers in Anlong Veng mutinied and defected to govt.. Its leaders, Khieu Samphan and Ta Mok,
left the stronghold two days earlier.
March 28, 1998
Govt. troops took Anlong Veng,
Khmer Rouge’s stronghold. The village
was virtually deserted after most of the 10,000 civilians fled to safety near
the Thai border.
March 29, 1998
Cambodia and Thailand sign agreement
on Tourism Cooperation between the two countries.
March 30, 1998
Prince Ranariddh returns to Cambodia for the first time since he was ousted
from power last year and pardoned by the King on two convictions in March.
Cambodian govt. asks Thailand
to deny a request by two Khmer Rouge leaders, Ta Mok and Khieu Samphan, for
asylum for themselves and some 3000 followers.
April 1, 1998
Demonstration is staged
against Prince Ranariddh in front of Le Royale Hotel, where the Prince stays.
Military helicopter crash at Preah Vihear temple.
April 2, 1998
Pol Pot is interviewed by
Khmer journalist Pin Somkhon in Anlong Veng.
April 3, 1998
Prince Ranariddh departs for Bangkok after 5 days stay in Phnom Penh.
April 6, 1998
Govt. takes complete control of Khmer Rouge's stronghold Anlong Veng.
April 11, 1998
King Sihanouk returns to Siem Reap from Beijing.
April 13, 1998
Journalists are flown to Anlong Veng for the first time.
April 15, 1998
Pol Pot died. The architect of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime, which was
responsible for the deaths of more than 1 million of his countrymen, died at
the age of 71 of an apparent heart attack. [Pol Pot's body]
April 16, 1998
US President Bill Clinton issued a statement on the death of Pol Pot.
April 18, 1998
Pol Pot's body is cremated. Watched by a small group of newsmen, the tyrant
body was set ablaze with some old clothes, a car tire, rattan chairs and tree
branches. There were no prayers, no speeches, and not even a word from those
who witnessed the cremation.
April 19, 1998
The Friends of Cambodia meet in Bangkok.
ASEAN troika meets King Sihanouk in Siem Reap.
CPP holds its extra-ordinary congress; Second PM Hun Sen would be nominated
as new Premier if the party wins the upcoming election.
April 22-24, 1998
Prince Ranariddh flew to Siem Reap from Bangkok to meet his father, King
Sihanouk.
April 30, 1998
Excerpt from US Department of State daily press briefing on UN tribunal to
try Khmer Rouge leaders.
May 2, 1998
Second PM Hun Sen meets King Sihanouk in Siem Reap.
May 3, 1998
Tens of thousands of
Cambodians are continuing to flee into Thailand as fighting goes on between govt.
forces and the remaining Khmer Rouges.
The govt. said it was on the verge of wiping out the Khmer Rouge and
that there were only a few hardliners left.
May 4, 1998
Prince Ranariddh returned to Phnom Penh for the second time since July coup
to prepare for election.
May 5, 1998
PM Hun Sen and Prince
Ranariddh spoke to each other by telephone for the first time since July 5-6,
1997 fighting.
May 6, 1998
Cambodia and Thailand sign
treaty on extradition (pending ratification from the Thai side) and MOU on
the cooperation in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor
chemicals control.
May 7, 1998
Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said his country was ready to discuss
with Cambodia concerning the disputed maritime boundary. Cambodia had opposed
to the Thai-Vietnam agreement on the delineation of the maritime boundary
signed last year, which Cambodia claims it infringes on Cambodia waters.
However, Surin said Cambodia should talk with Vietnam first because Cambodia
and Vietnam had signed an agreement in 1982 on a so-called "working
arrangement" boundary.
May 8, 1998
Cambodian govt. successfully
reclaimed legal ownership of gold worth 120 million dollars, which had been
held in Switzerland for forty years.
The ruling by the Swiss-based Bank of International Settlements
follows a four-years campaign to secure ownership. The gold was once part of Cambodia’s foreign reserves, but
records of ownership were lost during the Khmer Rouge regime. Ousted co-premier Prince Ranariddh had
already asked the bank to freeze the assets.
May 11, 1998
Govt. troops capture the last position of Ta Mok, Sagham Pass.
May 13, 1998
Pro-Prince Ranariddh Gen. Khan Savoeun leads a 5-member team to negotiate
with govt. for cease-fire.
May 15, 1998
Cease-fire talk suspended because govt. side objects to the present of Long
Sarin, a diplomat, in Khan Savoeun's team.
Prince Ranariddh departs for Bangkok with his negotiation team.
May 18, 1998
Second PM Hun Sen rejected
opposition demand for the postponement of the scheduled July election. The opposition alliance, the National
United Front, said it would boycott the elections unless the govt. fulfils a
number of conditions, including the stop of intimidation of candidates and
oppositions access to media.
Nationwide registration
started on May 18 and ended on June 15; 92% of eligible voters or about 4.7
million people were registered.
May 23, 1998
Constitutional Council, Cambodia top legal body, is formed (King signs decree
in Siem Reap).
June 5, 1998
Integration Ceremony is held at Anlong Veng for 3563 former Khmer Rouge
soldiers.
June 8, 1998
PM Hun Sen meets King Sihanouk
in Siem Reap.
Koh Santeepheap
Editor-in-Chief Thong Uy Pang is shot and injured.
June 11, 1998
Five Khmer Rouge leaders defected to government: (1) Chuan Choeun, special
advisor for health; (2) Chan Yuran, deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Affairs; (3) Mak Ben, Minister of Finance; (4) In Sopheap, Minister of
Immigration; and (5) Kor Bun Heng, Minister of Labor.
June 12, 1998
Thirty-nine parties are officially admitted by NEC for July 26 elections.
June 15, 1998
Constitution Council meets for
the first time with seven of its members.
June 20, 1998
Five Khmer Rouge defectors, who defected on June 11, came to Phnom Penh.
June 22, 1998
Thailand issued arrests warrant for Theng Boonma, Cambodian business tycoon,
for faking document in order to obtain Thai ID card and passport.
June 25, 1998
Election campaign begins nation-wide.
July 6, 1998
Genade explodes near Hun Sen
Park, killing one woman and injuring five.
July 26, 1998
General Election begins nationwide. Despite some problems at polling stations
and a Khmer Rough attack in which 11 people are killed, balloting goes on
smoothly.
July 29, 1998
Fourteen parties claim the election was rigged by CPP with irregularities and
fraud.
July 30, 1998
Second PM Hun Sen meets King Sihanouk in Siem Reap on election process.
July 31, 1998
UN Secretary General creates
the Group of Experts to assess the feasibility of bringing Khmer Rouge
leaders to justice.
Aug. 1, 1998
Preah Vihear temple is opened for tourist.
Nuon Paet, former Khmer Rouge commander who was charged for order to kill
three western tourists in 1994, is arrested.
Aug. 4, 1998
National Election Committee (NEC) announces preliminary result of the July 26
election showing CPP with 41.2% of the votes or 64 seats in the 122-member
National Assembly, FUNCINPEC with 31.5% or 43 seats, and Sam Rainsy Party
with 14.2% or 15 seats.
Aug. 12, 1998
Sam Rainsy meets King Sihanouk in Siam Reap.
Aug. 14, 1998
Prince Ranariddh requests amnesty for Prince Chakrapong, Sin Song, Nhiek Bun
Chhay, Serey Kosal and Prince Sirivudh.
Aug. 20, 1998
US Department of State issues a statement on a grenade attack outside the
Cambodia Interior Ministry.
Aug. 23, 1998
Opposition starts their protest in front of National Assembly, demanding
Second PM Hun Sen to step down from power and a new election.
Aug. 30, 1998
Protesters destroy the Friendship Monument near the National Assembly.
Aug. 31, 1998
Constitutional Council rejects all opposition complaints on poll irregularities
and fraud. The Council said it had done a thorough investigation of
opposition complaints and decided to uphold an earlier decision by the NEC to
reject their grievances due to a lack of evidence.
Sept. 1, 1998
National Election Commission (NEC) announces official result of July
election: CPP with 2.03 million votes or 64, FUNCINPEC with 1.55 millions or
43, and Sam Rainsy Party with 699,665 votes or 15 seats. CPP won short of the
two-thirds majority needed to govern alone and must work with at least of the
two opposition parties.
FUNCINPEC issues communiqué
appealing for reconsideration of the Constitutional Council's decision.
Sept. 2, 1998
King Sihanouk offered to host talks with leaders of main political parties in
an effort to break a deadlock over the outcome of July general election,
which oppositions rejected.
Sept. 5, 1998
Siem Reap Informal Meeting, between leaders of main political parties, was
held under the chairmanship of King Sihanouk to solve election conflict and govt.
formation.
Govt. issued a strong warning to opposition parties, saying they were
inciting racial violence and anarchy. The warning came after mobs beat to
death at least four ethnic Vietnamese on the streets of Phnom Penh on March
3-4. The violence erupted following rumors that Vietnamese had been poisoning
food and water.
Sept. 7, 1998
Two grenades explored inside Second PM Hun Sen's resident compound in Phnom
Penh; Premier Hun Sen was not home at the time and no one is injured. The
Premier blamed opposition leaders for the explosion and orders the arrest of
opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who took refuge in the office of the UN
secretary-general's representative in Cambodiana Hotel after the orders was
issued. Rainsy's supporters, who gathered in front of the Hotel, were broke
up by military police, killing one and wounding several others.
Sept. 8, 1998
Police break up a two-week protest in front of National Assembly. Using fire
truck hoses and electric cattle rods, polices beat and flush out hundreds of
protesters from their sprawling camp of bamboo and plastic shelters.
Sept. 11, 1998
US Rep. Rohrabachur introduces
H.RES.533
expressing sense of the House regarding the culpability of Hun Sen for war
crime, crime against humanity, and genocide in Cambodia.
Sept. 15, 1998
Opposition protest stop.
Sept. 16, 1998
Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy meet King Sihanouk in Siem Reap.
Sept. 17, 1998
Sam Rainsy is free from United Nations protection and returns home.
Sept. 22, 1998
The three parties leaders meet in Siem Reap under chairmanship of King
Sihanouk in order to convene the opening session of new assembly.
PM Hun Sen signs letter
welcome back Cham Prasith to the ministry of commerce. Mr. Prasith resigned from CPP and MP post
on Aug. 16, 1998.
Sept. 24, 1998
One of four B-40 rockets blast in Siem Reap, attempting to assassinate Second
PM Hun Sen; the blast killed one boy and injured three.
New National Assembly is sworn in front of Angkor Wat; 121 MPs attended.
Second PM Hun Sen requests amnesty for Srun Vong Vannak; King Sihanouk grants
as requested. He also lifts travel
ban of opposition.
Sept. 30, 1998
Srun Vong Vannak is freed from PJ prison.
Oct. 5, 1998
King Sihanouk returns to Phnom Penh from Siem Reap after seven months
absence.
Oct. 6, 1998
Chea Sim and Hun Sen meet with
King Sihanouk in the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
Oct. 9, 1998
Representatives of the three political parties meet for the third time but
still no agreement.
Oct. 10, 1998
US House of Representatives
engross a resolution H.RES.533
expressing the sense of the House that (1) the US should establish a
collection of information that can be supplied to an appropriate
international judicial tribunal for use as evidence to support a possible
indictment and trial of Second PM Hun Sen for violations of international
humanitarian law after 1978.
Oct. 11, 1998
Opposition proposed summit of three parties' leaders outside Cambodia.
Oct. 15, 1998
US Senator Helm introduces S.RES.309
Oct. 19, 1998
UN secretary-general informs the Security Council by letter
about the successful returning of political leaders who had left Cambodia
following the July events. [Response
letter]
Oct. 23, 1998
Japanese Foreign State Secretary Nobuta Machimura visits Cambodia.
Oct. 24, 1998
Machimura meets with Premier Hun Sen, who offers two post options for Prince
Ranariddh: Supreme advisor to the govt. or Co-president of the National
Assembly.
Oct. 26-28, 1998
International Forum on Demining and Victim Assistance toward "Zero Mines
Victim Program" is held in Phnom Penh; fifty countries attend.
Nov. 2-4, 1998
King Sihanouk and Queen Monique attend Water Festival; nearly three million
people come to see the event; 313 boats took part in the boat race.
Nov. 6, 1998
PM Hun Sen attends his own
boat race at Neak Leung.
Nov. 7, 1998
King Sihanouk reveals his
desire to chair a second summit in Royal Palace; the King ensures safety for
Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy.
Nov. 9, 1998
King Sihanouk commemorates
45th anniversary of Independence Day.
Nov. 12, 1998
CCP and FUNCINPEC begin talks at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh chaired by
King Sihanouk. The parties hammered out a coalition govt. agreement on Nov
14, ending more than three months of stalemate over the outcome of a disputed
July general election.
Nov. 13, 1998
King signs a decree granting amnesty to Nhiek Bun Chhay, Sin Son, Prince
Chakrapong, Prince Sirivudh, and Serei Kosal.
CCP and FUNCINPEC issue a
joint communiqué
on the principles of co-operation between the two parties.
UN secretary-general informs the Security Council by letter regarding his
proposal to extend another six-month period of the Office of his Personal
Representative in Cambodia. [Reply Letter]
Nov. 14, 1998
The first members of a special UN team arrives in Cambodia to study the
possibility of bringing to trial Khmer Rouge leaders held responsible for the
deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people. The team was appointed by UN
secretary general Kofi Annan following a request from the Cambodian govt. in
June 97.
King Sihanouk departed Phnom Penh for Beijing for further medical treatment.
Nov. 17, 1998
UN Security Council letter to
UN Secretary-General.
Nov. 19, 1998
Working group of CPP and FUNCINPEC meet.
Nov. 23, 1998
CPP and FUNCINPEC sign an agreement on forming a coalition govt.
Nov. 24, 1998
Sam Rainsy returns to Cambodia from Paris; he left the country on Sept. 25.
Nov. 25, 1998
Prince Ranariddh is elected as president of the National Assembly, with the
vote of 105 in favor, 7 against, 1 abstention and 2 invalid.
King Sihanouk signs a royal decree to appoint Hun Sen as Prime Minister.
Dec. 1, 1998
National Assembly confirms PM Hun Sen and his coalition govt. in a confidence
vote, 99-13.
Ung Huot transfers his Foreign Minister post to Hor Namhong.
Dec. 2, 1998
Prince Sisowath Sirirath assumes the post of Co-Defense Minister.
Dec. 4, 1998
Khmer Rouge military leaders Khem Ngon, Dol Sareun, Iem Phan and Meas Muth
defect to the govt. at Preah Vihear.
US signs an agreement to
resume its aid to Cambodia.
3000 tons of toxic waste
imported from Taiwan is dumped about 10 km from Sihanoukville (Kompong Som)
town.
Dec. 7, 1998
Cambodia regains her UN seat after an absence of more than a year due to
political turmoil.
Dec. 15-16, 1998
Cambodia is welcomed to joint ASEAN as the 10th member of the organization;
full membership will be granted after Cambodia form the Senate.
Dec. 19-20, 1998
Demonstrations against toxic wastes broke out in Sihanoukville; one protester
was killed.
Dec. 21, 1998
An estimated 50,000 people
flee from Sihanoukville (Kampong Som) in panic from fear of toxic waste dumped
more than two weeks ago. The exodus left 4 dead and 13 injured in car crashes
as they fled in heavy rain.
Khan Saveun is appointed as Deputy Chief of General Staff.
Dec. 22, 1998
National Assembly meets to reshuffle MPs who hold dual posts; 30 MPs are
removed and replaced.
Dec. 23, 1998
Some 600 military personnel began gathering and packing toxic wastes.
Dec. 25, 1998
Khieu Samphan and Noun Chea defeat to the government; both men talk to PM Hun
Sen by telephone. [Messages of
Samphan, Chea’s surrender and Hun Sen’s respond]
Former UN secretary-general Boutros Boutros Ghali visits Cambodia.
Dec. 29, 1998
Khieu Samphan, Nuon Chea and Ieng Sary along with their families come to
Phnom Penh and meet with PM Hun Sen.
King Sihanouk refuses to grant amnesty for the two Khmer Rouge leaders, Khieu
Samphan and Nuon Chea.
Dec. 31, 1998
Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea go to Sihanoukville for "relaxation".
1999 Chronology Of Cambodian
History
Abbreviations on
this page
Jan. 1, 1999
PM Hun Sen, responds to the
criticism, denies that he thinks of pardoning Khieu Samphan and Noun Chea but
support the trial of them.
Jan. 2-3, 1999
Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea visit Angkor Wat and returned to Pailin.
Jan. 4, 1999
King Norodom Sihanouk said that
he would renounce his royal immunity to appear before any tribunal set up to
judge the Khmer Rouge. "As I've said and written several times, I am
ready to appear in front of a tribunal in charge of judging the Khmer Rouge
and their real or supposed accomplices," the King said.
Jan. 6, 1999
PM Hun Sen ordered a crackdown
of unauthorized cutting, transporting and processing of timber. He called for
"the toughest and most urgent measures" to deal with the illegal
logging. According to the British environmental group (Global Witness), all
commercially valuable timber will be extracted from Cambodia within five
years if logging continues unchecked.
Jan. 11, 1999
Workers strike over pay and conditions. More than 1000 garment workers, who
work for Malaysia's PCCS Ltd., went on strike to demand better overtime pay
and working conditions. Workers complained that their overtime pay had been
cut and factory where they work was too hot and poorly ventilated.
Jan. 14, 1999
Ministers deny approving toxic waste dump. Cambodian ministers denied a
report that the govt. approved the dumping of 3000 tone of mercury-laced
waste from Taiwan. The English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper reported
that the cabinet approved the dumping for a payment of $3 million to $6
million. The paper's anonymous source said an import application was received
late 1998, but PM Hun Sen and senior members of his Cambodian People's Party
had not been told the waste was toxic. According to the paper source, the
payment went towards funding CPP's election campaign.
Jan. 15, 1999
Cambodia to reduce armed
forces. PM Hun Sen said that his govt. would cut the size of the military and
police forces. The Premier said he would demobilize more than 70,000 personnel
from the military and police during his govt.'s five-year term. According to
the govt., Cambodia now has 148,000 military personnel and 60,000 police
officers. The govt. hopes to provide $1,200 to every demobilized person to
help him or her return to civilian life.
Son Sann Party merges with FUNCINPEC.
Jan. 18, 1999
Govt. canceled the contract of forest concession with three investments
companies. [Full Text]
Jan. 20, 1999
Prince Sirivudh returns home. Former Foreign Minister Prince Norodom
Sirivudh, who went into exile in 1995 after being accused of involvement in a
plot to assassinate second PM Hun Sen, returned to Cambodia. The Prince was
convicted and sentenced in absentia to a 10 years prison term in Feb 1996. He
was granted a royal pardon in late 1998 as part of a coalition deal between
CCP and FUNCINPEC.
Cambodia and US reach new trade agreement. The two countries have reached
agreement on levels of Cambodian garment exports to the US Under the three-year
agreement, the US has imposed quotas on 12 categories of Cambodia's exporting
garments including blouses, shirts and cotton sweaters. Previously the US
imposed no restrictions on Cambodian garment imports with the exception of a
quota on cotton and man-made fiber gloves and mittens.
Jan. 23, 1999
King Sihanouk returned to Cambodia from Beijing after two months of medical
treatment there. The 76 year-old King suffers from a variety of ailments
including cancer of the colon.
Jan. 27, 1999
Most Cambodians wanted trial of Khmer Rouge. The Institute of Statistics and
Research on Cambodia, a private polling group, said 80 percent of Cambodians
want leaders of the Khmer Rouge be prosecuted for crimes committed during
their reign of horror 1975-1979.
Jan. 29, 1999
Cabinet members approve to cut their salary by 70 percent in respond to
teachers' strike demanding for higher salary. Govt. also wanted members of
parliament to cut their pay. Average teacher monthly salary was around $20
comparing to MP of more than $1000 and most senior govt. officials of between
$500 to $1000.
Feb. 3, 1999
Ground breaking ceremony of Mekong Bridge in Kompong Cham; Premier Hun Sen
attends the ceremony.
Feb. 4-6, 1999
PM Hun Sen leads a delegation to Malaysia.
Feb. 9, 1999
PM Hun Sen leads a delegation to China from Feb. 9-12.
Feb. 12, 1999
Govt. incorporates the last
remnants of the Khmer Rouge into the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
Feb. 15, 1999
Three charged over toxic waste. Cambodia Daily newspaper reported that three govt.
officials have been charged over the toxic waste. Two customs officials and a
port inspector were accused of causing damage to life, property and the
environment. All three were released on bail.
Feb. 18, 1999
The UN Group of Experts
publish its report “The Report of the Group of Experts for Cambodia Pursuant
to General Assembly Resolution 52/125” recommending the creation of an
international tribunal and truth commission to judge the crime of the Khmer
Rouge period.
Feb. 23-28, 1999
PM Hun Sen leaded a delegation to Japan for Tokyo Meeting.
Feb. 25, 1999
Cambodia appeals for continued aid. PM Hun Sen made a plea for international
aid donors to keep up their assistance, promising funds would be used to
develop the country and not end up in the wrong hands.
King seeks justice for dispossessed. King Sihanouk appealed for the
authorities to give justice to poor farmers who have been unfairly thrown off
their land. Legal aid workers say recent months have seen a rash of cases of
villagers being forced off their land by local authorities including military
officers.
Formosa Plastic signs an agreement to take back toxic waste dump in
Sihanoukville.
March 4, 1999
National Assembly passes a law to set up a new upper house of parliament -
Senate. The Senate will have 61 members, two will be appointed by the King
and the rest by the three parties with seats in parliament on a proportional
basis. CCP will appoint 31 members, FUNCINPEC 21, and Sam Rainsy Party 7.
March 5, 1999
Louise Arbour, UN chief war
crime prosecutor, says an international tribunal probably best forum to try
surviving Khmer Rouge leaders.
March 6, 1999
Ta Mok, the one leg Khmer Rouge military chief nicknamed the butcher, is
arrested near Anlong Veng and taken to Phnom Penh on the same day by
helicopter and detained at military prison. On the same day, US States
Department expresses support for the arrest of Ta Mok.
March 7, 1999
Gen. Nhiek Bun Chhai returns to Phnom Penh from Bangkok.
Govt. says To Mok will be
tried in a military court under Cambodian law.
March 8, 1999
Foreign Minister Hor Namhong flew to New York to meet Kofi Annon on the Khmer
Rouge issues.
UN General Assembly adopts
resolution A/RES/53/145
concerning human rights situation in Cambodia.
March 11, 1999
King Sihanouk signs a decree appointing Chea Sim as president of the newly
established upper house of parliament or Senate.
March 13, 1999
Prince Norodom Chakrapong returns home after six years in exile.
March 15-17, 1999
Premier Hun Sen visits Indonesia and signs agreement on investment protection.
March 16, 1999
Villagers protest over lost land. Villagers from two provinces gathered
outside the National Assembly to complain that their land had been taken over
by the military.
March 17, 1999
Cambodia's courts are too corrupt and unprofessional to try former Khmer
Rouge leaders. "Domestic trials organized under Cambodia law are not
feasible and should not be supported financially by the UN," said a
report by a UN three-member panel released.
March 19, 1999
China opposes Khmer Rouge tribunal. China said that it was firmly opposed to
the establishment of an international tribunal to try Khmer Rouge leaders.
March 22, 1999
Var Kim Hong, Cambodia's
representative, leads a delegation to Vietnam to discuss border issues
between the two countries.
March 25, 1999
Senate starts its first session at Chamkarmon and sworn in at the Palace.
April 2, 1999
Toxic wastes are shipped out of Cambodia.
April 3, 1999
Two French citizens of
Cambodian origin, Antonya Tioulong and Herve Son, filed a lawsuit in French
court seeking the extradition of four former Khmer Rouge leaders, Khieu
Samphan, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary and Ta Mok, to be tried in Paris for crime
against humanity and illegal confinement.
April 6, 19999
Bar Association of Cambodia
sends attorney Benson Samay to be Ta Mok's lawyer.
April 8, 1999
National Assembly, for the
first time, question Co-Interior Ministers on security and social order.
April 28, 1999
Far Eastern Economic Review
reveals Kang Kek Ieu, former Khmer Rouge chief of Tuol Sleng, also
known as Duch. At least 14,000 people were killed
in the prison.
National Assembly adopts law
on banning land mines.
April 30, 1999
Cambodia formally joins ASEAN
as its tenth member.
May 5, 1999
Duch is quoted as saying
that Nuon Chea ordered him to kill the foreigners at Tuol Sleng and “burn
their bodies with tires to leave no bones.”
PM Hun Sen takes part in
the destruction of about 4,000 confiscated guns as part of his government's
drive to rid the country of illegal weapons and improve security in the
country.
May 8, 1999
About 2000 people take
part in the World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day at Angkor Wat, including
Queen Monineath, PM Hun Sen, and NA President Prince Ranariddh.
May 9, 1999
Duch is charged with
murder and membership in an outlawed group under the 1994 law banning the
Khmer Rouge.
May 11, 1999
PM Hun Sen condemns NATO
for attacking Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia.
May 13, 1999
About 200 Chinese protest
at US Embassy in Phnom Penh, demanding US apology, investigation and punish
those responsible for the attack on Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia.
May 26, 1999
Ta Mok says Pol Pot was
murdered.
May 28, 1999
PM Hun Sen attends his
son, Hun Maneth, graduation ceremony at West Point - the US prestigious
military academy.
July 1, 1999
Some 100 students hold a
rally outside Thai embassy in Phnom Penh protesting the alleged Thai
encroachment of Cambodian territory.
July 2, 1999
UN
General Assembly adopts resolution A/RES/53/230
concerning the financing and liquidation of the UNTAC.
July
3, 1999
PM
Hun Sen urges Thailand to help resolve a dispute over territory in the Gulf
of Thailand.
June
7, 1999
Nuon
Paet is sentenced to life imprisonment; he is convicted on six counts of
murdering, terrorism, kidnapping, robbery, destruction of state and private
property.
June
9, 1999
Le
Kha Phieu, Secretary General of Vietnamese Communist Party, pays a 2-days
official visit at the invitation of King Sihanouk. A group of students protest the visit by burning tires.
July 14, 1999
Cambodia’s minister of culture
and fine arts, Princess Norodom Bupphadevi, said Cambodia was ready to share
the cost of repatriating 912 Khmer artifacts recently seized by Thai
authorities from antique dealers in Bangkok and Ayutthaya.
June 15, 1999
Court in Sihanoukville
convicts tree custom officers, a Cambodian human rights staff, two Taiwanese
businessmen and a Cambodian translator on charges relating to the illegal
dumping of toxic waste imported from Taiwan.
June 22, 1999
Thai Princess Mahachakri
Srindhorn visits Banteay Chhmar and Angkor Thom.
June 23, 1999
Robert Jones, US deputy
assistant to secretary of defense for POW and MIA, visits Cambodia.
June 24, 1999
King Sihanouk departs Phnom
Penh for Beijing.
June 30, 1999
US Senator John Kerry proposes
S.AMDT.1168
an amendment to restrict US aid to Cambodia.
July 1, 1999
About 100 students demonstrate
against border encroachments by Cambodia's neighbors.
Nguon Nhil is elected as 2nd
Vice President of National Assembly to replace Chem Sguon, who died of liver
cancer in early June.
July 6, 1999
Piseth Peaklika is critically
shot near Orusei Market in Phnom Penh.
July 8, 1999
Two Cambodian human rights
(LICADHO) staffs stand trial in Sihanoukville court on charge of inciting
violence protest against the dumping of toxic waste.
July 16, 1999
US gives $3.4 million to
Cambodian human rights and pro-democracy groups.
July 20, 1999
PM Hun Sen defends his
government's handling of border disputes, asking protesters for
patience. He adds that he could not recover
parts of Cambodia long lost to Thailand and Vietnam but the protestors want
to get them back they are welcomed to try.
Senate President Chea Sim
leads a senatorial delegation for a 5-days visit to Vietnam.
July 29, 1999
US Rep. Rohrabacher offers H.AMDT.371
an amendment to eliminate any funding for assistance to the RGC.
July 30, 1999
Ta Mok's lawyer, Benson Samay,
says he expects the trial to begin by late August; and that if it does not
happen, he would insist that his client is released as soon as his six-months
pre-trial detention period is up. On
the same day, PM Hun Sen says that the trial of Khmer Rouge leader could
embarrass Thailand, which long supported the rebel group.
Aug. 11, 1999
National Assembly votes 94-12 in favor of extending the pre-trial detention
period from previously six months up to three years for any suspects charged
with genocide, war crimes or crime against humanity. The opposition, Sam
Rainsy Party, fiercely criticized the law, fearing it could be used to jail
political opponents without trial.
FM Hor Namhong rejected a UN plan for war crime trial, which require foreign
judges to hold a majority on a joint tribunal with Cambodian jurists, as a
threat to Cambodian's sovereignty.
Aug. 13, 1999
Govt.
says it wants to maintain overall control of a UN-backed international-style
Khmer Rouge genocide tribunal. Minister Sok An says the tribunal will take
place in a Cambodian’s court, but the participation of foreign judges and
legal experts will be accepted.
Aug.
19, 1999
225
illegal Chinese immigrants are arrested in Phnom Penh.
Aug.
25, 1999
UN
legal team arrives in Phnom Penh for talks on Khmer Rouge tribunal. The team
is led by Ralph Zacklin, UN assistant Secretary-General.
Aug.
28, 1999
King
Sihanouk and Queen Monineath return home after two months stay in China.
Sept.
1, 1999
PM
Hun Sen departs for Canada, Cuba and New York.
Sept.
7, 1999
Ta
Mok is charged with crime of genocide.
He is charged under the 1979 law, which analysts believe is a move
aimed at ensuring the legality of his continued detention.
Sept.
8, 1999
PM
Hun Sen arrives in Cuba for a five-days visit aimed at strengthening ties
between the two counties.
Sept.
10, 19999
Duch
is charged with crime of genocide under the 1979 law.
Sept.
11, 1999
King
Sihanouk reveals on TV that his health become weaker and weaker.
Sept.
17, 1999
PM
Hun Sen meets UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in New York; the Khmer Rouge tribunal
is discussed. The PM is in New York
to attend the 54th UN General Assembly.
Sept.
23, 1999
217
illegal Chinese immigrants are deported back to China.
Sept.
24, 1999
Cambodia
and Japan sign an agreement, under which Japan provides $39.4 million in loan
to Cambodia for upgrading port facilities.
Oct.
6, 1999
Lon
Phon, Sam Rainsy Party MP, is abducted by 4 gunmen, who demand ransom of
$400,000.
Oct.
9, 1999
Lon
Phon is released by paying $140,000.
226
more illegal Chinese immigrants are arrested by police in Phnom Penh.
Oct.
13, 1999
PM
Hun Sen's cabinet denies the PM's involvement in the love affairs with Piseth
Peaklika. The denial come in
responding to a French magazine L'Expresse article issued about a week
earlier.
Oct.
17, 1999
Queen
Noor of Jordan visits Cambodia.
Oct.
19, 1999
PM
Hun Sen departs for Laos to attend a meeting of Indochinese leaders.
Nov.
23, 1999
CPP
and FUNCINPEC leaders mark 1-year anniversary of their coalition govt. at Le
Royale Hotel in Phnom Penh.
Dec.
3, 1999
PM
Hun Sen orders the re-arrest of 66 prisoners, who were irregularly released
by the Phnom Penh Court.
Dec.
24, 1999
Sok
Yeun, Sam Rainsy Party Battambang activist, is arrested by Thai police in
Thailand. Yeun was accused by the
Cambodian authority of plotting to assassinate PM Hun Sen in Siem Reap on
Sept. 24, 1998.
Dec.
30, 1999
About
100,000 people attend the Festival Angkor 2000 at Angkor Wat.
Dec.
31, 1999
A
sculpture is inaugurated near Japanese bridge in Phnom Penh. The sculpture is made from about 4,000
confiscated weapons.
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