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Period: to
Cambodia
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New Leader in Cambodia
Cambodian communist revolutionary Pol Pot led the forces of the Khmer Rouge into the capital city of Phnom Penh, beginning a vicious four-year regime in Cambodia. -
New Constitution
A new constitution was adopted officially altering the country's name to "Democratic Kampuchea." The newly established Representative Assembly held its first plenary meeting on April 11 – 13, electing a new government with Pol Pot as prime minister -
Cambodia's new enemy
In December 1976, Pol Pot issued directives to the senior leadership to the effect that Vietnam was now an enemy. Defenses along the border were strengthened and unreliable deportees were moved deeper into Cambodia. Pol Pot's actions were in response to the Vietnamese Communist Party's fourth Congress, which approved a resolution describing Vietnam's special relationship with Laos and Cambodia. -
Pol Pot Overthrown
Vietnamese troops supported a small contingent of Cambodian soldiers who together entered Phnom Penh and toppled the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Pol Pot and his henchmen fled to the jungles on the Thai border. This was the end of a nightmare for the Cambodians who saw 1.7 million people murdered by Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge -
Elections
Between 23 and 28 May 1993 U.N. supervised elections were held. The result was a victory for the royalist Funcinpec Party, which won 58 of the 120 seats. Voter turnout was 89.6%. The Assembly was converted to a National Assembly the following year. -
Pol Pot Dies
The former Cambodian dictator, Pol Pot, whose regime led to the deaths of millions of his people, has died.
Luckly Pol Pot died before he could ever be tried for his crimes against humanity. -
Elections...again
General elections were held in Cambodia. The result was a victory for the Cambodian People's Party, which won 64 of the 122 seats. Voter turnout was 93.7% -
U.N. sets up tribunal to try Khmer Rouge members
The United Nations set up a tribunal to try former Khmer Rouge members accused of genocide and other crimes against humanity. The tribunal includes both UN-appointed officials and Cambodian judges.
