17 - The Contemporary Political Landscape in Cambodia

Summary

A FLEDGLING POLITICAL SYSTEM

The ill-fated modern history of Cambodia shows a country ravaged by a long series of national calamities, among them the attempt by France to re-establish colonial rule after World War II, the Vietnam War which spilled over into Cambodia, the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime, and ferocious factional competition under the so-called Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea, with the continuing influence of the Khmer Rouge as well as the interference of Chinese, Vietnamese and American interests throughout the 1980s. Cambodia slowly started to recover and consolidate only after the 1991 Paris Peace settlement and with the help of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) and the UN-organised general elections in 1993.

With the immense loss of educated citizens and potential leaders during the Khmer Rouge and war period as well as through emigration, jump-starting the devastated country in terms of economic and political reconstruction was an incredible challenge. The political landscape being as ravaged as it was, experience, expertise, connections and the political survival instincts of a group around King Sihanouk and a group around ex-Khmer Rouge leader Hun Sen were the ones calling the shots. Though the Cambodian People's Party did not win the UNTAC-supported 1993 election, its leader Hun Sen managed to share the premiership with Prince Ranariddh, to increasingly consolidate the CPP and to entrench its grip on power until its quasimonopoly today. This has created a somewhat uneasy semblance of stability, including the major flaws which the opposition tries to highlight for the benefit of neglected sectors of the Cambodian society, and its own survival under difficult conditions.

Economically, after all the previous destruction, the consolidation started from a very low level but the growth rates are constantly improving. With continuing severe shortcomings in infrastructure, education, industrial base and business experience, the country still relies very much on agriculture and tourism as domestic sources of growth. But the great potential in hydropower and hydrocarbons, as well as the growing integration into the regional markets and increasing foreign investment may speed up the economic recovery in the coming years. But Cambodia is still very reliant on foreign Official Development Assistance (ODA) and the help of foreign NGOs.