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Read more: 1990 to 2002 Transition, democracy and development The United Nations The United Nations operation in Cambodia smoothed the transition to democracy. It was called UNTAC - United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. It cost US$2 billion with 22,000 international personnel. UNTAC's role was to repatriate refugees and arrange the 1993 elections. In October 1991, approximately 360,000 Cambodians still lived in refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border. Some had been away for many years. By the end of 1992, UNTAC had repatriated most refugees from Thailand.
1993 Elections Between the 23rd and 28th of May, 90 per cent of Cambodia's 4.7 million registered voters went to the polls. These were the first elections in over 25 years. Voters were choosing a National Assembly to govern them. The National Assembly would also be responsible for writing a new constitution.
UNTAC ID card Before: Everyone who wanted to vote had to register at the United Nations polling station beforehand. The Khmer Rouge had pulled out of the peace process and refused to surrender their weapons. They killed over 30 UN peacekeepers and urged Cambodians not to vote. During: The monsoon rains came early and voters got soaking wet as they lined up for hours outside the UN polling stations. Voters were both excited and frightened. Metal detectors located weapons to prevent violence or intimidation of voters. Anybody wanting to vote had their fingers checked under ultraviolet light detectors. (People who had already voted had dipped their fingers into invisible ink.) If their fingers showed up purple under the light then they had already voted and weren't allowed to vote again. In the last two days of voting, the Khmer Rouge trucked thousands of farmers to the polls. The Khmer Rouge may have decided that if they couldn't sabotage the election then they would back the party that might give them a bigger role in government. After: After the votes were counted, the winning party was FUNCINPEC (from the French words meaning "The National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Co-operative Cambodia). Prince Norodom Ranariddh, the son of King Sihanouk, led this party.
The Khmer Rouge When the Cambodian government outlawed the Khmer Rouge in 1994, they were probably a greater threat to the stability of the country than at any other time since 1979. The United Nations disarmament programme had taken weapons away from rural soldiers who had formed the defence network against the Khmer Rouge. This left areas unprotected, while the Khmer Rouge re-established its guerrilla network under cover of the official peace process. However in 1996 the Khmer Rouge split and many guerrillas defected to the government. By 1998 they had lost control of their few remaining stronghold areas. Cambodia's politicians have still not brought the Khmer Rouge to trial. Some ex Khmer Rouge live and move freely within the country. In 2002, after five years of negotiations, the United Nations announced that it had abandoned joint efforts with the Cambodian government to set up an international war crimes tribunal. The UN said the trials as planned "would not guarantee independence, objectivity and impartiality". Cambodian officials said they would continue without the UN.
Changing names The name Cambodia was readopted when the country regained control of its own affairs. The government felt that the name Kampuchea symbolised the Khmer Rouge communist era. A new name was needed to express the hope of a new democratic future. In the last 50 years since 1953, the country has changed its name six times. Changing the name was a dramatic way for each new political power to separate itself from the previous one. French influence In the 1990s Cambodia renewed its links with France and Prince Sihanouk attempted to make French the second language of the country. Schools were instructed to reintroduce French and government bills were to be printed in both Khmer and French. Students protested and Prime Minister Ranariddh supported them claiming English was the most popular language in the region. The future Today the country is stable and secure with a democratically elected government. The economy has moved towards free enterprise and tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry. Much effort is going into rebuilding the country and infrastructure through international investment and aid programmes. However, many people still live in poverty as a result of the years of war and instability. Definition Coalition: A temporary alliance, especially between political parties
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