6st-7th cen. : Kingdom of Chenla in the middle Mekong region. Irrigation politic.

802-850 : Unification of Cambodia; foundation of the kingdom of Angkor.

12-13th cen. : peak of the Angkor civilisation. Expansion of the Khmer kingdom throughout South East Asia. Reign of Jayavarnam VII, the "Leper King".

14-18th cen. : Following intrigues at the palace, Cambodia is delivered to Siamese and Vietnamese invasions.

1860 : Norodom Ist takes to the throne.

1863 : King Norodom obtains the protectorat of France.

1941 : Norodom Sihanouk, great-grandson of Norodom Ist, is elected King by the dignitary council.

1953 : 9th November: Cambodia obtains independance.

1960 : After his abdication as King, Norodom Sihanouk becomes head of State.

1963 : Salath Sar (future Pol Pot) and Son Sen go underground.

1965 : Rupture of diplomatic relations with the USA. They will be re-established in 1969.

1966 : 2 anti-government movements develop: the Khmer "Sereys" or "Free Khmers", supported by Thailand and the USA; the "Khmers Rouges" supported by China.

1967 : Khieu Samphan and Hou Youn go underground.

1970 : 18 March: Coup d'Etat of General Lon Nol. Deposition of King Sihanouk. Extension to Cambodia of the Indo-chinese conflict; pogroms between the Vietnamese in Cambodia; intervention of Vietnam-American troops. Civil war.

1970 : 4 May : Sihanouk forms a royal government of the National Union of Kampuchea in Peking.

1975 : 17 April : Victory of the Khmer Rouges headed by Pol Pot, who expelled Lon Nol and conquered Phnom Penh which is completely emptied of its inhabitants. Creation of the democratic Kampuchea.

1976 : The Democratic Republic of Kampuchea is presided by Khieu Samphan and the government by Pol Pot, secretary general of the party. Nearly 2 million people are victims of the Khmer Rouges (mass deportation. Physical suppression of a large part of the members of the old regime; suppression of religions. Collectivism of daily life.)

1979 : 7 January: Capture of Phnom Penh by Vietnamese troops and the institution of the "People's Republic of Kampuchea". Government of Heng Samrin.

18 February: Treaty of friendship and cooperation between Kampuchea and Vietnam, officialising the Vietnamese presence in Cambodia.

1983 : From this date: progressive implantation of numerous Vietnamese civilians. Their number is estimated to be 500,000

1988 : Hanoi announces the retreat, before the end of the year, of the majority of its troops present in Cambodia.

1989 : After 10 years of occupation in Cambodia, the Vietnamese retreat.

1990 : 9 September: at Jakarta, the four Cambodian factions accept the peace plan of the UN which forsees the formation of a Supreme National Council (SNC) under the auspices of the UN. Creation of the SNC regroups the 4 factions.

1991 : The Khmers rouges accept the UN cease-fire. Peace Accords signed in Paris.

1992 : The Khmers rouges refuse to depose arms.

Creation of the UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia). Beginning of the return of refugees.

1993 : 24th - 30th May: general legislative elections under the aegis of the UN; defeat for the Khmer rouges.

29 October : establishment of the Parlimentary Monarchy. Prince Norodom Ranaridh and Hun Sen form the coalition Government.

New Constitution acknowledges religious freedom.

1995 : March : Paris, International conference for the reconstruction of Cambodia.

1996 : 8 August: split of the Khmer Rouges movement.

A substantial clandestine emigration of about 100,000 Cambodians in the north-west region of Cambodia towards Thailand, who would work illicitly in Thailand.

1997 : In June, Pol Pot had assassinated his defence minister Son Sen. A few days later, Pol Pot is judged and convicted to life imprisonment by his old companions.

The Asean suspends the adhesion of Cambodia, excluding international aid necessary for the reconstruction of its infrastructures.

2-6 July: Political instability, coup d'Etat.

5 July: Norodom Ranariddh had his functions as first co-Prime Minister removed.

1998 : March : fall of the Khmer Rouges stronghold at Anlong Veng. 15 April: death-suicide of Pol Pot.

In December: surrender of two major Khmer Rouges leaders; Khieu Samphan and Non Chea received with honours at Phnom Penh and "excused of previous acts".

26 July: New legislative elections (93.74% turnout). The old communists of Prime Minister Hun Sen finish winners, after having led a coup de force against their royalist allies.

1999 : In January, the Prime Minister Hun Sen calls for an international tribune to judge all the leaders implicated in the war of the last 30 years, and not only during the Khmer Rouges period. 1970-1998, period of Pol Pot...

The last Khmer Rouges leaders stop fighting. One of them, Ta Mok, is arrested by the Cambodian government, which promises to judge him.

© Les MEP