Government structure People's Republic of Kampuchea

1 government structure

1.1 national assembly
1.2 council of state
1.3 council of ministers
1.4 judiciary
1.5 administrative divisions
1.6 local people s revolutionary committees
1.7 armed forces

government structure

an administrative infrastructure functioning under marxist-leninist kprc more or less in place between 1979 , 1980. promulgation of constitution in june 1981, new organs, such national assembly, council of state, , council of ministers, assumed functions kprc had provided. these new bodies evolved slowly. not until february 1982 national assembly enacted specific laws these bodies.

despite presence of vietnamese advisors, government of prk made entirely of cambodian kufns members. vietnamese advisors, lê Đức thọ, had promised not interfere cambodian internal affairs. however, prk formed , kufns in power, lê Đức thọ, acting liaison chief between hanoi , phnom penh, broke promise. henceforward members of government of prk had walk narrow path between cambodian nationalism , indochinese solidarity vietnam, meant making sure didn t irritate vietnamese patrons. prk government members, no matter how highly placed, offended vietnamese, whether intentionally or not, swiftly denounced , purged. among these ros samai, pen sovann , chan sy. latter, founding member of kunfs had reached post of prime minister, died in mysterious circumstances in 1984 in moscow.

the national assembly

the supreme organ of state power national assembly, deputies directly elected five-year terms. assembly s 117 seats filled on 1 may 1981, date of prk s first elections. (the kufns had nominated 148 candidates.) voter turnout reported 99.17 percent of electorate, divided 20 electoral districts.

during first session in june, assembly adopted new constitution , elected members of state organs set under constitution. assembly had been empowered adopt or amend constitution , laws , oversee implementation; determine domestic , foreign policies; adopt economic , cultural programs , state budget; , elect or remove own officers , members of council of state , of council of ministers. assembly authorised levy, revise, or abolish taxes; decide on amnesties; , ratify or abrogate international treaties. in other socialist states, assembly s real function endorse legislative , administrative measures initiated council of state , council of ministers, both of serve agents of ruling kprp.

the national assembly met typically twice year. during periods between sessions, legislative functions handled council of state. bills introduced council of state, council of ministers, assembly s several commissions (legislative committees), chairman of kufncd, , heads of other organisations. individual deputies not entitled introduce bills.

once bills, state plans , budgets, , other measures introduced, studied first assembly s commissions. went assembly adoption. while ordinary bills passed simple majority, constitutional amendments required two-thirds majority. council of state had promulgate adopted bill within thirty days of passage. function of assembly oversee affairs of council of ministers, functions cabinet. assembly members not entitled call votes of confidence in cabinet. conversely, council of ministers not empowered dissolve national assembly.

the constitution stated in case of war or under other exceptional circumstances, five-year life of assembly may extended decree. in 1986 assembly s term extended 5 years, until 1991.

chairman national assembly (1985): chea sim

vice chairmen: math ly, tep vong, nu beng

the council of state

the national assembly elected 7 of members council of state. chairman of council served head of state, power serve ex officio supreme commander of armed forces deleted final draft of constitution.

the council s 7 members among influential leaders of prk. between sessions of national assembly, council of state carried out assembly s duties. may appoint or remove (on recommendation of council of ministers) cabinet ministers, ambassadors, , envoys accredited foreign governments. foreign diplomatic envoys presented letters of accreditation council of state.

council of state(1985):

chairman: heng samrin

vice-chairman: phouthang

the council of ministers

the government s top executive organ council of ministers, or cabinet, in late 1987 headed hun sen (as had been since january 1985). apart prime minister (formally called chairman), council of ministers had 2 deputy prime ministers (vice chairmen) , twenty ministers. national assembly elected council s ministers five-year terms.

the council of ministers met weekly in executive session. decisions made in executive sessions collective, whereas in plenary sessions majority. representatives of kufncd , other mass organisations, citizens may belong, invited attend plenary sessions of council when [it was] discussing important issues. these representatives express views not allowed vote.

government ministries in charge of agriculture; communications, transport, , posts; education; finance; foreign affairs; health; home , foreign trade; industry; information , culture; interior; justice; national defence; planning; , social affairs , invalids. in addition, cabinet includes minister agricultural affairs , rubber plantations, attached office of council of ministers; minister in charge of office of council of ministers; secretary general of office of council of ministers, in charge of transport , of khmer-thai border defence networks; director of state affairs inspectorate; , president-director general of people s national bank of kampuchea.

council of ministers (1985):

chairman: hun sen (and minister foreign affairs)

vice chairmen: chea soth, bou thang, kong sam, tea banh, chhum

the judiciary

the restoration of law , order 1 of more pressing tasks of heng samrin regime. since 1979 administration of justice in hands of people s revolutionary courts set hastily in phnom penh , in other major provincial cities. new law dealing organisation of courts , office of public prosecutor promulgated in february 1982. under law, people s supreme court became highest court of land.

the judicial system comprised people s revolutionary courts, military tribunals, , public prosecutors offices. council of ministers, on recommendations of local administrative bodies called people s revolutionary committees, appointed judges , public prosecutors.

administrative divisions

in late 1987, country divided eighteen provinces (khet) , 2 special municipalities (krong), phnom penh , kampong saom, under direct central government control.

the provinces subdivided 122 districts (srok), 1,325 communes (khum), , 9,386 villages (phum). subdivisions of municipalities wards (sangkat).

local people s revolutionary committees

an elective body, consisting of chairman (president), 1 or more vice chairmen, , number of committee members, ran each people s revolutionary committee. these elective bodies chosen representatives of next lower level people s revolutionary committees @ provincial , district levels.

at provincial , district levels, term of office 5 years, committee members needed additional endorsement of officials representing kufncd , other affiliated mass organisations. @ commune , ward level, members of people s revolutionary committees elected directly local inhabitants three-year term.

before first local elections, held in february , march 1981, central government appointed local committee officials. in late 1987, unclear whether chairpersons of local revolutionary committees reported office of council of ministers or ministry of interior.

armed forces


kpraf fin flash (1979 1989)



cpaf fin flash (1989 1993)

the regular armed forces of people s republic of kampuchea kampuchean people s revolutionary armed forces (kpraf). these needed project internationally image of new pro-hanoi administration in phnom penh legitimate sovereign state. raising such indigenous force not difficult vietnamese occupiers @ time, because vietnamese had experience training , co-ordinating army in neighbouring laos.

the kpraf formed militias, former khmer rouge members, , conscripts. kpraf troops trained , supplied vietnamese armed forces. owing lack of proper training , weapons, meagre salaries , mass desertions, fledgling kpraf not effective fighting force , bulk of fighting against cgdk forces left in end army of occupiers, vietnam people s army.

the khmer rouge forced vietnamese employ guerrilla warfare 1 of tactics. years went vietnamese suffered damaging casualties, , persistent civil war debilitated cambodia , hampered reconstruction efforts. khmer rouge gained confidence keep swiping away vietnamese armies, , vietnamese found out how easy become prey rather predator. in fact books have called vietnam s vietnam war .

the kpraf answerable 2 organisations below council of state, namely, ministry of national defense , general staff. veterans eastern zone revolution, kampong cham, svay rieng, people had been educated in vietnam after 1954 geneva conference held important positions in ministry of national defense. control of kpraf military establishment , adherence political orthodoxy of kampuchean (or khmer) people s revolutionary party (kprp) ensured party network, superimposed upon national defence structure, extended downward units @ echelons.

the kpraf developed system of military justice, military tribunals, network of military prisons.

in 1989 began transition culminated in 1991 paris peace agreements. after name of people s republic of kampuchea had been officially changed state of cambodia (soc), kpraf renamed cambodian people s armed forces (cpaf). following 1993 elections cpaf absorbed new national army of royalist, nationalist , cpaf troops.