Cambodia crowns new king
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- Cambodia is crowning its first new king in decades, amid an array of official celebrations.
Norodom Sihamoni, a 51-year-old man with an unlikely background in the arts, will bring to an end the reign of his father Norodom Sihanouk, 81, a defining figure in the country's recent turbulent past.
The main streets of the capital Phnom Penh on Friday were adorned with Cambodian flags and portraits of the new monarch.
A giant portrait of Sihamoni has replaced one of his father and mother near the palace gates, and buildings are swathed in banners.
The coronation follows Sihanouk's surprise abdication of the throne earlier this month.
Sihamoni's rise being treated as more than a simple heredity handover.
"I actually see him as ushering in a new era of hopefully less tumultuous Cambodian politics," U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia Charles Ray said.
Divisions, often violent ones, are the fabric of Cambodia's complex past.
After helping to win the country's independence in 1953, Sihanouk's attempt to navigate neutrality during the Vietnam War ended with American bombings in 1969, and then the U.S.-backed general Lon Nol coming to power in 1970.
Lon Nol was overthrown in 1975 by the Khmer Rouge, the genocidal regime headed by Pol Pot that killed an estimated two million people in less than four years.
Cambodia adopted a constitution in 1993, but violence continued. A coup in 1997 gave Prime Minister Hun Sen absolute power and today the government is gridlocked.
"We have problems now. Democracy is still very fragile. The judicial system is not really independent," Cambodian human rights activist Kek Galabru said.
With Sihamoni's royal appointment, hopes are high the apolitical art enthusiast will be able to use his distance from the political system as an asset and bring about a fresh start.
Cambodia's monarch is seldom involved in politics, but the role carries great cultural significance for Khmers, and the king has some influence on state decisions.
The most pressing issue for Sihamoni, who was initially reluctant to accept the job due to his inexperience, will be to remain relevant in Cambodian society.
But with a living former king to advise him -- a novelty in any monarchy -- there is an expectation he may prove as formidable as his father.
-- CNN's Aneesh Raman contributed to this report
