Ieng Thirith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ieng Thirith
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|---|---|
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| Minister of Social Affairs | |
| In office 9 October 1975 – 7 January 1979 |
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| Prime Minister | Pol Pot |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Khieu Thirith
10 March 1932 Battambang, Cambodia, French Indochina |
| Died | 22 August 2015 (aged 83) Pailin, Cambodia |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Khieu Ponnary (sister) |
Ieng Thirith (born Khieu Thirith; Khmer: អៀង ធីរិទ្ធ; 10 March 1932 – 22 August 2015) was a well-known figure in the Khmer Rouge group in Cambodia. She was married to Ieng Sary, who was the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Khmer Rouge government, called Democratic Kampuchea. Ieng Thirith herself served as the Minister of Social Affairs from October 1975 until the Khmer Rouge government ended in 1979.
She was also the sister of Khieu Ponnary, who was the first wife of Pol Pot, the leader of the Khmer Rouge. In November 2007, Ieng Thirith and her husband, Ieng Sary, were arrested by a special court in Cambodia. They were accused of very serious wrongdoings that happened during the time the Khmer Rouge was in power.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ieng Thirith was born Khieu Thirith on March 10, 1932, in Battambang Province in northwestern Cambodia. Her family was quite well-off. Her father was a judge, but he left the family during World War II.
Thirith went to the Lycée Sisowath in Phnom Penh, which is a high school. While she was still in Cambodia, she became engaged to Ieng Sary. He was a student at the same school, one year ahead of her.
Studying in Paris
After high school, Thirith moved to Paris, France, with her sister. There, she studied English literature at the Sorbonne, a famous university. She focused on the works of the famous writer William Shakespeare. She was the first Cambodian person to earn a degree in English literature.
In the summer of 1951, Thirith married Ieng Sary in Paris. She then took her husband's last name, becoming Ieng Thirith. Her older sister, Khieu Ponnary, later married Pol Pot. These two sisters and their husbands became known as "Cambodia's Gang of Four." This name was a reference to a powerful political group in China.
After finishing her studies, Ieng Thirith returned to Cambodia in 1957. She worked as a professor. In 1960, she started her own private school where she taught English.
Role During the Khmer Rouge Government
Ieng Thirith was an important member of the Democratic Kampuchea (DK) government. This was the name of the government run by the Khmer Rouge.
From 1975 to 1979, she held two major roles. She was the Minister of Social Affairs and Action. This meant she was in charge of programs related to the well-being of people in the country. She also led Democratic Kampuchea's Red Cross Society, an organization that aimed to provide help.
Later Years and Trial
After the Khmer Rouge government fell, Ieng Thirith lived with her husband, Ieng Sary, in a large house in Phnom Penh. She was not often seen in public during these years.
By 2006, a special court called the Cambodia Tribunal was getting ready to hold trials for people accused of serious crimes from the Khmer Rouge era. Ieng Thirith and her husband hired lawyers from other countries to help them. On November 12, 2007, they were arrested at their home in Phnom Penh. They had been officially accused by the Cambodia Tribunal.
She was accused of being involved in the planning and ordering of widespread actions that led to the unlawful killing of people, especially staff members from her own ministry. On November 17, 2011, the court decided that Thirith was not mentally well enough to stand trial. This was because she had a severe case of Alzheimer's disease. The court ordered her release.
However, the prosecutors appealed this decision. On December 13, 2011, the appeals judges reversed the ruling. They asked for new medical tests to check her mental fitness for trial. In September 2012, the original ruling about her mental state was put back in place. She was then released from prison.
Ieng Thirith passed away on August 22, 2015, at the age of 83. Her death was due to complications from her illness.
See also
In Spanish: Ieng Thirith para niños
