Khieu Samphan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Khieu Samphan
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| ខៀវ សំផន | |
Samphan in 2014
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| Head of the Provisional government | |
| In office 1994–1998 |
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| Leader of Cambodian National Unity Party | |
| In office 1992–1997 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as Leader of KNSP) |
| General Secretary of PDK | |
| In office 1985–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Pol Pot |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as leader of CNUP) |
| Chairman of the State Presidium | |
| In office 11 April 1976 – 7 January 1979 |
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| Prime Minister | Pol Pot |
| Deputy | So Phim Nhim Ros |
| Leader | Pol Pot (General Secretary) |
| Preceded by | Norodom Sihanouk as President of the State Presidium |
| Succeeded by | Heng Samrin as Chairman of the People's Revolutionary Council |
| Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea | |
| Acting 4 April 1976 – 14 April 1976 |
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| President | Norodom Sihanouk |
| Leader | Pol Pot (General Secretary) |
| Preceded by | Penn Nouth |
| Succeeded by | Pol Pot |
| Vice Prime minister and Minister of Defense of the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea | |
| In office 5 May 1970 – 14 July 1975 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 July 1931 Romduol, Svay Rieng, Cambodia, French Indochina |
| Political party |
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| Spouse | So Socheat |
| Alma mater | University of Montpellier (B.Ec) University of Paris (PhD, Econ.) |
| Conviction(s) |
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| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (2014) |
Khieu Samphan (Khmer: ខៀវ សំផន; born 28 July 1931) is a former Cambodian politician and economist. He was a very important leader in the Khmer Rouge movement. From 1976 to 1979, he was the head of state for Democratic Kampuchea, which was Cambodia's name at the time. Even though he was head of state, Pol Pot was the top leader of the Khmer Rouge party.
Before joining the Khmer Rouge, Samphan was part of Prince Norodom Sihanouk's government. After a rebellion in 1967, he had to hide. He later joined the Khmer Rouge. In 2014, he was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison. This was for terrible acts that happened during the Cambodian genocide. In 2018, he was also found guilty of genocide. He is the oldest living former prime minister and the last main leader of the Khmer Rouge still alive.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Khieu Samphan was born in Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia, in 1931. His father was a judge. Samphan's family had both Cambodian and Chinese roots. When he was young, his father went to prison for corruption. His mother then sold fruits and vegetables to support the family.
Despite these challenges, Samphan studied hard. He went to a good school called Lycée Sisowath. Later, he traveled to France for university. He studied Economics at the University of Montpellier. He then earned a PhD in Economics from the University of Paris.
Joining the Leftist Movement
In the 1950s, Samphan became part of a group of Cambodian students in Paris. These students had left-wing ideas, meaning they wanted big changes in society. He helped start the Khmer Students' Association (KSA). This group later led to the revolutionary movements that changed Cambodia, like the Khmer Rouge. When French authorities closed the KSA, he started another student group.
After returning to Cambodia in 1959, Samphan taught law at the University of Phnom Penh. He also started a French-language newspaper called L'Observateur. This newspaper shared his left-wing ideas. The government did not like it and banned it. Police even publicly embarrassed Samphan.
Political Career and the Khmer Rouge
Despite the difficulties, Prince Norodom Sihanouk invited Samphan to join his political movement, Sangkum. Samphan was elected as a deputy in the Cambodian parliament several times. He was known for being humble and not wanting fancy things, even as a minister.
In 1966, he joined a special "Counter-Government" formed by Sihanouk. This was to control the right-wing politicians. However, Samphan's strong ideas caused problems, and he had to flee into the jungle. Some people even thought he had been killed.
In 1970, Prince Sihanouk was removed from power. The Khmer Republic was then created. The Khmer Rouge, including Samphan, joined forces with Prince Sihanouk. They formed a group called the National United Front of Kampuchea (FUNK). They also created a government called the Royal Government of the National Union of Kampuchea (GRUNK). In this new alliance, Samphan became a deputy prime minister and minister of defense.
In April 1975, FUNK and the Khmer Rouge won the war. They took control of Cambodia.
Role in Democratic Kampuchea
During the time of Communist Democratic Kampuchea (1975–1979), Khieu Samphan was a top leader. In 1976, he became the president of the country. He was very loyal to Pol Pot, the main leader. This loyalty helped him survive when other leaders were removed. His high positions showed he was a key figure in the ruling group.
In 1985, he officially took over from Pol Pot as the leader of the Khmer Rouge. He stayed in this role until 1998. In December 1998, Samphan and another former leader, Nuon Chea, surrendered to the Cambodian government. The Prime Minister at the time decided not to arrest or prosecute him right away.
Trial and Conviction
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In 2007, Khieu Samphan had a stroke. Around the same time, he published a book. In his book, he wrote that he worked for fairness and Cambodia's independence. He blamed Pol Pot for all the bad things that happened under the Khmer Rouge.
Samphan claimed that the Khmer Rouge did not have a plan to starve people or carry out mass killings. He said they always thought about the people's well-being. However, he admitted they used force to make people produce food because there wasn't enough.
After leaving the hospital, Samphan was arrested by the Cambodia Tribunal. He was charged with serious crimes. In April 2008, he appeared in court. His lawyers argued that while many people died, he was not directly responsible for any crimes as head of state.
On 7 August 2014, Samphan and Nuon Chea were sentenced to life in prison. This was for crimes against humanity, which are terrible acts against many people. His lawyer immediately said they would appeal the decision. The court then started a separate trial for genocide charges.
On 16 November 2018, he was found guilty of genocide against the Vietnamese people. However, he was cleared of involvement in the killing of the Chams. The court also said that Samphan "encouraged" and "supported" the policies that led to many civilian deaths. This included forcing millions into labor camps and the mass killing of Vietnamese people.
On 16 August 2021, Samphan appealed his conviction again. But on 22 September 2022, his appeal was rejected. The court confirmed his guilty verdicts for genocide, crimes against humanity, and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions.
See also
In Spanish: Khieu Samphan para niños
