Nuon Chea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nuon Chea
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| នួន ជា | |
Chea in 2013
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| President of the Standing Committee of the Kampuchean People's Representative Assembly |
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| In office 13 April 1976 – 7 January 1979 |
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| President | Khieu Samphan |
| Deputy | Chhit Choeun |
| Leader | Pol Pot (General Secretary) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea | |
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Acting
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| In office 27 September 1976 – 25 October 1976 |
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| President | Khieu Samphan |
| Leader | Pol Pot (General Secretary) |
| Preceded by | Pol Pot |
| Succeeded by | Pol Pot |
| Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea | |
| In office 30 September 1960 – 6 December 1981 |
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| General Secretary | Tou Samouth Pol Pot |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | None, party dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Lao Kim Lorn
7 July 1926 Voat Kor, Battambang, Cambodia, French Indochina |
| Died | 4 August 2019 (aged 93) Phnom Penh, Cambodia |
| Resting place | Sala Krau, Pailin, Cambodia |
| Nationality |  French Indochina (1926–1941) Thailand (1941–1960) Cambodia (1960–2019) |
| Political party |  Communist Party of Kampuchea (1960–1981) |
| Other political affiliations |
 Communist Party of Siam |
| Spouse | Ly Kimseng |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Thammasat University |
| Conviction(s) | Crimes against humanity and genocide |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment (2014) |
Nuon Chea (born Lao Kim Lorn; 7 July 1926 – 4 August 2019) was a Cambodian politician. He was a key leader of the Khmer Rouge, a group that ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. People often called him "Brother Number Two" because he was the second-in-command to the Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot. During this time, many terrible things happened in Cambodia. In 2014, Nuon Chea was found guilty of very serious crimes against humanity. He was also found guilty of genocide in 2018. He received a life sentence for these crimes and passed away in 2019 while in prison.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Nuon Chea was born as Lao Kim Lorn on 7 July 1926, in Voat Kor, Battambang Province, Cambodia. His father, Lao Liv, was a trader and farmer. His mother, Dos Peanh, worked as a tailor. Nuon Chea's family had both Chinese and Khmer roots.
He grew up following both Chinese and Khmer traditions. His family prayed at a Theravada Buddhist temple. They also celebrated Chinese holidays like Lunar New Year. Nuon Chea started school at age seven. He learned Thai, French, and Khmer.
In the 1940s, Nuon Chea studied in Bangkok, Thailand. He attended Wat Benchamabophit School and the Faculty of Law, Thammasat University. He also worked part-time for the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this time, he became interested in politics. He joined the Communist Party of Siam in Bangkok.
Rise to Power
Nuon Chea became an important figure in the Cambodian communist movement. In September 1960, he was chosen as the Deputy General Secretary of the Workers Party of Kampuchea. This party later changed its name to the Communist Party of Kampuchea, also known as the Khmer Rouge.
He was known as "Brother Number Two" within the Khmer Rouge. Unlike many other Khmer Rouge leaders, Nuon Chea did not study in France. He played a role in discussions with North Vietnam in 1970. This led to North Vietnamese forces entering Cambodia. Their goal was to help overthrow the government at that time.
Role in Democratic Kampuchea
When the Khmer Rouge took power, Nuon Chea held important positions. From 1976 to 1979, he was the president of the Standing Committee of the Kampuchean People's Representative Assembly. This was like being the head of the country's main law-making body.
He also briefly served as acting Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea. This happened when Pol Pot stepped down for a month due to health reasons. Nuon Chea was a very loyal follower of Pol Pot. He was known for his extreme strictness.
In January 1979, Vietnamese forces captured Phnom Penh. Nuon Chea and other Khmer Rouge leaders lost their positions. A prison commander named Kaing Khek Iev, also known as Duch, said that Nuon Chea ordered him to kill all remaining prisoners at Tuol Sleng. This was just before the Khmer Rouge government was overthrown.
Arrest and Trial Proceedings
In December 1998, Nuon Chea surrendered to the Cambodian government. He was one of the last Khmer Rouge leaders to do so. At first, the government agreed not to prosecute him. However, many international groups disagreed with this decision.
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On 19 September 2007, Nuon Chea was arrested at his home. He was taken to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Phnom Penh. This special court was set up to try former Khmer Rouge leaders for serious crimes. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In May 2013, Nuon Chea spoke to the court. He said he felt sorry for the crimes that happened, whether he knew about them or not. On 7 August 2014, the court found him guilty of crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Nuon Chea faced another trial for the crime of genocide. On 16 November 2018, the court found him and Khieu Samphan guilty of genocide. This included crimes against the Vietnamese people and the Chams. These life sentences were then combined into one single life sentence.
During his trial, Nuon Chea denied being responsible for mass killings. However, evidence from the Khmer Rouge regime itself contradicted his claims. This evidence included documents and photos from prisons.
Later Life and Death
Nuon Chea passed away on 4 August 2019, at the Khmer-Soviet Friendship Hospital in Phnom Penh. He was 93 years old. He had been in the hospital since July due to health problems. His body was later taken to Sala Krau District in Pailin Province. He was cremated according to Buddhist traditions.
See also
- Enemies of the People
- Cambodian genocide
