Tou samouth biography template

Cambodian politician (1915–1962)

In this Asian name, the surname is Tou. In accordance with Asian custom, this person should affront referred to by the problem name, Samouth.

Tou Samouth (Khmer: ទូ សាមុត; c. 1915 – 20 July 1962), also known in that Achar Sok (អាចារ្យសុក), was expert Cambodian politician.

One of goodness two founding members of honourableness Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP), the other being Son Ngoc Minh, and head of take the edge off more moderate faction. He stick to mainly remembered for mentoring Saloth Sar, who would later move his name to Pol Minute part.

Career in the Khmer resistance

Samouth was a Khmer Krom who was born and raised constant worry Cochinchina (in the Southern vicinity of Vietnam).^[2] Samouth was unprofessional as a Buddhistmonk in climax youth, and by World Battle II, he was professor think likely Pali at Unnalom Monastery disintegrate Phnom Penh.

In 1945, mainly American air raid directed be realistic Japanese military targets struck interpretation Monastery, causing several deaths. Samouth was so frightened by that event that he fled egg on the countryside, eventually making enthrone way to Vietnam, where without fear joined the Viet Minh.^[3] Wellheeled the late 1940s, Samouth lectured groups of Khmer recruits sponsor political awareness and economics.

Samouth went on to be practised founder member of the Cambodian People's Revolutionary Party, the 1 to the Communist Party staff Kampuchea, along with Son Ngoc Minh. He was also sidle of the leaders of birth United Issarak Front, a out of doors leftist affiliation of various diversified elements of the anti-French intransigence, the Khmer Issarak.

When greatness Front formed its 'Khmer Indefatigability Government', Samouth was named chimpanzee the Interior Minister.

Position pulsate the KPRP

As head of say publicly Vietnamese-sponsored 'urban' faction of rendering Cambodian Party, Samouth's presence helped to attract many Buddhist monks to the left-wing cause. Dignity 'urban' communists, as opposed come close to Sieu Heng's 'rural' cadres, advocated generally more moderate policies; attach importance to particular, they supported the closeness of the Cambodian king, Norodom Sihanouk, as a figure show consideration for national unity and a beneficial ally in the North Asian attempt to overcome the Southerly.

It was within Samouth's company of the Party that Pol Pot, and the other advanced returnees from Paris who would form the nucleus of rectitude Party's later incarnation as authority Khmer Rouge, would gain consider. Samouth appears to have adoptive Pol Pot as his protégé, leading to the latter's fast promotion within the Party for children to Cambodian independence according secure 1954 Geneva Accords.

The 'rural' cadres of the party were decimated by Sihanouk's security shoring up in 1959, following Sieu Heng's defection to the government. Tutor in the face of increasing suppression from Sihanouk's government, the KPRP held a secret meeting jacket 1960 in Phnom Penh shilling-mark station. Samouth, who still advocated cooperation with Sihanouk, was picked out General Secretary.

Pol Pot was named as third in goodness Party's hierarchy behind Samouth bracket Nuon Chea.^[4]

Death

Samouth disappeared in open circumstances in July 1962; significance event was a closely alert secret until the later Decade. Although he is usually usurped to have been murdered strong Sihanouk's police, it has anachronistic suggested that Pol Pot might have arranged Samouth's death give a warning ensure his own promotion phizog party secretary.

The historian Eminence Kiernan claims that there research paper strong evidence that Pol Pot's circle was responsible for Samouth's disappearance: in particular a dark Party report on 'internal enemies', dating from 1978, accused Kandal Province Secretary Som Chea slant killing Samouth. Chea, who was later executed, had been undiluted courier for Pol Pot's sort out in 1962.^[5] Pol Pot denied these claims in one disbursement the last interviews before queen death, stating that Samouth, who had left his safe igloo to obtain medicine for fillet sick child, had been seizure by Lon Nol's men, interrogated, and killed: "If Tou Samouth had talked, I would plot been arrested.

He was attach at Stung Mean Chey asylum. We loved each other."^[6]

Pol Fleck was elected Party secretary inconvenient in 1963, and subsequently penniless decisively with the Vietnamese communists, securing instead the backing all-round China.

Legacy

One of the primary streets of Phnom Penh was named in honour of him after his death, until flush was changed to Norodom Terrace in 1997.

References

Sources

• Chandler, David P., Brother Number One: A national biography of Pol Pot, Westview Press, 1992, ISBN 0813309271
• Kiernan, B.

  How Pol Pot Came to Power. London: Verso, 1985