Kem Sokha - Cambodian Politician, Birthday and Childhood
Kem Sokha's Personal Details
Kem Sokha is Cambodia’s prominent human rights leader
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | June 27, 1953 |
| Nationality | Cambodian |
| Famous | Political Activists, Leaders, Political Leaders, Cambodian Politician |
| Spouses | Te Chanmono |
| Childrens | Kem Monovithya Kem Samathida |
| Universities |
|
| Founder / Co-Founder |
|
| Birth Place | Cambodia |
| Gender | Male |
| Sun Sign | Cancer |
| Born in | Cambodia |
| Famous as | Cambodian Politician |
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Kem Sokha's photo
Who is Kem Sokha?
Kem Sokha is Cambodia’s prominent human rights leader. Presently, he is a Member of Parliament and the Vice President of the National Assembly of Cambodia (lower house of the Parliament of Cambodia). Born in a poor family, he had a difficult childhood. He studied law from the Royal University of Law and Economics, Phnom Penh, Cambodia and thereafter took up employment with the Cambodian government. At that time, Cambodia was under Vietnamese occupation. Unhappy with the state of affairs of the government, he clandestinely supported the Freedom Fighters—a Cambodian group resisting the Vietnamese occupation. As a result, he came under government’s scrutiny and was forced to leave his job. In order to escape arrest, he went to study abroad on a scholarship. He returned back to Cambodia five years later after doing his Master of Science in Biochemistry from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague, Czech Republic. Eventually, he entered politics and traveled through various parties and organizations before forming a new political party, Human Rights Party in 2007. Through this venture, he worked rigorously for human rights issues and organized public forums throughout Cambodia. In 2012, Human Rights Party merged with the Sam Rainsy Party to form the Cambodia National Rescue Party. He is known for his strong advocacy for respect of human rights
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Childhood & Early Life
Kem Sokha was born on June 27, 1953, in Tram Kak, Takeo, Cambodia, in an underprivileged family.
In 1973, after completing his school education, he came to Phnom Penh to study law from the Royal University of Law and Economics. Since he did not have enough money, he used to stay in a pagoda.
In 1975, Cambodia came under Khmer Rouge regime. Like millions others, Kem Sokha too became a victim of the Khmer Rouge regime; he lost his father and brother.
Career
In 1979, when Khmer Rouge rule ended and Cambodia came under Vietnamese occupation, Kem Sokha became the District Deputy Chief in Phnom Penh.
Not really satisfied with the way his country was being governed, he secretly started supporting the Freedom Fighters—a Cambodian group resisting the Vietnamese occupation.
He resigned from his job and joined a non-political humanitarian organization, when the government got suspicious of his activities.
He was later advised by his well wisher to leave the country, on the pretext of studying abroad on a scholarship, in order to evade possible arrest.
In 1981, he went to the Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic, from where he graduated with a Master of Science degree in biochemistry in 1986.
Upon his return in 1986, he joined the Ministry of Industry; however, he wasn’t given any significant position due to his previous connections with the Freedom Fighters.
He was transferred to a non-operational brewery factory on the border of Thailand, where he started a pepper plantation with some local workers. He spent the next three years developing his 10-hecta plantation.
In 1991, he founded the Human Rights Vigilance of Cambodia, a first-of-its-kind in Cambodia, and became its chairman. Through this, he catered to problems and issues of victims of human rights violation and offered them the right help.
He left the organization in 1992 and joined Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP)—led by Son Sann —as its general secretary. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Kandal in the national elections.
When BLDP split into two parts in 1995, he formed a new party, Son Sann Party, along with Son Sann’s supporters, and became its general secretary.
In 1997, he fled to Thailand, along with other people who were against the military coup initiated Cambodian People Party (CPP) to oust the First Prime Minister, Norodom Rannaridh.
In Thailand, he established a Union of Cambodian Democrats, supported by fellow migrants from Cambodia and served as its first Deputy General Secretary.
In 1998, the Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, permitted the emigrants to return and contest in the general elections, where he was nominated by Son Sann due to his high popularity.
When the party lost, he, along with other leaders from opposition parties, organized a mass demonstration against the fraudulent results; however, the government deployed armed forces to clamp down the protests.
He was backed by the UN officials to prevent his arrest and was given refuge in their office and US embassy for 50 days. Following a negotiation between the-now FUNCINPEC Party Chief Rannaridh and Hun Sen, he was released in 1999.
In 1999, Son Sann Party merged with the new FUNCINPEC Party and Kem Sokha became the Deputy General Secretary of the new FUNCINPEC Party.
He was appointed as a Senator and became the Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights and Reception of Complaints.
He resigned from the party and Senate in 2001 when his initiatives were rejected by the leadership of the FUNCINPEC Party as the party had become corrupted. .
In 2002, he launched Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), backed by USAID, and became its first President. The aim of CCHR was to educate people on human rights and conduct public forums for open discussions throughout Cambodia.
He established a new political party, Human Rights Party, in 2007, and served as its President until 2012, when it was merged with Sam Rainsy Party to form Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
In 2013, he contested in the National Assembly elections, where his common phrase ‘Do Min Do’ (Change or No Change) was used as the party’s anthem for election campaigns.
In 2014, he became MP from Kampong Cham and was elected as the First Vice President of the National Assembly of Cambodia.
Major Works
Kem Sokha has been a strong advocate of respect for human rights and has done stellar work in raising awareness of human rights among common citizens.
Personal Life & Legacy
He married Te Chanmono in 1980 and had two daughters with her: Kem Monovithya (1981) and Kem Samathida (1987).
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Kem Sokha biography timelines
- // 27th Jun 1953Kem Sokha was born on June 27, 1953, in Tram Kak, Takeo, Cambodia, in an underprivileged family.
- // 1973In 1973, after completing his school education, he came to Phnom Penh to study law from the Royal University of Law and Economics. Since he did not have enough money, he used to stay in a pagoda.
- // 1975In 1975, Cambodia came under Khmer Rouge regime. Like millions others, Kem Sokha too became a victim of the Khmer Rouge regime; he lost his father and brother.
- // 1979In 1979, when Khmer Rouge rule ended and Cambodia came under Vietnamese occupation, Kem Sokha became the District Deputy Chief in Phnom Penh.
- // 1980 To 1987He married Te Chanmono in 1980 and had two daughters with her: Kem Monovithya (1981) and Kem Samathida (1987).
- // 1981 To 1986In 1981, he went to the Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Czech Republic, from where he graduated with a Master of Science degree in biochemistry in 1986.
- // 1986Upon his return in 1986, he joined the Ministry of Industry; however, he wasn’t given any significant position due to his previous connections with the Freedom Fighters.
- // 1991In 1991, he founded the Human Rights Vigilance of Cambodia, a first-of-its-kind in Cambodia, and became its chairman. Through this, he catered to problems and issues of victims of human rights violation and offered them the right help.
- // 1992He left the organization in 1992 and joined Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party (BLDP)—led by Son Sann —as its general secretary. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Kandal in the national elections.
- // 1995When BLDP split into two parts in 1995, he formed a new party, Son Sann Party, along with Son Sann’s supporters, and became its general secretary.
- // 1997In 1997, he fled to Thailand, along with other people who were against the military coup initiated Cambodian People Party (CPP) to oust the First Prime Minister, Norodom Rannaridh.
- // 1998In 1998, the Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen, permitted the emigrants to return and contest in the general elections, where he was nominated by Son Sann due to his high popularity.
- // 1999He was backed by the UN officials to prevent his arrest and was given refuge in their office and US embassy for 50 days. Following a negotiation between the-now FUNCINPEC Party Chief Rannaridh and Hun Sen, he was released in 1999.
- // 1999In 1999, Son Sann Party merged with the new FUNCINPEC Party and Kem Sokha became the Deputy General Secretary of the new FUNCINPEC Party.
- // 2001He resigned from the party and Senate in 2001 when his initiatives were rejected by the leadership of the FUNCINPEC Party as the party had become corrupted. .
- // 2002In 2002, he launched Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), backed by USAID, and became its first President. The aim of CCHR was to educate people on human rights and conduct public forums for open discussions throughout Cambodia.
- // 2007 To 2012He established a new political party, Human Rights Party, in 2007, and served as its President until 2012, when it was merged with Sam Rainsy Party to form Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP).
- // 2013In 2013, he contested in the National Assembly elections, where his common phrase ‘Do Min Do’ (Change or No Change) was used as the party’s anthem for election campaigns.
- // 2014In 2014, he became MP from Kampong Cham and was elected as the First Vice President of the National Assembly of Cambodia.
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Kem Sokha's FAQ
What is Kem Sokha birthday?
Kem Sokha was born at 1953-06-27
Where is Kem Sokha's birth place?
Kem Sokha was born in Cambodia
What is Kem Sokha nationalities?
Kem Sokha's nationalities is Cambodian
Who is Kem Sokha spouses?
Kem Sokha's spouses is Te Chanmono
Who is Kem Sokha childrens?
Kem Sokha's childrens is Kem Monovithya Kem Samathida
What was Kem Sokha universities?
Kem Sokha studied at University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Royal University of Law and Economics
Which company or organization was founded by Kem Sokha?
Kem Sokha was the founder/co-founder of Human Rights Party
What is Kem Sokha's sun sign?
Kem Sokha is Cancer
How famous is Kem Sokha?
Kem Sokha is famouse as Cambodian Politician