Nuon Chea

Nuon Chea - Cambodian Men, Timeline and Childhood

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Nuon Chea's Personal Details

Nuon Chea is a former Cambodian politician commonly known as “Brother Number two”

InformationDetail
BirthdayJuly 7, 1926
NationalityCambodian
FamousCriminals, Leaders, Cambodian Men, Chief Ideologist of the Khmer Rouge
Nick namesBrother Number Two
SpousesLy Kimseng
Known asLong Bunruot, Lau Ben Kon, Rungloet Laodi, Brother Number Two
ChildrensNuon Say
Universities
  • Thammasat University
Birth PlaceVoat Kor
GenderMale
FatherLao Liv
MotherDos Peanh
Sun SignCancer
Born inVoat Kor
Famous asChief Ideologist of the Khmer Rouge

Nuon Chea's photo

Who is Nuon Chea?

Nuon Chea is a former Cambodian communist politician, the most senior living Khmer Rouge leader. He was second in command only to the Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot during the bloody Cambodian Genocide, and was therefore known as “Brother Number Two”. A highly secretive and cruel man who played a major role in inciting violent crimes against humanity causing grave infringement of human rights, he was arrested and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life in 2014. Even though the verdict came decades after the Khmer Rouge had fallen, the wounds of the past are still fresh in the minds of the Cambodians, many of whom lost everything they had in the genocide. In his eighties, he is the oldest among the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders and his arrest offered little solace to the families of the victims who lost their lives because of him. Born into a humble family, he had a normal upbringing and studied law as a young man at a prestigious university. However, the course of his life changed when he joined the Thai Communist Party and underwent a drastic conversion in his ideologies. He became closely associated with Pol Pot and soon rose to become one of the top-most leaders of the Khmer Rouge.

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Childhood & Early Life

Nuon Chea was born as Lau Kim Lorn at Voat Kor, Battambang on 7 July 1926 at the home of Lao Liv and his wife Dos Peanh. His father was a corn farmer cum trader while his mother worked as a tailor.

His mother was the daughter of a Chinese immigrant and he was raised in both Chinese and Khmer customs. He received his early education in Thai, French and Khmer. He joined the Thammasat University in Bangkok during the 1940s to study law.

In 1947, he joined the leftist Thai Youth Organization. Many of the members of this organization were already members of the Thai communist party, but he personally did not join the party until 1950.

In January 1950, he joined the Thai communist party and also started working part-time at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Around this time something took over him and he abandoned his studies and job to join the anti-colonial struggle in Cambodia.

Career

In September 1960, he was elected Deputy General Secretary of the Workers Party of Kampuchea (later renamed as the Communist Party of Kampuchea). Closely associated with Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, he was the second in command which earned him the nickname “Brother Number two”.

In 1970, he played a major role in negotiating the North Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. The activities of the Khmer Rouge were aimed at bringing down the administration of the then Prime Minister of Cambodia, Lon Nol.

Nuon Chea asked for help from North Vietnamese forces who entered Cambodia in massive numbers in April-May 1970 in response to his request. With the help of the North Vietnamese, five provinces of Cambodia were liberated in ten days.

The Vietnamese forces occupied a major portion of the territory of Cambodia in 1970—in fact, almost a quarter, and communist control over the region expanded considerably during the period.

Pol Pot and Nuon Chea enjoyed very good relations with the North Vietnamese leaders. The North Vietnamese had more trust in Chea although he consistently deceived them and misled them about the real intentions of the Khmer Rouge.

The Kampuchean People's Representative Assembly, consisting of 250 members, was established as the official legislature of Kampuchea on January 5, 1976. Its first plenary session was held in April 1976 and Chea was elected President of its Standing Committee.

Chea also served as the acting Prime Minister briefly when Pol Pot resigned for one month because of health reasons. At that time the Vietnamese still believed that Chea was on their side and would lead an uprising against Pol Pot.

A revolt did take place in 1978 in which the former first secretary of the Eastern Zone, So Phim, a sympathizer of Vietnam, died. But Chea did not defect to the Vietnamese side as some had expected. On the contrary, he emerged as one of the most devoted followers of Pol Pot.

The Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh in January 1979 and he was forced to abandon his position as President of the Assembly.

Between 1975 and 1979 he is believed to have been responsible for planning, ordering, instigating and abetting crimes against humanity including murder, torture, enslavement, and other inhumane acts. Under the regime, up to two million Cambodians died from execution, overwork and starvation and millions of others suffered grievous injuries and health hazards.

Personal Life & Legacy

He is married to Ly Kimseng and is the father of three children, including Nuon Say.

He was arrested at his home in Pailin on 19 September 2007 and taken to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Phnom Penh. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. In August 2014 he was convicted by Cambodia's UN-backed tribunal and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life.

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Nuon Chea biography timelines

  • // 7th Jul 1926
    Nuon Chea was born as Lau Kim Lorn at Voat Kor, Battambang on 7 July 1926 at the home of Lao Liv and his wife Dos Peanh. His father was a corn farmer cum trader while his mother worked as a tailor.
  • // 1947 To 1950
    In 1947, he joined the leftist Thai Youth Organization. Many of the members of this organization were already members of the Thai communist party, but he personally did not join the party until 1950.
  • // Jan 1950
    In January 1950, he joined the Thai communist party and also started working part-time at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Around this time something took over him and he abandoned his studies and job to join the anti-colonial struggle in Cambodia.
  • // Sep 1960
    In September 1960, he was elected Deputy General Secretary of the Workers Party of Kampuchea (later renamed as the Communist Party of Kampuchea). Closely associated with Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, he was the second in command which earned him the nickname “Brother Number two”.
  • // 1970
    In 1970, he played a major role in negotiating the North Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia. The activities of the Khmer Rouge were aimed at bringing down the administration of the then Prime Minister of Cambodia, Lon Nol.
  • // 1970
    The Vietnamese forces occupied a major portion of the territory of Cambodia in 1970—in fact, almost a quarter, and communist control over the region expanded considerably during the period.
  • // May 1970
    Nuon Chea asked for help from North Vietnamese forces who entered Cambodia in massive numbers in April-May 1970 in response to his request. With the help of the North Vietnamese, five provinces of Cambodia were liberated in ten days.
  • // 1975 To 1979
    Between 1975 and 1979 he is believed to have been responsible for planning, ordering, instigating and abetting crimes against humanity including murder, torture, enslavement, and other inhumane acts. Under the regime, up to two million Cambodians died from execution, overwork and starvation and millions of others suffered grievous injuries and health hazards.
  • // 1979
    The Vietnamese captured Phnom Penh in January 1979 and he was forced to abandon his position as President of the Assembly.
  • // 2014
    He was arrested at his home in Pailin on 19 September 2007 and taken to the Khmer Rouge Tribunal in Phnom Penh. He was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity. In August 2014 he was convicted by Cambodia's UN-backed tribunal and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life.

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Nuon Chea's FAQ

  • What is Nuon Chea birthday?

    Nuon Chea was born at 1926-07-07

  • Where is Nuon Chea's birth place?

    Nuon Chea was born in Voat Kor

  • What is Nuon Chea nationalities?

    Nuon Chea's nationalities is Cambodian

  • What is Nuon Chea nick names?

    Nuon Chea's nickNames is Brother Number Two

  • Who is Nuon Chea spouses?

    Nuon Chea's spouses is Ly Kimseng

  • Who is Nuon Chea childrens?

    Nuon Chea's childrens is Nuon Say

  • What was Nuon Chea universities?

    Nuon Chea studied at Thammasat University

  • Who is Nuon Chea's father?

    Nuon Chea's father is Lao Liv

  • Who is Nuon Chea's mother?

    Nuon Chea's mother is Dos Peanh

  • What is Nuon Chea's sun sign?

    Nuon Chea is Cancer

  • How famous is Nuon Chea?

    Nuon Chea is famouse as Chief Ideologist of the Khmer Rouge