Sar Kheng
Battambang | |
---|---|
Assumed office 14 June 1993 | |
Chairman of National Committee for Counter Trafficking in Person, Cambodia[1] | |
In office 2009 – 22 August 2023 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Prey Veng, Cambodia, French Indochina | 15 January 1951
Political party | Cambodian People's Party |
Spouse | Nhem Sakhan[2] |
Children | 3, including Sar Sokha |
Sar Kheng (
Biography
A Cambodian child in the Sangkum
Sar Kheng was born on January 15, 1951, during the
From guerilla warfare to leader of the Kampuchea
Along with Heng Samrin, Chea Sim, and Hun Sen, Sar Kheng was among the Democratic Kampuchea cadres of the Eastern Zone.[6] However, after commander of the Eastern Zone Sar Phim[7] was assassinated, Sar Kheng, Hun Sen, and other leaders who refused the purges of the Cambodian genocide went into the opposition against the Khmers Rouges.[8] The ties and friendships made at that time have lasted and still continue to determine Cambodian politics. Since they fled to Vietnam, they have been accused of being pro-Vietnamese. After the Vietnamese troops entered Cambodia and pushed back the Khmers Rouge to the North West provinces, Kheng, along with his brother-in-law Chea Sim, took on leadership positions in national security and were identified as "hard-liners" in the People's Republic of Kampuchea government, fighting to eradicate the Khmer Rouge from Cambodia.[9] As leaders in the one-party state controlled by the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (the former name of the CPP), they were accused of operating "a police state". Human Rights Watch Asia Director Brad Adams described governmental policies that included imprisonment without trial and torture of political activists.[10]
Coup after coup towards democracy after the return of the monarchy
Kheng became the Minister of Interior in 1992 during the
1994 coup: surviving the failed attempt of Chakrapong and Sin Song
A schism slowly developed in the CPP with Hun Sen and his supporters who would hold on to power at all costs on one side and the more moderate Kheng, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin on the other.[15] Hun Sen, who had control and support of the military and National Police emerged as the undisputed leader. His suspicion of Kheng was such that during an aborted coup attempt led by Prince Norodom Chakrapong in 1994, Hun Sen totally bypassed the Ministry of the Interior in his response, not notifying Kheng of troop mobilization or movements until the whole episode had already ended.[16] Sar Kheng was particularly opposed to the tactics behind the coup as they only reinforced the political position of the Khmer Rouge by perpetuating political instability in Cambodia.[17]
1997 coup: refusing a violent response
Three years later, while planning the
By the late 1990s, Kheng's name was often floated by Western observers as a possible party "reformer".[9]
Growing stronger after the loss of the FUNCINPEC
Since 1992, Kheng and FUNCINPEC member You Hockry were ruling as co-Ministers of the Interior. This arrangement lasted until the Senate elections of 2006, when FUNCINPEC, which lost many seats while Ranariddh left to form his own party, dissolved the coalition and allied with Sam Rainsy's opposition movement. You Hockry, who chose to follow Ranariddh, was dismissed and Prince Norodom Sirivudh was made co-minister with Kheng. However, Sirivudh was soon also dismissed, leaving Kheng as the sole Minister of the Interior.[22] Since this loss, Sar Kheng has been able to grow stronger and rein in any serious political opposition.
In September 2015, he warned the authorities of
After Sar Kheng downturned offers of inclusion by the Cambodia National Reform Party in 2017,[24] Sam Rainsy directed "revenge claims" against Sar Kheng.[25] In 2019, Sar Kheng sued Sam Rainsy for his allegations that he had been colluding with Dy Vichea against Hun Sen, accusations which he considered "fake news and incitements".[26]
Politics
Orkun santheipheap: balancing public order and personal freedom
Since coming to power in 1992, Minister of Interior Sar Kheng has overseen the transition to democracy. While some have applauded the longest period of political stability since the Cambodian Civil War and Kheng's efforts to fight against
Honors and recognitions
On June 14, 2015, King Norodom Sihamoni awarded Kheng the honorary title of Samdech. His official title is "Samdech Kralahom Sar Kheng" (សម្ដេចក្រឡាហោម ស ខេង).[35]
Family
Kheng is married to Nhem Sakhan with whom he has three children.[2] Through matrimonial alliances, Kheng is part of an intricate network of powerful Cambodian families.[36] Kheng is also brother-in-law to former president of the Cambodian National Assembly Chea Sim,[37] who was CPP president until his death in 2015. His son Sar Sokha is married to Ke Kuon Sophy, the daughter of General Ke Kim Yan.[38]
References
- ^ "Busts on human trafficking doublen". Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- ^ a b "ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ស ខេង ធ្វើពិធីសូត្រនិមន្តបង្សុកូល និងរាប់បាត្រព្រះសង្ឃ ក្នុងឱកាសចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី". The National Committee for Sub-National Democratic Development. Government of Cambodia. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ "Photo 8. H.E. Sar Kheng, Deputy Prime Minister Cambodia, and Vice-Minister of MIC Japan". stat.go.jp. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
- ^ "MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Fifth Legislature (2013–2018)". Royal Embassy of Cambodia to the United Kingdom. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ISBN 978-2-7068-1150-0.
- ISBN 978-2-284-04906-7.
- ISBN 978-1-56689-167-7.
- ISBN 978-2-7384-1925-5.
- ^ .
- ^ "Cambodia: Chea Sim Death Shows Failings of Khmer Rouge Court". Human Rights Watch. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ "Politik (Politics)". der Welt auf einen Blick (World at a Glance) (in German). Retrieved 29 November 2015.
- ISBN 9812180869.
- ^ Yeang, Socheametta (14 June 2015). "លោក ស ខេង និងលោក សាយ ឈុំ ទទួលគោរមងារជា "សម្ដេច"". VOA Khmer (in Khmer). Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ Johnson, Elizabeth (2014). "Corruption, Violence and Gender: A critical look at police behaviour and a path to reform in Cambodia" (PDF). International Political Science Association: 19–20. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0754647358. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- JSTOR 2645133.
- ISBN 978-0-7425-7618-6.
- doi:10.1355/SEAA98G.
- ^ Peou, Sorpong (2000). Intervention & Change in Cambodia: Towards Democracy?. Institute of Southeast Asian. p. 302.
- ^ "CAMBODIA: Revelations of former police chief must be followed with investigations and suspensions". Asian Human Rights Commission. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ Smith, R. Jeffrey (18 April 2007). "Controversial Cambodian to Visit U.S". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ISBN 978-0742555532.
- ^ Chhay, Channyda (8 September 2015). "Kheng warns brass on coast". The Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- ISBN 978-2-84654-193-0.
- ^ "Cambodia is Said to Torture Prisoners". The Boston Globe. HighBeam Research. 4 June 1987. Archived from the original on 11 June 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Cambodia Criticizes Amnesty International Report". Associated Press. 6 June 1987. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Alex Willemyns. "Opposition's Demand for TV Access Crucial, Futile – The Cambodia Daily". The Cambodia Daily. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Sokha stripped of National Assembly vice presidency". The Phnom Penh Post. 30 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ "Sokha threat investigation in works". The Phnom Penh Post. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ Neou, Vannarin (5 November 2015). "Hun Sen Distances Ruling Party From Attacks on Opposition". VOA News. Voice of America. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
- ^ "ពាក្យ «អរគុណសន្តិភាព!» ត្រូវបានបិទតាមសាលារៀន មណ្ឌលសុខភាព មូលដ្ឋានកងរាជអាវុធហត្ថ និងសាលាក្រុងតាមបណ្តាខេត្តស្ទើរទូទាំងប្រទេស". ខ្មែរប៉ុស្ដិ៍. 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
- ^ "'Samdech' titles given to Chhum and Kheng".
- ISBN 978-2-84654-193-0.
- ^ Heder, Steve (2015). "Cambodia: Capitalist Transformation by Neither Liberal Democracy Nor Dictatorship". Southeast Asian Affairs. 2012 (1).
- ISBN 978-0-300-21014-9.
Further reading
- Kheng, Sar. "Policy on Decentralization and Local Governance." Workshop on the Medium Term Vision for the SEILA Program: 2000–2003.
- Kheng, Sar. "Thematic Paper of the Deputy Prime Minister Sar Keng at the National Symposium on Decentralization and Local Governance on 15–16 May 2002.". National Symposium on Decentralization and Local Governance.
- Kheng, HE Sar. "Deputy Prime Minister and Co-Minister of Interior (October 1999)." Closing Speech, Ministry of Interior Workshop on the Maintenance of Security and Social Order, Phnom Penh. Vol. 22. 1999.