Ieng Thirith
Encyclopedia
Ieng Thirith was an influential figure in the Khmer Rouge, but was neither a member of the Khmer Rouge
Standing Committee nor of the Central Committee. Her original name is Khieu Thirith. Ieng Thirith is the wife of Ieng Sary
, the former minister of foreign affairs of Democratic Kampuchea
's Khmer Rouge
regime.
She is the sister of Khieu Ponnary
(died in 2003), the first wife of Pol Pot
. Thirith was the Minister of Social Action during the regime. She was arrested by the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in November 2007 with her husband, Ieng Sary as suspect of genocide
, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Battambang Province
, she came from a relatively wealthy and privileged family, and was the second daughter of a Cambodian judge who abandoned the family during World War II
, running off to Battambang
with a Cambodian princess.
Thirith graduated from the Lycée Sisowath
in Phnom Penh
, and while still in Cambodia, she became engaged to Ieng Sary
, who attended Lycée in the year above her. She went on to Paris with her sister where she studied English Literature
majoring in Shakespeare at the Sorbonne
. She became the first Cambodian to achieve a degree in English Literature. Thirith married Ieng Sary in the town hall of Paris' 15th arrondissement
the summer of 1951 and took her husband's name, becoming Ieng Thirith. Her older sister, Khieu Ponnary
, later became the wife of Pol Pot
. Together the two sisters and their husbands later became known as 'Cambodia's Gang of Four
', a reference to the radical group led by Jiang Qing
the widow of Mao Tse-tung.
She was a senior member of the Democratic Kampuchea
(DK) regime. From 1975 to 1979 Thirith was Minister of Social Affairs and Action and Head of Democratic Kampuchea's Red Cross Society.
By 2006, Ieng Thirith and her husband had retained foreign legal counsel to assist with their defense as the Cambodia Tribunal made progress with courtroom preparation and judge selection. She was arrested, along with ailing Ieng Sary, on November 12, 2007, at their home in Phnom Penh, after being indicted by the Cambodia Tribunal. She was arrested for crimes against humanity: "planning, direction, coordination and ordering of widespread purges ... and the unlawful killing or murder of staff members from within the Ministry of Social Affairs." On November 17, 2011, Thirith was ruled mentally unfit to stand trial, due to her severe case of Alzheimer's Disease
, and was ordered to be released. Prosecutors have appealed against her release.
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
Standing Committee nor of the Central Committee. Her original name is Khieu Thirith. Ieng Thirith is the wife of Ieng Sary
Ieng Sary
Ieng Sary was a powerful figure in the Khmer Rouge. He was the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979 and held several senior positions in the Khmer Rouge until his defection to the government in 1996....
, the former minister of foreign affairs of Democratic Kampuchea
Democratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
's Khmer Rouge
Khmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
regime.
She is the sister of Khieu Ponnary
Khieu Ponnary
Khieu Ponnary was the first wife of Pol Pot, sister of Khieu Thirith and sister-in-law to Ieng Sary.Khieu Ponnary was born in 1920 in Battambang Province, and her sister, Khieu Thirith, was born about 12 years later. Their father, a Cambodian judge, abandoned the family during World War II,...
(died in 2003), the first wife of Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
. Thirith was the Minister of Social Action during the regime. She was arrested by the Extraordinary Chamber in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) in November 2007 with her husband, Ieng Sary as suspect of genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Early years
Born Khieu Thirith in northwestern Cambodia'sCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
Battambang Province
Battambang Province
Battambang is a province in northwestern Cambodia. It is bordered to the North with Banteay Meanchey, to the West with Thailand, and to the East and South with Pursat. The capital of the province is the city of Battambang. The name, meaning 'lost staff', refers to the legend of Preah Bat Dambang...
, she came from a relatively wealthy and privileged family, and was the second daughter of a Cambodian judge who abandoned the family during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, running off to Battambang
Battambang
Battambang is the capital city of Battambang province in northwestern Cambodia.Battambang is the second-largest city in Cambodia with a population of over 250,000. Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is well known for being the leading rice-producing province of the country...
with a Cambodian princess.
Thirith graduated from the Lycée Sisowath
Lycee Sisowath
Lycée Preah Sisowath is a secondary school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The school was founded in 1873 as a collège and became a lycée in 1933.-History:...
in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, and while still in Cambodia, she became engaged to Ieng Sary
Ieng Sary
Ieng Sary was a powerful figure in the Khmer Rouge. He was the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Democratic Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979 and held several senior positions in the Khmer Rouge until his defection to the government in 1996....
, who attended Lycée in the year above her. She went on to Paris with her sister where she studied English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
majoring in Shakespeare at the Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. She became the first Cambodian to achieve a degree in English Literature. Thirith married Ieng Sary in the town hall of Paris' 15th arrondissement
XVe arrondissement
The 15th arrondissement of Paris is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France.Situated on the Rive Gauche of the River Seine and sharing the Montparnasse district with the 6th and 14th arrondissements, it is the city's most populous arrondissement...
the summer of 1951 and took her husband's name, becoming Ieng Thirith. Her older sister, Khieu Ponnary
Khieu Ponnary
Khieu Ponnary was the first wife of Pol Pot, sister of Khieu Thirith and sister-in-law to Ieng Sary.Khieu Ponnary was born in 1920 in Battambang Province, and her sister, Khieu Thirith, was born about 12 years later. Their father, a Cambodian judge, abandoned the family during World War II,...
, later became the wife of Pol Pot
Pol Pot
Saloth Sar , better known as Pol Pot, , was a Cambodian Maoist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge from 1963 until his death in 1998. From 1976 to 1979, he served as the Prime Minister of Democratic Kampuchea....
. Together the two sisters and their husbands later became known as 'Cambodia's Gang of Four
Gang of Four
The Gang of Four was the name given to a political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution and were subsequently charged with a series of treasonous crimes...
', a reference to the radical group led by Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing
Jiang Qing was the pseudonym that was used by Chinese leader Mao Zedong's last wife and major Communist Party of China power figure. She went by the stage name Lan Ping during her acting career, and was known by various other names during her life...
the widow of Mao Tse-tung.
Midlife
She returned to her native Cambodia in 1957 and worked as a professor before founding a private English school in 1960.She was a senior member of the Democratic Kampuchea
Democratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
(DK) regime. From 1975 to 1979 Thirith was Minister of Social Affairs and Action and Head of Democratic Kampuchea's Red Cross Society.
Later years
Thirith lived with her husband Ieng Sary in a luxurious villa on Street 21 in southern Phnom Penh. Until her arrest, she was rarely seen in public.By 2006, Ieng Thirith and her husband had retained foreign legal counsel to assist with their defense as the Cambodia Tribunal made progress with courtroom preparation and judge selection. She was arrested, along with ailing Ieng Sary, on November 12, 2007, at their home in Phnom Penh, after being indicted by the Cambodia Tribunal. She was arrested for crimes against humanity: "planning, direction, coordination and ordering of widespread purges ... and the unlawful killing or murder of staff members from within the Ministry of Social Affairs." On November 17, 2011, Thirith was ruled mentally unfit to stand trial, due to her severe case of Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
, and was ordered to be released. Prosecutors have appealed against her release.
External links
- Photos- on afp.google.com
- Cambodia Tribunal Monitor