Norodom Norindeth
Encyclopedia
Prince Norodom Norindeth (1906-?1975) was a member of the royal family of Cambodia
. Active as a politician and diplomat during the 1940s, 50s and 60s, he is notable mainly for founding the Cambodian Liberal Party (Kanaq Sereipheap), the first Cambodian political party.
and was educated at the University of Paris
. Under the French
-imposed Cambodian constitution, any member of the Norodom or Sisowath descendents of King Ang Duong
could be chosen as the country's king, and after the 1941 death of Sisowath Monivong
, Norindeth, along with Sisowath Monireth
and Norodom Suramarit
, was one of several main candidates for the throne. However, the French authorities ultimately selected his 19 year old nephew Norodom Sihanouk
as king, though Norindeth was made a member of the Council of Regency.
In 1946 Norindeth formed the Liberal Party, initially known as the Constitutionalist Party. It was the first to be created in the country's history. The Liberals were broadly pro-French and advocated a gradual approach to self-rule, maintaining strong French links: Norindeth hoped to gain the guaranteed support of the elite, anticommunists, and the country's Cham minority. Unlike their main rivals, the radical and pro-independence Democratic Party
of Ieu Koeus
and Prince Sisowath Yuthevong, the Liberals were heavily funded by the French, who backed them covertly as a way of maintaining their influence. Norindeth organised Party meetings at his home, though these served to convince some observers that the Prince "had no idea of politics".
The Democratic Party had initial electoral success and was for several years the most popular in the country. In 1950 its leader Ieu Koeus was assassinated, blame being pointed at a member of Norindeth's entourage. Norindeth fled to Paris
as a result of being linked with the assassin. The Liberal Party, however, were to gain a temporary ascendancy in the Assembly as a result of the Democrats' disorganisation.
Norindeth returned to Cambodia in 1951 and was to leave the Liberal Party and join Sihanouk's Sangkum
political movement after its formation in 1955. Later that year he became the first permanent Cambodian delegate to UNESCO
. During the 1960s, he was successively appointed the Ambassador to Yugoslavia
(1961-63) and Burma (1964-67).
Norindeth was one of the many members of the Cambodian royal family who were killed subsequent to the Khmer Rouge
takeover in April 1975.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Active as a politician and diplomat during the 1940s, 50s and 60s, he is notable mainly for founding the Cambodian Liberal Party (Kanaq Sereipheap), the first Cambodian political party.
Biography
Norindeth was a grandson of Norodom of CambodiaNorodom of Cambodia
Norodom I ruled as king of Cambodia from 1860 to 1904. He was the eldest son of King Ang Duong, who ruled on behalf of Siam, and half-brother of Prince Si Votha as well as the half-brother of King Sisowath. Norodom is cognate with Narottam in Sanskrit which means Best of men . Norodom was...
and was educated at the University of Paris
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...
. Under the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-imposed Cambodian constitution, any member of the Norodom or Sisowath descendents of King Ang Duong
Ang Duong
Ang Duong was king of Cambodia.Ang Duong was younger son of king Ang Eng, who 1779-1797 was ruler of Cambodia at the then capital Oudong, by one of his Thai consorts, Ros, 'queen Vara' , whom he had taken as concubine in 1793 from Bangkok.He is regarded as the Great-King of Cambodia who...
could be chosen as the country's king, and after the 1941 death of Sisowath Monivong
Sisowath Monivong
Sisowath Monivong was the king of Cambodia from 1927 until his death in 1941.Sisowath Monivong was the second son of King Sisowath. He was born in Phnom Penh in 1875. During this time, his uncle, King Norodom was ruling from Odong, the capital at that time, as a puppet king for the French...
, Norindeth, along with Sisowath Monireth
Sisowath Monireth
Prince Monireth Sisowath was Prime Minister of Cambodia, during the French Protectorate Period, from October 17, 1945 to December 15, 1946. One of the most prominent members of the Sisowath line of the royal family at the time, he had earlier been passed over for the throne by the French...
and Norodom Suramarit
Norodom Suramarit
Norodom Suramarit was King of Cambodia from 1955 until his death. He is the father of King Norodom Sihanouk and the grandfather of Cambodia's current king, Norodom Sihamoni...
, was one of several main candidates for the throne. However, the French authorities ultimately selected his 19 year old nephew Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk regular script was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni...
as king, though Norindeth was made a member of the Council of Regency.
In 1946 Norindeth formed the Liberal Party, initially known as the Constitutionalist Party. It was the first to be created in the country's history. The Liberals were broadly pro-French and advocated a gradual approach to self-rule, maintaining strong French links: Norindeth hoped to gain the guaranteed support of the elite, anticommunists, and the country's Cham minority. Unlike their main rivals, the radical and pro-independence Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Cambodia)
The Cambodian Democratic Party was a left-leaning, pro-independence political party formed in 1946 by Prince Sisowath Yuthevong, who had previously been a member of the French Section of the Workers' International....
of Ieu Koeus
Ieu Koeus
Ieu Koeus served as Prime Minister of Cambodia for nine days in September 1949.Considered an intellectual, he was instrumental in the formation of the Cambodian Democratic Party in April 1946, created a self-declared government on September 20, 1949, was replaced by Yem Sambaur on September...
and Prince Sisowath Yuthevong, the Liberals were heavily funded by the French, who backed them covertly as a way of maintaining their influence. Norindeth organised Party meetings at his home, though these served to convince some observers that the Prince "had no idea of politics".
The Democratic Party had initial electoral success and was for several years the most popular in the country. In 1950 its leader Ieu Koeus was assassinated, blame being pointed at a member of Norindeth's entourage. Norindeth fled to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as a result of being linked with the assassin. The Liberal Party, however, were to gain a temporary ascendancy in the Assembly as a result of the Democrats' disorganisation.
Norindeth returned to Cambodia in 1951 and was to leave the Liberal Party and join Sihanouk's Sangkum
Sangkum
The Sangkum Reastr Niyum , commonly known simply as the Sangkum, was a political organisation set up in 1955 by Prince Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia...
political movement after its formation in 1955. Later that year he became the first permanent Cambodian delegate to UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
. During the 1960s, he was successively appointed the Ambassador to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
(1961-63) and Burma (1964-67).
Norindeth was one of the many members of the Cambodian royal family who were killed subsequent to the 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...
takeover in April 1975.