Norodom Chakrapong
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Prince Samdech Preah Mohessara Norodom Chakrapong (aka Naradhama Chakrabangsa) is a son of HM King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. Following years of guerilla fighting where he earned respect amongst the Sihanoukist resistance, he became a key figure in Cambodian politics in 1991. He is recknowned for taking strong and independent stances, therefore often being kept away from official positions by the Cambodian government.
[edit] Biography
Born October 21, 1945, in the Khemerin palace, he was educated in France, at the staff education institute of the Yugoslavian Airforce and in a few other military academies. During the 1960s, he served as a pilot in the Cambodian airforce.
Prince Chakrapong started his career as a pilot in the Royal Cambodian Army, after having been trained by the French. After Lon Nol's coup d'État in March 1970, he was maintained under house-arrest then incarcerated in early 1973. In November 1973, he was allowed to go into exile in China along with Queen SISOWATH Kossamak Nearirath. From the end of 1973 to 1975, he lived into exile in China, along with his father whom he served as Chief of Protocol. After 1975, he relocated to France until the early 1980s when he joined his father's resistance movement against the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia. Within NORODOM Sihanouk's FUNCINPEC, he then rose to the rank of deputy Chief of Staff of the Sihanoukist Army and spent most of the eighties in the jungle.
Following the Paris Peace Agreements in 1991 and the return of NORODOM Sihanouk to Cambodia, he left FUNCINPEC to become Deputy Prime Minister of the State of Cambodia and a member of Prime Minister Hun Sen's CPP central committee. He was responsible for establishing Kampuchea Airways a state airline company.
After the 1993 UN-sponsored general election, he led a secession movement with several CPP-members to force a coalition government but had to flee to Vietnam after Hun Sen negotiated with FUNCINPEC. He however claimed that the secession helped prevent the country falling back into civil war. He was later allowed to return to Cambodia. Subsequently, he was elevated to the rank of four star General in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. In 1994, he was also bestowed the tile of "Sdech Krom Khun" (Great Prince) by King Sihanouk.
In July 1994, he was exiled after having been accused of attempting a coup d'État along with other CPP members Gen. Sin Song and Gen. Sin Sen. Prince Chakrapong has always claimed his innocence. He first he went to Malaysia, then settled in France again.
In 1999, he was granted pardon by the King with Prime Minister Hun Sen's agreement and returned to Cambodia where he founded his own airline company: Royal Phnom Penh Airways which would operate until late 2005. Later on he also created the Norodom Chakrapong Proloeng Khmer Party. This party integrated the FUNCINPEC Party after failing to win seats in the 2003 election. In 2006, he was elected a Senator and then briefly held the post of Secretary General of FUNCINPEC which was already starting to split in different factions.
After his half-brother, Prince NORODOM Ranariddh, was eventually evicted from FUNCINPEC's presidency in October 2006, Prince NORODOM Chakrapong helped him create the NORODOM Ranariddh Party of which he became Vice-President. FUNCINPEC consequentely removed him from his position of Senator.
In early 2007, Prince Chakrapong resigned from his position and retired from politics.
He is currently a High Privy Counsellor to the King whom he has proposed to assist in humanitarian activities. Since 31 August 2004, Prince NORODOM Chakrapong is bearing the title of "Samdech Preah Mohessara", bestowed by then King Sihanouk.
[edit] Wives and children
As far as known, he has thirteen children and seven wives. Their names are:
- Hun Soeun (Anak Munang Soeun), born August 1, 1943, member of the Hun family. She was a ballet dancer at the royal ballet of Cambodia. Date of marriage: unknown. Date of divorce: unknown.
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Buddhapong
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Amarithivong
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Naravong (Naradhama Nara Varman), born on August 1, 1970
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Narithipong
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Ravichak (Naradhama Ravi Chakra), born on January 1, 1974
- Kethy Tioulong (Anak Munang Kethy), born on August 5, 1951. Date of marriage: November 18, 1965 in the Khemerin Palace in Phnom Penh. Date of divorce: unknown. She was the daughter of general Nhiek Tioulong.
- princess (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Nanda Dévi
- Duong Diyath (Anak Munang Diyathi), born on April 5, 1948. Date of marriage: November 10, 1967 in the Khemerin Palace in Phnom Penh. She was a daughter of Duaong.
- princess (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Vimalea (Naradhama Vimala), born on January 28, 1968
- princess (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Bophary (Naradhama Puspari), born on January 15, 1971
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Ithipong (Naradhama Indrabangsa), born on December 15, 1972
- Duong Yany (Anak Munang Yani), born on February 4, 1953. She married Norodom Chakrapong in 1974 in Peking, China. She was a daughter of Duong. Date of divorce: unknown.
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Rindra (Naradhama Narindra), born on January 12, 1975
- Dounchan Charuvan (Anak Munang Yaruvani), born on April 11, 1956. She was a daughter of Duongchan.
- prince (Anak Anga Machas) Norodom Charurak (Naradhama Charuraksha), born in 1985
- Monirem (Anak Munang Munirimi)
- Kachanipha
[edit] References
- This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Dutch-language Wikipedia.
