Pen Sovann (Khmer:ប៉ែន សុវណ្ណ; 15 April 1936 – 29 October 2016) was aCambodian politician and revolutionary who served as thePrime Minister of theHanoi-backedPeople's Republic of Cambodia from 27 June 1979 to 5 December 1981. He also served as General Secretary of theCambodia People's Revolutionary Party (CPRP) from 1979 to 1981. He was arrested and removed from office in December 1981 by the Vietnamese for irritatingLê Đức Thọ, the chief adviser to the PRK government. He was imprisoned in Vietnam until January 1992.
Sovann founded theCambodia National Sustaining Party, which contested in the1998 election but did not win a seat in parliament. He later joined theHuman Rights Party founded in 2007 and served as its vice president. In 2012, he became a member of the newly foundedCambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and stood as an MP candidate for Kampong Speu. He was elected and was sworn in on 5 August 2014, serving until his death in October 2016.
Pen Sovann was born in Chan Teab Village,Samraong Commune,Tram Kak District,Takéo province.[1] He first joined theKhmer Issarak at the age of 13 in 1950 and fought against the French. Two years later, Sovann joined theIndochinese Communist Party where he first metTa Mok. Sovann supported theKhmer Rouge during the 1970-1973 civil war against theKhmer Republic and he worked along withChan Sy underKhieu Thirith, in charge of theVoice of the United National Front of Kampuchea. From 1973 to 1979, Sovann lived in exile inHanoi.[2]
Sovann was a founding leader ofKampuchean United Front for National Salvation (KUFNS or FUNSK) on 25 November 1978. He served as Secretary-General of theKampuchean People's Revolutionary Party from 5 January 1979[3] to 1 December 1981, when he was replaced byHeng Samrin following his removal from office by the Vietnamese.
Sovann was arrested on 2 December 1981 for irritatingLê Đức Thọ, chiefVietnamese advisor to the Kampuchean United Front for National Salvation (FUNSK) and the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). He was released from Vietnam's prison on 25 January 1992, after he served over 10 years. Sovann explained his long ordeal in prison: "When I wanted to create our own army of five regiments, the Vietnamese didn't agree and Lê Đức Thọ went to theUSSR to complain."[4] Sovann died in Doun Kaev,Takéo Province on 29 October 2016.[5][6] He was cremated inPhnom Penh on 6 November 2016.[7] On 10 November, Suon Rida was appointed to fill Sovann's vacant seat.[8]
លោក ប៉ែន សុវណ្ណ បានទទួលមរណភាពនៅម៉ោង ៧ និង ១៧នាទី យប់ថ្ងៃសៅរ៍ ទី២៩ តុលា ដោយរោគាពាធ ក្នុងជន្មាយុ ៨០ឆ្នាំ នាគេហដ្ឋានរបស់លោកនៅភូមិស្នោ សង្កាត់រកាក្នុង ក្រុងដូនកែវ ខេត្តតាកែវ [Pen Sovan passed away at 7:17pm Saturday 29 October of natural causes at the age of 80 at his home in Snor Village, Rorka Knong Commune, Doun Kaev City, Takéo Province.]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Cambodia 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by None | First Secretary of theKampuchean People's Revolutionary Party 1979–1981 | Succeeded by Himself General Secretary |
| Preceded by Himself First Secretary | General Secretary of theKampuchean People's Revolutionary Party 1981 | Succeeded by |
| Kingdom of Kampuchea (1945) | |
|---|---|
| French Protectorate (1945–1953) | |
| Kingdom of Cambodia (1953–1970) | |
| Khmer Republic (1970–1975) | |
| Democratic Kampuchea (1975–1979) | |
| People's Republic of Kampuchea andState of Cambodia (1979–1993) | |
| Kingdom of Cambodia (1993–present) | |
| |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
