Keo Meas
Encyclopedia
Keo Meas was a Cambodia
n communist politician. Keo Meas, then a fourth-year student at the Phnom Penh Teachers Training College was recruited to the Indochinese Communist Party
by Son Sichan in 1946. In 1950, he became a leading figure within the United Issarak Front
. At the same time he was a leading figure in the Phnom Penh
city unit of the ICP.
Keo Meas was involved in the reorganization of the city party unit, after it had been broken up by arrests in July 1952. In December the same year, he represented the UIF at the People's Peace Conference in Vienna
.
When the Cambodian parts of the ICP were converted to the Khmer People's Revolutionary Party
in 1954, Keo Meas became the leader of the Phnom Penh unit of the new party. After the cessation of hostilities in the same year, Keo Meas was one of the representatives of the UIF in the Viet Minh
side of the Joint Commission for the Implementation of the Geneva Accords.
As the KPRP was an underground party, Keo Meas, Non Suon and Penn Yuth were assigned to form a legal front of the party. In late 1954 they attempted to register the 'Khmer Resistance Party', but their registration was rejected. In early 1955, they were able to register themselves as Krom Pracheachon
('People's Group').
In May 1956, Keo Meas, along with Non Suon and Nop Bophann
, restarted Pracheachon as a weekly newspaper.
As the KPRP went through a period of crisis, Tou Samouth
formed a reorganized a 4-member party leadership (labelled the 'urban committee'). It is believed that Keo Meas was part of this committee, although there are also reports that Saloth Sar (Pol Pot) would have been the fourth member of the committee instead.
At the time of the March 1958 parliamentary election, the Krom Pracheachon only dared to put up five candidates. Keo Meas stood in a Phnom Penh constituency. However, due to the harsh political climate only Keo Meas was the only Krom Pracheachon candidate able to run any campaign work at all. Official results gave Keo Meas 396 votes. Soon after the election, Keo Meas went underground and left the city. The secretaryship of the Phnom Penh party unit was passed on to Saloth Sar.
In 1960, as the KPRP held its second congress, Keo Meas was included into the party Central Committee
. At the same congress, the name of the party was changed to 'Workers Party of Kampuchea'. However, at the party congress in 1963, Keo Meas was excluded from the Central Committee.
Keo Meas travelled to Hanoi
in the second half of 1968, to seek support from the exiled communist leadership for the ongoing struggle of the party in Cambodia. He met with veteran leader Son Ngoc Minh
and with Vietnamese officials, but was unable to sway them over to support armed revolt against the Sihanouk regime, whom the Vietnamese considered as a lesser evil. It is also believed that Keo Meas accompanied Pol Pot on his visit to Hanoi and Beijing
in 1969. Keo Meas was in Hanoi at the time of Pol Pot's return to Cambodia, and it had been Keo Meas who had organized Pol Pot journey back. Keo Meas stayed in Hanoi for some time.
Keo Meas became the ambassador of the Royal Governmental of National Unity of Kampuchea to the People's Republic of China
. By March 1972, he lost this position, and shifted to Hanoi. In Hanoi, he worked under direction of Ieng Thirith
.
Keo Meas returned to Cambodia in May 1975 to begin working at the office of the party Central Committee. He was however put in house arrest, suspected of being pro-Vietnamese. On September 25, 1975, he was arrested. He was taken to S-21, where he died in captivity.
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n communist politician. Keo Meas, then a fourth-year student at the Phnom Penh Teachers Training College was recruited to the Indochinese Communist Party
Indochinese Communist Party
The Indochinese Communist Party was a political party which was transformed from old Vietnamese Communist Party in October 1930...
by Son Sichan in 1946. In 1950, he became a leading figure within the United Issarak Front
United Issarak Front
The United Issarak Front was a Cambodian anti-colonial movement 1950–1954., organized by the left-wing members of the Khmer Issarak movement. The UIF coordinated the efforts of the movement as of 1950, and waged war against the French Union forces...
. At the same time he was a leading figure in the 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,...
city unit of the ICP.
Keo Meas was involved in the reorganization of the city party unit, after it had been broken up by arrests in July 1952. In December the same year, he represented the UIF at the People's Peace Conference in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
When the Cambodian parts of the ICP were converted to the Khmer People's Revolutionary Party
Communist Party of Kampuchea
The Communist Party of Kampuchea, also known as Khmer Communist Party , was a communist party in Cambodia. Its followers were generally known as Khmer Rouge .-Foundation of the party; first divisions:...
in 1954, Keo Meas became the leader of the Phnom Penh unit of the new party. After the cessation of hostilities in the same year, Keo Meas was one of the representatives of the UIF in the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
side of the Joint Commission for the Implementation of the Geneva Accords.
As the KPRP was an underground party, Keo Meas, Non Suon and Penn Yuth were assigned to form a legal front of the party. In late 1954 they attempted to register the 'Khmer Resistance Party', but their registration was rejected. In early 1955, they were able to register themselves as Krom Pracheachon
Pracheachon
The Krom Pracheachon , often referred to simply as Pracheachon, was a Cambodian political party that contested in parliamentary elections in 1955, 1958 and 1972....
('People's Group').
In May 1956, Keo Meas, along with Non Suon and Nop Bophann
Nop Bophann
Nop Bophann was a Cambodian newspaper editor. He had been one of the representatives of the United Issarak Front in the Viet Minh side of the Joint Commission for the Implementation of the Geneva Accords. In May 1956, Nop Bophann, along with Non Suon and Keo Meas, restarted Pracheachon as a weekly...
, restarted Pracheachon as a weekly newspaper.
As the KPRP went through a period of crisis, Tou Samouth
Tou Samouth
Tou Samouth , also known as Achar Sok, was a Cambodian Communist politician. One of the founder members of the Party in Cambodia, and head of its more moderate faction, he is mainly remembered for mentoring Saloth Sar, the man who later became Pol Pot.-Career in the Khmer resistance:Samouth, one of...
formed a reorganized a 4-member party leadership (labelled the 'urban committee'). It is believed that Keo Meas was part of this committee, although there are also reports that Saloth Sar (Pol Pot) would have been the fourth member of the committee instead.
At the time of the March 1958 parliamentary election, the Krom Pracheachon only dared to put up five candidates. Keo Meas stood in a Phnom Penh constituency. However, due to the harsh political climate only Keo Meas was the only Krom Pracheachon candidate able to run any campaign work at all. Official results gave Keo Meas 396 votes. Soon after the election, Keo Meas went underground and left the city. The secretaryship of the Phnom Penh party unit was passed on to Saloth Sar.
In 1960, as the KPRP held its second congress, Keo Meas was included into the party Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
. At the same congress, the name of the party was changed to 'Workers Party of Kampuchea'. However, at the party congress in 1963, Keo Meas was excluded from the Central Committee.
Keo Meas travelled to Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
in the second half of 1968, to seek support from the exiled communist leadership for the ongoing struggle of the party in Cambodia. He met with veteran leader Son Ngoc Minh
Son Ngoc Minh
Son Ngoc Minh , also known as Achar Mean, was a Cambodian communist politician whose first notable career achievement was in 1950 when he was appointed the head of provisional revolutionary government of the United Issarak Front organized at Hongdan...
and with Vietnamese officials, but was unable to sway them over to support armed revolt against the Sihanouk regime, whom the Vietnamese considered as a lesser evil. It is also believed that Keo Meas accompanied Pol Pot on his visit to Hanoi and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1969. Keo Meas was in Hanoi at the time of Pol Pot's return to Cambodia, and it had been Keo Meas who had organized Pol Pot journey back. Keo Meas stayed in Hanoi for some time.
Keo Meas became the ambassador of the Royal Governmental of National Unity of Kampuchea to the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. By March 1972, he lost this position, and shifted to Hanoi. In Hanoi, he worked under direction of Ieng Thirith
Ieng Thirith
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...
.
Keo Meas returned to Cambodia in May 1975 to begin working at the office of the party Central Committee. He was however put in house arrest, suspected of being pro-Vietnamese. On September 25, 1975, he was arrested. He was taken to S-21, where he died in captivity.