Norodom Naradipo

Prince Norodom Naradipo (also spelled Noreakthipo;[1] Khmer: នរោត្តម នរៈទីប៉ោ, Chinese: 诺罗敦·纳拉迪波, 10 February 1946 – c. 1976) was a Cambodian prince. He was born to King Norodom Sihanouk and Princess Sisowath Monikessan.

Norodom Naradipo
នរោត្តម នរៈទីប៉ោ
Born(1946-02-10)10 February 1946
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Died1976? (aged 30)
Cambodia
HouseHouse of Norodom
FatherNorodom Sihanouk
MotherSisowath Monikessan

Biography

Naradipo's mother died of post-natal complications shortly after his birth. He was brought up by Princess Sisowath Pongsanmoni. Educated in Phnom Penh and later in Beijing.[1]

Naradipo was sent to a school in Beijing, China together with his two half-brothers Yuvaneath and Khemanourak under the personal supervision of Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1960.[2][1] Naradipo entered Dengshikou Middle School (灯市口中学,[2] now merged into Beijing No. 25 Middle School) in 1962.[3] Later, he attended senior high school (gao zhong) in Affiliated High School of Peking University.[2][4] Naradipo was designated as Sihanouk's heir on 17 November 1963.[1] After graduation in 1965, he studied Chinese language and literature in Peking University,[2] In the next year, the Culture Revolution broke out. Guo Luoji, a teacher of Peking University, described that the prince shared Maoist views, which was unacceptable for Cambodian royalty. In 1967, Naradipo had to leave China without a degree. He headed for France to accomplish his study, however, May 1968 events in France caused him to have to return to Cambodia.[2]

Upon his return to Cambodia, Naradipo, with his fluency in Chinese, became the editor of the government's Chinese newspaper.[1] As a Communist, Naradipo acquired a nickname: People's Prince.[2] Sihanouk was ousted as head of state in 1970. Naradipo was arrested and sentenced to five years imprisonment for alleged involvement in terrorist attacks, by a special military tribunal of Lon Nol regime on 17 July 1971.[5] He was released in May 1973. In the same year, he left for exile in China.[1]

Disappearance

Naradipo returned to Cambodia with his father in late 1975.[1] He disappeared mysteriously in 1976. During the Khmer Rouge years, Sihanouk's five children disappeared, including Prince Norodom Naradipo, Princess Norodom Sorya Roeungsi, Prince Norodom Khemanourak, Princess Norodom Botum Bopha and Princess Norodom Sujata. Sihanouk wrote several letters to the Khmer Rouge leadership asking them to allow his children to come and visit him, he never received an answer.[1] All of them were declared dead in absentia. On 7 June 1994, Naradipo was granted the Cambodian royal title of Samdech Krom Khun posthumously. However, there were rumors that he was still alive. Several people claimed to be the missing prince,[6] all of whom were confirmed impostors. On 12 February 2010, Sihanouk reasserted that Naradipo and Khemanourak were killed by the Khmer Rouge.[7]

See also

References
  1. "A journey to study in China". The Phnom Penh Post. 29 October 1999.
  2. "郭罗基：我有两个高贵的学生" (in Chinese).
  3. "柬埔寨王子曾在这里就读". 凤凰网. 10 January 2013.
  4. "北大附中50年校庆首发毕业戒指" (in Chinese). Tencent. 6 October 2010.
  5. "Sons of Sihanouk Acquitted Of Charges of Terrorism". The New York Times. 18 July 1971.
  6. "A missing prince who would be king". The Phnom Penh Post. 29 October 1999.
  7. "Sihanouk Says Impostor Claims To Be Late Son". The Cambodian Daily. 12 February 2010.
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