Norodom Sihanouk

Cambodian royal politician. He ascended to the throne in 1941. He declared independence under Japanese occupation in 1945, achieved independence within the French Union in 1949, and achieved complete independence in 1953. In 1955, he handed over the throne to his father, Norodom Suramarit (1896-1960), and formed the People's Socialist Community, establishing a de facto one-party system. After his father's death in 1960, he became head of state, promoting "Buddhist socialism" domestically and a non-aligned policy externally. In March 1970, while traveling abroad, he was ousted in a coup by right-wing forces including Prime Minister Lon Nol (1913-1985). In May of the same year, he established the Cambodian National Union Government in exile in Beijing, including the left-wing "Khmer Rouge," and came to cooperate with Indochina liberation forces such as the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam and the Lao Patriotic Front. After the liberation of Phnom Penh in April 1975, he returned to Cambodia in September. In April 1976, as the dictatorship of the Khmer Rouge strengthened, he resigned as head of state and was practically imprisoned. In January 1979, he escaped to Beijing just before the Vietnamese army took control of Phnom Penh, and launched an anti-Vietnam campaign based in China and North Korea. On July 11, 1982, with the support of ASEAN countries and China, he established the Democratic Kampuchea Coalition Government by three anti-Vietnam factions, including the Khmer Rouge, and became president. Although he was the smallest military force among the three anti-Vietnam factions, his charismatic popularity as a royal leader was strong. However, due to health reasons, he spent longer periods in Pyongyang and Beijing. In 1993, he became king under a constitutional monarchy. In a coup in July 1997, his son, former First Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh (1944-2021), was ousted. He had 14 children with six queens, but seven died and three were exiled (escaped), raising concerns about the survival of the monarchy. In 2004, he abdicated, handing the throne to his son, Norodom Sihamoni.

[Yoneji Kuroyanagi]

"Sihanouk's Memoirs: War... and Hope" (translated by Tomoda Suzu and Aoyama Tamotsu, Chuokoron-Shinsha, 1980) "Sihanouk: The Tragic History of Modern Cambodia" by Milton Osborne, translated by Ogura Sadao (1996, Iwanami Shoten)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

カンボジアの王族政治家。1941年国王に即位。1945年日本占領下で独立宣言、1949年フランス連合内の独立、1953年完全独立を達成。1955年父スラマリットNorodom Suramarit（1896―1960）に王位を譲り、自らは人民社会主義共同体を結成、事実上の一党支配体制を確立した。1960年父王の死去に伴い国家元首に就任、対内的には「仏教社会主義」、対外的には非同盟路線を推進した。1970年3月外遊中にロン・ノルLon Nol（1913―1985）首相ら右派勢力のクーデターで失脚。同年5月亡命先の北京(ペキン)で左派「クメール・ルージュ」を含むカンボジア王国民族連合政府を樹立、南ベトナム解放民族戦線、ラオス愛国戦線などインドシナ解放勢力とも連携するに至る。1975年4月のプノンペン解放をみて9月帰国。1976年4月「クメール・ルージュ」の独裁強化に伴い国家元首を辞し、事実上の幽閉生活に入る。1979年1月ベトナム軍のプノンペン制圧直前に北京へ脱出、中国・北朝鮮を拠点に反ベトナム・キャンペーンを展開した。1982年7月11日ASEAN(アセアン)諸国や中国の後援を得て、「クメール・ルージュ」を含む反ベトナム三派による民主カンボジア連合政府を樹立、大統領に就任。反ベトナム三派のなかでは軍事的には最小の勢力であったが、王族指導者としてのカリスマ的人気は根強かった。しかし、健康上の理由から平壌(ピョンヤン)や北京での滞在期間が長くなった。1993年、立憲君主制のもとで国王に就任。1997年7月の政変で子息のラナリットNorodom Ranariddh（1944―2021）前第一首相が失脚。6人の王妃との間に14人の子供をもうけたが、7人が死去、3人が国外追放（脱出）となり、王政の存続の危機もささやかれた。2004年、国王の座を子息のシハモニNorodom Sihamoniに譲り、退位。

［黒柳米司］

『友田錫・青山保訳『シアヌーク回想録――戦争……そして希望』（1980・中央公論社）』▽『ミルトン・オズボーン著、小倉貞男訳『シハヌーク　悲劇のカンボジア現代史』（1996・岩波書店）』

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