United Issarak Front
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United Issarak Front
Samakhum Khmer Issarak |
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|---|---|
 The flag of the UIF, later adopted by the People's Republic of Kampuchea. |
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| President | Son Ngoc Minh |
| Vice-President | Chan Samay |
| Vice-President | Tou Samouth |
| Founded | 1950 |
| Dissolved | 1954 |
| Headquarters | Eastern Cambodia |
| Newspaper | Issarak |
| Ideology |
Communism, Marxism-Leninism, Khmer nationalism |
The United Issarak Front (in Khmer: Samakhum Khmer Issarak, lit. 'Khmer 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 time of the Geneva Peace Conference in 1954, it is estimated that UIF controlled about half of the Cambodian territory.
The founding conference of UIF was held in Kompong Som Loeu, Kampot province April 17–April 19, 1950. Around 200 delegates assisted the conference, out of whom 105 were Buddhist monks. Ung Sao, a Viet Minh general assisted the conference. At the conference venue Khmer, Vietnamese and Laotian flags were displayed.
The conference elected a National Central Executive committee headed by Son Ngoc Minh. Other committee members were Chan Samay (deputy), Sieu Heng (secretary), Chan Dara (military commander), Meas Vong (military commander), Meas Vannak (military commander), Chau Yin (military commander), Nhem Sun (military commander), Sok Saphai (military commander), Ngin Hor (military commander), Keo Moni, Ney Sarann, a Phnom Penh representative (possibly Keo Meas) and two representative of expatriate Khmers. The latter are believed to have been the Khmer Krom representatives Meas Vong and Meas Vannak. It is estimated at five of the committee members were affiliated with the Indochinese Communist Party.
The founding conference of the UIF decided to launch a revolutionary proto-government, the People's Liberation Central Committee. The PLCC was led by Son Ngoc Minh. Assisting him the PLCC had three vice-presidents; Chan Samay, Sieu Heng (the PLCC defence minister) and Tou Samouth (all three ICP cadres). Son Phouc Rattana, became the administrative secretary of PLCC. Non Suon was the sixth member of the PLCC leadership.
On June 19, 1950, Son Ngoc Minh declared Cambodia independent. At the same time, he claimed that the UIF armed forces controlled a third of the country.
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