Tep Vong

Tep Vong (Khmer: ទេព វង្ស; b. 1932) is a Cambodian Buddhist monk, currently the Great Supreme Patriarch of Cambodia. He was the youngest of seven senior monks re-ordained under Vietnamese supervision in 1979 in order to provide a core leadership group for the re-establishment of the Cambodian sangha, which had been nearly destroyed by the Khmer Rouge.

In 1979, Tep Vong gave evidence at the trial in absentia of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot, testifying that Pol Pot had personally executed 57 monks, including several family members. He also claimed to have personally been sentenced to four years labor by the Khmer Rouge. Following the trial, we was elected President of the Unified Cambodian Buddhist Sangha.

While President of the Unified Sangha, Tep Vong put forth the argument that certain forms of political violence could be condoned by Buddhism.

In 1981, Tep Vong was appointed the sangharaja of a unified Cambodian Sangha, temporarily dissolving the division between the Dhammayuttika and Mahanikaya orders that had existed since 1855. He remained the sole official sangharaja of Cambodia until 1991, when Venerable Bour Kry was appointed sangharaja of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya by King Sihanouk.

Venerable Tep Vong has been previously criticized by younger members of the sangha for his ties to the government of Vietnam, and with members of the CPP (Cambodian People's Party) government. He has come into conflict with younger members of the sangha who have voiced opposition to government policies and corruption, on one occasion calling publicly for the arrest of the organizers of an anti-government protest.

In 2006, Tep Vong was elevated to the title of Samdech Preah Agga Mahā Sangharājādhipati (Khmer: សម្តេច ព្រះ អគ្គមហាសង្ឃរាជាធិបតី), or Great Supreme Patriarch. He is the first monk in over 150 years to receive this title.