Sichan Siv

Last updated
Official portrait, circa 2001 Sichan Siv official portrait.jpg
Official portrait, circa 2001

Sichan Siv (pronunciation: See-Chaan Siv) was the United States ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council from 2001 to 2006. From 1989 to 1993, Ambassador Siv served at The White House as deputy assistant to President George H. W. Bush and at the State Department as deputy assistant secretary. He has also held various positions in the private sector and has written two books.

Contents

Biography

Siv was born in Pochentong, Cambodia, in 1948. [1] His entire family - 15 total, including his mother - were killed during Pol Pot's reign of terror. [2] He arrived in the United States in 1976, and enrolled in the Master of International Affairs Program at Columbia University with a full scholarship. [3] He became a US citizen in 1982. He was a volunteer in George H. W. Bush's 1988 presidential campaign and was appointed as his deputy assistant in 1989. He was the first American of Asian Ancestry to hold that position. [4] He later attended the U.S. Army War College. In 2001, Siv was unanimously confirmed by the Senate and appointed by President George W. Bush as the United States ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, a position he held until 2006. [1] In 2006, he moved to Texas. [5] In 2021, Siv endowed a scholarship at the University of Texas at Austin for undergraduate students. [6]

Awards

He is the recipient of the George H.W. Bush Award for Outstanding Public Service, DAR Americanism Medal, U.S. Army Commander’s Award, and Brazilian Academy of Art, Culture and History Honors. He has been a volunteer in the Civil Air Patrol and an honorary commander of the U.S. Air Force. He was conferred an Honorary Doctoral Degree in Public Service from The University of Cambodia in 2011. [7]

Literary works

Siv has authored two books: Golden Bones: An Extraordinary Journey from Hell in Cambodia to a New Life in America (2009) and Golden State, Love and Conflict in Hostile Lands (2014).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Schieffer</span> American diplomat and entrepreneur (born 1947)

John Thomas Schieffer is an American diplomat and entrepreneur who served as U.S. Ambassador to Australia from 2001 to 2005 and as U.S. Ambassador to Japan from 2005 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert S. Strauss</span> American diplomat (1918–2014)

Robert Schwarz Strauss was an influential figure in American politics, diplomacy, and law whose service dated back to future President Lyndon Johnson's first congressional campaign in 1937. By the 1950s, he was associated in Texas politics with the faction of the Democratic Party that was led by Johnson and John Connally. He served as the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee between 1972 and 1977 and served under President Jimmy Carter as the U.S. Trade Representative and special envoy to the Middle East. He later served as the Ambassador to Russia under President George H.W. Bush. Strauss also served as the last United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Gates</span> 22nd United States Secretary of Defense (2006–2011)

Robert Michael Gates is an American intelligence analyst and university president who served as the 22nd United States secretary of defense from 2006 to 2011. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and was retained by President Barack Obama. Gates began his career serving as an officer in the United States Air Force but was quickly recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Gates served for twenty-six years in the CIA and at the National Security Council, and was director of central intelligence under President George H. W. Bush from 1991 to 1993. After leaving the CIA, Gates became president of Texas A&M University and was a member of several corporate boards. Gates served as a member of the Iraq Study Group, the bipartisan commission co-chaired by James A. Baker III and Lee H. Hamilton that studied the lessons of the Iraq War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Bartlett</span> American political advisor

Daniel Joseph Bartlett is an American political advisor who served as counselor to the president and communications director in the administration of George W. Bush.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Garza</span> American lawyer (born 1959)

Antonio Oscar "Tony" Garza Jr. is an American lawyer and diplomat who was the United States Ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009 under President George W. Bush. In recognition of his work, Mexico bestowed on him the Águila Azteca, the highest award granted to foreigners, in 2009. Prior to his appointment as ambassador, Garza had served as Secretary of State of Texas from January 1995 to November 1997 and was also chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.

Raymond George Hardenbergh Seitz is a former career diplomat and U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 8, 1940. He is the son of United States Army Major General John F. R. Seitz and Helen (Hardenbergh) Seitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David H. Wilkins</span> American ambassador and politician (born 1946)

David Horton Wilkins is an American attorney and a former United States Ambassador to Canada during the administration of President George W. Bush. Prior to the appointment, he practiced law for 30 years while serving in the South Carolina House of Representatives for 25 of those years. He was speaker of the South Carolina House for 11 years. Wilkins presently chairs the public policy and international law practice department of a South Carolina law firm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kristen Silverberg</span> American diplomat

Kristen Silverberg was the United States Ambassador to the European Union from July 2008 until January 2009. She was nominated by President George W. Bush on April 24, 2008 and confirmed by the United States Senate on June 27, 2008. On July 22, 2008, she presented her credentials. She was succeeded by William Kennard who was nominated by President Barack Obama on August 6, 2009 and confirmed by the United States Senate on November 20, 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Roussel</span> American diplomat (1941–2022)

Peter Roussel was an American press secretary and public relations executive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry E. Catto Jr.</span> American diplomat

Henry Edward Catto Jr. was an American businessman and public servant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Sutton</span> American lawyer

Johnny Sutton is an American attorney who served as United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas from 2001 until 2009, and chaired the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys. Sutton is known for the prosecution of United States Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos. He is currently a partner with the law firm Ashcroft Sutton Reyes, LLC in Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karl Rove</span> American political consultant and policy advisor (born 1950)

Karl Christian Rove is an American Republican political consultant, policy advisor, and lobbyist. He was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff during the George W. Bush administration until his resignation on August 31, 2007. He has also headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. Rove was one of the architects of the Iraq War.

Geoffrey Scott Connor is an American public servant, attorney, historian, and businessman from the state of Texas. Connor has been an aide or appointee of several Republican Governors of Texas, including William P. Clements, Jr., George W. Bush, and Rick Perry. Most notably, Connor served as the 104th Secretary of State of Texas under Governor Perry. Connor's tenure in this position was especially noteworthy for his efforts to build strong diplomatic and trade relationships between Texas and foreign countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee A. Feinstein</span>

Lee Andrew Feinstein is an American policy-scholar, and former diplomat and senior official at the US Departments of State and Defense. Feinstein held senior positions on leading Democratic presidential campaigns in 2008. He served as the United States Ambassador to Poland from 2009 to 2012, appointed by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. Feinstein is currently the inaugural dean at Indiana University's Lee H. Hamilton and Richard G. Lugar School of Global and International Studies. His nonpartisan scholarship has been recognized by leading Republicans and Democrats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard H. Solomon</span> American diplomat (1937–2017)

Richard Harvey Solomon was an American diplomat and academic who served as Director of Policy Planning from 1986 to 1989, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from 1989 to 1992, and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines from 1992 to 1993. In September 1993, he became president of the United States Institute of Peace, a position he held until September 2012. He subsequently joined the RAND Corporation as a Senior Fellow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin J. Silverstein</span> American lawyer

Martin J. Silverstein is an American attorney and diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Uruguay under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles A. Ray</span> American diplomat

Charles Aaron Ray is an American former diplomat who acted as the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe between 2009 and 2012. He is a former Foreign Service Officer and career member of the Senior Foreign Service who held the position of U.S. Ambassador twice, and retired with the rank of Minister-Counselor. He is also a retired U.S. Army officer who was decorated twice for his actions in combat during the Vietnam War, and later served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs.

Deborah Tucker is an American activist and executive who founded the first shelter in the United States for victims of domestic violence and their children. In 2014, she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cynthia Shepard Perry</span> American diplomat

Cynthia Helena Shepard Perry is an American educator and diplomat. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Burundi and as American Executive Director of the African Development Bank. Throughout her career Perry promoted racial and gender equality, international cooperation, and African economic development.

References

  1. 1 2 Ha, Quan Manh (2009). "Interview with Sichan Siv" (PDF). Southeast Review of Asian Studies. p. 207. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  2. Luce, Jim (18 March 2010). "Only in America: Ambassador Sichan Siv - From the Killing Fields to the White House". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  3. "FROM REFUGEE TO UN AMBASSADOR: SICHAN SIV'S AMERICAN JOURNEY". Columbia SIPA: School of International and Public Affairs. October 8, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  4. Shea, Mike (2008-07-01). "Sichan Siv Interview". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  5. Shea, Mike (2008-07-01). "Sichan Siv Interview". Texas Monthly. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  6. "Martha Pattillo Siv and Ambassador Sichan Siv Endowed Scholarship | UT iSchool | The University of Texas at Austin". www.ischool.utexas.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  7. "The University of Cambodia Honorary Doctorates" (PDF). The University of Cambodia. Retrieved 4 May 2018.