 |
PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY2222 S. Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20008 Tel: (202) 332-6416 Fax: (202) 332-4923 |
|
|
PEACE INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY UNITY PROSPERITY2222 S. Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20008 Tel: (202) 332-6416 Fax: (202) 332-4923 |
|
|
|
|
CONTENTS
PRESIDENT ESTABLISHES NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMITTEE President Khamtay Siphandone recently issued a state decree on the establishment of the National Electoral Committee in preparation for the fifth election to the National Assembly. Presided over by NA President Samane Vignaketh, with Osakanh Thammatheva, Chief of the Central Committee Propaganda and Training Board as its Vice-President, the committee is composed of the following members: Mr. Khambou Sounisay, Vice- President of the National Assembly,
The Ministry of commerce has been given responsibility for the implementation of a new regulatory system to ensure stability in the domestic consumer economy. In mid-October, Prime Minister Bounnhang Vorachith issued a decree to map out regulations on the price control of strategic goods that have a direct impact on production and on people's lives. The decree aims to promote business operations, production and commerce. It will protect consumers by keeping goods at reasonable prices. Goods to be under state control will include some imports, agricultural produce, industrial products, some domestic products, and natural resources for export. According to Article two of the Decree on Goods Price Controls, the management of goods prices is determined by the market mechanisms under state management. Goods price controls will help to monitor the real economic situation by identifying the causes of fluctuations in the monetary system. The decree will involve the implementation of educational, economic, administrative, and legal measures. The decree also points out the rights and obligations of business people in commercial and production areas. Business entrepreneurs must hold accounts (bookkeeping) according to the law, put price labels on items for sale, cooperate with officers in the inspection of goods prices, and be entitled to lodge complaints or file appeals against inspectors and bad practices. The decree also points to the rights and functions of the goods price control authority, which is composed of the Government, the Ministry of Commerce, and relevant services in the provinces, the municipality and the special zone. The Government will produce a management policy and fix the prices of strategic goods in each period and may designate a relevant Ministry or Ministries to adjust the prices. The Ministry of Commerce is to be directly responsible to the government for the control of the prices of consumer goods and raw materials it will list a goods under state control in each period and coordinate with relevant services and agencies to ensure the adequate supply of domestic goods to meet consumer demand. The Ministry will review consumer complaints and oversee the goods management activities of commercial services in the provinces, the municipality, and the special zone. An agency in charge of price controls management will be specifically set up within the framework of the Ministry of Commerce and related services in the provinces, the municipality, and the special zone. Businesses that violate price control regulations, including those involved
in price hiking, hoarding, causing turbulence, and producing counterfeit
goods will have their business operation licenses revoked, and face prosecution
according to the law.
In the 2000-2001 period, authorities of the provinces, municipality, and special zone as well as those of the districts in conjunction with village officials collected data on poverty nationwide in order to plan the elimination of poverty. Even though some districts have not completed their data collection work, it has been revealed that nationwide there are 253,000 poor families, a figure representing 30 percent of all the families in the country. Most of the poor families are in mountainous and remote rural provinces. According to the government's 2000-2001 plan, 45,000 incidents of poverty will be eradicated. In order to alleviate poverty, the government has allocated 939 billion
kip for conducting the program. This figure represents 41.6 percent of
the total fund used for poverty alleviation nationwide. In addition the
government agreed that the provinces could provide their own funds for
development by using their 2000-2001 budgetary surplus as a seed fund.
Laos will be able to sell electricity to Vietnam in 2008 thanks to a new bilateral agreement, stated Ms. Khempheng Pholsena Deputy Chairperson of the State Planning and Cooperation Committee. Her remarks were made at the signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding on the Sekaman 3 Hydropower Project on October 25. According to the agreement the Vietnamese company, Cienco 5 will conduct the survey phase of the project over a 12-month period after which the building operation will be handed over to Lao counterparts. The Lao Government will hold 25 percent of the share in the facility. The Sekaman 3 project is located north of the Sekaman river in Attopeu
province 20 kilometers from the border with Vietnam. Electricity production
will begin in 2008.
DISTRICT MANAGERS TO IMPROVE MALARIA CONTROL TASK Currently, more that 500,000 people at risk of infection have been protected with insecticide treated nets and provided with easier access to malaria diagnosis and treatment facilities, according to the Lao-EU Malaria Control Project. Despite this, many more people do not have access to adequate healthcare facilities and recognizing this, the project is working in cooperation with the Government to improve the ability of district health managers in their malaria control tasks. To do this it assigned the Lao-EU Malaria Control Project to hold a three-week combined training course and planning workshop starting October 25 at the Ministry of Public Health in Vientiane. The training course gave officials a clear understanding of malaria control activities prepared district malaria control program managers in major aspects of training and communications skills, and helped to improve the quality of the service to the pubic. The participants agreed that, this activity was very important for public health work. The Lao-EU Malaria Control Project requires skilled people, who can utilize new technologies to improve their work in district health and remote rural areas. According to the press release the Lao-EU Malaria Control Project is
a 5.8 million Euro project working in partnership with the Ministry of
Public Health to control malaria in 37 targeted districts in Phongsaly,
Sayaboury, Houaphan, Vientiane province, Vientiane municipality, Bolikhamsay
and Khammuan. The project started in 1997 and will end in December 2002.
In the 2000-2002 period, the Saravan District Agriculture and Forestry Service plans to materialize its strategic plans with a focus on the province's priority programs in order to boost socioeconomic development in the district. The first priority is foodstuff production with a focus on rice cultivation on over 8,000 ha for the wet season rice crop with an average yield of four tones per hectare, and over 3,000 ha for the dry-season rice crop with the same yield. The second priority area is the market-oriented production of coffee and cardamom on 400 ha with an expected yield of over 300 tones and the production of other cash crops on over 1,000 ha. Under the third program to end slash-and-burn cultivation, the service will conduct the re-allocation of farming areas for local people to encourage them to abandon their ancestral practice of swidden cultivation and take up fixed rice farming. This program also involves concentrating on the management of land and forest resources, wood consumption, furniture factories and brick kilns in Saravan district. The wood-related business units will, in principle, be committed to reforestation. The fourth program to be launched is the improvement of irrigation systems and water use. Under this program, efforts will be concentrated on the survey and construction of an irrigation facility from the Nam Seseth river to Nakhoisard, the survey of the Houai Pa-ay reservoir, and a 500-million-kip weir project at Leunthonh village with an irrigation capacity of 50 ha. The fifth research-experiment program consists of five-projects comprising
of pilot projects for seed production, seed use, integrated pest control,
fertilization, off-season vegetable cultivation, and fruit tree propagation.
The last, program will focus on human resource development.
The Lao Government has announced it will go ahead with the proposed Savannakhet Special Economic Zone (SEZ) because this province has a suitable location as a crossroads province and the zone will be able to tap into and benefit from border trade as well as domestic trade between north and south. Savannakhet province, located in the middle of the country, is a natural transit zone between Vietnam and Thailand. This province has road No 9 which is the main road for goods transportation and communication and it will have the second Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge soon. The Savannakhet SEZ will make a huge contribution to relieving the nation
of its Least Developed Country status. The decision of the Government,
which will take Savannakhet province into the economic limelight, is a
direct result of the guidelines of the Party and the resolutions of the
Seventh Party Congress in their leadership and management of the national
development strategy. It will make a formidable contribution to the task
of eradicating poverty by 2020, preventing slash-and-burn cultivation by
2010 and stopping opium production by 2005.
Weavers from three provinces of northern Laos had their first exposure to the limelight of contests and the mysteries of marketing at an event held in Samneua. The occasion was the first exhibition contest-sale sponsored by the Lao- Australia Health and Social Development Project and Consortium, in the Lao PDR, two NGOs involved in helping farmers increase their income through inter alia, enhancing the quality and quantity of silk and silk products and extension of sericulture as an income generation. The exhibition was organized in conjunction with the Nikone Handicraft Center in Vientiane and the Industry and Handicraft Service of Huaphan province. Weavers from nine villages in five districts of Huaphan province and five villages in two districts of Phongsaly province under the AusAid funded Australian project, and from six villages in three districts of Huaphan province and six villages in three districts of Xieng Khuang province under the USAID- funded Consortium project participated in the contest. They were from various ethnic groups including Lue, Tai Daeng, Tai Dam, Phuan and Tai Phueng. Ikor and Phunoi weavers from Phongsaly also joined the competition. The main aim of this exhibition and contest is to promote the production
and use of Lao silk and improve further its quality. That is why, there
are two contests: one of best silk twisted and reeled silk, and one of
best textiles. Textiles were divided into two categories: clothes (Lao
sinhs, scarves and shawls) and furnishings (tablecloths, wall hangings
and bed covers) using natural products or using mixed natural and chemical
materials.
Pak-Ou district in Luang Prabang province plans to stop opium plantations and slash-and-burn cultivation among people in its district by the year 2005. Pak-Ou district has more than 3,900 families, most of whom are planting opium and conducting slash-and-burn cultivation. For the year 2001 the authorities of Pak-Ou district eradicated about 118 opium plantations. Families and the local authorities also hope that between 2001 and 2002 a further 296 opium plantations will be gone. According to plan, the authorities will eradicate 311 opium production sites in 2002; a further 271 in 2003 and 2f201 by 2004 before finishing the good work off in the following year. In order to compensate for this loss of income, the local authorities
will allocate 1,405 families to plant crops for market production. A further
1,602 families will engage in livestock production and 47 families will
produce handicrafts. The local authorities of Pak-Ou district expect that
poverty in the district will be severely restricted by the year 2005.
According to Head of the Agriculture and Forestry Service of Khammuan province, rice production in this year's wet season will only amount to 102,600 tons because of the damaged caused by natural disasters including floods and pests. More than 14,000 hectares of rice fields in the province were destroyed in the natural disasters. This year the province lacks enough rice for consumption. It is short by about 8,966 tons. Every year the province consumes about 111,594 tons of rice. Only 30 percent of this year's wet season rice crop has been harvested. The officer said that "we have to find a way to solve this problem so we are encouraging all farmers in the province to increase their dry season rice production to make up for the rice destroyed in the wet season. If we are able to harvest dry season crops according to plan, we will no longer have a rice shortage." Dry season cultivation can be practiced on a total area of about 12,000
hectares in districts, including Thakhek, Hinboun, Nongbok, Sebangfai,
Nagay and Boualapha.
Laos has made a dramatic rise in income from aircraft flying over its territory since the World Trade Center attack on September 11. According to an official from the air traffic control center, flights to Europe through northern Lao air routes have increased by 65 percent. "298 flights more than usual were recorded in the first week of November", said an official of the Lao Airport Authority explaining that the usual flights through the northern route before the attack were 400 per week. Before September 11 this northern route brought in around US$ 5 million per year. With the recent rise in income this figure may have be revised. This means Laos will be able to make more than US$170,000 per week from its northern air route alone, or US$ 250 per flight. Laos has two main air routes northern, southern (A1), but last week it opened a new route called “A202” flying over Savannakhet through Vietnam to Hong Kong. The newly opened air route will help the aircraft fly in a shorter time since the new route is a shortcut direct to Hong Kong “This Air route A 202 serves merely for any flights to and from Hong Kong airport," said Director of the Airport Control Authority. It will also reduce the operating cost and time spent for the airlines and alleviate the traffic congestion on Air route Al. The usual flights using the A1 route is 150, but the Area Control Center Authority told the press that the number has risen to 170 flights per day. The flights increased because some of the airways that used to fly through Middle East countries to European countries have changed their direction to use Laos instead. The number of flights through Lao air space is expected to further increase, which will accelerate the country's income. "According to the official, the income from flights is the second largest after electricity exports, thanks to the installation of a new radar system. The ability to control the aircraft flying over Laos is the result of the installation of a US$ 17 million radar system by the government From 1978 to October 31 this year Laos acted as a Flight Information Center (FIC) only where the actual traffic control was able to be made by the neighboring ACCs of Thailand and Vietnam due to the lack of appropriate facilities. Laos today is standing on its own after having been assisted by Civil
Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Aerothai of Thailand and given technical
advice from the ICAO Regional Office experts and French DGCA. Personnel
Training has been made in various fields of Aviation in France, Singapore,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Thailand with over 100 persons receiving
skill upgrades during the last two years.
After one year on the drawing board, the Lao Government has decided to hire the Air France Consulting Company to help improve Lao Aviation for international competition. In a current global situation of shrinking passenger numbers and heightened competition among airlines due to safety concerns, Lao Aviation has recognized the need to take the next step and become an internationally viable air service. The Government agreed to approve the Air France Consulting Company bid to provide its services to the airline business in Laos. The Government is of the view that the previous operations of the Lao Aviation business have not succeeded in reaching the desired standards due to many problems, especially inadequate marketing and management. Research has shown that passenger numbers on Lao Aviation flights are down compared with numbers on other airlines, especially international flights. The Air France Consulting Company, with more than 60 years of experience, will provide advice on all systems operated by Lao Aviation, especially in terms of marketing management, services and safety and engineering requirements. A new National Airline Office will be established to ensure work cooperation with the Air France Consulting Company. The new office will run in cooperation with Lao Aviation. The new improvements may require additional shareholders in Lao Aviation but it is not certain that these new shareholders must be from the Air France Group. There are many other airlines out there. Expansions to services and operations will be made depending upon the advice of Air France and also on the decisions of the Government. Lao Aviation does not have many problems with domestic sales because it has a monopoly over the domestic commercial aviation market. The only problem it has is providing enough seats for customers due to ticket management and large numbers of people wanting to fly during festival periods. Ticket management and flight services do need to be improved though. The consulting company will provide input to improve both domestic and
international flights for Lao Aviation. Air France Consulting draws independently
upon the experience of its parent group, Air France which is a world leader
in passenger airline services, cargo hauls, in-flight catering, aircraft
maintenance, training, airport handling and information systems.
The general agreement between the governments of Laos and Sweden for 2002-2006-development cooperation was signed in October 26. The agreement ensured US$ 12 million per year in grant assistance from Sweden. The fund will be provided to sectors including communication, transport, post, construction, public health, agriculture, forestry, justice, education, the Prime Minister's Office, information and culture, and state planning. Each year Sweden provides between US$ 12 to 18 million in grant assistance to Laos. The cooperation between Laos and Sweden has been going on for a long time. Most of the funds have been focused on infrastructure development in Laos including the construction of Road No l 3 from Donoun village, Vientiane municipality, to the Pakading bridge. Lao-Swedish cooperation has also resulted in the construction of the
Sesed hydropower dam, agriculture improvement projects in the Neun Soung
zone, the forest-preservation protection project, the allocation of permanent
jobs, the development of communities with environmental protection, and
the development of human resources in Oudomsay, Luang Prabang, Kkammouan
and Bolikhamsay. The cooperation has also resulted in the reconstruction
of roads in Savannakhet, Champasack, and Luang Numtha.
A formal deliberation between the two National Assemblies (NAs) of the Lao PDR, and the Kingdom of Cambodia was held in Vientiane. Leading the Lao side to the meeting was NA President Samane Vignaketh, and Cambodia was represented by NA President, Prince Norodom Ranariddh. During the talks, the sides informed each other of socio-economic, development in each country and touched upon the friendship and cooperation between the two countries, particularly the two countries' legislative bodies. As for future relations, the two sides agreed upon further enhancing the ties between the two NAs, and the legislative bodies by exchanging visits at different levels with the aim of exchanging information, drawing lessons on the role of legislation and focussing their activities on the international arena. In addition, the two sides touched upon searching for ways to iron out the shortcomings in order to maintain the traditional fine relationships of the two countries, peoples, and ensuring communication between the peoples living along the border. In the spheres of commerce, exchange of culture, public health and education, and boundary demarcation, the sides agreed to encourage cooperation, and prevent negative phenomena, which may damage the relationship between the two countries. Cambodian NA President, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, invited Lao NA President Samane Vignaketh to visit Cambodia. Samane Vignaketh welcomed the invitation and said that the schedule for such a visit would be organized through usual diplomatic channels. Prince Norodom Ranariddh, his wife and a delegation arrived in Vientiane on November 5 an a four-day official good will visit to Laos.
The Japanese government will support the construction of a new hospital building, and provide improved operations to help ensure the health of people admitted to Sikhottabong and Saysettha district hospitals. Dr. Viengvilay of Sikhottabong district hospital said, "this current building is very old and we don't have enough rooms for all the patients. Everyday we have between 60 and 80 patients checking in. Some have accidents and some have various diseases and infections and it is very crowded in this hospital." Thanks to this new support from the Japanese government the people, that is men, women and children, will receive good health and be able to contribute to development in the future. The old hospital will be demolished after the construction of the new building is finished. The government of Japan is making the new Sikhottabong district hospital possible thanks to a donation of US$ 75,665 and is improving the treatment Unit at Saysettha district hospital via a donation of US$ 81,080. Grant contracts were signed by Japanese Ambassador Mr. Yoshinoro Miyamoto,
and representative from Saysettha and Sikhottabong district hospitals,
on November 8 at a Vientiane administrative office.
The government of the United States of America recently expressed thanks to the Lao government for its support against terrorism, and for its cooperation in the search for American soldiers missing in action (MIA) in Laos during the Indochina war. The statement was made by Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Matthew Daley of the US State Department, during his talks with Deputy Minister Phongsavad Boupha in Vientiane. The US Government is supporting Laos in its drug prevention and unexploded ordnance eradication activities. The deputy foreign minister emphasized the constant stand of the Lao government against terror, and reaffirmed its cooperation for the US government MIA search. The State Department official is on a working visit to Laos, November
13 to 14.
Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called for the application of new information technology and the training of operatives to ensure security, accuracy, and timeliness of secure information exchanges in order to better serve the Parties and the States of Laos and Vietnam. Deputy PM Dung made these comments at a reception for Director of the Lao Cryptographic Department (LCD), in Hanoi. Deputy PM Dung said that the exchange of secure information through the use of encrypted codes between the Interior Ministry and its Vietnamese counterparts has reached new levels of competency in recent years. Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the cryptographic services of Vietnam and Laos, saying it has contributed to boosting the time-honored friendship between the Parties, Governments, and people of the two countries, stated a VNA press release. LCD Director expressed thanks to the Vietnamese Government for its willingness
to exchange secure information with Laos to support national security.
He informed the Deputy PM of the implementation of the 2001 cooperation
program and the 2002 orientation for further cooperation.
Communities suffering the effects of recent wet season flooding in the southern provinces have received disaster relief grant aid worth US$ 25,000 from the US Government. The aid package was presented to Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Somphanh Phenkhammy by US Ambassador, Douglas A. Hartwick on November 15. The main purpose of the donation is to assist in efforts to re-developed
flooded areas still suffering from damage and loss of income caused by
the September down pour. The funds have been provided by the US Agency
for International Development, Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, which
offers assistance to countries suffering from natural disasters around
the world.
The remains of three more US military personnel Missing In Action (MIA) were discovered by the joint Lao-American MIA search team, and one other case was discovered by a Lao MIA search team during the first joint search operation conducted in the 2001-2002 period in the central province of Savannakhet. Bones, teeth, and other remains were discovered in the two districts of Vilabouly and Sepone, in Savannakhet province. The successful search for MIA remains reflects the Lao Government’s consistent policy towards pursuing and fulfilling humanitarian tasks. Attending the hand over ceremony for the remains were Mr. Done Somvorachit,
Director General of the European-American Department, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, and Ms. Susan Sutton, Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Laos.
The use of Laos and Thailand as a goods transportation route to third countries has recently become an official reality thanks to an agreement with Thailand to be implemented in 2002. "Lao goods will be transported through Thailand to third countries next year and vice versa," said Mr. Lattana Manikhounvong, Director General of the Transportation Department, Ministry of Communication, Transportation, Post and Construction during the interview with the Pathet Lao journalists. He added that the two sides would provide the road and visa facilities to enable trucks to reach their destinations. The two side trucks can travel to each the entry points of third countries which have borders with Thailand and Laos, without making any tax payments. The trucks do have to pay service charges and other taxes mentioned in the transportation laws of each country. This is the first time that the two sides have allowed trucks to pass
through each other's territories to reach destinations in third countries.
The two countries used to allow only special transport vehicles access
to the border checkpoints of third countries. The two sides are exchanging
information about transport vehicles and possible transport routes. The
sub-agreement on the goods transportation by land between Laos and Thailand
was signed in July 2001. Similar agreements have been signed with Vietnam
and China and have been in operation for a long time. Lao and Vietnamese
trucks can pass through all provinces while Chinese truck can only reach
Oudomsay province and the Lao trucks can travel as far as Jinghong district,
Yunnan province, China.
Australian couple, Kay and Kerry Danes, have been granted amnesty according to a Presidential Decree issued on November 6, following their sentence to seven-years imprisonment by the People's Supreme Court. The couple originally received the sentence for embezzlement state property and destruction of evidence related to the sapphire survey and mining activities of the defunct Gem Mining Lao PDR corporation. Kerry Danes, 42, is former president of the security company LaoSecuricor. His wife Kay, 33, is former LaoSecuricor Manager. The announcement came in a press release from the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, issued on November 6. The settlement of the case came about due to the friendly ties and cooperation between the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Australia, and the amnesty will hopefully create a positive atmosphere in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Lao-Australian diplomatic ties, stated the press release. The press release pointed out that the People's Court of Vientiane municipality
pronounced a verdict on the case of the Australian couple on June 28 following
their appeal. The People's Supreme Court upheld the sentence made by the
Prefecture Court to sentence the couple to seven years in jail for the
embezzlement of state property and
On September 28, the Danes admitted to violating the laws of the Lao PDR and accepted the court sentence, including the compensation for damages of US$ 463,885 and the payment of fines of US$ 66,847, said the press release. On October 4 the offenders signed a memo of acceptance of the verdict in front of judicial officials of the Prefecture Court, said the release. The memo stipulates that they will pay part of the amount and pay the rest within one year, added the press release. The civil settlement of this case according to the court verdict also
demonstrates the sincerity of all parties in the judicial process in maintaining
the friendly ties between the two countries and people of Laos and Australia,
concluded release.
The People's Court of Vientiane municipality on November 8 sentenced five foreigners who were found guilty of disturbing political stability and the peaceful life of the people by distributing propaganda leaflets without permission in the municipality. According to KPL reports on November 12, the five foreigners were each sentenced to two years and six months in jail, with 15 days of actual jailing. The rest of the prison term was suspended in favor of deportation. The five were ordered to pay a fine of two million kip each before being deported. The five defendants are Ms. Halvea Manza, Italian, (27); Mr. Bruno Gaovanna Mcilano, Italian, (34); Mr. Maddamo Lensi, Italian, (41); Mr. Olavaer Dupuas, Belgian, (42); and Mr. Nikolai Kramov, Russian, (37). According to police interrogation and investigation, the five offenders entered Laos as tourists from Nongkhai province, northeast Thailand, through the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge on October 25. The reports said at 5:00 PM on the following day, without permission, they distributed Politically disruptive leaflets and displayed posters defaming and distorting the policies and guidelines of the Government of the Lao PDR, on Fa Ngum Road along the Mekong River bank and in Dong Dok area, Vientiane. The five foreigners were arrested after 10 to 15 minutes of their activities. Their actions are a breach of Article 59 of the Criminal Code of the
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Lao PDR is among the top three opium producers in the world and also among the top three when it comes to abuse of opiates. Amphetamines use is spreading rapidly among youth in urban areas, and now also entering rural villages. Trafficking through Laos of heroin opium and amphetamines is serious. UNDCP has today an approved budgets of over US$ 15 million in this country, thanks to generous support from the world community, predominantly the USA, Luxembourg, the Scandinavian countries and Italy. The government has projects prepared for another US$ 35 million over the next five years. The USA and Germany have large bilateral drug control programs, totaling many additional million dollars. Many international NGO's are providing professional and material support. The battle against drugs in Laos is not really won, although the world support for fighting against drugs at all levels is at an all time high. Over the last three years, the reduction in area under opium cultivation of about 36% and a reduction of opium addict from 63,000 to 58,000 last year. That is 5,000 households which had their lives changed, but there are many left, trapped in he vicious cycle of addiction and poverty, The menace of amphetamines is spreading in spite of strong efforts by many of us in prevention and rehabilitation. The external support will continue, as long as Lao remains a credible recipient, showing ever improving results. Lao Government political will, ably voiced by Mr. Souban Sritthirath through his efficient leadership of the Lao National Commission for Drug Control and Supervision (LCDC), is also a necessary, but not sufficient factor in combating drugs. Unless we get a full Lao community support, through a participatory process involving all people in this country, at all levels, the fight will not be won. We must congratulate the Prime Minister and Lao Government, for now
taking this last and all-important step. The PM's personal leadership of
this campaign has elevated the drug issue in this country to the top of
the political agenda, and at the same time placed it inside every home
of responsible Lao citizens. Fighting this war from the inside of Lao homes,
from the inside of honest hearts, worried about the future of their children
and this nation, that is the last necessary ingredient. You will win this
fight, and that we will proudly complement your efforts, you must win.
The local authorities and people of Xieng Khuang province in cooperation with the Ministry of Information and Culture recently announced the November 24 date for a remembrance ceremony at the Piew cave, Kham district, Xieng Khuang province. On November 24,1968, American bombers destroyed the Piew cave, killing 374 people who were hiding in the cave at the time. This is the first year that an official remembrance ceremony will held
to review the sad event and to earn merit for the souls of the brave people
who died in 1968. The ceremony will also collect donations of money and
equipment to build a museum. The Piew cave will also be repaired so that
new generations can make the pilgrimage and review the effects of war.
The Piew cave will become a new tourist site in the province.
Lao country life, through the eye of an English artist, is the main theme of a new exhibition at Vientiane's T’Shop Lai Gallery. The “Ban Nok” exhibition of pastels and oil paintings was opened at a reception attended by a large gathering of art lovers from the local and international communities. The artist, Sandy Morris, has been in Laos for two years with VSO, the British Voluntary Service Organization. Sandy works at the Teacher Training College in Ban Keun, and it is the landscapes and life style of the village that have inspired most of the works in the current exhibition. Visitors on the opening day were very complimentary about the pictures on display, and gallery manager Mimi Shada was happy with the show. "Many people naturally compare Sandy's style to that of the great French painter Paul Gaugin," said Mimi. "This is a true compliment, and I think it reflects the sensuality that Sandy instills in her work. It is a natural innocent sensuality, a thing of great beauty. To achieve this takes talent, but also experience." Sandy's art experience began with training at Edinburgh University in
Scotland, and she has practiced her talent in Europe, Africa and Asia.
She has also worked as an illustrator of archaeological sites, a discipline,
which gave her some of the technical skill evident in the exhibition. Sandy's
work has previously been exhibited in Bangkok, but this is the first show
organized in the Lao PDR. “Ban Nok” was open until the end of November.
This year’s That Luang festival was characterized by security and peace according to Mayor Bounheuang Duangphachanh. "The Fair closes after six days of success," he said. Hundred of pioneers from various high schools and community volunteers joined with traffic police to ensure that the crowds could safely enjoy the festival. Thousands of people flocked to That Luang to join with the Vientiane' mayor in closing the annual trade fair and festival on October 31, and declaring the event a resounding success. Vientiane Mayor, who is also Chairman of That Luang Fair Committee, said that thousands of Lao were shopping around the That. The Mayor said that the That Luang Fair and Festival had been full of enjoyment and achieved its goal. The fair successfully promoted the fine art, customs, tradition and culture of the nation and gave a boost to local production, services and tourism initiatives. He added that security, safety and order were enforced under regulation formulated by the festival organizing committee. On behalf of the organizing committee the mayor thanked to the organizations, business, and international and provincial organizations, which had taken part in the That Luang Fair 2001. The fair was held, to promote and support domestic products and give Lao business people an opportunity to network, identify new markets and increase exposure. This year there were more than 570 stalls and shops displaying the huge range of the homegrown products available in Laos. International and State organizations, embassies and businesses also drew their products to display at the event. The number of the stalls this year has risen substantially, up from last year's total of 461 stalls and shops. During the closing ceremony the mayor presented certificates to some
of the 570 shops, especially representatives of foreign countries and international
shops.
|
![[Newspage]](arrowleft.gif){kind=small}