1. NA Considers Plans, Budget And Law For 2001
2. NO Curfew In Laos
3. The Rights Of The Lao Women 
4. Road No. 9 Upgrade
5. Agriculture As Industrial Development Base 
6. Road Construction In Vientiane 
7. Self Sufficiency In Foods Production 
8. New Sethathirath Hospital 
9. Debt Relief For Nam Ngum Dam 
10. Lao Flood Victims Received Help  
11. Japan Assists School In Songkhone 
12. Electricity For 16 Villages Of Sekong 
13. New Principles Adopted For Exports 
14. US$ 38 Million For Better Rural Roads 
15. Plans For Savannakhet Special Economic Zone
16. Bokeo Asks Thai Farmers To Leave Lao Islands 
17. Lao Officials Meet Chong Mek Bandits In Ubon Ratchathani 
18. Symposium On Tribes In Laos
19. New Counter Narcotics Office In Houaphanh 
20. Lao PDR In The Path Of Reconstruction 

Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Khamtay Siphandone, President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and of the Lao PDR, Mr. Sisavath Keobounphan, Prime Minister, and Mr. Samane Vignaketh, President of the NA. All Ministers and members of the NA were also present. 

During the meeting, National Assembly members heard the report of the government on the socio-economic development plan and budget plan for 1999-2000, and considered and adopted the socio-economic development plan and budget plan for 2000-2001. This session also heard the report on the implementation of the constitution and law, the functions of the People's Supreme Prosecution Organization and the People's Court for 1999-2000, and its plan for 2000-2001. The session will also review the National Assembly itself and plan its work for the next year. 

NA President Samane Vignaketh opened the Sixth Ordinary Session by saying: "The issues for discussion and approval in this meeting are very important for the country's development. So NA members have to make sure they understand clearly and deeply the various issues according to the policies of the Party. They must begin from an understanding of the real situation in the provinces, and of how to best serve the nation and people of all ethnic groups." He also urged to the NA members to actively present their ideas or comments on every issue.

After the official opening remarks, the Prime Minister, Sisavath Keobounphan, reported on the socio-economic development situation in 1999-2000 and presented the development plans for 2000-2001 to the meeting. 

According to the report of the Prime Minister, the country has been effected throughout the year by many difficulties, especially the economic crisis. However he said that under the leadership of the Party and government authorities at every level, and also with the assistance of friends and the international community, the country could overcome the difficulty, and continue to implement its development plan. 

He said: "The socio-economic development situation is growing and GDP growth may reach 5.9 percent this year. The rate of inflation has been reduced to 50 percent and the exchange rate also has been stabilized. Business and production are going well, and investment targets and budget plans have been achieved according to the resolutions of the NA. The financial situation of the country is better than past year. Infrastructure projects such as construction of bridges and roads, hydropower projects, organic fertilizer projects and animal feed and irrigation projects have been progressing well. 

Rice production, crop planting and animal breeding are also on the up. This year Laos can produce more than 2 million tones of rice, it can achieve self-sufficiency and also have some for reserve and some for export."

The Prime Minister also presented the socio-economic development plan for next year to the meeting. He said that the government would ensure political stability and social order, ensure GDP growth of 6-6.5 percent and reduce the inflation rate further. It will also promote export potential, try to reduce the poverty of the people and solve cultural-social problems, and strengthen international relationships.

According to the plan of the government for 2000-2001, it will continue to build essential infrastructure such as rural electricity expansion projects, and important road projects such as routes, which link Laos with the sea. The government also will continually push the potential of trade and tourism. The government would especially concentrate on opening wide both internal and external markets by making Laos the crossroads of the region. It will think about the policy on trading zones, improve the tax system, cut red tape for importing and exporting activities and cooperate with concerned sectors to control prices to ensure stable markets.

The President of the State Planning Committee, Bouathong Vonglokham, reviewed the socio-economic development plan and budgets for 1999-2000 and presented the plan for 2000-2001. He said that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1999-2000 reached 13,780 billion kip, an increase of 5.9 percent compared with 1998-1999. GDP per person is US $350. 

Agriculture and forestry has grown 4.4 percent and now makes up 51.3 percent of GDP, industrial and handicraft production has grown 7.3 percent (now 22.6 percent of GDP) and services are up 6.4 percent and now make up 26.1 percent of GDP. The inflation rate was 121 percent in October 1999, but by August 2000 this has been reduced to 6.6 percent. The estimate for this year is 50 percent. This is better than the target, which expected inflation to average 60 percent. 

The exchange rate also has been reduced from 9,400 kip per US dollar in August 1999 to 7,600 kip in June 2000.

State investment in 1999-2000 totaled 1,701 billion kip, covering 12.3 percent of GDP. It increased 62 percent compared with last year, when domestic funding was 506 billion kip and foreign funding was 1,195 billion kip. 

Revenues totaled 1,680 billion kip and expenditure totaled 2,704.9 billion kip. The budget imbalance was 9.4 percent of GDP. 

The president of the State Planning Committee also presented the socio-economic development plan and budget for 2000-2001 to the NA members to consider and approve. 

According to the plan, GDP will grow 6-6.5 percent and reach 16,800 billion kip. 
According to the report the population in 2001 will be more than 5 million people, and GDP per person is estimated to be US $400 per person (1US $ =8,000 kip). 

NA members also heard a report on the implementation of the constitution and law; the function of the People's Supreme Prosecution Organization and the People's Court. 
 
 

NO CURFEW IN LAOS

During the past two weeks the Associated Press in Bangkok publicized the so-called sensation “the Lao authority declared curfew after bomb-blasts in Vientiane”

This is totally a groundless allegation. The fact is that the Lao people in Vientiane Municipality as well as across the country live their comfortable life and conduct their daily business as usual. Traffic control and occasional security check especially after 11:30 p.m. are regarded as a normal practice of the security forces of the country. And this security control will be tightened or intensified when it is required by, for example, a special event or situation like a religious or traditional festival, a historic event celebration, a visit of a foreign dignitary or attendance of an international conference by foreign delegations. This is a regular duty of the security authority in every country; some countries even add more security personnel, detective dogs and other necessary means.

It is strange to note that those particular malicious media or radio broadcasts of some countries do nothing but slander Laos in many ways. For instance, when bomb-blasts in Vientiane were brought to their notice they cried that Laos is insecure, the Lao authority has taken no security measures and that it is not known where the security forces have been and what they have been doing. But now, once there is reinforced security control and more social tranquillity and security, the people are happy with the efficient measures taken, those malignant people, instead of being gratified and appreciative of the peaceful situation, they came to allege that there is curfew in Laos or a reinforced measure to forbid movements of people at the night time and so on...

No one knows how to please this group of people who earn their livings by making a mountain out of a molehill! The Lao people who are of peace-loving nature really do not understand their intention. As a matter of fact, this is an internal problem of Laos, the people who are not directly concerned should stay away for the Lao people have never meddled in internal affairs of any nation, be it USA, Thailand or any other countries.
 

THE RIGHTS OF THE LAO WOMEN

Lao women are involved in only 52 percent of work in the country. Only 6 percent of women are involved in technical work or are high-ranking staff. 

Many Lao women are still poorly educated, and only 48 percent of women attend school. Only 9 percent of them complete primary school, and only 2 percent graduate from university.

The main reason is the failure of the family to support education for the girls because of poverty. Most women must leave school to care for a younger sibling, help their parents work, and provide another source of family income. This can lead to dishonesty, illegal work abroad and even to prostitution by young inexperienced women.

Some use the relative weakness and timidity of women to force them to work in clubs, hotels, and factories.

After the country was liberated in 1975, women were given equality with men, but the basic economy was slow to grow.

The government says that everyone must support women's rights, including education and work positions. The government is actively supporting women's rights.

In 1990 the Lao PDR accepted an international treaty on women's rights. In 1991 the Lao PDR declared a law to protect women's rights.

The Lao Law states that women under 18 years or pregnant could not receive life imprisonment nor be executed. It bars women with children less than 12 years from working overtime, and says that mothers should receive 6 months rest after giving birth. However, women in remote areas still have poor living conditions. Although many urban women receive education and medical treatment, there are still many gender inequalities.
 
 

ROAD NO. 9 UPGRADE 

The Japanese government has donated funds to continue construction of the national asphalt road No. 9 (Seno- Banna) to Vietnam, which started last December and should be finished next March. Currently the first 5-km of phase I stretch 1 (to be 20 km) have been completed.

The 1st section, costing 1,290 million yen, is being built by the Obayashi Construction Company (subcontractor), with consultative experts of Katahira Company, supervised by the bridge-road department of the Communications, Post, Transport and Construction Ministry (CPTC). The signing ceremony for 2,696 million yen (US$25 million) for phase I stretch 2 of 53 km (Banna-Phalane) was held on May 23. A signing ceremony between the CPTC Ministry and the Katahira Company was held on July 14, for continuation of construction and invitation for bids as subcontractor, to be implemented March 2001-March 2003.  

The Japanese government will fund the Phalansay- Pheen districts asphalt road of 60 km, the signing ceremony for which was held on July 17 between the CPTC Ministry and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), to be implemented after finishing phase I stretch 2.
 
 

AGRICULTURE AS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BASE

After establishing the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Party and government have taken agriculture and forestry as the base for building and expanding national industry. In the last 25 years agriculture and forestry have been priorities in the socio-economic development plan of the government.

Agriculture and forestry have been the focus, with building of infrastructure such as irrigation systems. There are now 21,994 irrigation systems supplying water to 280,000 hectares in the rainy season and about 120,000 hectares in the dry season. The sector has also built research institutes for crops, animals and fruit trees.  

This year Laos has been self-sufficient in some foodstuffs, particular rice, with excess for reserve or export. This is the first ever for Laos, showing the effectiveness of the policy of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party on development of the country.

Farmers are implementing the policy to make the family units the main sector for producing, expanding crop production and breeding animals. Commercial breeding is growing in many places. Factory for agricultural and forestry processing is also on the increase. 

Now many ethnic groups have accepted the dangers of slash-and-burn cultivation and are trying to adopt a permanent method of cultivation.

The government has been on the permanent basic allocating land for production and for living. Slash-and-bum cultivation has reduced from 297,412 hectares in 1980 to 72,600 hectares this year. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has also cooperated with concerned sectors to draft laws to manage and develop agriculture and forestry. There are laws on forestry, water and watersheds, land, and agriculture.

An Agriculture and Forestry Ministry report says that gross agricultural and forestry output is growing at 4 percent annually, providing 52 percent of GDP, with 27 percent from crops, 19 percent from animal breeding, and 6 percent from forestry. Rice production has increased to 2.2 million tones this year, three times what it was in 1976. 

In the last 25 years agricultural production for the market has increased, with maize, taro, tobacco, sugar cane, coffee and other commercial crops.  Livestock has increased 3 percent a year and fish breeding has increased 10 percent a year. Chicken breeding has become widespread among urban people. In 1995, there were only 165,000 egg-layers. This has increased this year to 500,000 egg-layers producing 175,000 eggs daily. Meat chickens and pigs have also increased many times. 

At present planted forestry areas are of 76,041 hectares, and another 15,000 hectares are to be planted this year. The Lao land area is 23,680,000 hectares.

To manage the forestry resource sustainable, the government is encouraging protection and development of the forests. There are 4,488 villages with land allocation nationwide. Some 20 places have been designated preserved forest, covering about 3 million hectares, 10 percent of the country’s land area, or 25 percent of all forestry areas. 
 
 

ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN VIENTIANE 

The Head of the Communications, Transport, Post and Construction (CTPC) Department said that in the last 8 months the CTPC had finished some road construction and repaired other roads in Vientiane municipality.

The Department, with national CTPC Ministry support, has paved 79.95 km with hot mix asphalt, repaired 42 km of channel, repaired 117.85 km of dirt road, and repaired bridges.

The CTPC has also been building a 12-km road from Dongdok to Sikert, expected to finish in December.

The CTPC received funds from the Communications, Transport, Post and
Construction Ministry to check erosion at Hatdokkeo, Phanmant, and Ban Hom.

The CTPC has also finished erosion work at Ban Sibounheuang to Ban Kaolaew, and Ban Hom to Hatdokkeo.

With CTPC Ministry support, the Department has built 7 roads and repaired 2 from Hor Kham to Donenune with a total length of 12.9 km, and hot mix asphalt 1.9 km on roads numbered 3, 4, 5, and 6 with a total length of 45.1 km. Road number 7 has had 3.5 km paved, and the CTPC said that road 3,4, 5, and 6 were nearly finished.

The CTPC said that road number 2 was still being worked on, and road number 1 from Sikhai to the Friendship Bridge had not yet been funded.
 
 

SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN FOODS PRODUCTION

Agriculture and Forestry Minister recently stated that self-sufficiency had been achieved in foodstuff production but agricultural infrastructure is not yet stable

Following the 25 year long construction of the people's democratic system, particularly the 15-year period of renovation, the Agriculture and Forestry Sector  (AFS) focused on infrastructure construction to serve the agricultural production. At present, there are 21,994 irrigation facilities, which are able to provide water on 280,000 ha of paddy field for wet season and 120,000 ha for dry season. In addition, AFS was able to build the research center of crops, animal, and fruit trees breeding expansion.

This was recently stated by Agriculture and Forestry Minister. He said the activities were made in accordance with the Party-State solution, and the socioeconomic development plan of AFS, which would pave the way to internal industrial development.

The Minister said regarding foodstuff production, the government focused on seven main plains, including small plains in the regions of the northern provinces. In 1976, the harvest of paddy was 660,938 tons per year with an average of 229 kg per person/year. In 2000, paddy harvest is expected to yield approximately 2,200,000 tons with an average of 429 kg per person/year. Subsidiary crops plantation included:  vegetable, taro, legume, maize, for consumption and marketing purposes. Industrial plantation of tobacco, sugarcane, coffee, mung beans, and soya beans were increasing. This foodstuff production, particularly rice production was self-sufficient, and for included an excess.

Animal rearing of water buffaloes, cows, pigs, goats, sheep, and poultry, he said, also was going up. In 1976, animal husbandry figured at 5,839,440 heads, and in 2000, increased to 16,731,300 heads.

The Minister said this achievement was only an initial step, but would not ensure the stability of the agriculture and forestry production system nationwide. The improvement of agriculture and forestry bases were not firm and provision of crops and animal breeding and raw materials procurement to processing plants were delayed. Agricultural products for export lacked quality and quantity.
 
 

NEW SETHATHIRATH HOSPITAL   

The new Sethathirath Hospital in Donekoi village, Vientiane municipality, is approaching completion as the December deadline draws closer.

The project was approved on April 4 last year for the Public Health Ministry and the Vientiane municipality health department. 

The basic design was by JICA, and is being carried out by Japanese construction team Nihon Sekkei (design and management), the Obayashi Corporation (general contractor) and Nissho Iwai (medical equipment).

The new hospital will be of 175 beds with a floor area of 7,753 square meters. It is expected to be open for patients at the start of next year.
 
 

DEBT RELIEF FOR NAM NGUM DAM

An agreement on Debt Relief of 55,415,000 Yen (over US$ 500,000) on the loan for Nam Ngum Hydropower Dam for the early part of fiscal year 2000 was signed on September 1 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs between Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavath Boupha and the Japanese Ambassador Yoshinori Miyamoto
 
 

LAO FLOOD VICTIMS RECEIVED HELP 

The International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies has launched an international appeal for US$ 500,000, to assist the families who have lost their homes and/or farmland due to heavy flooding in the central and southern provinces of the Lao PDR. The relief operation will be carried out by the Lao Red Cross Society with support from Federation relief delegates. It is estimated that the operation will take up to three months.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this flooding is the worst seen in Laos since 1978. The Ministry is assessing the damage to rice fields and the effect on families, especially in the six provinces of Bolikhamsay, Khammuan, Savannakhet, Saravan, Champassak, and Attapeu.

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) reports that the natural disaster caused damage to rice plants and irrigation systems, and was followed by the outbreak of illnesses such as diarrhea in those areas. An initial estimate shows that the six most stricken provinces need 13,000 to 15,000 tones of rice to overcome a rice shortage. These provinces will also need more than 3,000 tones of rice seed and fertilizer for post-flood plantation.

The reports said that more than 453,000 people suffered in the floods with fifteen people dead, and over 73,500 hectares of rice fields flooded, of which more than 59,000 hectares were critically damaged.

The reports attributed the floods to typhoons Hemie, Maria and Wukhong that caused heavy rainfall in the northern part of Laos. As a result, the Mekong rose to the danger level while other distributive rivers could not flow down. The Nam Ngum dam reservoir also reached warning level. In some areas, the water level remained high for more than 15 days. Flooding occurred twice, in July and September.

The reports said that the NDMO promptly responded to this situation by coordinating action with the Meteorology Department and the Mekong River Commission to keep the media and the people informed of the flood situation. It also asked the provincial disaster management committees to prepare and plan action to ease such problems as food shortage and epidemic outbreaks. So far, it was reported that the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare has delivered 72 tones of rice to the flood stricken provinces against the estimated need of 13,000 to 15,000 tones.

Now the disaster management committees in the six provinces are continuing to monitor and report the flood situation to the National Disaster Management Office. Post-flood recovery action will then be discussed among the concerned agencies. 

The office also said the mechanics of disaster management are working and coordination among government agencies is getting better. However, it admitted that early warning is still weak.
 
 

JAPAN ASSISTS SCHOOL IN SONGKHONE 

The Japanese government has granted US$ 44,882 to build a primary school in Song-khone Tai village, Songkhone district, Savannakhet province.

The agreement was signed by Songkhone Tai village chief and Japanese Ambassador Yoshinori Miyamoto. The construction is expected to begin at the end of October and be finished by the end of January, with five classrooms and teachers’ office.

At present the village has only one school building for 60 students. After the completion of the new building it will accommodate 150 students.  
 
 

ELECTRICITY FOR 16 VILLAGES OF SEKONG 

Over 130 households of the Chula village in Thateng district, Sekong province, are now enjoying the low voltage electricity facility from Xeset hydropower dam, in operation since the beginning of this month.

The expansion of electricity network to Sekong province was launched under the project of the central and southern electrification expansion. In 1998, Sekong province used its budget for the construction of 22 kw medium voltage electrification networks. The construction site started from Beng village along the highway No 20, Saravan province passing through Thateng and Lamane districts of Sekong province, a total length of 80km.  Currently, residents of 16 villages, 1,850 households are pleased with their permanent electricity facility from Xeset hydropower dam. The newly completed electrification of Chula village comprised of the installation of a 0.4 kw capacity generator, and a 100kw capacity generator, valued at 159 million kip. Thirty percent of the total amount was from the contributions of the local people's fund.
 
 

NEW PRINCIPLES ADOPTED FOR EXPORTS

The Ministry of Finance has announced that it will improve its principles, including the documentary process. Also, in regard to all exports, which to date have only had the use of one gate for all inspections required by customs officers at the checkpoints.

The new principles will aid in the promotion of commodities for export and ease the sluggish process. 

This was authorized by the government at its ordinary session held on September 20. With an aim to conform to the principles of ASEAN's border crossing commodity services and tripartite agreements of the Communications and Transport Ministers from Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Regarding the importation of raw materials for production and export, the government has agreed with the Ministry of Finance's decision No 874, dated June 2000. 
 

US$38 MILLION FOR BETTER RURAL ROADS 

The Communications, Transport, Post and Construction (CI'PC) Ministry and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed an agreement for a loan of US$25 million.

The loan is part of the US$ 38 million budget to improve rural access roads. The Lao government is to contribute US$ 8 million and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) US$ 5 million.

The project to start early next year and finish by the end of 2004, will upgrade 220Km of national and provincial roads and about 100Km of feeder roads, to allow access to rural areas and contribute to developing an effective international road network.

The roads are in Saysomboun Special Zone (Thongkhoun-Longsan road), Attapeu province (Xe Namnoy road), Vientiane province (Nasak-Kokhao road) and Houaphan province (Houy Hong-Sumtai road).
 
 

PLANS FOR SAVANNAKHET SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE 

The State Planning Committee (SPC) and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) held a seminar in October, in Vientiane on the proposed development of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the Savannakhet province border area.

The East West Corridor under development involves building a second cross-Mekong bridge in Savannakhet and the improvement of Route 9 from Savannakhet to the Vietnamese border. This will in turn encourage agro-based industry and service along the corridor.

The new-to-Laos concept of the SEZ is a special zone where industrial activities are market-oriented with privileges given to investors.

A JICA report points out that Savannakhet is on the Thai border, at the East-West and North-South transport (Route 13) crossroads. The report says that the Savannakhet SEZ will have multiple functions.

It will include a transport-related logistic service industry with bonded warehouse and cargo terminal. It will also have industry promotion functions, and be the location for industries like wood industry and agro-processing. The SEZ will be a marketing center for local products and promotion of trade, and will be free market.

The event was attended by experts from Shenzhen, China, where an SEZ has been in operation since 1980; from Thailand, where a dozen Export Processing Zone (EPZ) have been operated since 1977; and from Vietnam, which has been developing various types of SEZ including industrial zone, free trade zone, and EPZ.

There was also a guest from Korea, who has been studying EPZs in North and South Korea EPZ, and the SEZ in China.
 
 

BOKEO ASKS THAI FARMERS TO LEAVE LAO ISLANDS

Ton Pheung district chief said Lao local security guards have asked Thai farmers to stop cultivating on Laos' islands after they have harvested their current crop.

Mr. Invong Saiyavong told the local media that the Thai media had published a report that was not accurate. "It complained that 30 Lao soldiers had occupied Done Mano 1, Done Mano 2 and Done Phakham and asked 65 Thai families who grow maize there to leave the three islands." 

In fact, he said, local militia and village security guards had asked Thai farmers not to continue to use Lao land as their own land.

It was reported that this was not the first time that Lao authorities had asked Thai farmers to leave the islands as locals need the land to boost their own agricultural production.
"The government of Laos has a project to stop shifting cultivation among Lao farmers, many of whom are given lands to set up a sustainable occupations as farmers. These three islands have also been allocated," said Mr. Invong. 

He explained that on August 18, Thai local authorities, including Chiang Saen district chief Bumpen Binthaisong and the headmen of Saew, Poung, Thakhanthong and Suandokmai villages, met Lao local security guards and people who have settled on Done Manos.

Mr. Invong denied the Thai media report which published what it identified as a quote from Mou Sam village headman Vieng Silarak. The Thai media claimed that according to Mr. Vieng, present at the September 7 meeting in the Thai Chiang Saen district between Lao and Thai local authorities, the Lao army was forcing Thai farmers to leave the island.

At that meeting were ten people from Laos, led by Mr. Invong himself and 12 from the Thai side, led by Mr. Bumpen Binthisong. "But there was no one named Vieng Silarak at the meeting," he stressed, showing that the quote attributed to Mr. Vieng was false.

"The Thai media squeeze water and create a solid. They squeeze mud so it becomes an elephant," said the Lao Pasason newspaper when criticizing the Thai media September 11 report.

The Ton Pheung district chief also gave details of the September 7 meeting, saying it covered 8 issues related to the development of friendship between Ton Pheung and Chiang Saen districts.

"The meeting was held not because of the islands issue, but was, intended to be a consultation on the friendship improvement issue," Mr. Invong stressed.

He also mentioned the background of several meetings to prove that those three islands belong to Lao territory. He referred to a meeting when Mr. Nipol Buraprasart was Chiang Sean district chief that the Lao authorities then told Mr. Nipol that there were Thai people living on the three islands. Laos also asked Thailand not to delay solving the problem. Another meeting was held on August 7, when Chiang Rai Province Administration Office chief Prayu Wongwanit, also a former Chiang Saen district chief, acknowledged the issue, and said that it should be discussed locally.

Under the 1926 Franco-Siamese Treaty, almost all islands (except 8) in the Mekong River between the two countries belong to Laos, no matter how close they are to the Thai bank.

"Although the demarcation has not reached the area, it is known that the islands belong to Laos,” said Mr. Invong.

So far, only 702 kilometers of the land border survey has been completed. The water border demarcation is expected to start when the land border demarcation is finished. All demarcation was supposed to have been completed in 1996, but the Thai side has delayed the project.
 
 

LAO OFFICIALS MEET CHONG MEK BANDITS IN UBON RATCHATHANI 

During the meeting of the Joint Boundary Security Committees on October 3-4, eight Lao military officials visited the 28 bandits who are detained in Thailand. The bandits were arrested after they seized and ransacked the duty-free shop at the border checkpoint in Champassak province on July 3.

The officials, accompanied by eight Thai military officials, interviewed the arrested men about who they were and where they were from.

"Thai officials gave us the chance to interview them without interference," said Colonel Bouasieng Champaphanh, Vice Chairman of the Lao-Thai Joint Boundary Security Keeping Sub-committee, in an interview with the Lao press on October 6.

He said the arrested were the actual people who had seized the, Vang Tao-Chong Mek border checkpoint on July 3.

"We knew because we asked them. Some were told to show parts of their bodies to prove that they were injured during the fight at the border," he said.         

"Mr. Suang, who was said to be injured on one side of his body, showed us the wound on his side. People living in the Chong Mek area are also familiar with their faces. They also confessed that they participated in the event."  

He said in the interview that 15 of the bandits were Lao nationals who were living illegally in Thailand.

Speaking about those of the bandits who were bribed by a group of unsupported people, he said: "When they were offered a good income, they gladly accepted it."

Laos has requested the extradition of the 28, so they can face trial in Laos, but at this point they are still in Thailand.

According to Mr. Bouasieng those bandits will be kept in Thailand until juridical clearance before being transferred to Laos. Mr. Bouasieng said he was almost sure that Thailand would send them to the Lao authorities, but he was not sure how soon the hand over would be held.

Mr. Bouasieng said the visit was conducted properly and all prisoners gave interviews in a free manner. However, Radio Free Asia broadcast the facts in the opposite way on October 3, saying that the prisoners had collectively shouted in protest when the officials entered the prison.

"It was not true. Radio Free Asia lies to people. It lies to people all the time. They want to invent the truth," Mr. Bouasieng stressed.

He explained that the visit was covered by both the Thai and international media, and that all the media including the Radio Free Asia reports, knew nothing had happened in the prison, but they tried to invent a story.

He said the inspection was only a small part of the meeting of the Lao- Thai and Thai-Lao Joint Boundary Security Keeping sub-committees, organized in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand. The extraordinary meeting was convened to talk about various security issues along the Lao-Thai border, in particular the armed units sited along the border. Mr. Bouasieng said both Champassak and Ubon Ratchathani would continue to maintain three military camps in their respective provinces.

Another issue raised at the meeting was the arrest of eight Thai people in Laos, and one Lao man in Thailand. The two sides were to send all the arrested home after each of them paid a fine of 1.000 baht for their illegal behavior. Most of the Thai arrested in Laos are those who crossed the border with guns to hunt wildlife, while the Lao national was accused of crossing into Thai territory to buy a tractor.

"All problems were properly solved at the meeting," Mr. Bouasieng concluded.
 
 

SYMPOSIUM ON TRIBES IN LAOS

A symposium to name ethnic groups and their determination was held in Vientiane and agreed that there are 49 tribes in Laos.

The Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) reported that the anthropological symposium discussed the basic knowledge and definition of ethnic groups and tribes. Also, principles for references for the organization and classifications of tribes throughout the world and in Lao People's Democratic Republic.

In general, Laos is a multi-ethnic country though livelihood and scattered settlement, however a unified system of fundamental ideology, culture and economy. However, there are still gaps among the ethnic groups. The participants reached a consensus about the names of these tribes for each era and period.

The meeting discussed details of derogatory names of tribes, which were the historic vestiges.

The LFNC Vice-President stressed that the symposium determined the ethnic groups according to their dialects/languages, which can be classified into four main dialectical groups: 

The Lao-Tai category includes 8 ethnic groups: Lao, Phouthai, Tai, Lue, Gnouane, Young, Saek, and Thai Neua.

The Mone-Khmer category has 31 ethnic groups, which include Kuemu (Khmu), Pray, Singmou, Khom, Thene, Idou, Bid, Lamed, Samtao, Katang, Makong, Try, Trieng, Ta-oi, Brao, Harak, Katou, Oi, Krieng, Yarou, Souai, Gnaheune, Lavy, Kabkae, Mone, Khmer, Toum, Ngouane, Yeh, Meuang, and Kri.

The Chinese-Tibetan category includes 8 ethnic groups: Akha, Sing, Sali, Lahou, Sila, Hayi, Lolo, and Hor. 

The Hmong-loumien category has 2 main tribes: Hmong and loumien (Yao).

These names have been accepted by their own tribes and approved by the provinces.
The outcome of this symposium will be submitted to the government and the National Assembly for approval and further announcement.
 
 

NEW COUNTER NARCOTICS OFFICE IN HOUAPHANH

The official opening ceremonies for a new counter narcotics law enforcement office was held in Houaphan.  

Attending both ceremonies were senior officials from Vientiane and the provinces. The Permanent Secretary and US Embassy First Secretary and Narcotics Affairs Director Angela Dickey stressed the importance to Lao and American people on the fight against narcotics trafficking, and praised cooperation between the Lao and US governments.

There are now counter narcotics offices in Savannakhet, Bokeo, Oudom-xay, Luang Prabang, Champassak, and Phongsaly provinces, and in Vientiane municipality.
They coordinate the efforts of Lao law enforcement bodies to stop narcotics trafficking as an important part of the international effort to catch traffickers and organizations that sell illegal drugs.

For each office, the Lao government provides personnel and office space, and US government provides equipment and training.
 
 

LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC IN THE PATH OF RECONSTRUCTION.

By the end of this year the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) will turn to be 25 years old. A quarter of a century is relatively a short historical period, but it has a great significance for the Lao people. Over this time, the Lao multi-ethnic people have gained freedom, democracy and full independence, enjoy peace and stability, that is prerequisite for national development. They have continued the process of their nation building in a peaceful environment and in accordance with the policy of renovation by strongly pursuing a market economy, expanding external cooperation with the international community and promoting domestic as well as foreign investment, strengthening the people’s democracy, and ensuring social harmony.  

Since the foundation of the republic, the Lao Government has embarked on the policy of national reconstruction with clear objective to eradicate poverty and to bring about the country prosperity. The year 1986 was the turning point of the country's economic development. With new emerging environment and renovation policy, the Government has reoriented its economic development strategy from centrally planned to a market based economy. Since then, the overall economic performance has been impressive, especially, in the first half of the 1990s. 

The economic growth over that period averaged 6% annually and per capita income increased by 7%. According to preliminary estimation, the 1999-2000 gross domestic product (GDP) increased 5.9% over fiscal year 1998-1999, agriculture and forestry has increased 4.4%, industry and handicraft 7.3%, and social services 6.4%. In the real terms, over the course of this period, the Lao people have made tremendous achievements in national construction. The roads linking between the north and the south, east and west have been constructed (from 12,000 Km in 1975, now 24,000 Km). Two international airports in Vientiane and Luang Prabang have been upgraded to the international standard. Two bridges across the Mekong River have been built and the construction of the third one is about to begin under the program of "East-West Corridor". This network of transportation will transform Laos from a landlocked into a land-linked country in the near future. The hydropower sector has also recorded a great success. Over the past 25 years, the Lao PDR has constructed a number of hydroelectricity stations, which can produce now 650 megawatt (in 1975, 30 MW). Rural electrification from nil reached 30% of the country. Now together with foreign investors such as France, Australia, Thailand and Italy with the World Bank as guarantor, the Lao Government will hopefully start the construction of Nam Theun 2, the single largest hydropower project in the country, which upon its completion will produce 800 megawatts. This project alone can help increase the GPD of Laos with an average of 3,2% per year for a period of 25 years. Irrigation system developed from nil to 20%; telecommunication from embryo to all provinces and districts of the country and to international connection over the world.

In the agricultural sector, the government has built basic infrastructure for agriculture. This includes 21,994 irrigation systems for 280,000 ha in the rainy season and 120,000 ha in dry season. The outstanding achievement has been made this year when the nation has self-sufficient and some surplus in rice production reaching the record of 2,2 million tons (only 550,000 tones in 1975). 

Slash and burn cultivation has been reduced from 204,147 ha in 1976 to 72,600 ha in 2000, and those engaged in it have been given advice on permanent crop growing. 

After the founding of the Lao PDR, the Lao government has paid a great deal of attention to education. The most important task is to focus on the development of human resources, key for success in the socio-economic development of the country. In 2000, the schools in primary level have been expanded to 9,737 places, compared to 4,444 places in 1976. Secondary level has been expanded to 760 places (72 places in 1976), and for higher secondary level reached 197 places (11 places in 1976). Now there are more than 1,1 million students in the general education level and about 8,800 students at the vocational education (colleges and university). Moreover, there are few thousand students attend the vocational education abroad.   

Health and Medicine are areas facing tough challenges in the Lao PDR. The country has a high infant mortality rate, and many urban areas lack modern sewage and water facilities. In the past year the policy of the Lao government is to strength to knowledge of Lao women in education, public health and welfare, and socioeconomic development. The reproductive health strategy concerns basic health care, reproductive health and family planning, especially for the remote areas. It aims to reduce the mortality rate of women in birth (660 deaths per 100,000 in 1995, and 656 in 1999). At the same time the infant mortality rate was 125 deaths par 1000 in 1995 reduced to 104 deaths in 1999. In the nationwide there are about 6412 hospital beds as well as mobile health units. Water supply from one in Vientiane City, in 1975, now reached to all provincial centers, quite many districts and also rural water supply in the villages. 

However, despite these remarkable accomplishments made during the past 25 years, the Lao economy has experienced a serious and unprecedented downturn during the regional financial crisis in Southeast Asia in 1997-98. The crisis has inflicted a negative impact on many fronts of the national economy that has led notably to the decline of foreign investment, a rising inflation and trade deficit as well as depreciation of the national currency. In an effort to solve the country's economic difficulties, the Lao Government has taken serious economic measures including reduction of import consumption, imposing budget reduction and boosting domestic production through encouraging more investment on agriculture. As a result, by 1999, inflation has been brought down from 120% to 31% by June and 6,6% by August 2000 and the exchange rate has remained stable ever since. The Lao economy is now on the path to full recover; this becomes a positive sign for future economic development and an opportunity for investment and business activities in the Lao PDR.

Laos’ tourism market is booming among other Asia nations, with an increase from 500,200 visitors in 1998 to 614,278 in 1999. Tourism revenue rose from US$ 24 million in 1995 to US$ 97.2 million in 1999. It was expected to receive an income not less than US$ 100 million from tourism this year. The Lao Government attaches great importance to it while pursuing a policy of natural environment protection and cultural heritage preservation.

The Lao Government has carried out a foreign policy of peace, independence, friendship and cooperation. It has developed balanced relations with the immediate neighbors, joined ASEAN in 1997 and pursued an open-door policy for international cooperation. 

The bilateral relations and cooperation between the Lao PDR and the United States of America continue to gradually develop. For over almost two decades, the Lao Government has shown its good will and sincerity in humanitarian Cooperation with the US Government, in particular, in the field of accounting for American servicemen missing in action. As a result, to date 149 remains of the American MIA have been identified and repatriated to the United States.

The Lao-US cooperation in the field of narcotic drug control, which is the common concern for both Governments, is also gradually expanding. With the US financial and technical assistance, the Lao Government has been successful in implementing opium substitute cultivation projects, which have led to a relative reduction of the opium production and trafficking. Since 1996 the opium production in Laos has downed from 140 tons to 123 tons last year. According to the plan, Laos will hopefully finish off the production of opium in 2006. In addition, the Lao Government is also expanding its cooperation with the US government in the field of Law enforcement through the DEA Permanent Office established in Vientiane.

Some progress has been made in the field of investment and economic cooperation. The Lao government signed a convention on establishing the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency on January 13 and ratified it on July 9, 1999. Laos became a MIGA membership, which is a factor to give investors more confidence in the country. The US investment in the country occupies 47 projects, amounted for US$ 1,5 billion, which ranks the United States as the second largest foreign investor in the Lao PDR after Thailand. In an effort to expand bilateral trade relations, the Lao-US trade Agreement was initialed in mid-1997. However, no further steps in moving forward to Normal Trade Relations have been taken by the US side. The NTR for Laos had been linked to the disappearance of the two Lao-Hmongs, with American citizenship, in the area a long the Thai-Lao border, during April 19, 1999, to whom the US Congress imply the Lao government to be somehow responsible. In reality, and based on the records from all of the Lao Embassies and consular offices abroad, the records of all immigration checkpoints in the border provinces of the Lao PDR, and the results of the joint field investigations by the US and Lao officers, no information has been developed that lends credence to the claim that those two peoples entered into Laos, legally or illegally.

Laos is probably well known for its tranquillity, social order and political stability thanks to its national specificity and the peace-loving nature of the Lao people. Unfortunately, over the past few months the nation has experienced a number of unprecedented mishaps as a result of a criminal act masterminded by an isolated group of terrorists and activist journalism. This criminal act has been intended to destabilize social order, impede the economic development process and tarnish the image of the country especially the Visit Laos Year and the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Young Republic. Due to their rare-ness, these incidents have drawn immediate attention of foreign media, which often exaggerated and reported them as a major threat to social order and stability. Meanwhile, bomb explosion, robbery and other criminal acts have already become part of the daily social life in other countries worldwide thus caused no surprise for foreign media. Nevertheless, the Lao Government has not disregarded these incidents. On the contrary, it has stepped up its security and taken serious measures to punish those perpetrators in order to ensure our traditional tranquillity, and peaceful life.

Washington, DC, October 20, 2000
Embassy of the Lao PDR.