December 5, 2007

 

Why A Coup In Laos Will Not Work

 

Commentary:

                                                                            

Lack of the seeming inability of the international community to resolve the issue of the genocide of the Secret War Veterans and their families who hide in the jungles of Laos, and to resolve the Hmong refugee crisis in Thailand, has led many to question why the overthrow of the Lao government should not be considered as an option.

 

The Fact Finding Commission’s mission is to save the lives of these people.   We share the frustration of those whose parents, siblings, and cousins are perishing because of an impotent diplomatic community’s inability to intervene on their behalf.  At the same time we strongly oppose any efforts to mount a coup in Laos or provide arms to those in the mountains.  Those that advocate doing so have not fully assessed the ramifications of attempting to do so.

 

We do not view any military action whether it is a military coup or the supplying of weapons to anyone inside Laos as a feasible option.  The efforts by those that advocate doing so have made the task of obtaining international humanitarian aide very difficult and in fact have gotten many people killed.   We have worked very hard to convince the international community that those in the mountains of Laos are incapable of carrying on an insurgency and are no threat to the internal security of Laos.   When those advocating military action in Laos identify the people in the jungle as “their army inside Laos” that only serves to support the Lao government’s position that they are insurgents and bandits.  The State Department, United Nations, and other countries and international organizations view that to mean they are active insurgents and withdraw any support for humanitarian aid and diplomatic intervention.  

 

In turn it gives the Lao government license to step up their efforts to exterminate the Hmong.  After the arrests of a group of Hmong leaders there were increased efforts on the part of the Lao military to identify the “20,000 soldiers” inside Laos.  Hmong in the villages as well as the jungles were subjected to serious persecution as a result.  Christian Hmong who had nothing to do with the Secret War were also attacked on the theory that Christianity is an American religion, therefore they too have the “American Nail” in their heads and must be loyal to America and General Vang Pao.

 

It is extremely naïve of anyone to think they can take over Laos by simply removing a handful of politburo leaders.   One villager from Laos told us the relationship between Laos and Vietnam is like that of a married couple.  Vietnam is the husband, and Laos is the wife.  Those that support military action do not understand that Vietnam owns Laos and China wants Laos, and both countries have invested interests in that country.  Laos has it’s own military.  In addition there are an estimated 30,000 Vietnamese Army troops in Laos.  To take on Laos is to take on China and Vietnam.  They are not about to lose a communist country, or their own self interests to any democratic effort. 

 

There are thousands of Lao and Vietnamese military troops in northern Laos ostensibly to protect the country from these few Secret War veterans who are living in very remote jungle locations.  Some believe the troop buildup is to protect Vietnam’s interests from China’s efforts to gain strongholds in Southeast Asia.   Any mention of a takeover of the central government invites additional military assistance from neighboring Vietnam.

 

No neighboring country would support a coup of Laos nor would it tolerate any staging of a coup within their borders. It would be considered an act of war on their part against Laos.  They would never allow this to occur. 

 

 

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