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Laos (FFC) Radio Free Asia recently reported a group calling itself Free Democratic
People's Government of Laos (FDPGL) claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in and around Vientiane since the year 2000. Those bombings have killed four people and injured scores of others. According to Radio Free Asia the group issued a one-page statement on October 27, 2003 declaring they had planned and executed the series of bombings. This is the first time any group has taken credit for the attacks, most of which have taken place in public markets.
In exclusive interviews with Ger Vang of the Fact Finding Commission (FFC), a spokesman for the FCPGL, who called himself Kaitong Phounsina, identified the origins of this group and described their participation in the bombings. In summary the group is ethically Lowland Lao; are former members of the LPDR armed forces; are dissatisfied with the communist regime; and opposed to the presence of Vietnamese in Laos. Kaitong stated he contact the FFC because he wanted the world to know that is was not only the Hmong and the Secret War Veterans who are standing up against the Lao government.
The first interview took place on July 18, 2003. Kaitong reported that in the morning of July 17, 2003 between 3:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. a LPDR government vehicle that normally travels from Pakse to Vientiane was ambushed at Mouang Iboun, which is close to Mouang Thake. He reported that at least 20 people were killed and the scene was closed and no one is allowed to enter, but LPDR authorities. Kaitong stated "The LPDR government does not want anybody to find what is going on and what has happened; otherwise, this incident will spread out among international communities."
In the interview Kaitong credited the FPDGL with bomb explosions in Vientaine, what he called the "suburbs", bus ambushes, and several other bombings since the year 2000. He stated that this kind of threat will continue happening because the citizens of Laos, such as Kaitong that faithfully served with the Pathet Lao military forces for the past 30 years have been "betrayed by the LPDR government." He stated that all the promises made to them during the war were abandoned. Promises such as those who served the Pathet Lao would receive financial support, retirement compensation, and better education for their children were never kept. He stated they have never received anything from the government. Kaitong stated that instead of providing retirement compensation and building houses for them, the government demoted and laid them off.
In the interview Kaitong reported that on July 15 and 16, 2003, this group of "survivors" made promises and took an oath that there will be more bomb explosions because…1) the current government are terrorists, 2) the current government lies to the free world and its own people, and 3) the current government kills its own people.
Kaitong stated if the current government is not willing to change the way they run the country, the survivors will continue setting up bombs to bring the free world's attention to the current conditions in Laos. Kaitong contrasted the FPDGL with the Freedom Fighters living in the jungles of Laos. He said the FPDGL are primarily ethnically lowland Lao and former members of the communist Pathet Lao Military forces. He stated he wanted the world to know it is not only the Hmong Freedom Fighters who are fighting against the oppressive LPDR government.
Kaitong said his group is currently living in what he described as the suburbs. Kaitong stated that living in the suburbs it is easier for them to attack the government and to purchase the kind of materials and supplies they need. If they escaped into the jungles, it would be harder for them to come to the city and attack. And if they were in the jungles, it would be just like hitting an egg with a rock, and they would easily be defeated.
Kaitong stated that living in the suburbs, attacking and setting up bombs to various locations around government buildings is their secret military strategy learned when serving the Pathet Lao forces.
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