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Only International Intervention Will Stop the Killing in Laos
Laos (FFC) In the latter part of March the Fact Finding Commission visited Laos in search of the truth about the reported surrender of hundreds of U.S. Secret War veterans and their families. The conclusion FFC reached is that several hundred people (fewer than the 900 to 1200 previously reported) were captured or forced to surrender as the result of continued military assaults against these groups. No access to these people by international humanitarian organizations has been allowed. Their condition is uncertain. Without international intervention the plight of those remaining in the mountains is extremely perilous.
According to Moua Toua Ter, resistance leader in Xieng Khoang Province, in February members of his group who where gathering food were captured and forced to lead LPDR soldiers to where others were hiding. There was a confrontation in which several were killed as they ran away; others were killed resisting the soldiers. He reported 108 of his followers were captured, a few others are still missing, and he is uncertain of their condition or whereabouts. Yang Toua Tao, resistance leader in Luang Prabang Province reported a similar fate for 184 of his followers.
The Lao government acknowledges several people have been "persuaded" to come out of the mountains and to "participate in the Lao governments rural relocation program." Lao authorities confirmed other reports that these people are being detained at Nam Pak in the Luang Prabang region and at Moung Mok in the Province of Xieng Khouang. The Lao government refuses to allow the international community access to these detention areas. Assistance from the Red Cross and the U.N. World Food Program had been rejected.
According to State Department officials much time and resources of the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane is spent dealing with this situation. U.S. Embassy staff member Greg Chapman attempted to visit the detention area at Nam Pak but was turned back by provincial authorities. Ambassador Douglas Hartwick stated he has written several diplomatic inquiries to the Lao government but has received no response. Hartwick was not optimistic that letters from Secretary of State Colin Powell, or inquires from the United Nations would receive an immediate response from LPDR President Khamtay Siphandone or other high-ranking officials. While acknowledging the responsibility the United States has in this matter, Hartwick stated it will take the international community to force intervention on behalf of the people. He admitted the United States has little influence over the Lao government. Hartwick believes it will take those countries that have strong relations with Khamtay's government to get them to open up to international monitoring of the situation.
Getting the Lao government to become transparent and engage in meaningful dialog is a major obstacle to bringing about a peaceful solution to the plight of the veterans and their families. The difficulty is in the mindset of the communist leaders. The U.S. State Department has stated they would support humanitarian aide and supervised integration of these groups back into mainstream Lao society. The Fact Finding Commission has always sought a negotiated peace fire, humanitarian aide, safe passage out of Laos, and immigration to free world countries for the Secret War Veterans and their families. Seemingly these are reachable solutions that would benefit not only the people in the mountains, but would also solve what appears to be a dilemma for the Lao government. However, according to the Lao government there are no internal problems within the country so therefore there are no "insurgent" or "rebel" groups. Only people who have lived in isolated areas of the mountains to which it would be their advantage if they were brought down to areas in which they could be provided government services. Saving face is of highest importance. To address an issue as "human rights" or "humanitarian" implies wrongdoing or failure on the part of the government. It is apparent extraordinary diplomatic measures by the international community are necessary if the lives of these people in the mountains of Laos are to be saved.
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