http://freelao.tripod.com/id72.htm KHAMSAY SOUPHANOUVONG AND A REVOLUTION THAT NEVER CAME By eDemocrat
The nostalgia that the Lao people have for the royal family and members of the aristocracy ... remains strong as ever. Despite Khamsay Souphanouvong's ideological attachment and allegiance to the Communist party in Lao, many Lao expatriates seems to be willing welcome the new defector amongst its fold. Any defector from Vientiane now tends to expose the cruelty of the regime, while at the same time exposing the frailty of the ruling elite. After his return from the Soviet Union, Khamsay climbed to the pinnacle of the political structure of communist Lao. He became a Member of the Central Committee of Lao People's Revolution Party (LPRP) and held a ministerial post that oversaw millions of dollars. In the mid 1980s, when Kaysone Phomvihane instituted the reform campaign known as "chintanakan mai" or new thinking, Khamsay fell out of favor among the oligarchs. The case of Khamsay's loss of power and influence is nothing special in Lao politics. After the death of Khaysone Phomvihane, his wife---Mrs. Thongvinh Phomvihane---was immediately embroiled in lawsuits and allegations of trafficking narcotics between Lao and Vietnam. Thus, when Khamsay lost his post, it appeared to be more than a political reshuffling. Khamsay was found to be in the wrong side of the equation. Having been educated in the Soviet Union, he might have thought that by taking a pro-Russia stand would secure his political foundation among the communist cadres. After all, Russia was the superpower of the eastern block. By all account Khamsay's political thinking was sensible at the time. However, after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Russia became increasingly less influential over the politics of Lao. Foreign aids were cut. Not having sufficient fund to keep its contingent of advisers in Lao, many Russian military advisers were recalled home. Foreign aids from Russia were dwindling while the Lao Communist Party increasingly turned to Hanoi for guidance and protection. Many Lao intellectuals who had been educated in Russia or the former Soiviet Unions appeared to be more moderate and forward looking in there thinking. Khamsay would not have been an exception. It would not be surprising if Khamsay had indeed foreseen the impending doom of the Soviet Unions while he was studying there, and thus aligned his political thinking accordingly upon his return to Vientiane. If that had been the case, it is more of an irony than fate that the oligarchs in Vientiane beat him to the race by seizing the opportunity of the day and quickly turn to Hanoi for support and guidance fearing that Vientiane will follow Moscow. The Bangkok Post and The Nation wrote that Khamsay left Lao incognito probably because he could not take the embarrassment after having lost his influence and power in Vientiane. That may be true, but such reasoning does not tell us the whole picture of politics in Lao. Recall that Mrs. Thongvinh Phomvihane became immediately embroiled with lawsuits alleging that she stole millions of dollars from some government cooperative enterprises. Moreover, there were also allegations of drug trafficking against her. In the case of Khamsay, there is more to it that just having lost his job at the Central Committee of Party. This is a case of an ex officio who fled from failed reform efforts. Politics in Lao very much depends on its allies. During the 19060s and 1970s, the leadership in Vientiane, so too in Sam Neu, closely watched every move made by the US. In particular, the secret negotiations between Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam and Henry Kissinger concerning the Vietnamization process and the eventual domino falling of Indochina. In the late 1990s, this domino mentality remains etched in the thinking of all Lao intellectuals. Khamsay would probably thought----and sensibly so---that the down fall of communism in Moscow would spell similar chapters in Vientiane and Hanoi. After all Lao s neighbor to the south, Cambodia, had changed almost overnight with the restoration of democracy---albeit tenuous, and the return of the monarchy. However, this time proxy politics of Indochina is no longer dominated by bipolar politics of the late 1970s. The fall of the Soviet Unions and other fraternal countries of the eastern Blocs did not deter the socialist commitment of the die hard revolutionaries of Indochina. It appears that China and Vietnam remain two influential countries holding Lao under its ideological spells. In this case of Khamsay, the day of student uprising and younger intellectuals, including those from the west and those in Lao and had been educated in the Eastern Bloc, never came. Lao students in Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, etc. who saw political dissidents unfolding the tricolors over a tank in front of the Russian Dumas had high hope that the three white headed elephant in red back ground would once again be flown in Vientiane. However, this hope was quickly dashed when the oligarchs in Vientiane tighten their reign. The day of the nouveau revolution in Vientiane never came. That that dream for a better for Lao shall never die. The cry for freedom must be heard. The call for liberty must be answered. Be it dissident by choice or defector by circumstances, the Lao people must work toward restoring democracy to Lao and its people. Come, my Lao compatriots. Awake from your long nights of lumbering sleep and look at what is going on in your country today. Communists are fighting among themselves. Some of the diehard revolutionaries cannot even sleep in their own house and must seek shelter in far-flung quarters of the globe. The current situation in Lao must remind some of us of the old days of the 1960s 0r 1970s of communist China when chaos replaced order. Listen. Can you hear it? Can you hear the humming cries of our people to bring those who flee from justice to the bench and bar of law to be judged for their transgressions? You will almost hear it if you allow yourselves to listen for these cries are louder than the call of the million elephants of Lao. Speak. Speak amongst yourselves about the destiny of your country and people. The killing has long ended, but the raping and plundering are in earnest. We all hope that communism will fall in Lao and when it does, what will be left for us to see. Billions of dollars in foreign debts. Decayed physical infrastructure. Dilapidated institutional framework. More than 70% of our rain forest destroyed. These pressing issues deserving your utmost attention will go unnoticed and questions go unanswered unless you speak up and make known your love and concerns for your country and people. Think. Yes, think about your future and the future of your country. Every Lao expatriates has his or her future inextricably tied to Lao. It is unthinkable to think that communism is a victimless crime against the Lao people. In the course of our history, we had made conscious decision of which path to take. Many had chosen to follow the path to Socialism. For them, to kill a thousand for the sake of saving the seat of a few is worth doing. There are also those among us who chose the road to democracy. As the night of tyranny began to hover over Lao, we fled to safety and had been since sheltered by the free world. Despite having lived in relative security of the free West, we must not forget those who we left behind. We must listen to their cry for freedom. We must speak for them when their ability to cry in protest has been muted by brute force. We must think of their plight because their destiny and ours are inseparable.
----- Original Message ----- From: Chanh Bounmy To: laosnetworkroom@googlegroups.com Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 1:07 PM Subject: Re: 161 ) ຣັຖບານ ໃຫມ່ ຫລື ພັກການເມືອງໃຫມ່ ? New Lao Government is born?
copied from facebook:
Douangjai Mairnaam Dear all Lao Patriots Regarding on new web in Lao Nork politics about what the people around the world in recent time are being doubted, I have spent my time to survey and check about one who proclaimed the NEW Government on Website March 4th, 2012,
Now we know everything about RLG the government of some one which supported by LAO LING. The real name of Dr. KONGFA NAGHA-BUREE who s responsible in... the RLG is Maha Khampha SIDAVONG himself and the other name VANG NUMJAI in Paltalk group.
Maha Khampha is the person whom from the past to present has always bee in opposition against the Lao patriot's efforts to fight for liberation of Laos from Communist Lao-Viet Regime. He is the friend of Mr. Hiem Phommachanh the Lao PDR's Ambassador to U.S.A from 1993-1998. Mr. Hiem Phommacahanh now is working in Vientiane for Ministry of Foreign Affairs after he was the LaoPDR Ambassador in Thailand. Dr. Khampha Sidavong had ever backed to Laos when 10 years ago. He may contact with Mr. Hiem Phommacahanh before his proclaim this government RLG in March 4th, 2012.
Now we have seen more that side by side Dr. Khampha is supported by Dr. Souroth Vichitra in St.Petersburg Florida who is the former 21 Ongkarn and the leader of uprising group ( KHANA PA THOUANG ) against Royal Lao Governmet in Mahosoth Hospital Vientiane from 1973-1975. Dr. Soroth is the ownert of Lao Restaurant in St. Petersburg Florida.
Dr. Kongfa is his proclamation of RLG, there is some policy to protest China in Laos, but he has no any words to protest Vietnam in Laos, which it means he is be careful to talk against directly to policy of Lao PDR. Even if he announced RLG policies in his government with 9 points but all these policies have been in all documents of every Lao Nork groups it is not new idea.
All people will see that Dr. Khampha sent to Mr. Hiem Phommachanh, the Lao PDR's Ambassador to U.S dated November 3rd, 1993 in which Mr.Hiem replied to Dr.Khampha for welcoming him in Connecticut University November 28th 1993 and he promised to make friend and work together side by side until the long future. Many persons in Lao Nork groups have seen a good relationship between two persons simultaneously until today.
Before I write these comments, I have contacted with some person who know well with one man very closed to Phraya Sithat Sithibourn in Australia asking him about the B Plan all of us hearing in Laonetwork Forum which from the beginning Phraya Sithat take responsible himself.
That person told me clearly that Phaya Sithat has appointed Dr.Khampha or Dr. Kongfa as his Special Advisors and when he said when he asked Phraya about proclaiming the RLG of Dr.Kongfa, Phraya Sithat replied the person with reluctant manner, Phraya Sithat said that.. He has been working hard to contact people and he never thought before that there will be any HOT YOUNG MEN will proclaim the RLG in advance without his dateline. (After the 1st June 2012) Thank all so much
The ADL at CERD Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination The ADL at the 80th Session of United Nations Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination by Marcus Wiese(CERD) On February 27– 29, 2012 the Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination of the United Nation on Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) invites several Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) includi...ng the Alliance for Democracry in Laos (ADL) to discuss the report of the government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) on the human rights situation in Laos. : The meeting took place at the Palais Wilso in Geneva, Switzerland. The ADL delegation included: Mrs. Dr. Bounthone Chanthalavong- Wiese, President of the ADL, Mr. Dr. Khamlay Mounivongs, Vice–President, Chief-Secretary Mr. Oun Saypharath,Vice-President : Mr. Marcus Wiese, Public Relations & Press Affairs, Mr. Hoth Douangvichith, Political Committee, Mr.Olivier Douangvichith, Committee on International Relations, Mr. Tiao Sisgna Nachampassack, Senior Advisor, Mr.Bouakèo Phengphachanh The meeting took place at the Palais Wilso in Geneva, Switzerland.
The ADL delegation included: Mrs. Dr. Bounthone Chanthalavong- Wiese, President of the ADL, Mr. Dr. Khamlay Mounivongs, Vice–President, Chief-Secretary Mr. Oun Saypharath,Vice-President, ADL France Mr. Marcus Wiese, Public Relations & Press Affairs, Mr. Hoth Douangvichith, Political Committee, Mr.Olivier Douangvichith, Committee on International Relations, Mr. Tiao Sisgna Nachampassack, Senior Advisor,Mr. Bouakèo Phengphachanh The delegation of the government of the Lao PDR numbered 13 people including: Mr. Chaleun Yiapaoheu, Minister of Justice, Mr.Yong Chanthalangsy, Ambassador of the Lao PDR to the UN offices and other int. Organizations in Geneva, and from various legal, human rights, and ethnic agencies and offices, Mr. Khamsao Kaysong, Mr. Ouan Phommachack, Mr. Khonepheng Thammavong, Mr. Sosonephit Phanouvong, Mr. Nalonglith Norasing, Mrs. Yangxia Lee, Mr. Vongvilay Thiphalangsy, Mr. Douangmany Ngotsyoudom, Mr. Phasouk Nanthalangsy, Mr. Sengpraathid Snoukphone, Mrs. Xayprani Chanthalangsy.
The ADL delegation was led by the ADL- president, Dr. Bounthone Chanthalavong-Wiese. During the meeting, CERD members held separate sessions with. The ADL produced and presented a detailed report about the Situation in Laos. The ADL pointed out that, the Lao PDR government has made and continues to incur violations against several Articles of the International Covenant on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). On the basis of its findings relating to violations of human rights in the Lao PDR, ADL provides in its as an alternative report to that of the government, ADL detailed the major violations that have been very significant for the population in general but particularly serious in terms of racial discrimination ADL stressed for the Committee that there is no political freedom in Laos. There is still an authoritarian regime in Laos with only one communist party, known as the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party which has been ruling the country since 1975. There are no free elections. There is no freedom of expression in Laos. All civil rights were mentioned in the 1991 National Constitution but in practice the Lao authorities apply them arbitrarily, differently and discriminately. The ADL complained to Committee about the Lao government’s repression and suppression of different ethnic groups, Lao-Hmong in particular and others. The right for housing is restricted by the special treaties, long-term contracts and leases with foreign interests and powers and by the dictates of the special economy-zones. These treaties are made by the government without the people’s participation in the decision-making process. In this connection, ADL cited the special treaties with Vietnam and China. These treaties provide the guaranty for Vietnam to control Laos and give lands to China and Vietnam for a complete exploitation. Ethnic expulsions from ancestral homes and ethnic cleansing are the result. Following the ADL President’s statement before the committee, Mr. Oliver Duangvichith, provided information on the serious unemployment and the prostitution problem in Laos. Dr. Khamlay Mounivongs then reported to the Committee on the worsening problem relating to the trafficking Lao women and young girls to Thailand. In addition, the ADL brought to the attention CERD violations against several articles. Article No 4 a: To prohibit the superiority of a race. Vietnamese are given priority to Lao people in in key areas public administration and policy. This is a result of the political tactic of the Lao communist party to hold on to power. To maintain good relationships with Vietnam they sacrifice their own people. Article No 5 d: Right to civil rights. There is no freedom of expression in Laos, this is ‘guaranteed’ in the Constitution but in practice those who have tried to peacefully make their voice heard still remain in imprisoned for long years now. The ADL informed CERD that it would stand ready as a witness to testify for these violations.
On Tuesday 28 the delegation of the Lao government has to come to the committee to stay for answers. An attempt of intimidation of the ADL delegation by a photographer of the Lao authorities unfortunately failed! The delegation of the Lao PDR gave a report about the situation in Laos, but because of ADL’s intervention the Committee, the report does not correspond to the facts of what really has happened and continues to happen in the Lao PDR. The government’s delegation had to answer the serious and probing questions the ADL has raised with the CERD members. In particular, the questions about corruption, ethnic cleansing and the special treaties made the delegation noticeably nervous. An Expert regretted the lack of definition of racial discrimination in the legal system. This same question was submitted by the ADL to the experts. The ethnic minority schools were referred to by another Expert, who requested assurances that those schools did not hide an attempt to assimilate ethnic minorities. She asked how the subject of history and the multi-ethnic nature of the country were taught to children. Regis de Goutte, Country Rapporteur for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, regretted the long period since 2005 when the State party had not submitted any periodic reports. He also noticed that the basic freedoms in Laos have to be more developed as necessary. CERD recommends the Government of Laos to establish a national human rights commission. The NGO’s are not the enemies of the Lao PDR, they are observers and critics. The UN will support the Lao PDR to reach these aims. CERD will observe Laos by their own employees
Official report of the CERD:click here ADL report for CERD:click here
ເມື່ອ ເປັນເຊັ່ນນີ້....ເຫັນທີວ່າ ຄໍາເຕືອນຄັ້ງສຸດທ້າຍ ຂອງທ່ານ specom ສົ່ງອອກມາຫວ່າງບໍ່ນານມານີ້ນັ້ນ ການຊິ້ນຊາຕລາວ ກໍ່ີຄົງຈະໃກ້ຄວາມຈິງທີ່ສຸດແລ້ວໃດນິເນາະ.."ຍຸກລາວຊິ້ນຊາຕ"is now at the frnt door..
ຂພຈ ບໍ່ເຄີຍໄດ້ເຫັນ ປະທານາທິບໍດີ ອມຣກ ຈະລົດຕົວລົງໄປຢ້ຽມຢາມ ປະເທດຄອມມູນິສນ້ອຍໆຈັກເທື່ອ..ໄປ ປະເທດພະມ້າ ກໍ່ແຄ້ ຣມຕ ຕ່າງປະເທດ....ເຫັນວ່າ ປະທານາທິບໍດີ ອມຣກ ພົບກັບບັນດາປະເທດອາຊ້ຽນໃນ ເວລາທີ່ ເຂົາເຈົ້າມີປະຊຸມ ຊັມມິຕ ໃນປະເທດໃດປະເທດໜຶ່ງເທົ່ານັ້ນ ແມ້ ກະທັ້ງຈະໂອ້ລົມເປັນພິເສດ ກັບຜູ້ ນໍາສາມຊາຕ ຄອມມູນິສ ນີ້ ກໍ່ບໍ່ເຫັນມີຂ່າວຈັກດີ້.... January 27, 2012 Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell will travel to the Republic of Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia January 30-February 4. In Seoul, Republic of Korea, January 31-February 1, Assistant Secretary Campbell will meet with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Blue House. He will discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, including recent developments in North Korea. Assistant Secretary Campbell will visit Hanoi, Vietnam, February 1-3, to meet with senior Vietnamese leaders to discuss bilateral and regional issues and seek progress on initiatives to deepen bilateral ties. February 3-4, Assistant Secretary Campbell will visit Phnom Penh, Cambodia. While there, he will meet with senior Cambodian government officials to discuss areas of mutual interest, including Cambodia’s role as 2012 ASEAN chair, and to discuss ways to further strengthen our bilateral engagement. Assistant Secretary Campbell returns to Washington, D.C., on February 4. PRN: 2012/133
Southeast Asia Feb 22, 2012 Off the air in Laos By Beaumont Smith
VIENTIANE - Amid an unprecedented flurry of public debate and critique of government policies and actions, Lao authorities abruptly canceled a popular call-in radio program in late January without any public explanation.
The program, Talk of the News, ran for four consecutive years and encouraged the public to comment on issues of the day through often anonymous phone calls. The host, Ounkeo Souksavanh, an urbane ex-print journalist found himself uniquely enmeshed in the Lao population's complaints and grievances.
Social justice, overt corruption and land grabs were daily fare on Talk of the News, a rarity in Laos' authoritarian context. While many wondered when the boot would drop on the program, Lao listeners had grown accustomed to this point of light in the
otherwise drab government-controlled media landscape.
Summoned by the director of Lao National Radio, Ounkeo was told that Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara had issued the cancellation order. "I was shocked. I had no warning," said Ounkeo. "Suddenly I was told by the head of national radio that he had been told to cancel my show. I think the order came from high up in the Ministry of Information and Culture," Ounkeo said.
"I take my program from the daily news. I open the show by reading out segments from the Lao press and then open the lines for people to comment. Recently people have been saying strange things. When many nightclubs were re-opened, someone called to say, 'well what do you expect - you know who owns them' and then he hung up." The rub was that they are likely owned by senior government officials.
"Later, someone called me and warned me not to give space to the public. But it's an open line program, so people complain about many things; the Vietnamese taking land from veterans for a golf course, the loss of farming land on Don Chang [an island outside of Vientiane]. What can I do?"
Hopes that Laos may emulate Myanmar's recent tentative moves to greater press freedom, or that the ruling Communist Party might begin to move towards more enlightened policies, have been snuffed out with the program's closure. The cancelation and continued human-rights abuses indicate that democracy is still elusive.
"Who [demanded the closure] is not the issue here, but there is no legal reasons at all. There is no warning about the mistakes. This case reflects that the Lao government limits on people's freedom expression [and is] violating the national constitution. It expresses that the power belongs to only the government. In fact that the constitution says power belong to people, by people and for people [sic]" one anonymous fan posted to the program's website.
Many Lao used the anonymity of radio to bring into question what one long time Vientiane observer has called "patrimonial politics", referring to the dominance of several influential families in Laos' politics and economy.
Some suggest the last straw may have been a live-to-air interview with a delegation of farmers from the Boloven plateau, a well-known coffee growing region in the south. They insisted that a Vietnamese coffee company had been given permission to plant 150 hectares of coffee.
Over time, however, the area had expanded into 1,000 hectares. The farmers alleged the district governor had taken bribes from the company to look the other way, and that he had recently been seen driving a new luxury car, which they insinuated was part of his pay-off.
That particular program attracted a huge audience and might have contributed to the subsequent deluge of the National Assembly's hot-line with similar land-grabbing complaints.
Before the program's airing, Ounkeo had already achieved a degree of Robin Hood-like fame for giving voice to poor versus rich social justice issues. For instance, he took his microphone into the city's jail to interview a woman wrongly accused of arson following a neighborhood feud with a wealthy Lao family. The woman was subsequently released.
The show's cancelation caused unprecedented commentary among Laos' online community. Members of Lao Links, a Lao language online bulletin board, expressed dismay and regret that "society won't be able to listen to this program anymore because it is as same as a big microphone to speak out about social problems", one online contributor wrote.
"It's the hot issue on Lao Links right now," engineer Khantone Soumiphone said. "We are all wondering why it happened and we are very concerned. It was the only source of interesting news and discussion about important development issues ... The government says it is pro-development but closes the only program that discusses the results. It doesn't make sense."
After the program's closure, Ounkeo held discussions with European Union charge d'affaires Michel Goffin, who apparently told him that the issue of press freedom would be raised at the forthcoming 9th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM) to be held in Vientiane in November. Goffin did not answer this correspondent's request for confirmation that he made the comment.
Ironically, some of the complaints raised on Ounkeo's radio show were about the agricultural land on Don Chang. A luxury hotel is scheduled to be constructed in time for the ASEM meeting on land that previously provided much of Vientiane's fresh produce.
Meanwhile, less than a week after the program's cancelation, the front page headline in Laos English language daily newspaper, Vientiane Times, announced that the party was poised to "bolster propaganda at grassroots level".
The Ministry of Information and Culture's Propaganda and Training Board is "to accelerate the establishment of mobile propaganda teams ... to penetrate grassroots communities". The new propaganda drive, some suggest, is a government reaction to the open public hostility to its policies and actions often aired on Ounkeo's program.
Those grievances are apparently mounting. It is an open secret that many Lao provinces still function as modern-day fiefdoms for Lao political leaders to extract money and privilege. "Gate keeping, influence peddling and rent seeking are national sports disguised as development," said agro-economist Jeff Casey from Bangkok.
While Laos' gross domestic product has grown in recent years, so too has the national Gini coefficient, a statistical measure of economic inequality. Laos remains one of the world's poorest countries and mushrooming mansions owned by government officials and the sheer number of new luxury cars on Vientiane's roads have raised uncomfortable questions about who are the real beneficiaries of the communist leadership's development agenda.
Some Lao residents believe that the party is rattled by the spate of demonstrations against official abuse in neighboring Vietnam and the rise in local complaints lodged via the National Assembly's hot-line. Most of those complaints have focused on a lack of government transparency, particularly on land issues, and systemic corruption that Ounkeo's program not so subtly suggested taints all levels of government.
Beaumont Smith is a freelance journalist.
(Copyright 2012 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 3 Feb 2012 23:48:43 -0800 From: toum.rasika@yahoo.com Subject: 062) Remarks in Cambodia ( we prepare for our leaders to come to Cambodia later this year.) To: laosnetworkroom@googlegroups.com CC: laodemocracy@googlegroups.com
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: A. Bounkhong. Date: 2012/2/4
02/03/2012 09:47 AM EST
Remarks in Cambodia
Remarks Kurt M. Campbell Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Carden Ambassador to ASEAN Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
ASSISTANT SECRETARY CAMPBELL: I’ll just make a very quick statement. First of all, just good afternoon. I am joined here with our Ambassador to ASEAN, David Carden. He’ll have a few words to say as well. First of all, let me just say it’s wonderful to be back in Cambodia. We had a very warm welcome from the Foreign Minister. We passed on our very best wishes from the United States. We had a chance to review our bilateral cooperation, which is outstanding. We work well together in so many ways, and David and I came to Cambodia to commit fully to supporting this historic Cambodian leadership of the important ASEAN events this year – the ASEAN Regional Forum in July, the East Asia Summit. And we confirmed today that we will also be holding a fourth U.S.-ASEAN summit in October, excuse me, in November during the East Asia Summit proceedings. We believe that the opportunities for cooperation on so many issues -- the United States is deeply supportive of the connectivity initiative that ASEAN has initiated. We are looking forward to bringing a strong business delegation this summer to ASEAN. We are closely following all the preparatory works and we wanted to meet with the Minister to commit to attending and supporting all the senior official meetings that will be taking place over the course of the coming months. I simply want to say that I believe that Cambodia’s role in so many ways is important this year. I think they can play a key role in helping bring China and ASEAN together towards progress on the South China Sea issues, that will be of interest to all parties. I believe that they will be able to work closely on some economic initiatives that will bring ASEAN closer together with the goal towards the 2015 community that the organization aspires to. And I believe that Cambodia will help us identify clearly the role for the friends of ASEAN countries, like the United States and others, and how we can better support ASEAN unity, development, peace, and prosperity. I look forward to visiting Cambodia many times in the months ahead as we prepare for our leaders to come to Cambodia later this year. David… AMBASSADOR CARDEN: Well, hello everyone. I’ve seen some of your before. It’s good to be back in Cambodia. I think this is my fourth trip and other people in our Mission have been here on other occasions. This is the 35th anniversary of U.S. engagement with ASEAN and we hope to have a celebration this year recognizing that, so that’s 35 years of the United States supporting ASEAN and its ambitions. This is, I think, the second time that Cambodia has assumed the chairmanship and this affords us a wonderful opportunity to provide what assistance we can working with other dialogue partners – our dialogue partner friends – to try to make this a successful year. There are many things which Cambodia can show, I think, real leadership on and we look forward to supporting it in every way possible. You will see much more of me this year. It’s my aspiration to be here as often as I can be and I look forward to talking to you again. Thank you. Remarques au Cambodge
It is well known that Vietnam forestry is nearly zero compared to Laos'. And we also know that there are illegal logging of Laos' forest toward this country. How come they could sell wood product with an amount of 3.9 billion USD? Where did they get the raw material from?
It can be roughly estimated that the very high quality wood from Laos could fetch as much as 2 or 3 billion USD. This is a big lost for the country. Only a few powerful rogues thought they have done good busines for themselves as much as 500 or 600 millions USD.
Yes folks, Lao people are losing $2 billion worth a year because of corruptions of these crooks.
Even far away we still care for our next generations. Please defend your country.
ແຕ່ແມ່ນນັກຄົ້ນຄັ້ວອິສຣະ ດຽວນີ້ ແມ່ນແຕ່ ວີທຍຸສຽງ ອມຣກ ທີວໍຊີງຕັນຍັງໄດ້ໄຟຂຽວຈາກຣັຖບານກາງໃຫ້ຂຽນຄວາມຈີງກ່ຽວກັບຊົນຊາດເຊື້ອລາວເກືອບເຄີ່ງຮ້ອຍລ້ານໃນ ປທ ນີ້ຢ່າງຢ່າງເຖິງຖອງທີ່ ສູດ ເຂົ້າ google ແລ້ວຕີ Lao History in Issan or ไทยลาวแยกกันเถร
เพราะการลงทุนของจีนในลาวไม่ได้มีเฉพาะ China Town ในเขตนครเวียงจันทน์เท่านั้น หากยังมีโครงการในลักษณ์เดียวกันนี้เกิดขึ้นทั้งในภาคเหนือและใต้ของลาวอีก ด้วย
C'est vrai...la situation économique de la France à l'approche des élections présidentielles est plutôt difficile. Je ne crois pas qu'un autre président qui s'appelle autrement que Sarko aurait pû faire mieux face à la conjoncture de l'économie mondiale.
Par conséquent, cela rend un peu difficile pour moi le choix électoral. C'est tout-à-fait probable que je déciderai au dernier moment de glisser mon bulletin de vote dans les urnes.
Mon coeur est à gauche, tout le monde le sait. Mais pour la gauche française c'est finie pour moi pour toute ma vie. C'est vraiment une idéologie lamentable aidant les fainéant incompétents tout en pénalisant ceux qui bossent efficacement. Je ne te raconte pas n'importe quoi, mais de mes propres expériences professionnelles vécues.
Pour résoudre ces problèmes, il faut en finir avec le pouvoir excessif des syndicats. La Dame de Fer du Royaume Uni, Margaret Thatcher, en a déjà fait avec succès dans les années 70.
Depuis, les grèves presque quotidiennes paralysant l'économie du pays ont beaucoup plus de mal à se déclencher. Cela a permit à l'économie du Royaume de monter de changer la face du mauvais élèves de l'Europe à la première place, notamment pendant que Tony Blair était au commande au 10 Downing Street.
Par ailleurs, les réformes en profondeur à l'instar de l'Allemagne dirigée par Gerhard Schroder du parti Social Démocrate (prédécesseur d'Angela Merkel) pourraient être aussi bonnes pour la France.
Mais, crois moi cher Phoui, ce ne sera pas chose facile de changer la mentalité d'un peuple d'une nation. Comme on ne déplace une montagne du jour au lendemain.
Cordialement Settha
De : Phoui À : laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr Cc : freelaos@yahoogroups.com Envoyé le : Jeudi 26 janvier 2012 5h16 Objet : [freelaos] La France dégradée
Cher Settha, Je suis tout à fait d’accord avec toi concernant certaines catégories des salariés dans la fonction publique qui obtiennent des avantages sociaux plus que les autres, ils en profitent et ne veulent pas lâcher de ces avantages acquits, quand je compare les salariés du secteur médical par rapport à ceux de SNCF ou RATP, il n’ y a de photos, syndicalistes aidant, ils font la loi et priment le développement du pays. Quant aux salariés français du secteur privé, on ne voit jamais manifester, si quelqu’un osait protester, soit qu’il quitte son job ou soit la porte est ouverte pour lui. A l’approche de l’élection présidentielle, la mauvaise nouvelle tombe encore aujourd’hui avec plus de 29000 chômeurs le mois dernier, les attaques de la banque avec la nouvelle méthode en fonçant la voiture de grosses cylindres dans la banque et s’enfuient en motos ou scooters après avoir pris le butin. C’est au quotidien qu’on entend de ces nouvelles, où est l’état de droit ? Où est la protection de la population ? Et si par malheur ce type d’évènement se produit au Laos, ne penses tu pas que nos forums seraient bombardés du matin au soir !!! Le peuple français a tendant de 40% de droite et de 40% de gauche, le reste de 20% c’est la balance des évènements, il y a aussi des outsider comme Le Pen en 2002, pourquoi pas les 2 outsiders au 2è tour en 2012. Le tigre dort mais il n’est pas mort, les sondages peuvent se tromper. Cordialement Phoui
De : laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr [mailto:laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr] De la part de Settha Viravong Envoyé : jeudi 19 janvier 2012 04:30 À : laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr Cc : freelaos@yahoogroups.com Objet : Re : [Laos-Sol] La France dégradée
Cher Phoui et tous;
Se permettre de dire que les Français sont tous fainéants peut être considéré comme des propos grossiers et inadmissibles. Mais dire que les fainéants opportunistes existent dans la sociétés françaises me paraît exact. C'est le pire dans la fonction publique. Mais aussi dans le secteur privé. C'est tous ceux-là qu'ils ne faut pas trop favoriser au détriment des gens courageux et compétents.
Pour résoudre ce problème je pense aux plans de réformes en profondeur réalisés par l'ancien Chancelier allemand,Gehrard Schroder, le prédécesseur d'Angelar Merkel. Je ne sais pas si tu t'en souviens encore. C'est avec des réformes de telle ampleur que la France et l'Europe s'en sortiront. J'en suis certain. Le problème c'est que oui ou non la mentalité fraçaise pourra s'adapter à celle des Allemands. C'est un gros point d'interrogation.
En tout cas, je ne voterai pas à gauche en 2012.
Cordiallment Settha
De : Phoui À : freelaos@yahoogroups.com ; laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr Envoyé le : Mardi 17 Janvier 2012 17h07 Objet : [Laos-Sol] La France dégradée
Cher Settha, Je ne me permets pas à penser que les français sont des fainéants, la plupart des gens que je connais sont dans une situation financièrement défavorable malgré leurs efforts dans la recherche de l’emploi, j’étais contre la loi de 35 heures dès le début, on connaît la suite. Sous Chirac, ses gouvernements ont pu emmener le taux du chômage à un niveau acceptable mais encore des efforts à faire pour aider le peuple français. Depuis l’élection de Nicolas Sarkozy en 2007, son bilan est catastrophique, le chômage, la dette, l’insécurité, la perte du pouvoir d’achat, la précarité du peuple français. Nous avons dit ou discuté souvent que c’est le chef de l’Etat est responsable de mauvaise gestion dans les affaires intérieures, toutes les réformes que Sarkozy a fait depuis qu’il est au pouvoir, c’est de appauvrir le peuple, il peut dire que c’est de la crise mondiale, il peut raconter comme il voudra, mais c’est lui le responsable qui a coulé le bateau de la France avec son arrogance politique et son favoritisme pour les riches. C’est le moment de discuter et de débattre pour l’élection présidentielle, quelque soit l’élu du président de la République , il ou elle ne pourra pas résoudre le problème de chômage et de la dette de la France , la France est dans une crevasse profonde, parce que la France n’a plus de production industrielle, plus de grande usine, plus de PMI/PME, il n’en reste que l’industrie du tourisme, de l’armement, même les avions ne sont plus vendables. On peut critiquer ce qu’on veut de la Chine , mais c’est un pays qui travaille beaucoup, qui produit beaucoup et qui investie énormément. La crise de l’Euro, à cause de qui, à cause de quoi, on verra le programme politique et social de chaque candidat. Je vois 4 candidats potentiels : Sarkozy, Hollande, Bayrou et Le Pen. J’écarte déjà la tête de liste, même si j’ai voté pour lui en 2007, ce sera de la même politique de propagande et de mensongère, je verrai les programmes des autres. Cordialement Phoui
De : freelaos@yahoogroups.com [mailto: freelaos@yahoogroups.com ] De la part de Settha Viravong Envoyé : lundi 16 janvier 2012 06:18 À : laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr Cc : freelaos@yahoogroups.com Objet : Re : [Laos-Sol] RE: Re : [freelaos] La France dégradée
Cher Phoui,
Je suis pour les pauvres laborieux et travailleurs mais qui n'ont pas de chance, et contre les pauvres fainéants et vauriens ne cherchant pas du travail et ne comptent que sur les aides sociales avec l'appui des syndicats dont certains dirigeants vivent en or.
Avec François Hollande président tu vas voir que le déficit budgétaire se creusera davantage au fur et à mesure que le problème des dettes souveraines de la zone euro s'aggravera. Enfin, l'Europe ne s'en sortira pas.
Toi qui effectue souvent des voyages professionnls à l'étranger tu seras pénalisé par cette situation financière dont la faiblesse de l'euro par rapport à la valeur des autres monnaies asiatiques.
Je me souvient bien des propos d'une personnalité chinoise disant que dans dix ans ou 20 ans on verra pleins de mendiants occidentaux dans les rues de Pékin car pour faire l'économie on ne pénalise pas des travailleurs avec les impôts et ne favorisent pas les fainéants vauriens avec trop d'aides sociales.
La gauche française, tu sais, dépense toujours sans compter pour aider les fainéants vauriens..
Cordialement Settha
De : Phoui À : freelaos@yahoogroups.com ; laos-solidarite@yahoogroupes.fr Cc : laos-fr@yahoogroupes.fr Envoyé le : Dimanche 15 Janvier 2012 18h48 Objet : [Laos-Sol] RE: Re : [freelaos] La France dégradée
Vous êtes des guerriers reconnus ! Pensez plutôt aux pauvres en France, l’Etat ne sait qu’exploiter les pauvres, depuis le 1er Janvier 2012, tout est augmenté en France, tout ce qu’il ramasse du peuple c’est pour alimenter les banques et le CAD40, dans quelques mois, je pense que c’est Sarko qu va sauter le premier. Wait and see.
Phoui
De : freelaos@yahoogroups.com [mailto: freelaos@yahoogroups.com ] De la part de Khamphiou Douangphoutha Envoyé : samedi 14 janvier 2012 22:03 À : freelaos@yahoogroups.com Cc : laos-fr@yahoogroupes.fr Objet : RE: Re : [freelaos] La France dégradée
Bah ! Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec cette proposition de Loung Khampha ! To: freelaos@yahoogroups.com CC: laos-fr@yahoogroupes.fr From: loung_khampha@yahoo.com Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2012 19:48:53 +0000 Subject: Re : [freelaos] La France dégradée
Bonsoir ,
Je propose de faire débarquer le GIGN, le groupe d'intervention de la gendarmerie nationale, dans les bureaux de l'agence de notation financière Standard & Poor's dont la filiale se trouve aussi à Paris .
A la guerre comme à la guerre, on a bien fait sauter Kadhafi , pourquoi pas ces gratte-papiers .
LKP
De : blue max À : Envoyé le : Samedi 14 Janvier 2012 8h50 Objet : [freelaos] la France dégradée
Relatives and supporters of three Americans jailed and tortured in Laos are appealing to the Obama administration to put high-level pressure on the communist government for their release.
However, one of the leaders of the campaign for their freedom suspects that President Obama might ignore their plea, as he seeks better relations with the Southeast Asian nation despite its brutal human rights record.
When they heard that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sent greetings on behalf of Mr. Obama on the Laotian new year earlier this month, “we were appalled,” said Philip Smith, director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington.
He added that the new year’s message, which also expressed hopes for expanded bilateral military relations, makes him worry that the White House is drifting toward “total appeasement of a military dictatorship.”
Mr. Smith joined a coalition of organizations representing Laotian-Americans and Laotian Hmong refugees in writing to Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton to seek “higher diplomatic” attention to the plight of the three naturalized U.S. citizens of Hmong descent.
The three Hmong-Americans have been “interrogated, beaten and tortured, according to eyewitness and multiple sources,” Mr. Smith said.
Congshineng Yang, 34, Hakit Yang, 24, and Trillion Yunhaison, 44, visited Laos with valid tourist visas in July 2007. Laotian soldiers and secret police arrested them the next month in northeastern Laos.
“They were arrested without charges and for unknown reasons,” Mr. Smith said.
The secret police later moved the three Americans to Lao’s notorious Phonthong Prison in the capital, Vientiane. Their families believe the three are now being held in a secret military prison in the northeast of the country.
Mr. Smith said the families initially appealed to Ravic Huso, the U.S. ambassador to Laos at the time, and urged him to raise a diplomatic protest to the foreign ministry.
“He did almost nothing,” Mr. Smith said.
Mr. Huso assigned the case to a consular officer, who confirmed the arrests, Mr. Smith said.
“We wants answers now …,” said Shen Xiong, a spokeswoman for the families and the wife of Hakit Yang. The three Hmong-Americans had relocated from Laos to Minnesota, where their families still live.
The State Department cited a privacy act that restricts what they can say about Americans imprisoned abroad.
“We are unable to confirm claims that U.S. citizens were ever or still are in the custody of the Lao government,” an official said.
The Laotian Embassy declined to respond to an e-mail request for comment.
The State Department’s latest human rights report calls Laos “an authoritarian one-party state” where prison conditions are “harsh and, at times, life threatening.”
The Hmong people have long been the target of repression by Laotian communists because they sided with royalist forces, organized by the CIA, in the Laotian civil war, which ended in 1975.
The same day that a top Chinese official praised U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman as a friend of China, the outgoing envoy denounced the communist government for imprisoning a prominent artist.
“It is very sad that the Chinese government has seen a need to silence one of its most innovative and illustrious citizens,” Mr. Huntsman wrote in an introduction to a Time magazine profile on Ai Weiwei.
The artist, also an outspoken government critic, was included among Time’s 100 most influential people last week.
On the day of the April 21 publication, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping expressed his regret that Mr. Huntsman will resign from his position later this month.
“You are an old friend of the Chinese people,” Mr. Xi said.
Mr. Huntsman, a former Republican government of Utah, is considering seeking the GOP nomination to challenge President Obama, who appointed him ambassador in 2009.
Call Embassy Row at 202/636-3297 or e-mailjmorrison@washingtontimes.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: blue max To: "laosnetworkroom@googlegroups.com" Sent: Thursday, 19 January 2012 4:59 PM Subject: Re: ຍອມຮັບວ່າມີການປ່ຽນແປງຣະບົບຜູ້ນຳໃນລາວນ້ອຍນຶ່ງ
Little has changed in Laos' one-party political system and its rulers are trying to emulate the market-based authoritarianism of China and Vietnam with pro-business reforms, with some success. ลิตเติ้ลมีการเปลี่ยนแปลงในระบบการเมืองลาว'หนึ่งของบุคคลและผู้ปกครองที่มีความพยายามที่จะเลียนแบบอำนาจตามตลาดของจีนและเวียดนามมีการปฏิรูป Pro ธุรกิจกับความสำเร็จบางอย่าง The once fragile economy has grown an average 7.9 percent a year since 2006. เศรษฐกิจที่เปราะบางครั้งมีการเติบโตเฉลี่ยร้อยละ 7.9 ต่อปีตั้งแต่ปี 2006
Liberia is one of the top 5 countries in the world whose farmland are under the control of foreign concessionaires, according to a report made by Grain, a non-governmental organization supporting small farms. The other countries include Laos, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, Indonesia and Romania. At world level, most target countries for farming land purchases made by foreign companies or citizens are in Africa or South America but investors do not avoid Australia, eastern Europe or South-East Asia as well.
Foreigners own more than 1% of farming areas in Africa in 20 out of the 56 countries of the continent. In Liberia foreign companies control 67% of the farming land, which is 200,000 hectares. In Sierra Leone, 15% of the land is leased on a long term or is owned by foreign companies. The same situation can be found in South America, in countries like Paraguay or Uruguay, where foreigners own a quarter of farming lands.
Romania ranks first among European countries for the percentage of farming land owned by foreign companies. In the local market, foreign investors own 7% of the farming land, which is 700,000 hectares. In the Czech Republic, non-residents own 4%, while in Ukraine investors own 3%. Foreigners hold in Romania farming land worth 1.5 billion euro for 700,000 ha of land, according to data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and an average price of 2,000 euro/ha.
Investors exploit land in Romania by means of local companies. Foreign citizens cannot purchase land unless they have stable residence in Romania or buy as a juridical person.
Cereal traders, big multinational companies in the food industry, banks and investment and pension funds are among the most active investors in farming land. On the background of the economic crisis investors considered that placement in land is safer than placements in shares, bonds or precious metals.
According to Liberian law, only Liberian citizens or qualified foreigners can own land. Foreign companies investing in agriculture in Liberia may sign a long-term lease, renewable for the life of their investment.