RFA News: Lao Group Wanted Help
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Lao Group Wanted Help
Several hundred Lao people detained on their way to the capital weren’t
dissidents, one man says.
BANGKOK, Nov. 13, 2009—An ethnic Lao man briefly detained this month as he and
several hundred others converged on the Lao capital to petition the government
has said the group was planning to seek help from the authorities rather than
stage a political protest, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reports.
“What have we done that is so wrong, that we had to be detained? All we were
doing was asking the government for help. I want to live with dignity even if
it costs my life,” the man, 47 and an illegal migrant worker in Thailand, said
in an interview.
He spoke on condition of anonymity to protect himself, his three children, and
his wife—one of nine people who remain in Lao custody after they were detained
en route to Vientiane on Nov. 2. The man was detained briefly and then released.
He said he was legally “stateless,” having left Laos after the Communists took
power in 1975, then met his wife and married in a Thai refugee center. He has
no Lao identification documents and works illegally in Thailand, one of what he
described as “hundreds of thousands” of illegal Lao laborers there.
The couple have three children: a 22-year-old daughter, a 21-year-old son, and
an eight-year-old girl, all born in Thailand. The older two attended school
through the sixth grade, he said, adding that the oldest child works in
construction alongside her parents in Thailand.
“When you are so poor, you do what you have to do to survive—and you sell
whatever you have to sell to survive, your labor or yourself. It’s so sad… We
have become merchandise.”
The Seattle-based Lao Students Movement for Democracy estimated that
authorities had detained more than 300 people traveling to Vientiane from North
and South.
Most were quickly released, but the nine still in custody have been moved to
Samkhe Prison in Vientiane, the group said in a statement, dated Nov. 5 and
written in Lao.
The Lao government has denied detaining anyone, saying the reports were
"fabricated" to harm the country’s image.
Lao sources identified those still detained as Ms. Kingkeo, 39; Mr. Soubin, 35;
Mr. Souane, 50; Mr. Sinprasong, 43; Khamsone, 36; Mr. Nou, 54; Ms. Somchit, 29;
Mr. Somkhit, 28; and Sourigna, 26.
Family members confirmed that all nine were under arrest, sources who asked not
to be named said. Some are linked to the Oct. 26, 1999 student protests in the
communist Southeast Asian country—four of whose leaders remain in Samkhe prison
in Vientiane after one died in custody.
The man told RFA’s Lao service that the group, which last year decided to call
itself Lao United for Economic and Social Renewal, was seeking economic and
social support from the government as well as the re-integration of ethnic Lao
returning from abroad.
“Everyone who was arrested was an average common person, not an activist,” he
said. “They have grievances… they just wanted to petition.”
“The Vietnamese [living in Laos] have more rights than Lao people in Laos—it’s
not right. Why this crackdown on us—when other vices are rampant and no one is
doing anything about real crime?”
Nov. 2 convoys
On Nov. 2, a convoy set out from the Nam Ngum dam area of Thalat in Vientiane
province, heading to Vientiane by taxi when authorities intercepted them in
Phone Hong town, some 60 kms from Vientiane and also in Vientiane province, at
around 5 a.m., relatives said.
Two busloads carrying about 75 travelers each meanwhile set out from the south,
and were detained in Pakading town some 70 kms from Vientiane in Borikhamxay
province, witnesses said.
They had planned to meet several hundred others at the Patuxay monument in
Vientiane, sources said.
Tiny, landlocked Laos, with a population nearing 7 million, is one of the
world’s poorest countries. Literacy and life expectancy are low, and most of
the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture.
Original reporting by RFA’s Lao service. Lao service director: Viengsay
Luangkhot. Executive producer: Susan Lavery. Produced in English by Sarah
Jackson-Han.
Radio Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing
online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to
listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s broadcasts
seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, including the
freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media
and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an annual grant from the
Broadcasting Board of Governors.
If you no longer wish to receive RFA news releases, send an e-mail to
[email protected]. To add your name to our mailing list, send an
e-mail to [email protected] #####
> Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:00:51 -0800
> Subject: Re: Cambodia is approaching to prostrate Vietnam under Hun Sen
> leadership
> From: [email protected]
> To: [email protected]
>
> we the people of internet understand very well what all gentlemen
> politicians are doing for. But reality is not politics, so please are
> you willing to survire on minority side for ever wouldn't you?If no
> why don't you choose the wright thing to say for achiveing majority?
>
> On Nov 13, 10:30 am, kangaroo <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Cambodians joining Vietnamese as a nation is one idea.
> > But it's a greater idea yet when Cambodians join Thai people as one
> > nation under the great institution called the Kingdom of Thailand.
> >
> > On Nov 12, 7:24 pm, Khmer Young <[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > Cambodia is approaching to prostrate Vietnam under Hun Sen
> > > leadership<http://cambodianbrightfuture.blogspot.com/2009/11/cambodia-is-approac...>
> > > Political Analysis:
> > > Op-Ed: Khmer Young <http://cambodianbrightfuture.blogspot.com/>
> >
> > > CPP is expecting to divert attention of Cambodian people via its scheme
> > > with
> > > Thailand and its dominate and biased mass media. But border issue with
> > > Vietnam is neglected by the CPP. Not that only neglegence, CPP is moving
> > > ahead according to what Vietnamese leader acquired, to sue and lift
> > > immunity
> > > of Sam Rainsy. We can see that what Hun Sen said "Khmer is one" is
> > > contradict because under CPP, in order to comply with Vietnam's order,
> > > this
> > > party can do anything including to jail or kill our Khmer nationals.
> >
> > > Hun Sen has learned a relevant diplomatic speech
> > > <http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/11/hun-sen-and-thaksin-press-confer...>but
> > > it seems helpful only to those Cambodian farmers and less educated people
> > > to
> > > believe in him. Important thing, Hun Sen still need to clearly answer the
> > > hidden multi-purposes in welcoming and appointing Thaksin as advisor.
> > > Whenever Cambodia and Thailand conflict accelerated, Vietnam can
> > > strengthen
> > > its hegemony over Cambodia unavoidably. To serve the interests of
> > > Cambodia,
> > > Hun Sen has to balance the political weigh between Thailand and Vietnam.
> > > But
> > > I am saddened when Cambodia and Thailand government has skyrocketed enmity
> > > with each other. But Cambodia-Vietnam relationship is increasingly
> > > bolstered.
> >
> > > Hun Sen said "Khmers have only one color now is Khmer". But according to
> > > this
> > > speech<http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2009/11/hun-sen-and-thaksin-press-confer...>,
> > > Hun Sen has created only CPP color but condemn other. CPP color is likely
> > > Vietnamese by nature.
> >
> > > CPP is undeniably under pressure of Vietnam as Hun Sen is proceeding to
> > > implement this policy. CPP is strengthening its close relationship with
> > > Thaksin party in order to fight against Abhisit party. With this act, it
> > > benefits a lot for Vietnam, not for Cambodia.
> >
> > > Worse than that, Hun Sen and CPP is not reluctantly proceeding the propose
> > > of Vietnam to sue Sam Rainsy to their biased court regarding Sam Rainsy's
> > > concern of border poles planted in Cambodian farmers at Svay Rieng.
> >
> > > Var Kimhong is afraid of losing his face about this poles planting in
> > > Cambodian farmer land, or his mentality might already sell to Vietnam or
> > > he
> > > is Vietnamese (who know?). He accepted to follow the complex GIS procedure
> > > of border map by neglecting the complaints of Cambodian farmers who lost
> > > their land in this border demarcation procedure. Have you seen any GIS map
> > > that Cambodian border poles are planting in Vietnamese farms?
> >
> > > Vietnam has overwhelmingly stepped over Cambodian head to proceed its
> > > successful hegemony and neo-imperialistic domination over Cambodia.
> >
> > > King Sihanouk's letter is seems neglected by Var Kimhong. What Var Kinhong
> > > will do next is to maintain face of himself and CPP by allowing Vietnam
> > > encroaching Cambodian farmers' land and utilize its strategy of "divide
> > > and
> > > conquer" in Cambodia.
> >
> > > CPP is approaching its end-dead as usual for their fear of Vietnam and
> > > autocratic leadership of Hun Sen.
> >
> > > Sam Rainsy might face with Cambodian biased court and immunity lifting of
> > > hi
> > > parliamentary shell. But this time, Sam Rainsy will become an hero of
> > > Cambodia and Cambodian people will vote for SRP to take turn in serving
> > > Cambodia nation.
> >
> > > CPP is expecting to divert attention of Cambodian people via its scheme
> > > with
> > > Thailand and its dominate and biased mass media. But border issue with
> > > Vietnam is neglected by the CPP. Not that only neglegence, CPP is moving
> > > ahead according to what Vietnamese leader acquired, to sue and lift
> > > immunity
> > > of Sam Rainsy. We can see that what Hun Sen said "Khmer is one" is
> > > contradict because under CPP, in order to comply with Vietnam's order,
> > > this
> > > party can do anything including to jail or kill our Khmer nationals.
> >
> > > Let balance our thought and action to handle with both Vietnam and
> > > Thailand,
> > > and Khmers have love our Khmer brothers.
> >
> > > In Solidarity
> >
> > > KY- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
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> Thank you for your understanding. Peace among us and in Cambodia.
>
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