Laos

LAOS

(Lao People's Democratic Republic)

19 April 2005

Statistics (estimated) [R1] Population: 6,068,117 Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic Vietnamese/Chinese 1%   Religions (estimated): Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% [including various Christian denominations 1.5%: Roman Catholics 30,000 – 40,000 adherents; Protestants 60,000]   Government type: Communist Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)   Chief of State: President Gen. Khamtai Siphadon (since 26 Feb. 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. Choummali Saignason (since 27 Mar. 2001) Head of Government: Prime Minister Boungnang Volachit (since 27 Mar. 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh (since 3 Oct. 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. Asang Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisolit (since 27 Mar. 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat (since 26 Feb. 1998) Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly

While Christians in most parts of the world rejoiced during the festive season, December 2004 in Laos was scarred by an intensified repression against the Christians. Right after the ASEAN Summit on November 30th, 2004 in Vientiane, the authorities launched a new anti-Christian campaign: acts of intimidation, threats, harassment, and violence were used to force Christians to renounce their faith, prohibition to gather and celebrate Christmas [R2].

Government type: Communist Independence: 19 July 1949 (from France)   Chief of State: President Gen. Khamtai Siphadon (since 26 Feb. 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. Choummali Saignason (since 27 Mar. 2001) Head of Government: Prime Minister Boungnang Volachit (since 27 Mar. 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh (since 3 Oct. 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. Asang Laoli (since May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisolit (since 27 Mar. 2001), and Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavat (since 26 Feb. 1998) Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly Elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 24 Feb. 2002 (next to be held in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term Constitution: promulgated 14 Aug. 1991

The Government of Laos has a poor human rights record, particularly with regard to its treatment of minorities and Christians.  International Religious Freedom Report 2004 has listed the Government’s totalitarian regime as barrier to religious freedom:

“Authorities in some areas continued to display intolerance for minority religions, particularly Protestant denominations. There were reports of local officials pressuring minority Christians to renounce their faith on threat of arrest or forceful eviction from their villages. There were also several instances of persons detained or arrested for their religious faith in Savannakhet and Attapeu provinces. There were two known religious prisoners, both members of the Lao Evangelical Church, the country's domestic Protestant Christian church. Although in theory the Prime Minister's Decree on Religious Practice provides a mechanism for new religious denominations to register, the Government's desire to consolidate religious practice for control purposes has effectively blocked registration of new denominations. Persons arrested for their religious activities have been charged with exaggerated security or other criminal offences. Persons detained may be held for lengthy periods without trial, and an accused person's defence rights are limited. A person arrested or convicted for religious offences has little protection under the law.”

Political and human rights development

The Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government in 1975 and the country has since been an authoritarian, Communist, one-party state ruled by the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP).  The LPRP controls governance and the choice of leaders at all levels. In April 2002, the National Assembly re-elected the President and Vice President and ratified the President's selection of a prime minister and cabinet. Citizens do not have the right to change their Government!

In August 2003, the United Nations Committee to Eliminate Racial Discrimination strongly criticised Laos for failing to honour its obligations and expressed its grave concerns regarding reports of human rights violations, including brutalities inflicted on the Hmong. Amnesty International condemned the Government of its use of starvation as a `weapon of war against civilians' (Oct 2003). The 2004 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Laos deplored Government’s systematic hunting down and attacking the civilians by air and ground forces. The terrible predicament of the Hmong group (mostly women and children) was highlighted.  "The desperate plight of thousands of women of the Lao-Hmong minority. They are the victims of a double form of discrimination, as they are also tracked day and night through the Lao jungle by armed forces" [Vanida Thephsouvanh, CEDAW Committee at the seat of the United Nations New York, Jan 17, 05]. Societal discrimination against women and minorities persists. Trafficking in women and children remains a problem. The lamentation and criticism from the international community has yet to set the Government straight on its human rights record.

Security forces including the police use arbitrary arrest, detention, and surveillance. Citizens' privacy rights are constantly infringed. Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and association are restricted. All media are under the strict control of the Party.  There is no freedom to make criticism, protests are repressed with violence. Due to lack of freedom of expression and subjection to Party’s influence, the administration of justice and corruption in the judicial sector is a serious concern.

The Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), the popular front organisation for the Party, is responsible for oversight of religious practice. Article 30 of the Lao Constitution provides for freedom of religion. Though closely monitored by the LFNC, Buddhism has been regarded as an integral part of the national culture and way of life. The cultural significance of Buddhist festivals is recognised and attended openly by the officials. Meanwhile, the Government continues to restrict freedom of religion of the minorities, drawing restrictive interpretation of Article 9 [which discourages all acts that create divisions among religions and persons] and Decree 92 [2002] as justification to prohibit religious practices, proselytising and religious conversions, especially to Christianity. In other words, “religious practice is ‘free’ only if practitioners stay within tacitly understood guidelines of what is acceptable” to the Government and Party [R4].  This has effectively led the local authorities to intervene frequently in the minority religious groups.

Being seen as a threat to traditional animist beliefs by some, a Western or imperialist "import" by others, and disloyalty to the Government and Party by some authorities, the Protestant group continues to share the brunt of local-level efforts to close churches, arrest church leaders, and force members to renounce their faith. Laos ranks 4^th after North Korea, Saudi Arab and Vietnam in the recent Open Doors "World Watch List" of countries where Christians are persecuted.

Absence of political freedom and constant violations of the fundamental rights of the Lao people in the political, economic, social, ethnic and religious fields show that the leaders of the totalitarian regime continue to trample human rights in all impunity.

The country is extremely poor and heavily dependent on official foreign aid and on remittances from citizens living or working abroad. The economy is overwhelmingly agricultural, with 85 percent of the population engaged in subsistence agriculture [R1].

Suggested prayer items:

1.       For democracy in both political and judiciary systems.

2.       For the oppressive Communist government who is reported to be ‘committed’ in eliminating Christianity.

3.       For God’s intervention that there will be a change heart and mind of the leadership, respect for human rights especially of the minorities and Protestant Christians.

4.       Over 90% of trained church leaders left Laos in 1975 in the face of persecution. It is still dangerous and difficult for church leaders to leave the country to get training. Pray that through small house group fellowships, the churches will grow and mentor other leaders as well.

5.       Pray that the Christians will be protected and will be able to remain in their homes.  Pray that God will give them wisdom and that there will be outside intervention in order to protect these Christians.  Pray that God will give them hope despite the bleak circumstances.

Reference:

1.       CIA Factbook, February 10 2005.

2.       Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR) Jan 15 2005

3.       Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2004, released February 2005

4.       International Religious Freedom Report September 2004