User talk:Thongxaya5

No Humen right in LAOS. Lao People Deserve Basic Human Rights

I personally believe that basic human rights are God given rights to all human beings. As we all know, the pilgrims who were looking for freedom to worship found our great country of the USA. We, as the new generation as well as the newcomers, also came to America for the same reason -- "TO FIND FREEDOM."

Unfortunately, several new pilgrims who attempt to come to this country to seek and enjoy the freedom never made it. Thousands perished on their ways to come here. As we all know, ten of thousands of our countrymen and women from Laos died on the Mekong river and in Laos by just trying to go to where they can find freedom, democracy and liberty or they died simply by expressing freedom that they thought they had, but didn't.

I remember every summer from 1976 to 1979 when I was in Laos. The water level of the Mekong River decreases making the width of the river quite narrow. Since my school was near the Mekong River and I stayed in the dormitory just across the street from it, I will usually sit around the bank of the river just enjoying the beauty of the sunset. Sometimes, I may work on the school commune gardens or just sit by the shack with my young friends playing the guitar and singing songs. These activities were an enjoyable thing for me. However, from time to time my enjoyment would be interrupted by gunshots. I would hear the gunshots in semi or automatic mode. It went on for as long as 30 or 40 minutes, and we had to lay low. By the time the gunshots stopped, we would see people dead on the beach by the river or swept away in its waters. This went on for years while I was in Laos. We, who were there, felt that this was a normal thing for the authorities to do.

In 1976-1977, I was a poor child and lived at Wat Sisaket near the Royal Lao Institute of Law. In this school, where many college students were recruited by the Communist Pathet Lao to carry out their propaganda, I remember I was horrified to hear one of the students, Mr. Le Pao, described the massacre of the Hmongs who walked down highway 13 who tried to find freedom in other lands besides Laos. He saw the massacres by his own eyes because he was sent there by the Communist Pathet Lao to persuade the Hmongs to go back to their villages. The Hmongs refused to go back home, but kept walking then the Communist Pathet Lao soldiers opened fire.

They were massacred by machine guns and thousands died including women and children. He further stated that blood ran like a Small River along the unpaved road of Highway 13 around Hin Heup. After this massacre, I also had the opportunity to meet with Col. Bounchanh Sengsavang, the field commander in this region. He stated that "I don't want to do it any more, Lao kills Lao is enough, but Brother Cheng and Sisavath told me to do it." (Brother Cheng is Gen. Cheng Sayavong who was deputy Chief of Staff at that time. Sisavath was the Vice Supreme Commander of the Lao People Army, and currently he is the LPDR Prime Minister. For Col. Bounchanh Sengsavang, he is now a Brigadier General, and a Commander of a Development Xaysomboun Special Zone).

Besides the massacre and murder that I have mentioned, discrimination and intimidation of the former Royal Lao Civil servants and their families also continued. I remember in 1977, after I graduated from a Junior High school (9th grade) at Lycee Technique Park Pasak on the top of my class from the electrical department. I was asked by the School Principal, Mr. Hiem Phommachanh (Former LPDR Ambassador to the US) to go and fix the lightings at his home. After I finished the work, Mr. Hiem Phommachanh asked me if I would like to go and continue my education in the Soviet Union. Of course, I was delighted and happy to find out that I was one of the lucky twenty from my school that would have the opportunity to further my education in a foreign land. We were asked to report to the preparatory camp in Hong Kha, Vientiane. Over there we did nothing, but just prepared paperwork to get ready to leave for the country that we supposed to go to continue our education.

I, along with 19 other friends, reported to this preparatory camp in the middle of June. By the middle of August, most of my classmates left for the Soviet Union, but three of us were still in the camp. Until, September of 1977, we came to the conclusion the reason of why we were still in the camp. We learned from each other that the father of one of my friends was a Former Colonel, and was in jail in Viengsay. Another friend's Dad was a former Captain and in jail and several of his siblings escaped Laos. As for me, my Dad, Mr. Linhthong, was an Ambulance driver working for a Hospital that was funded directly by the U.S (OB Hospital in Vientiane), and he was in Jail in Samkhe and accused of being a reactionary person. In fact, my Dad was arrested along with hundreds of Lao people from Houaphanh Province. The Communist Laos Government felt that people from Houaphanh province who lived in Vientiane at that time were against the Communist Pathet Lao Revolution because the Lao people from Houaphanh Province escaped the liberation zone (territories that was controlled by the Communist Pathet Lao during the war) to the Royal Lao Government territories. Therefore, my Dad who was from Houaphanh province and worked for American funded hospital was in double jeopardy. I also remember Sisavath Keobounphanh, current LPDR Prime Minister, signed the arrest warrant of my Dad. As a result, my Dad later died in Jail in Sop Hao from malnutrition and other illnesses without any medical care.

As you also know, several former high ranking Royal Lao officials were sent to various re-education camps that LPDR likes the world to call as a Seminar Camp, but in reality it is a "Gulag or a Death Camp."

I want to share with you the lives of those individuals that were in this Gulag that was once called Camp No. 7. The information that I will share with you is from one of the eyewitness who survived more than ten years of torture, and was able to live to talk about his experiences in this Gulag. This person currently is living in the U.S, and is willing to testify if needed.

Camp No.7, formerly known as Camp No. 5A, was reserved for the prisoners that were categorized by the LPDR as the top enemies of the regime. These prisoners were arrested and separated from other prisoners in other re-education camps on October 12, 1977. They were:

1. Lt. Gen. Bounleuth Sanichanh, Armed Forces Inspector 2. Lt. Gen. Bounpone Makthepharak, Supreme Commander of the Royal Lao Government Armed Forces 3. Lt. Gen. Phasouk S. Rasaphak, Armed Forces Chief of Staff 4. Brig. Gen. Bounchanh Savathphayphane, 1st Intervention Division Commander. 5. Brig. Gen. Kane Insixiengmay, Logistic Division Director 6. Brig. Gen. Atsaphangthong Pathammavong, Capital City Security Commander 7. Brig. Gen. Bounleung Rattanabanlang, Military Security Commander 8. Brig. Gen. Bounthieng Venevongsoth, Cease - Fire Committee 9. Brig. Gen. Chao Sinh Saysana, Operations Division Commander 10. Brig. Gen. Ly Lithilusa, Intelligence Division Commander 11. Brig. Gen. Nouphet Daoheuang, 3rd Region Commander 12. Brig. Gen. Thongphanh Kanocksy, Defense Ministry Spokesman 13. Ret. Lt. Gen. Ouane Rathikoun, Council Committee for the King 14. H.E. Issara Don Sasourith, Irrigation Dept. Director 15. H.E. Khamchanh Pradith, Ambassador to Australia 16. H.E. Liene Phravongviengkham, Ambassador to Peking 17. H.E. Pheng Phongsavanh, Minister of Interior 18. H.E. Soukanh Vilaysane, Minister of Veterans Affairs 19. *H.E. Touby Lyfoung, Council Committee for the King 20. Col. Amkha Khathakhanthamixay, Signals Division Director 21. **Col. Khamphanh Thammakhanty, Chief of G-2, 1st Military Region 22. Police Col. Heng Saythavy, Pakse Province Senator 23. Police Col. Kavinh Keonakhone, Rallied from Pathet Lao Forces 24. Police Lt. Col. Khammouk Phaengsyaroun, Pakse Police Commander 25. Maj. Sivilay Phetsomphou, Rallied from Pathet Lao Forces 26. Capt. Sery Sayakham, Engineering Division 27. **Col. Phom Phanthavong, Bankeun Subdivision Cmdr, was arrested on September 19, 1978, one month prior to the arrested of the above twenty-six prisoners.

This Camp No. 7, was divided into two prison areas, prison A and Prison B. In prison A's area, there were two jail cells, and the area of this prison camp was about 20m x 25m or 60 ft x 75 ft. One cell was used to house prisoners while another was used as a kitchen. In prison B's area, there were three jail cells. The area of this prison B was about 70m x 25m or 210 ft x 75 ft. Prison A and B are in the same vicinity, but are separate entities.

On October 28, 1977, 26 prisoners were locked up in Prison B's area. The smaller jail cell with 5m x 8m x 2.10m or 15ft x 24ft x 6.3ft housed 7 prisoners:

1. H.E Pheng Phongsavanh*** 2. H.E. Touby Lyfoung*** 3.  Lt. Gen. Bounpone Markthepharack*** 4.  Lt. Gen. Phasouk Sor Ratsaphak**** 5.  Brig. Gen. Chaosinh Saysana 6.  Brig. Gen. Atsaphangthong Pathammavong 5. Maj. Sivilay Phetsomphou****

The bigger jail cell 5m x 11m x 2.10m or 15ft x 33 ft x 6.3 ft housed  19 prisoners. These two jail cells were built similarly with the same style but no windows, and they were dark 24 hours/day. Prisoners were allowed to come outside only once a week for 15 minutes just to take a bath.

On the middle of November 1977, eleven more prisoners were brought into Prison B's area. These prisoners mostly belonged to the Royal Lao Family. They were:

1. Chao Sysouphanh Thalangsy, younger brother of  King Sisavang  Vatthana 2. Chao Bouavone Vatthana, Houakhong Governor and Brother of King Sisavang Vatthana 3. Chao Thongsouk Vatthana,  brother of  King Sisavang Vatthana 4. Chao Sisanvangvatthana (Chao Keu), Son number 4th  of King Sisavang Vatthana 5. Chao Manivong Khammao, Secretary for the Royal Lao Palace 6. Chao Souk Bouavong, former Samneua's Mayor during 1939-40, and Minister of          Public Works and Transportation 7. H.E Bong Souvannavong, Former Royal Lao National Assembly in 1947 and President of Lao Houam Samphanh Political Party 8. Ret. Pol. Maj Gen. Lith Luenamachack, former Royal Lao National Police Director at the time of his arrested he was working for the Lao Red Cross in Vientiane. 9.  Police Sgt. Bao Phommy Phanhvongsa, from Samneua, Houaphanh Province 10. Police Sgt. Bao Thong from Samneau, Houaphanh Province 11. Sgt. Phimpha, from Savannakhet Province and was personal driver of Mr. Boun Phommahasay former Lao People Army Commander.

Finally on November 24, 1977 at 5:00PM, the guards moved 11 prisoners from Prison A's area to Prison B's area, and it increased prisoners in the cell B from 19 to 30 in this dark cell. The next morning, prisoners saw  King Sisavang Vatthana, the Queen, and the Crown Prince stood next to Prison Cell A. The guards brought His Majesty,  Her Majesty and the Crown Prince to prison A area  since the night of November 24, 1977.

Life in this Gulag was harsh and prisoners were not allowed to talk to each other. The guards allowed only 5 prisoners to work. Col. Amkha Khathakhanthamisay and Col. Khamphanh Thammakhanty were allowed to work as cooks. Bao Phommy Phanhvongsa, Bao Thong, and Mr. Phimpha were allowed to look for firewood for the kitchen. The rest of the prisoners in this camp were allowed outside only once a week, two people at a time on Saturday, just to take a bath.

Due to the physical and mental torture along with malnutrition, within two years 24 prisoners were dead and only 16 still survived, but more than half of the surviving prisoners could not even walk without help.

Two weeks after the death of King Sisavang Vatthana on April, 1980, the Queen, who was no longer able to walk, was sent to Female Prison Camp between Sop Hao and Mouang Poua on the way to Samneua.

Here is the list of the 24 deaths in Camp No. 7:

Deaths from August to December 1978:

1. Chao Bouavone Vatthana 2. Chao Sisavangvatthana (Chao Keu) 3. Lt. Gen. Ouane Rathikoune 4. Chao Thongsouk Vatthana 5. Brig. Gen. Kane Insixiengmay 6. Brig. Gen. Ly Liththiluesa 7. H.E. Bong Souvannavong 8. Chao Souk Bouavong

Deaths from February to October 1979:

1. Police Maj. Gen. Lith Luenamachack 2. Brig. Gen. Phasouk S. Ratsaphak 3. H.E. Pheng Phongsavanh 4. H.E. Soukanh Vilaysane 5. H.E Touby Lyfoung (murdered by the guard after taking a bath) 6. H.E. Itsara Donsasorith 7. Cpt. Sery Sayakham 8. Chao Manivong Khammao 9. Maj. Sivilay Phetsomphou.

Deaths from January to May, 1980:

1. Brig. Gen. Thongphanh Kanoksy 2. The Crown Prince Chao Vongsavang 3. Chao Souphanthalangsy 4. King Sisavang Vatthana 5. H.E. Khamchanh Pradith 6. Lt. Gen. Bounpone Makthepharak 7. H.E. Liene Pravongviengkham

As you may know, this is only one example of the torture that was put on human

beings without neither charges nor trials of any crimes. However, they were found guilty before they even got arrested for being born to the Royal Lao Families or serving as public servants to the Royal Lao Government. Nevertheless, these evil acts by the current government of Laos did not stop here, their evil acts still continue. As in the early 90's when there were high-ranking LPDR officials called for a freedom of speech and political association, they and their associates were arrested and put in jail in Houaphanh Province. One, Mr. Thongsouk Saysangkhy, recently died on March 1998 due to malnutrition and other illnesses without any medical care. LPDR officials also lied to Mr. Vue Mai, a Hmong leader in a Thai Refugee Camp, to return to Laos. He believed in their words and empty promises. Within a month upon returning to Laos from the Refugee Camp in Thailand, he was abducted from his home, and until today the LPDR government cannot explain the disappearance of Mr. Vue Mai or his whereabouts.

Further, on January 30, 1998, forty-nine Christian worshippers were arrested for holding a bible study in their houses. Included in this arrest were three Americans, one French and one Thai. Most of these arrested were released, but ten still remain in jail in Vientiane until today. The remaining ten Christians who are still in jail are:

1. Gaet Inthavong 2. Sy Yitlachay 3. Chanh Yitlatchay 4. Galgaruensuk 5. Phengxay 6. Khammieng 7. Khamsaveng Vassanavong 8. Bounlerth Yilatchay 9. Douangmany Yilatchay**** 10. Kongmany Soukaseum

As I have presented to you the evidences from eyewitnesses, research and my personal experiences, I can conclude that the current Lao Government is not much different from the Nazis during WWII. I therefore urge all peace loving people to demand this Lao Government to stop human rights abuse and honor the declaration of human rights by the United Nations that Laos is also a signatory party to this declaration.

I urge all of you to please do whatever you can to demand the Lao Government to release all political and religious prisoners. I also would like to urge all civilized governments in the world to please sever diplomatic relations with this Lao Government until the Lao Government satisfies all the basic human rights to its people because I believe that Lao People deserve to have at least Basic Human Rights. Thank you.

shower while waiting for the guard to open the door for him to get back to his cell.
 * H.E. Touby Lyfoung was executed by the guard after he came back from taking a

Camp #7.
 * Col. Khamphanh Thammakhanty and Col. Phom Phanthavong came out alive from


 * These prisoners were chained beginning mid May 1978 until their deaths.

Christian arrested for studying the Bible.
 * Douangmany Yilatchay is a twenty year old female, the youngest of the Lao