LAO SENIOR OFFICIAL DISCUSSES RELIGIOUS ISSUES

UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000341

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TAGS: KIRF PHUM SOCI PREL LA
SUBJECT: LAO SENIOR OFFICIAL DISCUSSES RELIGIOUS ISSUES

Ref: Vientiane 0167

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED: PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) Summary: Following up on the Ambassador's recent meeting
with the Lao Front for National Construction (reftel),Poloffs met
with recently-appointed Religous Affairs Khaophone Vannabout to seek
updates on several outstanding cases. Khaophone provided an update
on 12 detained Khmu who may be "reeducated" and released soon,
although no information on the case of missing Mr. Khamsone is yet
available. Khaophone outlined plans for a major seminar on religion
to be held during May and followed by inspections carried out by
central-level officials which may help limit the propensity of local
officials to claim religious violations in local disputes. The
Embassy plans to follow this process closely. End Summary.

Planning A Major Seminar
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2. (SBU) PolOffs met April 20 with Khaophone Vannabout, Director of
Religious Affairs for the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC)
- the mass organization charged with supervising religious and
ethnic affairs in Laos. Khaophone remarked that most religious
problems in Laos involve Protestants, specifically members of the
Lao Evangelical Church (LEC) (even though the LEC is an approved
religious group within Laos). He mentioned that during the next
month the LFNC will hold a nation-wide seminar for representatives
of all four approved religions (Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and
Baha'i) to review religious rights given under the Constitution and
in the law and to discuss resolving religious problems. Local
officials such as district chiefs, district police chiefs, LFNC
district-level representatives, and other relevant governmental
agency representatives will also be invited to attend and to take
back lessons learned to be applied locally. (Note: this seminar
will be Khaophone's first significant activity since becoming the
LFNC Religious Affairs Director earlier this year.)

The 12 Khmu
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3. (SBU) Khaophone told Poloffs that LFNC President Sisavath
Keopbounphanh had called in the head of the Religious Affairs
Section from the Vientiane Provincial LFNC Office earlier on April
20 to report on the situation of the 12 ethnic Khmu detainees in
Vientiane Province. LFNC President Sisavath urged the provincial
LFNC representative to work closely with the Hinheup District Chief
to resolve this issue. The provincial LFNC representative reported
to Sisavath that provincial and Hinheup district officials are
organizing training (reeducation) for the 12 Khmu to become familiar
with government policy on religion including Prime Minister's Degree
No. 92 on Religious Freedom. When the group completes the
"reeducation" course, the 12 should be released.

Education to Resolve Religious Problems
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4. (SBU) Khaophone also discussed with Poloffs problems in general
he is finding at the local level. In a few cases, local officials
and even some heads of religious congregations try to use religion
for their personal benefit. If local officials do not like someone
because that person is a religious believer, the officials may
accuse the believer of violating rules or laws and have the person
arrested. (Note: Local officials have used provisions against
unlawful gatherings, or undermining social stability, or even
spurious accusations as extreme as drug trafficking.) Khaophone
said that LFNC President Sisavath is paying significant attention to
this issue. According to Khaophone, President Sisavath instructs
his staff to try to solve problems peacefully by educating people to
respect the law and regulations as well as training local officials
to respect religious believers. Immediately before Khaophone's
meeting with Poloffs, LFNC President Sisavath met with Khaophone and
insisted that the Religious Affairs Department work quickly not only
to solve the problem of the 12 Khmu but also to have a clear agenda
for resolving other religious problems by June.

Mr. Khamsone's Case
--------------

5. (SBU) Asked by Poloffs about the case of Mr. Khamsone, an
employee in Oudomxay Province of the American-owned company Natural
Products Inc. who has been missing since January, Khaophone said he
had asked Mr. Chittaphong, Vice President of the Oudomxay Provincial
LFNC Office, to find out the reasons for the arrest and the lengthy
detention. Chittaphong has not yet replied. After the major
seminar the LFNC will hold in May, central-level LFNC officials will
pay inspection visits to the provinces. Khaophone himself will
visit Oudomxay as well as Vientiane, Savannakhet, and Luang Namtha
Provinces to learn more the local situations and look for ways to
address the religious problems occurring in these areas - not only
Khamsone's case in Oudomxay but also the problem of the confiscated
church in Dong Nong Khun Village in Savannakhet. Once these
inspections are completed, the LFNC will report the results to other
GOL agencies - including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so MFA may
inform the Chief of each diplomatic mission, including the U.S.
Embassy.

Comment
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6. (SBU) Although much religious practice (especially Buddhism but
also Catholicism, Islam, and the Baha'i faith) takes place in Laos
without significant difficulty, religious problems involving
Protestant groups repeatedly erupt in five localities: Vientiane,
Oudomxay, Bolikhamxay, Luang Namtha, and Savannakhet Provinces. The
Embassy continues to push the GOL to resolve individual cases - the
12 Khmu and Mr. Khamsone for example - through the MFA and the
LFNC's Department of Religious Affairs both formally through
official meetings including that of the Ambassador reported reftel
and also via regular informal phone calls. We look forward to
hearing the results of newly-appointed Director Khaophone's
nation-wide seminar and the follow-on inspection process by LFNC
officials. If the problems facing local Protestants result in part
from a lack of understanding by local officials, perhaps it is not
only the 12 Khmu who need reeducation. This seminar may help.

HASLACH