Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENTIANE53
2007-01-22 08:13:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Vientiane
Cable title:  

REPRESENTATIVE MCCOLLUM'S DISCUSSIONS ON UNEXPLODED

Tags:  OREP MOPS PREL PHUM PGOV SCUL KFLU KHDP ECON LA 
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VZCZCXYZ0009
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVN #0053/01 0220813
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220813Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0800
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 7098
UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000053 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, PM/WRA (Hutchens),AND H

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP MOPS PREL PHUM PGOV SCUL KFLU KHDP ECON LA
SUBJECT: REPRESENTATIVE MCCOLLUM'S DISCUSSIONS ON UNEXPLODED
ORDNANCE AND SOCIAL ISSUES

UNCLAS VIENTIANE 000053

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, PM/WRA (Hutchens),AND H

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OREP MOPS PREL PHUM PGOV SCUL KFLU KHDP ECON LA
SUBJECT: REPRESENTATIVE MCCOLLUM'S DISCUSSIONS ON UNEXPLODED
ORDNANCE AND SOCIAL ISSUES


1. (SBU) Summary: During her visit to Laos, Representative McCollum
got a first-hand look at the problems related to unexploded ordnance
(UXO) in Xieng Khouang province. She visited a hospital where UXO
victims were being treated, a mine clearance site, and a school
where children demonstrated mine awareness activities. At meetings
with Lao UXO officials and the Minister of Labor and Social Welfare,
Representative McCollum discussed U.S.-Lao cooperation to rid Laos
of UXO. In a meeting with a leading member of the Lao Front for
National Construction, a body that oversees political and social
organizations, she emphasized the importance of freedom of religion
and encouraged the Lao government to allow respected international
organizations to monitor developments such as population
resettlements. Representative McCollum also exchanged ideas about
microenterprise and health issues with the Vice President of the Lao
Women's Union. End summary.

Representative McCollum Observes UXO Activities
-------------- --


2. (U) On December 23, Representative McCollum, accompanied by DCM
and consular officer, traveled to Xieng Khouang Province to see
firsthand the effects of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Laos and to
visit UXO clearance, education, and victim's assistance programs and
organizations supported by the USG.


3. (U) At a school that participates in a Consortium/World Education
mine-risk education (MRE) curriculum program funded by PM/WRA,
Representative McCollum watched students put on a play and a puppet
show describing the dangers of unexploded ordnance. She visited an
80-hectare farming site being cleared of UXO by the Mines Advisory
Group (MAG),a PM/WRA and USDA grantee in Laos. At the provincial
hospital in Phonsavan, which recently completed USAID-supported

building upgrades and trauma treatment training, she met with
doctors and talked with children who were receiving treatment for
severe injuries caused by UXO. One girl had lost an eye and several
fingers in the explosion of a piece of ordnance her father had
collected as scrap metal.

Meeting with UXO Officials
--------------


4. (U) On December 28, Representative McCollum met with Dr. Maligna
Saignavongs, Director of the Lao UXO National Regulatory Authority,
and Bounpone Sayasenh, Director of UXO Lao. The directors shared
with Ms. McCollum their organizations' history, current challenges,
and successes in shaping Lao UXO policy and in ongoing efforts to
clear land of UXO, educate the Lao people on the dangers of UXO, and
respond to the needs of victims of UXO accidents. Representative
McCollum commended the directors on their work and noted that she
and the USG were committed to working with the Government of Laos
(GOL) to clean up the explosive remnants of the Indochina war. She
said that the close coordination among mine action organizations,
the GOL, and donors and the pragmatic approach to UXO clearance can
serve as a model for other UXO-affected countries to follow.

Minister of Labor and Social Welfare
--------------


5. (U) In a meeting with Onchan Thammavong, Minister of Labor and
Social Welfare, Representative McCollum commended the Minister on
her government's dedication to UXO clearance and education, noting
that she appreciated the GOL's planning to maximize the dollar
effectiveness of donor-supported clearance. She pointed out that,
not only does UXO clearance help to protect Lao families and
children from the dangers of UXO, it also helps Laos to move towards
attaining Millennium Development Goals. Minister Onchan thanked Ms.
McCollum for her support of Lao UXO activities and urged her to
continue her support for USG assistance to Laos.


6. (U) Representative McCollum said that, apart from clearance
assistance, the USG could be a partner in developing Laos' health
care capacity. She explained that the US military has medical
specialists who could work with Lao doctors to develop techniques
and use technologies to treat UXO accident victims. The same
techniques would be useful in treating other trauma patients, such
as road and construction accident victims. The Minister replied
that Laos needs both technical and financial medical assistance and
that she would discuss Representative McCollum's proposal with the
Cabinet.


7. (SBU) Comment: Representative McCollum expressed strong support
for continued USG assistance to the Lao UXO sector. She emphasized
in various meetings with GOL officials her personal commitment to
continuing support for the Lao UXO program. Representative McCollum
said she would be speaking to her colleagues in Congress about the
UXO problems that continue to plague Laos and would seek further
funding in Congress to support efforts to clear land and educate the
Lao about the dangers of UXO. End Comment.


Lao Front for National Construction
--------------


8. (SBU) On December 28, Representative McCollum met with Ton Yeu
Thor, Vice President and Head of Ethnic Affairs at the Lao Front for
National Construction, an important body that oversees various
political and social organizations. Mr. Ton complained that people
in foreign countries are receiving false information about
conditions in Laos because of rumors spread by former residents of
Laos living abroad. He urged Representative McCollum to help set
the record straight. Representative McCollum said that allowing
respected organizations such as the International Committee of the
Red Cross to monitor developments such as population resettlement
would be helpful in this regard.


9. (SBU) Mr. Ton said that he believes in freedom of religion. He
told Representative McCollum that he himself is not a Buddhist; his
own religion emphasizes respecting ancestors. Every religion has
good teachings, he said, but if bad people abuse freedom of religion
it becomes a problem. This is why the government had to issue a
decree to control people who want to use religion in the wrong way.
The purpose of the decree as it applies to Christianity, he said, is
to make sure that people use the teachings of the Bible rather than
taking advantage of people. This principle applies to other
religions as well. For example, people should not become Buddhist
monks just to get free food or use animist beliefs to practice black
magic. Representative McCollum said that the United States has
learned the lesson, often following unacceptable practices such as
forced conversions of Native Americans, that tolerance, transparency
and dialogue are the best practices when it comes to respecting
religious diversity and freedom.

Lao Women's Union
--------------


10. (U) On December 29, Representative McCollum met with Lao Women's
Union Vice President Bandith Pathoumvanh. Representative McCollum
praised the Lao Women's Union's efforts to educate the Lao
population on avian influenza and other public health issues. She
recommended that the organization, in coordination with the Embassy,
study programs in African and India in which women have increased
profits in microenterprise programs by eliminating middlemen.
Representative McCollum and Ms. Bandith also shared views on other
challenges such as combating HIV/AIDS and malaria.


11. (U) Representative McCollum did not have a chance to clear on
this cable.

HASLACH