Slowly but surely, Laos emerges from its past
By Cebe Tadjoedin
VIENTIANE, Laos (JP): Laos, once a part of French Indochina, has long been out of the world's focus. It seems it needed this time to reflect after having had its share of foreign domination and internal struggles. Freeing itself from Thai, Vietnamese, and French rule, Laos became independent in 1953. But peace remained a far cry away as conflicts between royalist, neutralist and communist factions continued until the Lao People's Democratic Republic was established in 1975.
Once known as Lan Xang, Laos covers 235,690 square kilometers. It is locked in by Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, Thailand to the west, and Myanmar and China to the north.
Four different groups constitute the people of Laos. The largest group is the Lao Loum, or lowland Lao. Like the Thai and Indianized peoples in Southeast Asia, they adhere to Theravada Buddhism. They are ethnically identical to the people of today's northeast Thailand. The second largest group, the Lao Theung of the mountains, includes a large group of people believed to be the aboriginal inhabitants of Laos. Then there are the Lao T'ai, which consist of a number of tribes who migrated to Laos over the course of time. They are wet rice cultivators, and are basically animistic. The fourth group is Lao Seung. These four groups are officially subdivided into 68 ethnic groups, though Laurent Chazee, a French researcher, counted 130 in 1995.
As yet, the pace of life is still slower than in some of its neighboring countries. Tranquil, relaxed, and peaceful, that is the impression one gets in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. But soon it may have no other choice but to join the maddening crowd. Its doors are now somewhat ajar. Tourists, particularly the French, have started arriving, many of them probably for old time's sake.
The country, which expects to become a member of ASEAN this year, welcomed President Soeharto this week. During the visit, agreements on air transport, forestry and agriculture were signed.
Foreign aid is being received from various countries, including Western countries, as well as international donor agencies. As recent as January the German minister of economic cooperation and development, Carl-Dieter Spranger, was visiting projects supported by his country in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. The minister signed an agreement to provide DM 10 million in aid for the power line from China to Luang Namtha province as well as a power station that would boost industrial development in the province. In 1995 and 1996, Germany alone assisted with 17 projects worth about DM 20 million.
While Laos is still one of the poorest countries in the world, its per capita income has increased to US$350 from $270 in 1988.
With development in its early stages, the country is expected to benefit from the experience of other Asian countries and from improved development concepts that are more people-oriented than ever before.
Marginalization
There is concern that development might bring along the marginalization of women. The concern is understandable as 51 percent of the population is women, many of whom have a high status within their communities. Sixty-eight percent of them belong to the Lao Loum group, which has communities ruled by matrilineal inheritance patterns. Women are the ones who inherit their parents' possessions, including land, though gender relationships are fairly egalitarian.
A study in four villages on the framework of women in development activities of the Strengthening and Restructuring Irrigation Department Project found that matrilineal traditions were gradually loosening as a consequence of economic and cultural transformation.
One case is modernization and the implementation of irrigation schemes, which tend to encourage male dominance in areas, such as access to irrigation facilities, traditionally handled by women. Even worse is the practice of land registration that automatically puts land ownership in the name of the husband. While the main objective of the registration may be to accelerate tax income, its implementation tends to deprive a woman of her customary right to land inherited from her parents.
This occurred in the Fat Nam Khun irrigation project in Xieng Khouang province, where 80 percent of the men move into their wives' homes and land rights follow the maternal line. Male dominance of land titles could cause a dramatic change in the power basis of Lao Loum women and affect their role in agrarian production.
To anticipate and counteract the negative effects, the Lao Front for National Construction encourages community participation in national development efforts. Dara Viravongs Kanlaya, a member of the Permanent Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction, is actively involved in such efforts, which she combines with activities as a professional writer, the editor of a literary publication, and an active leader of a writers' association.
"Writing and reading are skills which must take a front seat," she explains.
The writers' association in Laos has 60 members, 10 of which are women.
More writers are needed so that everybody can understand how to address changes which come along with the development process in the country, she said.
Thirty percent of the population is still illiterate, of which 60 percent are women. Education, both formal and informal, therefore receives special attention, particularly since the official Lao language became the national language in the 1960s.
For Kanlaya, who is proficient in Pali, Lao, English and French, empowerment is key. The focus of her activities is on activities which enhance the skills of people, particularly women. Workshops and writing contests are organized, despite a lack of funds. Their first donation came from the Women's International Group in Vientiane. Later, more people became interested, allowing for further activities such as reading contests and mobile libraries, which are organized in cooperation with the National Library and the Ministry of Education. Today they have over 300 mobile libraries moving throughout the country.