APPENDIX B
TRANSLATION OF A LETTER PREPARED BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DEPUTY AND FORMER LAO ARMED FORCES COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF GENERAL OUAN RATHIKOUN ON APRIL 10, 1972
The following is a "translation of a letter prepared by National Assembly Deputy and former Lao Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Ouan Rathi- koun" and sent by him to Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma “on April 10, 1972.” The letter was subsequently sent to all members of the National Assembly under a covering letter signed by the President of the National Assembly Phoui Sananikone.
"The Sixth National Assembly passed the government bill banning the culti- vation of the opium poppy and the trafficking of opium in the Kingdom.
"The law was passed quickly and the cultivators of the opium poppy, the opium addicts and the opium traders were not given advance warning.
"On June 1, 1970, I wrote a report on opium growing areas in Laos and sent it to you. My report was later published in the Xat Lao newspaper and in book- lets. It is a report on facts about the living conditions of the people in six northern provinces-Houa Khong, Phongsaly, Sayaboury, Sam Neur, Xieng Kouang and Luang Prabang, the opium growing areas in Laos.
"Some foreigners and Laotians have assumed that I, General Ouan Rathikoun, was involved in trading and trafficking of illicit opium in Laos. Though I am blamed, I am still proud of the service I have performed for helping my com- patriots. Born in this nation, I am very proud of the part I have played in lib- erating our country, on many occasions at the risk of my life.
"I am writing to you in all sincerity and telling you the truth. I wish to ask that you yourself try to better the living conditions of the people who live in the mountains.
"I have never been interested in opium because, born in Luang Prabang, I used to see the cultivation of the opium poppy and the private and official trading in opium each year. I saw that the Government permitted some merchants to pur- chase opium from hilltribesmen and sell it to the Government. From 1945 to 1954, when I was involved in guerrilla work in northern Laos, I saw opium poppy plantations in every village of the Meo, the Eko, the Kouy, the Muser and the Lay- tene (Lantene) peoples. Therefore, I have been able to write about the facts in my booklet.
"In 1955 when I was the Commander of Military Region I, I officially reported to the Government that a plane of Thai merchants frequently landed at a tobacco plantation at Ban Ton Pheung (possibly PC 1545), Houa Khong Province. After receiving my report, the Government ordered us to try to arrest the Thai mer- chants. In its order, the Government said that it would award us if we could arrest them. After receiving the order, we planned to arrest the Thai merchants who carried opium. In arresting them, there was a firefight and two of our soldiers were killed. One of those who carried opium was killed, two of them were wounded, and three of them, who were Thais, were arrested. We captured 950 kilograms of opium hidden inside empty bomb casings.
"By order of the Government, all prisoners were sent to Luang Prabang where they were sentenced to imprisonment by the Court. The captured opium was sent to Vientiane as ordered.
"The military officers and men who carried out their duty of suppressing the opium merchants fully expected to receive awards. However, after long waiting, they have not yet received them.
"In Vientiane, the captured opium was delivered to the Central Warehouse of the Customs Department where it hardened to such a degree that it could no longer be refined. In 1960, the year of the Kong Le coup, when the captured opium was inspected, it had hardened completely.
(GS)