E/CN.4/1503
Annex II page 27
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with their distinctive way of life unchanged for centuries of slash-and-burn agriculture, who dressed heavily against the low temperatures of their high-altitude environment (9 000 feet above sea level), speaking their own language for which no written script existed, were to resist fiercely the relocation policy of the new government.
80 Progress in implementing many of the new socialist measures were hampered by the shortage of competent administrative and technical cadres, following the flight of large numbers of people and the despatch to re-education camps
to re-education camps of thousands of former officials.
Further major difficulties emanated from periodic blockades, from November 1975 onwards, by Thailand as a result of numerous shooting incidents along the Mekong. The landlocked country, heavily dependent on imports of most commodities, even basic foodstuffs at a time of severe drought such as that experi- enced in 1977, found itself compelled to appeal in the face of severe food shortages and spiralling prices to their socialist friends and a range of other potential donors, including inter- national organisations.
81.
Almost 60 per cent of those leaving since 1975 have been lowland Lao with roughly equal proportions from urban and rural districts. Many of the intellectuals and the skilled Lao, the ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and the Thai Dam were affected by loss of livelihood and/or by feelings of insecurity because of their previous associations. Increasingly, economic consider- ations, the apparent magnetic effect of the life in the camps and the additional draw of third contry resettlement oppor- tunities help account for the outflow which made of Nong Khai and Ubon camps the largest agglomerations of Lao in the world. As for the peasants, there is a correlation between the exodus to Thailand of 1978/79 and the institution of collectivization methods, coupled with attempts to make the Lao farmer increase his number of working days per year.
With the establishment of 2 700 co-operatives by the end of 1979 achieved at the cost of absenteeism and unattended paddy fields, the
the Government is reported to have been advised by socialist experts to slow down agrarian reforms in order to stem the exodus. Concurrently, the International Monetary Fund advised the Government to balance its budget and increase productivity and exports through a liberalization of the economy. Under relaxed controls, free- market trading in fresh food and consumer goods revived, while many of the residents of the co-operatives were reported to be returning to traditional farming methods.
82.
The presence of tens of thousands of people from LPDR in Thailand has been a cause for concern for both governments. Large numbers of the refugees, both lowland Lao and hilltribes, have left
left for permanent resettlement principally to the United States.
However, tens of thousands were reported to be unwilling to give in to the lure of life in Western countries,
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E/CN.4/1503
Annex II page 28