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cannot send out the administration authorities to give them the right instruction for good health.
5. Very few tribesmen living in the hilly areas will receive education because of no good communication. A school cannot be set up as the children do not live together in a village. There are many problems about giving education for those children; the government is now facing an acute shortage of teachers. The num- ber of teachers in Laos is totally 3,000–4,000 while the number of villages all over Laos is 11,000. Supposely, a school is set up in a remote area and some teachers are sent there, there may not be children to attend the school, because most of the parents badly need their children to help earn living, and then it's pretty sure that the school will be abandoned.
6. Security: Owing to not many people in each village, self-defense with arms cannot be provided. If the government provides the villages with arms, the enemy can easily take them away. Besides, the people are easily fallen to prey to the enemy by the reason that they are uneducated, the government officials cannot reach them and the enemy can launch an instigation. It is obvious that any area the enemy can control the FAR cannot retake but on the contrary, the area where the government officials can reach and give the citizen some education, the enemy cannot capture it because the citizen will fight to the end.
I used to study and see a method of President Magsaysay in Philippines in 1956 in connection with the evacuation of all tribesmen living on the mountains down to the plain, providing plots of land and various facilities. This method can prevent the people from being instigated by the opponent but it must take time. When late President Magsaysay launched his campaign of tribesmen evacuation, he had to face many problems enemy propaganda against the government, fierce fighting, etc. until he won the hearts of the people.
After my study of the Laotian population from 1960 up to present, I know that some of the population were living on the hills in north and east Laos, bordering China and Vietnam. Some of those have already moved their families to settle down in the plain along the Mekong River and various Se rivers but some still lived in big groups on the mountains. Up to one-third of the total population of Laos or 600,000 (must be one-fifth as the total population is 3 million/Asawa) are willing to move down from the hilly areas. I have an idea that the government can take this opportunity to tell those people if the government will provide some plots of land for them to settle down. They will by all means agree with the government whenever they make sure that their new place is better than the one they are living in now. This will lead to the solution to the said six problems. For instance, economically speaking, if the tribesmen move down to cultivate the plain land, at least 500 muns of rice grains in five months each family will bring in. And they can spend the other 7 months in a year to grow other crops, raise 4 pigs each family and others. Judging from the rough estimation, living in the plain can make their life better than that on the mountain. Talking about the clothing problem when they move down, they can live more comfortably because the weather down the hills is warmer. They will have much more time to work. Some women can grow cotton and weave for their own clothings. Besides, buying clothings down the hills is cheaper and better.
On the shelter problem, the tribesmen can live together in a village of more than 50 houses can be built permanently and lastly for their next generations. When they live in a better circumstances and good environment, they will have to love and cherish what they have. Many countries in the world have tried to organize the house-hold project. I see that the "Irsraeleee" project is a better one which we should adopt and adapt to the Laotian custom.
On public health question, when they live in a community, the government can provide them a hospital or health station or good instruction on health. Comparable to living on the hill, when they are sick all of the family members have to watch them with no medical treatment-resulting in loss of valuable time.
Concerning education problem, the government or the Ministry of Education can set up a school for them and send teachers to teach the children in all levels. This will make those children at least literate people of Laos. As for smart children. they can further their studies up to university level. In addition to the children given education in school, the able-bodied young men will be able to serve the country as soldiers. They will learn how to be good com- patriots and they will have many friends from various villages which they can help each other. These men eventually will have good knowledge and bravery
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