History of Laos

Prehistory

Excavations in the area of Luang Prabang carried out by the Fromaget geologist made it possible to exhume remainders of hominiens, similar to the Sinanthrope or " man of Pékin" , attesting that the country lao was inhabited by the man since the most moved back times. One also found objects of the Mesolithic and Neolithic time.

It is necessary to believe that the country lao was always a place where many populations of various origins forwarded.

5.000 years ago (3 000 front J. - C), of the populations of the hills and of the Piedmont S of the south of the China start a movement of migration towards the south. These populations are the ancestors of the people of languages Austroasiatique S which My Khmer S and their cousins are the the .

At one more recent time, towards 500 av. J.C., were built in the area of Xieng Khuang of the megaliths which take the shape of giant earthenware jars, of menhirs or of Cromlech S. the earthenware jars contained incinerated bones, objects out of bronze and iron. Later, one will call this area the " Flat of the earthenware jars ".

These various populations are the ancestors of those which one now calls the Lao-Theungs and formerly, the Kha (" sauvages" , " esclaves"). They are established in the east, the south-east and the south of the country. They were driven back there, during the ages, by new migrations.

The Lao country before XIVe century

In the first centuries of the Christian era, the south of the country is occupied by Cham S or inhabitants of the Champa , kingdom hindouist of the center of the Vietnam. Chams are then évincés by the Khmer . In the neighborhoods of year 900, the kingdom of Yaçovarman includes only the south of Laos, whereas two centuries later, the kingdom of Jayavarman VII extends until the area from Vientiane. Such an amount of Chams that the Khmers are indianisés, and consequently permeable with Buddhism which spreads in the Indochinese Péninsule as from the 7th century.

See also: Indianisation of the Indochinese peninsula

It is as from the 11th century that one dates usually the irruption from the populations Thai are (or have you ) in current Laos. Organized in Chefferie S, combative and conquerors, undoubtedly pushed by the Chinese expansion, have You infiltrate by Diên Biên Phu and the valleys of the Nam Or and the Nam Suong. In contact with civilization khmère, they convert gradually with the Bouddhisme and thereafter impose in the areas where they are established their language and their culture. The Lao represent a particular branch of the branch have You. It is them which occupy the current Laos and the north of the current Thailand. A Siamese inscription of 1292 attests the existence of a kingdom lao around Luang Prabang.

The kingdom of the Lan Xang (of XIVe at the XIXe century)

The first kingdom lao historically recognized date of the 14th century. Its king is called Fa Ngum, it goes down from a more or less legendary ancestor, Khoun Bourom. The kingdom, which extends on a territory larger than current Laos bears the name of Lan Xang , which wants to say " kingdom of the million éléphants". In the centuries which followed the sovereigns of Lan Xang were often in war against the Burmeses and the Vietnameses of which they had sometimes to accept suzerainty. At the beginning of the 18th century, the kingdom was parcelled out in three kingdoms: Luang Prabang, in North, Vientiane, the current capital and Champassak, in the South, very close to the Kampuchea, around what is now the area of Paksé. In 1768, the kingdoms of Vientiane and Champassak fell under Siamese domination. Ten years later, the Siamese ones ransacked Vientiane and carried Ph' ruffle Keo, the Bouddha of Emerald which one can still admire in the most famous temple of Bangkok.

Parcelled out, plundered, the Lao Country had entered a decline which will continue throughout the 19th century. The first accounts of Western travellers date from the 17th century. It was then the golden age of the kingdom lao , under the reign of the " king-soleil" lao Sourignavongsa . The Dutch merchant Van Wuystoff was dazzled by the magnificence of Vientiane. In its newspaper, to stress the importance of the Buddhism and at the same time its peaceful aspect, it evokes these monks " more than the soldiers of the emperor of Allemagne". At that time, Vientiane attracted the monks of Kampuchea and the Siam which came to make their studies there.

It is probably this anchoring affirmed in the history which made it possible Lao to preserve a powerful feeling of unity, through the political parcelling out of the 19th century, the colonization and the post-colonial wars of the 20th century. About Luang Prabang with Paksé (the principal city of the old kingdom of Champassak), one speaks the same language, near to Thai, one uses the same writing, of origin sanskrite, also near to the writing Thai, but which is distinguished some.

At the 19th century, it with Luang Prabang, is protected better by the mountains, than the descendants of the dynasty of Khoun Bourom will continue to maintain monarchy lao. Much weaker than its neighbors, the kingdom lao then had to use of all the smoothnesses of the diplomacy not to disappear purely and simply. But at the end of the 19th century, the history of this country ceased proceeding in a purely regional context. The European powers divided the world, and to the South-East Asia, in particular, the French and the British devoted themselves to an intense competition. Driven out India by the British at the 18th century, the French regained a footing with the Vietnam in 1858 pennies pretext of protect the catholics.

French colonization (1893-1954)

Introduction of French protectorate

Finally, in the Indochinese peninsula, only the kingdom of Siam succeeds in preserving its independence, whereas the British extended their domination on the Burma and the French on the Vietnam, the Kampuchea and the Laos who were gathered in " Indochine". There was a showdown with the Siamese ones which also had claims on Laos. Warships French blocked Bangkok to force the Siamese ones to sign, in 1893, a treaty by which they recognized protectorate that the French had founded in Laos.

Following the Agreements of Geneva of 1954, the French returned in Lao the full sovereignty of their country. If one adds to the sixty years of protectorate the twenty years which followed, and where the cultural presence of France remained very strong, that made approximately eighty years of relatively strong bonds between France and Laos.

A little disputed French presence

Until 1940, the Lao aristocracy accepted readily the French presence which had prevented the absorption of the country by Siam. The colonizers never called into question the presence of the king in his palate of Luang Prabang. There was, on the other hand, of the movements of rebellion on behalf of certain mountain minorities. The French, indeed, who had put in building site starting from the beginning of the century the construction of an highway network serving the whole of Indo-China and intended to put at contribution the local populations. In the facts, this contribution, in the form of " corvée" , often rested on the Lao-Theungs , already in situation of quasi-slavery with respect to feudal the Lao near which they was involved in debt. The most serious revolt took place between 1900 and 1910, in the plate of Bolovens, in the south of the country. The drudgery will be abolished by the Popular front in 1936.

In 1940, Laos knows peace, but remains very little developed. 95% of the population are illiterate there. 12.000 children attend elementary schools where teaching is given in French. In fact the pagodas transmit the use of the writing lao. Although in the South of the country certain French colonists obtained agricultural concessions, the French presence was especially administrative. The development of Indo-China was concentrated with the Vietnam. Laos being populated little, the French encouraged the Vietnameses to settle there to occupy there of the uses of civils servant or workmen in mining. With share Luang Prabang, the towns of some importance, like Vientiane, Paksé, Savannakhet or Thakkhek, became populated of a majority of Vietnameses.

The low level of schooling can explain the delay of a nationalist alarm clock lao which was hardly expressed before 1946 whereas it in Vietnam neighbor, at the beginning of the century, well-read men organized themselves to resist colonization, leaving the place in the Twenties with a whole pallet of nationalist movements among which the Indochinese Communist party, directed by Nguyen Have Quoc, more known under the name of Ho-Chi-Minh.

The Second world war and nationalist awakening

The Second world war shook the colonial power: France was forced to yield to the Thailand, allied Japan, the provinces located on Western bank of the Mekong. An anecdote is revealing development of nationalism lao at that time: vis-a-vis the threats Japanese woman and inhabitants of Thailand, the colonial authorities were led to be based more on the elites lao . The director of the state education of Vientiane encouraged the young people lao cultivated to find the sources of the cultural identity lao : literature, music, history… In 1944, when the same French civil servant wanted to develop the use of the Roman Alphabet to write the lao , it encountered a vigorous resistance on behalf of the prince Pethsarat who was then Prime Minister at the court of Luang Prabang. The prince estimated that the writing was an essential component of the culture lao, as well as the language and Buddhism. In addition, Pethsarat encouraged his/her young half-brothers to follow studies of engineers to France; Souvanna Phouma and Souphanouvong, first engineers of Laos incarnated until 1975 the 2 components of nationalism lao , pro-Westerner and pro-Communist.

The first and the second war of Indo-China

In March 1945, the Japanese occupied all French Indo-China militarily. Between their capitulation, in August 45 and the return of the French troops to spring 46, the prince Pethsarat formed a government which brought together the nationalists lao of all tendencies.

Between 1945 and 1980, Laos knew one practically uninterrupted period of war, but the valley of Mekong was saved by the engagements than the mountainous areas.

The first war of Indo-China

The " first War of Indo-China " , between 1946 and 1954 was a war of decolonization carried out by the Vietnamese Communists, the " Vietminh ", against the French. Part of the Laotian nationalists, knew in the years 1960 under the name of Pathet Lao, allied of Vietminh, was radicalized in the fight against the French and was integrated durably in the world communist movement. The victory of Vietminh with Diên Biên Phu, in 1954, led to an International Conference in Geneva which recognized 2 Vietnamese States: the North-Vietnamese soldier Nam, Communist, and the South-Vietnamese soldier Nam, where the American influence replaced that of the French quickly. As for Laos, the conference confirmed the constitutional monarchy installation by the French since 1947, while officially recognizing Pathet Lao whose military forces were authorized to gather in two provinces of the North-East. Undoubtedly one in the two camps of the patriots in favor of the union found, for the largest good of the country, but the regional and world geopolitical context will take the step on the purely Laotian stakes and will give reason to most intransigent of the two camps. Never Pathet Lao accepted the control of the royal government on its two provinces; never the soldiers of right-hand side did not accept the electoral victories of Pathet Lao. A second government of national union (the first attempt goes back to 1946), formed in 1962 had quickly made fly in glares.

The second war of Indo-China

The second war of Indo-China had begun a few years later, 500 000 American soldiers will be engaged with the Nam South-Vietnamese soldier to try to counter the communist maquis which receive North a massive help. The " Track Ho Chi Minh " , this network of roads and paths which the North-Vietnameses borrow in the mountains of the Cordillère Anamitique, to supply their Vietcongs allies of the Nam South-Vietnamese soldier, is located in Laotian territory. During years, the American bombers based in Thailand will get busy to block this vital artery for the Vietnamese Communists. Between 1964 and 1974, Laos will receive more bombs than whole Europe during the second world war. The Americans massively help the royal government which authorizes in exchange the CIA to install bases in the mountains and to recruit among the mountain minorities of the mercenaries who will take actions of commandos against the North-Vietnameses and their allies Pathet Lao. From 1954 to 1974, Pathet Lao will manage nevertheless to extend its zone of influence in the majority of the mountainous areas, helped in that by a direct but camouflaged intervention regular troops North-Vietnamese.

In Laos pulled by the destiny in a conflict which is not really it his, the mountain ethnic minorities are, on a side like other, in first line. The American CIA enlisted massively the Hmong in its special forces, whereas side Pathet Lao, one found a majority of Lao Theung, which formed most of the population of the territory controlled by Pathet Lao. But one also found many Lao Theung in the rows of the special forces and the rows of the FAR, the royal Armed forces.

For this period (1954-74), the French succeed in maintaining their influence through the considerable part which they still play in the framing of sectors like education, justice, health and even military training. The line leader uncommitted, the prince Souvanna Phouma, Prime Minister almost without interruption between 1951 and 1975, francophile by his formation and his marriage, voluntarily maintain the influence French which is not swept by the engagement massive of the Americans in the military field and economic. It thus manages to make assemble the biddings of foreign aid. Laos is then the country more helped in the world, per capita; some big families grow rich considerably, but the whole of the population also benefits from it. Thus, in spite of the war, one can note during this period of considerable progresses in the field of education and health.

The seizure of power by the Communists

The signature of the agreements of Paris

In February 73, following one month the signature of the Accords of Paris which envisaged a precarious cease-fire with the Nam South-Vietnamese soldier, the Accords of Vientiane also founded in Laos a cease-fire, and as from 1974, the formation of a government of national union which was well accommodated by the population which aspired to a national reconciliation.

However, with beginning of the year 75, the Communists of Kampuchea and Vietnam seized the power. With their continuation the Laotian Communists, under the control of Kaysone Phomvihane, directing the Party since the Fifties, drew aside the other tendencies of the capacity in the current of year 75.

Introduction of Communism

Dice end of the year 75, it became clear that the period of national reconciliation was finished. Monarchy was abolished. The king, the queen and the crown prince died a few years later in a camp of rehabilitation. The repression touched a very great part of the administration and army which had collaborated with the Americans, this one perdure nowadays, in particular with the persecution of the " Hmong" a minority ethnos group of Laos, repression resulting in a true hunting for the man (continuation in the jungles, murder, tortures, rapes…). One estimates at 30 000 the number of those which were sent in samana , these “seminars” which were in fact of the camps of rehabilitation. For those which had the chance to return from there the stays in samana were prolonged several years. One of the consequences of this sectarian and repressive policy was the exodus of almost 10% of the population, overflowing thus largely the easy class and the layers equipped with a certain instruction.

The Communism founded in Laos, without reaching as in Kampuchea the tops of cruelty, demoralized a good part of the rural population by authoritative methods completion inadequate.

Under the old mode, the people were victim of personal abuses or the misappropriation of the civils servant, and a more general way, total management of the company by the aristocracy, which, to establish its domination used external elements such as the French culture or the American dollar. But the people were threatened individually only seldom. In addition, it could find a recourse in the respective play of influence that the big families maintained between them or via a moral pressure of the pagoda.

Village autonomy

Very remarkable thing, there existed as well in the old kingdom of Lan Xang as in contemporary the Lao kingdom, a true village autonomy into which the State interfered little: a mixed council of village, formed by the whole of the household heads and the bonzes, held the political authority that a chief of village, chosen by election among the household heads, exerted by delegation to coordinate the economic activities and sociocultural village community and to be used as intermediary at the State. It was him, for example, which perceived the taxes and designated the corvéables families. But the State which was represented locally by a tiao muong (chief of district) involved only exceptionally in the businesses of the village. Thus, almost 90% of the Laotian population could profit from this privileged, democratic and sovereign cell political, which was the traditional village. The great innovation, under the new mode, was the fact that the State had forced the doors of the villages… "

The return to peace and capitalism under communist domination

In 1986, the congress of the Party introduced " the New Economique" Mechanism; , based on decentralization, the private initiative and the truth of the prices. A few years later, the fall of Communism in the USSR emptied of all its direction the membership of the communist bloc, but in 2006, Laos remains a mode with sole party whose leaders lived what they call " the 30 year old war, 1945 with 1975".

In fact, if one can consider that today Laos saw in peace, of many provinces knew for some the war, and others a strong insecurity, until the beginning of the year 1990. Until the end of the Seventies, there was very violent one confrontations between Hmongs and the regular forces North-Vietnamese and Laotians. Much Hmongs was killed, others succeeded in gaining the border inhabitant of Thailand, others finally constituted pirate bands which still prevailed with beginning of the year 90.

Many the emigrants who had crossed the Mekong had gained the Western countries, the United States, France, Australia, Canada…, but some, remained in Thailand tried to take actions of guerilla starting from the territory inhabitant of Thailand. The province of Paksane remained thus a long time in the insecurity. Until beginning of the year 90, groups of resistance animated by former servicemen made this area one of the high places of resistance to the new mode.

The small groups of Patikan (in favor), mobiles and knowing perfectly the country, péraient sometimes in connection with groups of Hmong S descended from north. Their main motivation seems to have been the opposition to the occupation Vietnamese.

Never the Laotian resistance shared in multiple tendencies and ethnicities, being used as development with some former leaders who dreamed to restore a mode discredited with the eyes of the majority of the Laotians could carry out a certain unit.

In 1999, whereas the troops Vietnameses regained their country (only, some groups of “workers” take part in the large building sites of Laos), the few attacks or acts of sabotage raise more of the banditism than of an organized resistance.

The Lao country in 1999

A relative prosperity

The new economic policy led since 1986 and the peace which extended gradually to all the country are translated by a relative prosperity. Between 1986 and 1996, the average growth of the GDP was of 6,4% per annum, average which recovers great disparities of course.

The mountainous regions which knew a certain number of natural plagues hardly benefitted from this clearing. Laos could profit from diversified an enough international assistance (Thailand, Australia, China, Europe, Japan).

In April 1994, one inaugurated the first bridge on the Mekong which symbolizes to some extent the opening on the world. Several hydroelectric projects of great importance were initiated: the possibilities of Laos are rich in this field, it can sell electricity in Thailand. In fact, electricity is the first product of export in front of agriculture, wood, tin and the textiles.

Nevertheless until now, exports are largely overdrawn compared to the imports in consequence of a very weak development of industry.

The economic growth since 1986 does not prevent that, in the fields of education and health, the situation is lower than than it was with beginning of the year 70. The massive departure of the elites educated between 1976 and 1980 fact still of feeling its effects.

The Asian crisis

In 1997 and 1998, Laos underwent full whip what one called the Asian Crise even if, apart from the valley of Mekong, a saving in subsistence and little monetarized protected the majority from the population against a serious contagion.

One remembers that Thailand was the first struck by the crisis. However Thailand was the first investor in Laos. The globality of the overseas investments passed from 1,2 billion dollar in 1995 to 150 million in 1997. Between July 97 and at the end of 98, the Laotian Kip passed from 900 kips to 4200 kips for a Dollar, it also lost half of its value compared to the Baht inhabitant of Thailand. All the imported products, would be this only the gasoline, become inaccessible for the population. In 1998, the growth was just positive.

Environmental problems

One could not overlook of many ecological difficulties which arise in Laos of 1999. The deforestation, which had as well with the forestry development as with the practice of the culture on Brûlis (ray) already started to cause the erosion and the tropical impoverishment of the soil. The mountain minorities which practice the ray resist the sedentarisation. The exploitation of the ores causes a water pollution of the rivers. The immense storage reservoirs by absorbing thousands of hectares lead to the disappearance of certain animal species.

Dangers

The old royal capital, Luang Prabang, were promoted " city of the inheritance mondial" and profits from this fact from subsidies from UNESCO for its restoration. This should not mask the threats which make weigh on the cultural heritage and the lao lifestyle, the development of tourism and proximity of Thailand: the irruption of the TV thaïe is a major fact in the current evolution of Laos.

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