Beijing Review: "Laos : Achievements in Fighting and Production," January 12, 1973 This is an archive of the former website of the Maoist Internationalist Movement, which was run by the now defunct Maoist Internationalist Party - Amerika. The MIM now consists of many independent cells, many of which have their own indendendent organs both online and off. MIM(Prisons) serves these documents as a service to and reference for the anti-imperialist movement worldwide.
This is an archive of the former website of the Maoist Internationalist Movement, which was run by the now defunct Maoist Internationalist Party - Amerika. The MIM now consists of many independent cells, many of which have their own indendendent organs both online and off. MIM(Prisons) serves these documents as a service to and reference for the anti-imperialist movement worldwide.
Maoist Internationalist Movement

Source: "Laos : Achievements in Fighting and Production," Beijing Review 16, no. 2, 12 January 1973, 7-8.

Transcribed by an HC, April 25, 2005


BEIJING REVIEW

January 12, 1973


Laos

Achievements in Fighting and Production

New successes were achieved in 1972 by the Lao patriotic armed forces and people under the leadership of the Lao Patriotic Front in defending and building the liberated zone.

Change in Balance of Forces

Following the great victory on the Plain of Jars-Muong Soui area at the end of 1971, the patriotic armed forces and people in early 1972 attacked with sweeping force Sam Thong and Long Cheng -- lair of the Vang Pao "special forces" and a C.I.A. spy base for many years -- and caused heavy enemy casualties. The liberated areas in Upper Laos were effectively protected as a result of the patriotic forces' repeated attacks on this base which pinned down large numbers of enemy troops who suffered big casualties.

In August, over 50 enemy battalions with massive U.S. air support tried to invade the Plain of Jars from three directions. But they were subjected to a head-on attack by the patriotic armed forces and people before entering the Plain of Jars, and fled helter-skelter. Later, the enemy launched many "nibbling" operations, which also were badly defeated. The Plain of Jars remained firmly in the hands of the Lao patriotic armed forces and people.

In Lower Laos, the patriotic armed forces and people completely liberated the strategic Boloven Plateau of about 10,000 square kilometres. Since May, Khong Sedon, Keng Kok, Ban Nhik and other places were liberated one after another, further expanding and consolidating the liberated areas in Lower Laos. United as one and in close co-ordination, the patriotic armed forces and people in the various provinces of Lower Laos have again and again badly mauled the enemy engaged in frantic attacks against the liberated areas and foiled his military adventures, including the so-called "Sing Dan" (Black Lion) operation launched with a force of dozens of battalions and the "October" operation.

In last year's heroic fighting the patriotic armed forces and people annihilated a great number of enemy effectives, causing a serious troop shortage and flagging morale. The balance of forces on the Lao battlefield has clearly changed in favour of the patriotic armed forces and people.

Liberated Zone Prospers

Democratic power at various levels has been increasingly consolidated and developed in the more than one million people liberated zone which covers three-fourths of Lao territory. People of different nationalities have been vigorously developing production to aid the war against U.S. aggression and for national salvation.

Apart from rehabilitation and development of traditional handicrafts such as spinning and weaving, plaiting and pleaching, salt-making, iron-working, ceramics and embroidery, dozens of medium or small factories were set up in the liberated zone. They included weaving mills, iron works, motor-car repair workshops, printing mills, sewing factories, pharmacies, saw mills, farm tool making and repair works and food-processing plants. Many, with a comparatively high level of mechanization, were set up in Sam Neua Province, the seat of the Lao Patriotic Front Central Committee. The ranks of the working class were rapidly expanding. Village and district iron smithies and provincial iron plants turned out some 10,000 iron farm tools and this was a support to agricultural production. In addition to the iron industry in Svannakhet Province, the weaving industry advanced speedily. The amount of cloth made in Angkham and Muong Nong Districts in the first half of 1972 was twice the total 1971 output.

New progress was made in agricultural production in the liberated zone. By reclaiming wasteland he people of various nationalities expanded their cultivated land. More than 1,300 medium or small water conservancy projects were completed to irrigate nearly 20,000 hectares of [p. 8] land. With successful trial planting of early rice in 1963, yield has greatly risen and early rice acreage has been expanded year by year. It now exceeds 2,300 hectares, 15 per cent more than in 1971.

To make up for losses from U.S. bombing and spraying toxic chemical on paddy-fields, the armed forces and people in the liberated zone made great efforts to plant other crops. The harvests of such crops for the six provinces in Upper Laos in 1972 were 25 per cent bigger than in 1971. Cassava which is called a "strategic crop" was widely grown by the peasants and Liberation Army fighters who planted it wherever they went.

The number of labour-exchange teams has steadily increased in farm production. Comprising 84 per cent of the provincial population, nearly 700 teams have been set u in Luang Nam Tha Province.

Culture, Education and Public Health Develop

Culture, education and public health services have made outstanding achievements in the liberated zone. There are now more than 2,000 primary schools and over 30 middle schools. Normal schools were set up in all provinces and some districts. The Lao Patriotic Front Central Committee also set up special schools to train cadres and teachers for agriculture, communication and commerce. More than 100 cultural classes were run by different administrative organizations or army units. Campaigns to wipe out illiteracy were launched in all hamlets and villages. Over 1,000 hamlets and 60 villages have eliminated illiteracy, nearly 100 hamlets more than in 1971. Education has been most broadly developed in Sam Neua Province where all school-age children attend school and illiteracy has been wiped out in 25 villages and 500 hamlets.

Health work in the liberated zone has grown rapidly. Nearly all districts have their own hospitals in addition to those set up by the Front Central Committee, the People's Liberation Army and the provincial administration. Every village has a clinic and a dispensary, and every hamlet its public health worker and doctor. Several common diseases can be treated effectively.


image scan of p. 8


image scan of p. 2