has not yet been liberated.
The Vientiane Accords of 1973 arose out of the defeats suffered by the USA in the spring offensive of 1972 in Vietnam, the Pathet Lao's offensives in the period 1970-72 in Laos, and the rapid growth of the FUNK in Cambodia. This was the third set of agreements between the Laotian resistance and imperialism. The two previous coalition governments had given imperialism time to manoeuvre and had resulted in grave setbacks for the Pathet Lao.
However, it is clear that the framework of the 1973 Accords is quite different. Firstly, they represented a major victory in forcing the withdrawal of US forces and US bombing from Laos and the weakening and disarray of the "Special Forces' and Thai mercenaries. The weakening of the puppet regime was continued by the 'neutralisation' of the twin capitals of Vientiane and Luang Prabang. There are now 3,000 armed Pathet Lao troops stationed in those cities.
Not only do these form a counterweight to the right-wing armed forces and guarantee the security of the Pathet Lao Ministers, they also perform an important political task. HACKNEY IMG public meeting: "Vote No to the Common Market, Fight for a Socialist Europe Bob Pennington (IMG Nat Cttee). Friday Greenaway Library, Weymouth Terrace, E.2. BUILD ANTI-EEC DEMO, 31 MAY: Public meeting Thursday 29 May, 7.30pm in Barking Town nau with speakers Jonn risner (ur. in personal ca pacityl.onn moss med weekiy cartorial board! Perry Barret (Barking & Dagenham Shrewsbury Detence Citee in personal capacityl.
AFTER THE REFERENDUM-Which Way Forward! Public meeting Thurs 12 June. 7.30om in barking own Hall. Speakers: Jonn Hartnell (IMC Nat Ctteel and Steve Harper (Shrewsbury Defence Cttee, in personal capacity).
CALLING ALL MANCHESTER ANTI-FASCISTS Urcent meeting Thurs 22 Mav. 7.30om in Man chester own Hall Basement Theatre Speaker Maurice Ludmer. Chair: Phil Widdall. Essential all activists attend. Organised by Manchester AFC. ALL BIRMINGHAM SQUATTERS meeting: Tues 20 May, 8pm, Wellington pub (corner of Bromsgrove st bristo st?
MIDLANDS AGAINST THE MARKE demo and rally on Sat 31 May. Starts 11.30am, Birmingham. SOUTH BIRMINGHAM Committee Against the CEc-demonstration lom. Saturdav 17 Mav Assemble at Cotteridge Roundabout. Pershore Ro Cotteridoe Birminoham. For detaiis of camnaion phone 472 5552 or write to Flat 1, 14 Woodstock Road, Moseley, Birmingham.
INDOCHINA-VICTORY AND REVOND'•IME public meeting in Digbeth Hall, Birmingham with speaker Robin Blackburn, Sunday 18 May. 7.30pm. RED DISCO with sounds, food and booze to raise funds for Red Weekly. Sat 17 May, 8pm till very stead Rd, NWI-Warren St and Euston Sq tubes).
day Saturday from 11am.
FREE DESMOND TROTTER CAMPAIGN: Picket Hich Commission, Haymarket, London SW1. riday 4.30-6pm outside East Caribbean WANTED permanent accommadation in London for Chilean political refugees. Contact Box RW/8/5 READ YOUNG SOCIALIST Labour's independent Street, N.1. 10p p&p.
PRESTON WOMEN'S GROUP meets at Moorbroot Laos was the first country in Indochina to have a Government of 'National Union'. Now it is the only country of the three that They serve as a constant reminder to the urban population of the balance of forces and they also increase the points of contact between the resistance and the population. This has apparently led to a significant increase in the base of the Pathet Lao in the cities.
• RIGHT DIVIDED Secondly, the withdrawal of US backing, the military victories of the Pathet Lao, and the signing of the Accords has led to increasing divisions amongst the Laotian right.
Thirdly, the refusal of the Pathet Lao to disarm their forces (as they did in 1954), and their insistence on full representation in all governmental bodies (unlike 1962) makes it quite clear that the Government of National Union is a transition in the revolution, not its demobilisation.
At the level of the Government, the 10-point programme adopted in early 1973 and the 18-point programme adopted a little later were wholly based on the theses and speeches of Souphanouvong of the Pathet Lao. Nine months ago, the dissolution of the National Assembly Government still delays recognition.
From Vietnam a reporter for the French daily Le Monde described the calm In Da wang ememas and snops are re opening and schools are once more functioning. The main difference, apparently, was that me clemas showed revol monary films-to packed audiences. There is plenty of food in the shops at cheaper prices, North Vietnamese currency is accepted cvery wnere, te scools are teaching new lessons and classes in reading and history have been started for adults.
* * * DISLOCATION *** The urgent problems facing the revolutionary forces are a direct result of the barbane imperialist intervention and the social dislocation of the last few months.
High on the list is the restoration of some degree of functioning administration, especially for production and food distripudon. ine mumons or rerugees and dis placed persons, of war wounded and the political prisoners released from the camps, are also a desperate problem Measures were immediately taken to combat what one reporter caned ine truc face of Vietnamisation the transformation of Vietnamese into Americans.' The PRG s directives stress the equality of race, sex and religion, promising full employment, education and welfare. They also promised to protect private property and industry-but only so long as these (the governing body of the puppet regime) was agreed in principle. Despite capitalist manoeuvres it was finally eliminated earlier this month.
Now the Government is run through the Political Council which, although it contains right-wingers, is dominated by the Pathet Lao and led by Souphanouvong.
greater significance have also taken place. On 24 December 1974, two companies of former right wing troops mutinied in Ban Houei Sai.
whole population demanding the strict application of the Pathet Lao programme, the entry of Pathet Lao of the governor, and the right to travel freely. These demands, which were in accordance with and even were all won.
• DEMONSTRATIONS -A mass demonstration was attacked PRG representative Ms Minh speaking in London last week-but Labour Photo: PETER HARRAP (Report)
Events in Vietnam and Cambodia since liberation once again demonstrate the unity of the Indochinese revolution but also the different processes and developments at work in the individual countries.
has nationalised all banks, transportation, factories. farms and US-owned firms as well as the property of 'absent' (i.e. fled) owners and enemies-in other words the national bourgeoisie. This is a clear indication of the PR's firm intention to create a workers' state in Vietnam the administration. At present, it is still controlled by a temporary Military ComHILLCO PRG have indicated the desire for class reconciliation' and "just rewards to all those from the former regime who SInCere wanEto con route ConStruC tively. Such statements can only confuse and miseducate the revolutionary masses and disarm their vigilance.
many of the former opposition groups is both permissible and necessary, but this can only be done on a clear class basis. The PRG's actions themselves deny the possibility of national reconciliation' between the classes- and it is, after all, why the Vietnamese have fought a revolutionary war for the last 30 years.
* * * CAMBODIA * ** clear-itself a reflection of the lower level of social development of the Cambodian TOVOLULIOn broke out.
Linked developments of an even This sparked off a mobilisation of the troops into the area, the replacement went beyond those of the Pathet Lao, A similar mobilisation broke out on 6 January of this year in Thakhek. by reactionary troops. In Vientiane a solidarity demonstration was called LOWIL by students and small-scale strikes This test of strength beginning from urban mobilisations is a new feature of the Laotian revolution and a continuing phenomenon. On 7 May, in Pakse on the Mekong, 2,000 students and workers took the provincial governor and other officials hostage and demanded an end to price rises, the expropriation of hoarded rice and the replacement of the provincial administration. This was followed two days later by a similar mobilisation in Vientiane when 3,000 demonstrators attacked the US Embassy demanding the expulsion of all American 'aid personnel' and the resignation of three rightwing ministers and two reactionary generals from the Government. Hours later they went.
Nor has there been any stability on the military front. Since 14 April fierce fighting has been taking place in the north of the country between right-wing and revolutionary forces. At Sala Phoukhoune many soldiers of the rightist forces defected to the 3-00 Laotian demonstrators march on US Embassy in Vientiane insurgents, enabling them to take the In continuing fighting the Pathet Lao have systematically swept away the positions of right-wing troops around Vientiane. On the same day as the mass mobilisation in Pakse, the town of Kasy, just north of Vientiane, was taken by the Pathet Lao. Significantly, the Political Committee has ordered a ceasefire; equally significantly, the Pathet Lao leadership has not enforced it.
• MILITARY FRONT Under the impact of the victories in Vietnam and Cambodia the revolutionary offensive is gaining new momentum. The inability of the United States to finally intervene in Cambodia and Vietnam signals the end of the aspirations of the right wing in Laos. Behind the facade of 'concord' the struggle is erupting anew-a struggle that must end in the victory of the Laotian revolution and the birth of an Indochinese federation of workers states
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