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P 030909Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9771
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK 6459
RUEHHI/AMEMBASSY HANOI 2613
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 2063
RUEHPF/AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH 1735
RUEHCHI/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0320

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 VIENTIANE 000311 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2016 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI KIRF LA
SUBJECT: CHRISTIANITY IN THE LAO CONTEXT 
 
REF: A. 05 VIENTIANE 1302 
 
     ¶B. 05 VIENTIANE 710 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Patricia M. Haslach, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  In a late February visit, DRL/IRF analyst 
Dr. Clarissa Adamson met with religious leaders and 
government officials to press for greater religious freedom 
and the release of four religious prisoners.  Noting the slow 
pace of progress in Laos, Bishop Khamse of Vientiane,s 
Catholic Diocese reported the GoL has still not authorized 
the Church to conduct its first ordination of a priest since 
¶1975.  The United Methodists are again seeking official and 
separate recognition by the GoL, but suspect the Lao 
Evangelical Church (LEC) may be blocking their request.  Some 
sources allege that LEC head Khamphone may be using church 
funds to influence the Lao Front for National Construction 
(LFNC) and to prevent the recognition of other Protestant 
denominations.  According to recent reports, a local official 
in Oudomsay Province has confiscated the land of eight 
Christian families in Ban Nam Heang Village.  End Summary. 
 
Catholics: Things Move Slowly in Laos 
------------------------------------- 
¶2. (C) In a February 27 meeting, Catholic Bishop Khamse 
described to Dr. Adamson and the Ambassador the situation of 
Laos' Catholics. There are approximately 41,000 Catholics in 
Laos.  The Vientiane Diocese includes around 11,000 members, 
and the congregation of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in 
Vientiane numbers roughly 2,000.  Bishop Khamse heads the 
Vientiane Diocese.  Luang Prabang is a separate Diocese, with 
membership slightly higher than that of Vientiane. There is a 
Catholic church in Luang Prabang, but the provincial 
government will not allow it to open, and the building has 
been occupied by police since 1975.  The Catholics also have 
a church in Pakse in southern Laos, which Khamse said was 
watched very closely by local officials, who forbid the 
community to engage in some religious activities.  The Bishop 
said the church in Thakhek, the principal church of 
Khammouane province's 12,000 Catholics, had few problems with 
local authorities. 
 
¶3.  (C) Bishop Khamse noted that the GoL is afraid that 
government opposition may develop within religious groups, 
and for that reason the Catholic Church must be patient and 
not push the government.  He described the Catholics as being 
locked up their own world.  Despite 120 years in Laos, the 
Bishop said, there has been little progress in the situation 
of the country's Catholics.  They have no schools, no 
healthcare facilities, and some land and buildings that used 
to be the property of the Church have been seized by the 
government. 
 
¶4. (C) In regard to the cancelled ordination in late 2005, 
the Bishop said "we are Lao, things move slowly."  He shared 
his view that the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) 
understood the need for the ordination to go forward, noting 
that the central problem was with officials in Bolikhamsay 
Province, whom the Bishop said "seem to fear we are doing 
something that will destroy them."  The Bishop consistently 
mentioned the split between the central and provincial level 
governments and the fact that policies dictated by the 
central government are often not understood or enforced in 
the provinces.  The LFNC has given no indication regarding 
when or if the ordination will be allowed to proceed. 
 
Wielding Influence 
------------------ 
¶5. (C) Having had their application to register with the LFNC 
as an official religion rejected in 2004, the Methodists 
approached the government in early 2006 with a renewed 
request to register.  Pastor Sengdeuane of the United 
Methodists told Dr. Adamson that while the LFNC has not yet 
approved the Methodist,s registration request, he believes 
most of their difficulties originate from the LEC and not the 
government. He said the LEC has close relations with and 
influences the LFNC.  Sangdeuane went on to say that when he 
was an LEC member he witnessed the transfer of "gifts" from 
LEC head Khamphone to the LFNC, alleging that Khamphone has 
helped LFNC officials build homes, purchase cars, and fund 
travel.  Pastor Polo, an LEC Pastor in Vientiane and ethnic 
Khmu (closely protect), said that much of the money flowing 
into the LEC headquarters comes not only from LEC church 
donations, but also from religious groups in the US, Korea, 
Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. 
 
¶6.  (C) During a meeting with Sayduam Moua, the ethnic Hmong 
 
VIENTIANE 00000311  002 OF 003 
 
 
Pastor of an LEC Church at Phuokhao Khouay Village north of 
Vientiane, the pastor told Dr. Adamson and PolOff that LEC 
head Khamphone "hates the Hmong," who, along with the Khmu, 
make up the bulk of LEC members.  The pastor, who was also 
the LFNC representative for the village, said his church has 
had no problems with the government or the local village 
chief, an animist whose son has converted to Christianity and 
attends the church.  The church, which was built in 2005, has 
a congregation of roughly 200.  The pastor said the LEC 
headquarters has provided a few Bibles and hymnals, but no 
other support. When asked about the Methodists attempts to be 
officially recognized, he commented that people should only 
believe in religions that are approved by the government. 
 
LEC Looking to China:  A Plan to Increase Authority? 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
¶7. (C) During a meeting with Dr. Adamson, LEC Pastor 
Khamphone, waving a copy of the Chinese policy on religious 
freedom, expressed his desire for the GoL to adopt religious 
policies similar to those of China. He noted that he had 
organized a trip to China last year that included 
representatives from the LFNC and the Ministry of Information 
and Culture (Ref A).  Although Khamphone held China up as a 
model of religious tolerance for the GoL to follow, Pastor 
Polo told PolOff that while China,s religious policy may be 
an improvement over that of Laos, he suspects that Khamphone 
likes China,s policy because it would give greater authority 
to the LEC as the primary GoL recognized Protestant 
organization. 
 
Religious Prisoners and the LFNC,s Perspective 
--------------------------------------------- - 
¶8. (C) In a February 27 meeting with Khamphuey of the LFNC, 
Dr. Adamson pressed the GoL to consider the release of 
religious prisoners in Laos, specifically mentioning the four 
prisoners cited in the 2005 International Religious Freedom 
Report on Laos, all of whom were LEC members.  Denying that 
there were any religious prisoners in Laos and saying that 
they must be imprisoned for other reasons, Khamphuey asked 
that the Embassy send a diplomatic note with their names so 
the matter could be investigated.  Embassy Vientiane has 
since sent a diplomatic note requesting reconsideration of 
the cases and is awaiting a response. 
 
¶9. (C) Having just come from a meeting with the head of the 
United Methodists, and knowing that they recently requested 
GoL approval (again) to organize in Laos (Ref A), Dr. Adamson 
asked that the Methodists be recognized and allowed to 
organize and congregate freely.  Khamphuey did not respond 
directly to this request, but noted that this was primarily 
an issue of division within one religious group - the LEC - 
under which he groups most Protestants.  He also noted that 
"some people are trying to use religion for negative 
purposes" and that "some religions do not fit Laos, 
situation," going on to say the GoL must protect Lao people 
from religious groups that do not teach "accurately." 
 
Land Confiscation 
----------------- 
¶10. (C) In response to reports from a religious organization 
that ethnic Khmu Christians in Oudomsay Province,s Nam Heang 
Village have been threatened with land confiscation, the 
Embassy requested the LFNC looked into the matter. During a 
March 22 meeting about the reports, LEC Pastor Polo reported 
that eight of the fourteen Khmu Christian families in the 
village already had their lands confiscated by the local 
village chief in February.  He noted that the families had 
paid their taxes and had their documentation in order.  The 
village chief is an Animist and has reportedly given the land 
to other Animist villagers.  All those that were subject to 
land confiscation held land plots that bordered each other. 
The six Christian families that have not suffered land 
confiscation farmed lands in another area.  The current 
village chief is apparently the same village chief who tried 
to expel Christians a couple years ago. 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶11. (C) While they are unhappy with both the actions and 
inaction of the GoL, the Methodists believe that the LEC's 
back-stage obstruction is the real reason for their 
difficulties gaining official recognition.  That is not to 
let the GoL off the hook. Even the Catholics, who are 
recognized by the GoL and have been present in Laos for over 
a century, believe that they have not been treated fairly by 
the GoL.  The Catholic leadership attributes their problems 
to provincial and district level governments who have a poor 
 
VIENTIANE 00000311  003 OF 003 
 
 
understanding of law and policy.  The LFNC often cites 
incomplete dissemination of laws as a reason why local 
officials sometimes get out of hand.  Although we agree that 
district and provincial level officials sometimes take 
actions that are not supported by the central government, we 
also believe that this provides a convenient cover story when 
the GoL wants to dodge responsibility or ignore unsavory 
actions that they condone; the GoL is very capable of 
disseminating and enforcing its policies in even the remotest 
areas when it wants. 
 
¶12. (C) Post will continue to follow up on the confiscation 
of Christian lands in Oudomsay Province.  End comment. 
HASLACH