Update From The Nam Ou River-Laos
Not A Travel Blog
Walking and walking and walking some more is the sort of pace I love when traveling in this part of the world. At this time of year, starting early is very important. You can walk after 11 a.m., but make sure you are hydrated and in a mood where sweat will not inhibit your fun.
On the banks of the Nam Ou here in Laos, the sleepy little town of Nong Khiaw can bring you fog, low clouds, rain, and blistering sunshine all within a few hours. It’s not like Melbourne, where you get four seasons in one day; it is one season in one day with many variations on the theme. All of them involve some level of wetness.
My morning walk today did not involve a climb to one of the viewpoints scattered in the karst limestone edifices surrounding this sleepy town. I decided to head out to the Phatok Caves just under 4 kilometers from my digs here. The heat was down but the humidity was up. Drip, drip, drip….
These caves were used as hideouts for the Communist Party fighters of the Pathet Lao. The U.S. Air Force began bombing targets in Laos in 1964, flying planes like AC-130s and B-52s full of cluster bombs on covert missions based out of Thailand. The United States eventually dropped the equivalent of a planeload of bombs every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine years. Over 270 million cluster bombs were dropped, so they were scattered over the landscape. The US called this secret bombing project Operation Barrel Roll.
This operation, developed to inhibit the supply chain assisting North Vietnam, was kept secret from the American public.
As I sat in the big cave today the thunder of an approaching storm rumbled through the valley. Thinking of those sounds as munitions falling did not take much imagination. By 1975, 200,000 Laotians were dead (10% of the population) with many more wounded and over 3/4 of a million were refugees. The Ho Chi Minh trail, as it was known, was the target for this overkill.
The Vietnam War and the US involvement was a waste of human life. The pain and suffering continue today, as almost 1/3 of the bombs did not explode. You stay on the paths while walking in Laos. or you are gambling with finding a bomblet.
5 months ago all mine clearing assistance from the USA was stopped and no one is sure when it will flow into Laos again. America, they should pay for all of their mess to be cleaned up and stop more people in this beautiful country from being killed and maimed.
Prayers and offerings were made, and I made a hasty retreat as thunder and lightning seemed to be heading my way.
This is an idyllic spot. I walked back, wondering how the generational trauma of a decade of dealing with daily bombings has impacted the people who live in this landlocked country. Tears mixed with my sweat.
Meanwhile, these beautiful people are now being strangled by development. 7 dams have been built along the Nam Ou, one of the largest tributaries of the Mekong. These damns will generate electricity and they have already screwed up the river for fishermen, farmers and communities. Add in the high-speed train already running through Laos to China and there has been massive deforestation and displacement of locals.
These lovely people are pawns in a much bigger game. Life goes on along the river….except you can no longer get to Nong Khiaw by the river. Damn Dams. That is an inconvenience for travelers, but the fish, the land, and the people who need it for their survival are all suffering.
The Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy Dam Disaster in July 2018 saw dozens of lives lost when it collapsed. Villagers, survivors, and people displaced are still awaiting compensation. People have been moved to areas not suitable for their farming. This was 1000 kilometers from where I am now, down south. The entire Mekong is under threat.
The authoritarian government of Laos is lacking in looking after the human rights of its citizens. Any criticism of the state is strictly prohibited. The beauty here is skin deep and wrapped around nature. Imagine living in a country where you can’t protest or voice your concerns?
America, do you hear me?
More on the damns below….
