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Laos :

Laos :. Bombed, landlocked, and deprived. Presented by Ibrahim AlRajhi and Majed Al-Maadeed. Figure1: Map of Laos. The Emblems of Laos. Independent Monarchy 1949-1975. Communist Coup 1975-1991. Constitutional Democracy 1991-Current. About Laos:.

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Laos :

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  1. Laos: Bombed, landlocked, and deprived. Presented by Ibrahim AlRajhi and Majed Al-Maadeed

  2. Figure1: Map of Laos

  3. The Emblems of Laos Independent Monarchy 1949-1975 Communist Coup 1975-1991 Constitutional Democracy 1991-Current

  4. About Laos: • Formally known as “Lao People's Democratic Republic”. • One of the few remaining one-party communist states. • Only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. • Gained independence in 1953 from France. • Joined ASEAN in 1997 and WTO in 2013. • Population of 6,803,699 (July 2014 est.) • World’s most bombed state.

  5. Economic Statistics: • Total GDP: $20.78 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 132. • GDP – Per Capita (PPP): $3,100 (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 177. • GDP - real growth rate: 8.3% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 (high). • HDI: 0.543 Country comparison to the world: 138 (considered one of the lowest). • Unemployment Rate: 1.9% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 11.

  6. GDP Per Industry: • Agriculture: 24.8% • Industry: 32% • Services: 37.5% • Agriculture products: sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco, cotton, tea, peanuts, rice; cassava (manioc), water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry. • Industries: mining (copper, tin, gold, and gypsum); timber, electric power, agricultural processing, rubber, construction, garments, cement, tourism.

  7. The Economy's Future? • Laos is planning on exiting the least-developed countries list according to United Nation’s Development Program by the year 2020 which is seen as achievable according to the World Bank • Moreover, the Laotian government is in preparation to enter the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

  8. “The progress that Laos has made is quite momentous when we consider that until the mid-1990s, it was the third-largest producer of illicit opium in the world.” –Antonio Maria Costa

  9. Economic Improvements: • Capital-intensive natural resource exports reflect the majority of the Laotian economy earnings but a considerable amount is derived from the labor force within the lowland areas on rice cultivation and agriculture. • The latter industry accounts for 73% percent of total employment and 25% of the GDP. (CIA) • The economic growth within the Laotian government has decreased poverty percentages within the state from the almost half (46%) in 1992 to a quarter (26%) in 2010. • However we still have the question of the relativity of poverty to think about (international poverty line is less than $1.25 per day).

  10. The Secret War: The reason of Laos getting the title of history’s most bombed country. Same period as the Vietnam War however Laos was taking a neutral side. The causalities from the dropped American were mostly civilians, over 98 percent. The North Vietnamese controlled areas were hit by a bomb every 8 minutes between 1964-1973.

  11. Bombing Missions Over Laos (1965-73): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UM2eYLbzXg

  12. The Side Effects of UXO’s: The unexploded ordnance from U.S. and Laotian air forces are a cause of deaths in Laos till this day. Around 270-280 million bombs were dropped and around a quarter (70 million) of them ended up becoming UXO’s in the 9 year between 1964-1973. This resulted in the highest bomb per capita in an average of a bomb every eight minutes. Casualties from these temporarily defused bombs are around 100 annuallyin the average of two casualties every week where 40% of these deaths are children. Scrap metal collected from the remains of the secret war created a major industry where people risk their lives to earn a living.

  13. Aerial view of the countryside in Laos showing craters caused by the US bombing campaign.

  14. An example of a found unexploded shell which awaits a clearance team to defuse it.

  15. Family having their dinner right next to a pile of scrap metal collected from Laotians in the forests.

  16. A member of a bomb disposal team scanning for bomb while a child is passing in his bicycle`. People started to move into some areas even before these places have been cleared.

  17. 750-pound bomb detonated by a clearance team while a woman is paddling down a river with her kids using a recycled fuel tank canoe

  18. A motel decorated using recycled missiles in the town of Phonsavanh.

  19. A rocket found in a pile of bamboo.

  20. A planting pot made out of a rocket tail and standing missile reflecting a memorial for the secret war.

  21. Latest News on Laos: Laos Plane Crashes With Defense Minister On Board, Thai Official Reports (Huffington Post) [17th of May] European Union Asked to Push for Improved Human Rights in Laos. (Phuket Wan) [19th of May] Economic prosperity beckons for Laos in the AEC era. (Bangkok Post) [21st of May] Laos: Christian students barred from taking year-end tests. (CatholicCulture.org)[28th of May]

  22. Laos Plane Crashes With Defense Minister On Board. Military plane carrying the Laotian Defense Minister along with other government officials crashes in a wooded area as it was approaching an airport. Five people were killed while 13 left with serious injuries in the plane that was carrying the officials to an official ceremony in the southeast. Among the people who were killed are the Defense Minister, his wife, and permanent secretary. The government of Laos is known for its secrecy and therefore the reason are left to be unknown.

  23. EU Asked to Push for Improved Human Rights in Laos. The European Union should pressure the Laotian government in the matter of their human rights violations as a rule for strengthening bilateral relations. Action plans must be adopted by the government in order to ensure the safety of the people. This can be achievable when including human right safeguards in future bilateral economic agreements.

  24. Economic prosperity beckons for Laos in the AEC era. The ASEAN Economic Community refers to the idea of providing looser flow of good and services along with capital and labor among the ASEAN countries. Laos economic growth depends mainly on FDI which is around $2-3 billion a year. A large appeal to invest in Laos even though in bottom of World Bank’s “Ease of Business” list. Attraction is mostly in mining and power industries where copper accounts for 40% of exports and 10% of GDP while electricity is 20% of exports.

  25. Laos: Christian students barred from taking year-end tests. Local official in a town called Salsomboon ruled that 3 girls will be banned from taking their end of they year exams. The reason behind this ban is due to the girls forfeiting their right to education by embracing the Christianity. This incident is one of many taken against the Christian minority in Laos due to the government enforcing control on religious activities.

  26. Bomb Harvest Documentary "The Secret War in Laos“: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk6RWpCcrjI

  27. References: http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/laos/laos_economy.html http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/hdi https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/print/country/countrypdf_la.pdf http://www.vice.com/read/laos-is-still-under-attack-from-its-secret-war http://www.hangthebankers.com/the-most-heavily-bombed-country-on-earth/ http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/03/laos-vietnam-war-us-bombing-uxo http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/410906/economic-prosperity-beckons-for-laos-in-the-aec-era http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=21542 http://phuketwan.com/tourism/asked-push-improved-human-rights-laos-20277/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/17/lao-military-plane-crash-defense-minister_n_5341752.html http://www.quotesea.com/quote/theprogressthatlaoshasmadeisquite

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