POLLUTION OF STREAM WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS BY PEOPLE'S ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN) FORCES IN LUANG PRABANG PROVINCE LAOS: HOSTILE REACTION OF LAO VILLAGERS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157007
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: August 10, 1985

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TOT: 100050Z AUG 65
SECRETNOFORN NOCONTRACT ORCON WNINTEL
*100050Z
TO DIRNSA, DEPT OF STATE, DIA, TREASURY DEPT,,
WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM, NATIONAL'SECURITY COUNCIL STAFF, 1
ZEN/CIA OFFICE OF CURRENT OPERATIONS,
USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI, CDRWESTCOM FT
SHAFTER HI, COMIPAC HONOLULU HI, CINCPACAF HICKAM AFB HI,
COMSEVENTHFLT, FOSIF/WESTPAC.
SERIAL:
PASS:
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WARNING: INFORMAT7 REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE.
REPORT CLASSSE RET--WNINTEL--NOFORN--NOCONTRACT--ORCON
01ST: 9 AUG 85
COUNTRY: LAOS/VIETNAM
$4B0 POLLUTION OF STREAM WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS BY PEOPLE'S
ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN) FORCES IN LUANG PRABANG PROVINCE
- LAOS; HOSTILE REACTION OF LAO VILLAGERS
DOI:
t*SOURCE:,
TEXT: 1. A PEOPLE'S
ARMY OF VIETNAM (PAVN) UNIT ASSIGNED TO A CAMP-ON THEWENP
efTREAM-NEAP-13AN-PAK--XUENG4T111717.1_ ,
5N:WANO7PgAB'AMG)PRPVINCE17OD-MREP-40-SACKS_CONTAINING
dOXIC-ZHEMICATJS:IMtO�JHE_STREAM SOMETIME PRidirrti-M115;JUNE'
1985; IN JUNE A LOCAL LAO PEOPLE'S ARMY (LPA) MILITIA MEMBER
WHILE TRAVELING BY BOAT ON THE XUENG STREAM LOST HIS RIFLE
OVERBOARD. HE JUMPED OVERBOARD TO TRY TO RETRIEVE HIS
WEAPON. WHILE LOOKING FOR HIS RIFLE HE CAME UPON ABOUT 10
SACKS, SOME CONTAINING WHITE POWDER AND SOME CONTAINING YELLOW
POWDER. THE SACKS WERE ABOUT 200 METERS FROM THE PAVN CAMP.
2. ALTHOUGH THE AREA WHERE THE SACKS WERE DISCOVERED
IS CONTROLLED BY THE PAVN AND IS OFF LIMITS TO LAO, A LOCAL
VILLAGER VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO THE AREA TO TRY TO RETRIEVE
SOME OF THE SACKS. ON 16 JUNE 1985 HE WENT TO THE AREA AND
BROUGHT BACK THREE SACKS FULL OF CHEMICALS. ON 1 OR 2 JULY
1985 THE VILLAGE CHIEF OF SAINL-P,AkfitJENG17.TbOK THE THREE SACKS
TO THE GOVERNOR OF CUANG.:-PRABANG:RROVINCE AND TOLD HIM _THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE FIND AND THAT_SIMgE_EARLY JUNE MANY_DEAD
FISH HAVE BEEN FOUND FLOATINGjN-THE STREAMI:NEAR-WKRE THE
CHEMICALS WERE FOUND. THE GOVERNOR PROMISED Tb TAKE THE
MATTER UP WITH HIGHER AUTHORITIES.
3. FIVE VILLAGERS WHO ATE FISH FROM THE STREAM HAVE
BECOME SERIOUSLY ILL. THREE OF THEM HADDIE6AS OF MID-JULY
AND THE OTHER TWO ARE HOSPITALIZED 'AT LUANG PRABANG HOSPITAL
IN A COMA. THIS INCIDENT HAS TURNED LOCAL INHABITANTS AGAINST
THE PAVN UNIT. THE VILLAGERS BELIEVE THAT EVEN IF IT IS NOT '
A PLOT BY PAVN TO KILL THEM IT STILL SHOWS THAT PAVN HAS NO
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QUALMS ABOUT DESTROYING THE LOCAL HABITAT. THE VILLAGERS
SUSPICIONS ARE AROUSED BY THE FACT THAT THE PAVN IN THE AREA
HAVE THEIR OWN WATER WELLS AND GROW THEIR OWN FOOD AND LIVE-
STOCK AND DO NOT DEPEND ON LOCAL SUPPLIES. THE VIETNAMESE
HAVE THEIR WIVES AND FAMILIES WITH THEM AND BOTH MEN AND
WOMEN ARE SEEN CARRYING WEAPONS. LOCAL VILLAGERS BELIEVE THAT
THE VIETNAMESE INTEND TO STAY IN THE AREA PERMANENTLY AND MAKE
TT A VTFTNAMFqF cFTTIFMFNT
WARNING: REPORT CLASSSECRET--WARNING NOTICE--INTELLIGENCE
SOURCES OR METHODS INVOLVED--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS--
NOT RELEASABLE TO CONTRACTORS/CONSULTANTS--DISSEMINATION AND
EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION CONTROLLED BY ORIGINATOR
ALL
PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT.
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