KENNEDY SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF REPORT ON REFUGEE AND CIVILIAN WAR CASUALTY PROBLEMS IN INDOCHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP72-00337R000200110002-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 21, 2001
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: October 7, 1970
• Content Type: TELEGRAM

Approved For Release 2002/05/08 : CIA-RDP72-003378000200110002-3
353- ~` DEPARTMENT OF STATE TELEGRAM
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ACTION AID-28
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R 0711015Z OCT 70
rM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 177
INFO A MEMBA SSY SAIGON
.AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 1 OF 2 VIENTIANE 6720
C 0 R P E C T E D C 0 P Y (TEXT)
JOINT STATE/AID MESSAGE
SUBJECT : KENNEDY SUBCOMMITTEE STAFF REPORT ON REFUGEE AND CIVILIAN
WAR CASUALTY PROBLEMS IN INDOCHINA
REF: A) STATE 159165; B) STATE 159167; C) STATE 159183
1. WE BELIEVE WASHINGTON AGENCIES HAVE AMPLE MATERIAL PREPARED
IN CONNECTION WITH KENNEDY SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS AND INVESTIGATION
OF LAOS REFUGEES TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS ARISING FROM THE SUB-
COMMITT~.E REPORT . W. WILL NOT , THEREFORE, RE. E-AT DETAILED
INFORMATION ALREADY SUBMITTED ON THE SCOPE AND ACTIVITIES OF
OUR REFUGEE PROGRAM OR ON THE GENESIS OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM
ITSELF AND ITS DEVELOPMENT DURING THE PAST YEAR. IN GENERAL WE
BELIEVE THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT CONSIPICUOUSLY IGNORES THE
RC?-L 0_F__ NORTH VIETNAMESE AGGRESSION I FIRST CREATING AND
TFi GGPAVATING THE REFUGEE PROBLEM, ATTRIBUTES TOO MUCH
RESPONSIBILITY TO AERIAL BOMBARDMENT FOR THE GENERATION OF
REFUGEES, A,ND UNDERESTIMATES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR. CURRENT
PROGRAMS OF REFUGEE RELIEF AND 1ESETTLEME NT. IN THE LATTER
CONNECTION THE REPORT TENDS TO -L`IS ARD ANY FORM OF
i ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES, UNLESS IT IS PART OF A FORMAL PROGRAM
State Dept. declassific?flgFfl9ePF Aghff&gg
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SPECIFICALLY LABELED "REFUGEE ASSISTANCE". NO MENTION WHATEVER
IS MADE OF THE OUTSTANDINGLY SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS OF THE LAO
GOVERNMENT TO HANDLE THE REFUGEE PROBLEM. ONLY BY APPRAISING
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LAO EFFORTS, WHICH WE APE ASSISTING, AS WELL
AS USA.ID ASSISTANCE TO THE REFUGEES WHICH IS
Approved For Release 2002/05/08 : CIA-RDP72-003378000200110002-3
DEPARTMENT OF STATE TELEGRAM
5; CRETARIAT DISS[M BY
EXTENDED IN A VARIETY OF FORMS, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GAIN AN ACCURATE
PICTURE OF THE TOTAL REFUGEE PROGRAM IN LAOS. ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF
OUR TOTAL AID BUDGET IS DEVOTED TO REFUGEE REQUIREMENTS.
2. PUP SPECIFIC COMMENTS FCL,LOW ON THE POINTS ADVANCED IN THE
PREFACE TO THE REPORT (REF B) AND THE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
(REF C).
3. PREFACE QUOTED "INTERNAL MEMORANDUM" IS ADMINISTRATIVELY
CLASSIFIED LIMITED OFFICIAL USE USE. IT T WAS TAKEN FPO[-(, USA ID CENTRAL
FILES BY GAO AUDITORS DURING THEIR JULY/AUGUST REVIEW HERE REFUGEE/
HEALTH PROGRAMS. MEMO, DATED MARCH 27, 1970, WAS WRITTEN BY SENIOR
USAID OFFICER JUST FOLLOWING LOSS SAX THONG TO NVA/PL FORCES AT
PERIOD LOWEST EBB IN FEELINGS BOTH US AND LAO AUTHORITIES TOWARD
SITUATION NORTHERN LAOS. IT WAS PERSONAL ANALYSIS SITUATION THAT
TIME AND FEELINGS MEO PEOPLE MOST D IPECTLY AFFECTED NVA/PL MILITARY
ACTIONS AND SUCCESSES. MEMO HEAVILY WEIGHTED MILITARY/STRATEGIC
CONSIDERATIONS BECAUSE THESE WERE RAPT ICULAR ASPECTS SITUATION
OFFICER/AUTHOR CONCENTRATING ON THAT MOMENT. IT WAS ONE EXTREMELY
USEFUL ANALYSIS OF THE SITUATION RATHEP THAN A FINAL MISSION
JUDGMENT. IT IS HOWEVER AN ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION OF THE HIGH
PRIORITY WE ATTACH TO REFUGEE RELIEF AND RESETTLEMENT IN NORTHERN
LAOS IN THE WAKE-OF REPEATED NORTH VIETNAMESE AGGRESSION IN THE
AREA OF THE PLAIN OF JARS DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS.
4. OUR COMMENTS ON REPORT'S "SUMMARY OF FINDINGS" ARE GEARED TO
SPECIFIC NUMBERED PARAGRAPHS OF SECTION I I9 REF C.
5. (RE PAPA 1) ON FEBRUARY 1, 1970, OUR RECORDS SHOW SUPPORTED
REFUGEE POPULATION (INCLUDING PARAMILITARY DEPENDENTS) OF 1?50,000.
AS OF SEPTEMBER 25, OUR RECORDS SHOW 2700, 000. SINCE JULY 30, 1970.
754 REFUGEES HAVE BEEN REPORTED SOUTHERN PANHANDLE.
6. (PE PAPA 2) A MORE ACCURATE STATEMENT WOULD BE THAT RATE OF
REFUGEE MOVEMENT IN LAOS COINCIDES WITH NVA/PL ATTACKS CIVILIAN
VILLAGES. RLAF AND US AIR OPERATIONS ARE THMESELVES ALMOST
ALWAYS TAWprbii(it1_f ESr Re1eA 24012/OBME- "t5A RnTOTO3 1000200110002-3
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE
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7. (PARAS 3 AND 4) IT IMPORTANT SPECIFY WHAT PRECISE MOMENT
STATEMENT ATTRIBUTED USAID, "SERIOUS AND GETTING WORSE", WAS MADE.
IN MIDST LAST NVA/PL DRY SEASON OFFENSIVE (WHEN STATEMENT ACTUALLY
MADE) SITUATION WAS CERTAINLY "SERIOUS AND GETTING WORSE."
SITUATION AT ANY TIME HOSTILITIES INCREASE GETS WORSE. CIVILIAN
WAR CASUALTIES DURING MAY/JUNE 1970, AS REPORTED BY U.S.-SUPPORTED
FACILITIES, AMOUNTED TO 641; WHEREAS FURING JULY/AUGUST CIVILIAN
WAR CASUALTIES IN SAME FACILITIES WERE 35. WE QUESTION WHETHER
ANYTHING APPROACHING 50 PERCENT OF MEO POPULATION HAVE BECOME WAR
CASUALTIES, IF THIS IS WHAT IS MEANT BY PHRASE "LOST TO TIDES OF
WAR
. (PARA 5) BASIC AND IMPORTANT ELEMENT EXCLUDED FROM SUBCOMMITTEE
FINDINGS: NVA/PL ATTACKS AND DESTRUCTION MANY MEDICAL FACILITIES
(200-3ED FACILITY AT SAM THONG , 100-BED AT SAPAVANE , 57-BED ATT
ATTOPEU, TOTAL OF 250 BED FACILITIES AT OTHER REFUGEE SITES) HAD
MUCH TO DO WITH CAUSING TEMPORARY CROWDING REMAINING RLG FACILITIES.
0 9. (PARA. 6) EXTENT USG CAPABILITIES MEET NEEDS OF MANY REFUGEES
SE
FF
S
E
INCR
ORT
A
REPORTED PREVIOUSLY IN DEPTH. USG CONCERN/ACTIVE E
RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES PRE-DATED SUBCOMMITTEE'S INVESTIGATIONS
AND RESULTED INCREASED FUNDING AND PERSONNEL, AS DESCRIBED IN
GENERAL SECTION ABOVE. FIGURES USED RE BOMBING COSTS AND
MISLEAD ING
SORTIES ARE TO PUT IT MILDLY
,
,.
10. RE SUBCOMMITTEE'S PLAYING DOWN "FORMAL REFUGEE PROGRAM, MIGHT
0 BE WORTHWHILE CITE BRIEFLY REQUIREMENTS VERSUS ORGANIZATIONAL
HISTORY REFUGEE PROGRAM DURING PAST 18 MONTHS. IN EARLY SPRING 1969,
FY -0 USAID IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM WAS PLANNED AND "FORMAL" REFUGEE
0 REFLIEF AND REHABILITATION PROJECT ORGANIZED AND FUNDED COMMENSURATE
THEN EXISTING.AND EXPECTED REQUIREMENTS FY 70. MILITARY ACTILITIES
DURING SUMMER/FALL 1969 BEGAN CHANGING WHOLE PICTURE INVOLVING
CONSIDERABLE INCREASE REQUIREMENTS MEET INCREASED REFUGEE NEEDS.
ENSUING DRY SEASON BROUGHT FORTH EVEN GREATHER ESCALATION P!VA/PL
OFFENSIVES INCREASING AGAIN REFUGEE PRESSURES AND REQUIREMENTS. IN
EFFECT, WHOLE PERIOD FROM LATE AUGUST 1969/JUNE 1970 WAS PERIOD
RECURRING CRISES REFUGEE AREAS. EXEMPT
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