CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00975A015500030001-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 27, 2002
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: January 31, 1970
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2003/01/29 : CIA-RDP79T00975A01550~mt6
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DIRECTORATE OF
INTELLIGENCE
Central Intelligence Bulletin
Secret
5*0
31 January 1970
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No. 0027/70
31 January 1970
Central Intelligence Bulletin
CONTENTS
Laos: The Pathet Lao are intensifying their efforts
to bring the Nam Beng Valley under their control.
(Page 1)
Philippines: Student demonstrations have resulted
in bloody riots. (Page 2)
Nationalist China: Taipei is disturbed about the
escape of a leader of the Taiwanese Independence
Movement. (Page 3)
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Lesotho: State of emergency (Page 5)
Cuba: Military appointment (Page 5)
India: Chandigarh dispute (Page 7)
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Communists Increasing Efforts to Control Ham Beng Valley in Northern Laos
Communist controlled
territory
Contested territory
0 50
Statute Miles
THAILAND
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Laos: The Pathet Lao are intensifying their
efforts to bring the entire Nam Beng Valley in the
northwest under Communist control.
Pathet Lao forces have repulsed a government
drive to reoccupy the high ground overlooking the
Mekong River village of Pak Beng. The government's
presence has now been reduced to one major outpost
some eight miles west of Pak Beng.
The Pathet Lao, who have been moving new units
into the valley since last summer, now significantly
outnumber the government troops. In recent days,
government troops, have been handicapped by the large
influx of refugees fleeing enemy forces, and it ap-
pears to be only a matter of time before this area
falls under Communist control.
The timing of the Pathet Lao campaign, which
has been gaining momentum since the capture of Pak
Beng in April 1969, suggests that it was undertaken,
at least in part, to facilitate the Chinese road
building project.
As of early January, the road was motorable to
the outskirts of Muong Houn, some 27 miles from the
Mekong River.
Communist control of the Nam Beng Valley has
implications for Sa abour Province on the other side
of the Mekong.
e ong-range communist objective
in this part of Laos is to establish a base near Pak
Beng in order to support Communist insurgents in
Sayaboury Province and also in northern. Thailand.
For some years now, the Nam Beng Valley has been an
infiltration corridor for men and supplies destined
for these areas.
ap)
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Philippines: Student demonstrations against
President Marcos' anticipated efforts to pack a con-
stitutional convention resulted in bloody riots yes-
terday.
The rioting, which was well-organized and ap-
parently pre-planned, broke out in front of the pres-
idential palace. It spread to other areas of Manila
and involved some 20,000 people. In repeated ex-
changes of gunfire between students and police, sev-
eral students were killed and over 20 injured. The
military were called in to augment police antiriot
forces, and the armed forces chief of staff reportedly
was personally directing the military counteraction.
Marcos has attempted to turn the incident to his
advantage by charging the Manila mayor, a political
opponent, with tardiness in calling out the police.
It is doubtful, however, that he can blunt resentment
over his expected efforts to prolong his tenure.
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Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Nationalist China: Taipei is disturbed about
the escape of the most widely known leader of the
Taiwanese Independence Movement.
Peng Ming-min, former chairman of the political
science department at Taiwan National University,
fled Taiwan early this year and has been granted asy-
lum in Sweden. Peng had been under surveillance
since his release in 1964 after 13 months imprison-
ment for circulating "subversive" literature at the
university.
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The small and fragmented Taiwanese Independence
Movement has been little more than a nuisance to
Taipei. Nevertheless, Peng's views are extremely
embarrassing to the Nationalist regime, which has
denied a significant political role to the Taiwanese
majority for 21 years. Taipei probably sees this as
a particularly inappropriate time for Peng to speak
out freely because the Nationalists believe their
international status is already threatened by grow-
ina Western interest in developing ties with Peking.
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31 Jan 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin
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Lesotho: Prime Minister Jonathan had declared
a state of emergency following incomplete election
results suggesting that his ruling party lost last
week's general elections. The opposition party
leader has been arrested, and the constitution has
been suspended. Violent outbreaks are possible if
Jonathan tries to annul the election or calls in
ballot boxes for a "recount," and police are un-
certain of their ability to maintain order.
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Cuba: The appointment of Ramiro Valdes Menendez
to succeed Pedro Miret as first vice minister of the
armed forces should effectively squelch long-standing
rumors that Valdes was in disfavor. His removal from
the position of interior minister in July 1968 so he
could "take an advanced military course" caused
speculation that he was no longer in the good graces
of Fidel and Raul Castro. His new assignment, how-
ever, ranks him second only to Raul Castro in the
armed forces ministry and is a clear indication that
he enjoys the confidence of the leadership. The
course he took was presumably the same one attended
previously by most of his military peers on the
part 's political bureau central committee.
(continued)
Central Intelligence Bulletin
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J .int capital awarded to_PunLab
Au +eb.
,igarh
NEPAL
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India: The political repercussions of Prime
Minister Gandhi's decision to award the city of
Chandigarh to the Punjab may prove far more signif-
icant than the immediate violence that the announce-
ment stimulated. The security forces should be able
to contain the disturbances in Haryana, the state
that also claimed Chandigarh, but the state govern-
ment there could be forced from office by popular
reaction to the decision. Haryana is presently con-
trolled by that wing of the Congress Party loyal to
Mrs. Gandhi, who is involved in a continuing struggle
with the rival Organization Congress Party. A dif-
ferent decision or no decision at all might have
been even more costly for Mrs. Gandhi, however, in
terms of both politics and domestic disorders.
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31 Jan 70 Central Intelligence Bulletin 7
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Secret
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