My name is Ms. Nouamkham Khamphilavong .I was born on 9-11-52 at Phonhong village, Phonhong City, Vientiane Province. I was a resident of Phonhong village, Phonhong City, Vientiane Province. My father's name is ___________ who was born on 5-10-1929 in Vientiane. My mother's name is ___________ who was born on 7-20-1939 at Phonhong, Vientiane Province. I have 5 siblings together including myself.

Since I was 6 years old, I began schooling at Phonhong elementary school and finished in 1964. Then I went to Phiavath junior high school and finished in 1970. Then in 1972, I went to study nursing at Sisavangvong hospital at Sokpalouang village and graduated in 1975. Then I worked for Mahosot hospital until 1994 before I left my job.

Currently, I feel that Laos is in a great turmoil in economics, politics and socials that cause a very great hardships for the daily life of Lao people. The Lao people further lack freedom, democracy, justice and face with dictatorial regime along with several ill socials. Because I saw several inappropriate acts of the government, I am therefore concerned with the future of our nation and all the Lao people. I then decided to join the Movement for democracy at the beginning of June 1999. In the movement, Mr. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun asked me to be his advisor and Director of the Demonstration of 26 October, 1999. At 11:00 AM that day when the demonstration about to begin, members of our movement were crushed and arrested by the police and we planned to march from Horkham to Lane Xang Avenue then to Anousavary. At that time, I was on my motor bike observing the situation and the numbers of students and the public whether they were ready or not. I rode to the corner of the Mahosot hospital and Hor Phakeo; I then saw the police detained the group of Thongpaseuth who began to open the demonstration signs and the loud speaker in order to declare the movement statements and invite the Lao people to join the demonstration.

Sadly, the group of Thongpaseuth were crushed within minutes. Then the other group members who stage and waited in different locations were dispersed and mixed along with the group of people who came to the Boat Festival. Some went to the morning market and other locations. I then went into hiding until October 28, 1999. After that, I crossed the border to Thailand to Nongkhai Province in order to avoid the arrest and torture by the Lao leaders. I know very well for the works that I did in demanding the government for change is against the dictatorial regime of the Red Lao Communist regime. If the authorities know where I am, they sure will follow and arrest me; and I sure will be killed at the end. I came to take refuge in Thailand is very risky because I do not have legal papers to come to this country. And, if they find and arrest me at this time-my life probably end from this world and the fight for freedom and democracy for our country.

On November 22, 1999, I met 5 people from the group of students who were in our movement and who participated in the demonstration on October 26, 1999, and it gave me some strength since some members of our movement were safe. Then we decided to leave Nongkhai for Bangkok at 4:00 PM (1600 hours). We arrived in Bangkok at 2:30 AM on 23-11-99. With the help and generosity of the Thai driver who took us to Bangkok, we were able to rent the room in a hotel and contacted my relatives in a foreign country for assistance in order to contact with proper authorities and to assist us with a safe place to stay.

On the night of the 25th my relative arrived. On November 26, 1999, we met and seek assistance from an international humanitarian organization who provide us assistance until today since we do not have legal documents to enter this country. We also believe that the authorities still continue to look for us because we have learned from a reporter who told us that the Lao authorities come to looking for us in Thailand around Nongkhai and Oudon Province, and we are sure that they can hire someone to come and arrest us here in Bangkok. We therefore would like to ask for assistance in providing us for a permanent and safe place to be.

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I, Mr. Aliyaphonh Chanthala, was born on 30-12-1978 at Thatlouang Village, Louangprabang province. I was a resident at Kountatha Village, Sikhottabong City, Vientiane province.

Family Status: Middle class. Father's name, Mr. ____________, currently he is not working (retired). Mother's name Mrs. ___________, house wife, and I was always lived with my parents. I have 5 siblings together.

My education since the beginning until today is as the followings: I began my primary School when I was 7 years old in the metropolitan of Vientiane for 5 years (1985-1990) and continued my middle school at Sithan Neua middle school in Vientiane for 3 years (1990-1992) then high school at Oudom Vientiane for 4 years (1992-1995). I then continued my higher education in the National University. To be admitted to the University was not easy because the children of the high-ranking officials will have priority. For me and other ordinary citizens who were not related to high ranking officials, We would only depended on our abilities to pass the examination, and I was lucky to pass the test and had been studying there for 4 years already. I was majoring in Architect, and had been studying since the pre-major and we had to pass the examination every year from 1-2-3. I was in my 3rd year (junior) when I left in 1999.

During my second year at the University as a student in 1998 (around May 1998), I was asked and recruited to join the Students Movement for Democracy by Mr. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun. At that time, I was 20 years old. I have the rights to think and decide for myself. Since I begin to remember until the present, I know that the Lao government has not developed anything under the current leadership of the Lao government. I also know that the amount of several dollars in funding that were supposed to provide assistance to our country every year, but nothing getting better and the money also disappeared. People also have no rights to complaint because of its oppressive regime by the Laos government.

For education, medical care and other public services will always require moneys. If one has no moneys, one will not be able to go to school. For example in my school, the tuition fees are increasing every year. My first year, I paid 50,000 Kips (fifty thousand Kips) and now is 200,000 Kips/year (two hundred thousand Kips), and next year probably increase again which cause hardship for parents to find moneys to pay for their children education.

Medical care is also important for the well being of the citizens. In order for one to receive medical services, one has to have money to pay. If one does not have money to pay, no matter how serious the illness of the patient is--One will not receive medical care. Several other reasons also prompted me to join the Students Movement for Democracy. I join in my own freewill and no one forces me to join the movement even my parents do not have any knowledge about my activities--this was done for the safety of my family. I join this movement is to calling for peace and democracy for Lao people and the whole nation to have the rights to speak and better living condition and would like to see Laos changes for the better and prospers.

Our demonstration to call for freedom and democracy this time was schedule for the same day of the boat race festival, which was on October 26, 1999. My responsibility in this demonstration was to prepare the signs for the demonstration along with another member. The signs were written in Lao and in English.

In Lao the sign said,

For English the sign said, . The signs were written in a red background with the characters in white color.

On October 26, 1999, I along with some members were waiting next to the police station to join the demonstration of the group of Thongpaseuth at Horkham. The road map for the demonstration was to begin at Horkham then marched to Patousay or Anousavary. In our plans, at each location from Horkham to Anousavary, we had members of our movement located and waited at different locations to join the demonstration and we thought that ordinary citizens near by would also join the demonstration. But, the moment of Thongpaseuth along with 30 of our members began. The police of Lao government were suddenly arrested and crushed the demonstration. For me, I was prevented by a group of police officers who were not allowed us along with people in that area to go and see what was happening around Horkham; they made us went into the boat race festival by the Mekong River. I then went and looking for members of our movement that I know, but I didn't see no one. I then just walking around the festival and went home, and no one know what I did or came from.

After October 26, 1999, I continued to go to school as usual for two more weeks. I mean I continued to go to school for two weeks because I thought that nothing would be happening to me, but things didn't happen as I thought. I found out that the police arrested several people and continued to look for people who participated in the demonstration on October 26, 1999. I therefore consulted with my trusted friends of what should I do and decided to escape to a second country on 18-11-99 because if I did not leave I sure would be arrested and tortured to death. If I am alive, what I did will continue to happen if I died it means everything would be disappeared. When I came to the second country, I met two members of our movement. We later met with Aunt Hongthong. The reason we met each others here because before the demonstration on October 26, 1999, we had a meeting and we agreed that if we failed we would meet in the second country (Nongkhai) by passing through Ban Marknow (in Laos) then cross to Ban Houahath (second country). We waited there for our members for sometimes, We finally left Nongkhai and arrived in Bangkok on 23-11-99 at around 2:00AM. We stayed in Bangkok for sometimes and then receive assistance from the international humanitarian organizations.

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My name is Ms. Litsyda Nouanephachanh. I was born on April 16, 1975 at Thamouang village, Khanthaboury City, Savannakhet Province, Laos.

Before I left Laos, I resided at Saphanthongtay Village, Sisattanark City, Metropolitan Vientiane Province. I was born to Mr. ______________________and Mrs. _____________. I have 5 siblings (including me).

I began my education in elementary school in 1980 at North Saphanthong elementary school and finished in 1985-86 school year. I continue my middle school for 3 years and finished in 1989-90 school year at Phiavat Junior High school. I then went to High school for 3 years and graduated from Vientiane High School in 1993-94 school year. After high school, I went to technical college at Professional training center at km 5 for two year and graduated in 1996-97 school year. I then went on to continue my higher education at National University since 1997 until 1999 and I was on my junior year before I left school because I was participating in the demonstration in calling for the Lao government to adopt democratic reform on October 26, 1999. I become member of the Movement for Democracy on April 1998, and begin to hold the leadership position in the movement since the beginning of 1999. My responsibility in the movement was to print documents and flyers for the leader of our movement. The leader of our students Movement is Mr. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun (demonstration leader).

The reason we demonstrated against the Lao government because we don't like the communist regime; we don't like the dictatorial regime of Lao government. People have neither freedom nor rights to decide their own future. Lack of development and lack of support in education. Education level is very low, students lack even desk to seat to study.Further, many students have to drop out of school due to lack of supports from the government and only with minimum supports from foreign governments. There were no development in infrastructure causing people to die due to tuberculosis that cause by dust from the roads that were not developed, but any roads that have the high ranking government officials reside, those roads will be paved and no dust. This shows that the government officials are selfish. Further, if anyone challenges the government policies, those challengers will be killed or they would be disappeared without trace. For these reasons, several people and I decided to join the movement for democracy and the demonstration.

Mr. Thongpaseuth spent time to research, plan and recruit people who love our motherland and who can be trusted then brought them to join our movement. On October 26, 1999, Mr. Thongpaseuth led the demonstration against the government because that day was unique and we felt that it was appropriate because it was a biggest Boat racing festival in Laos.

The name of this movement was the Students Movement for Democracy. The reason we name our name as it is because the participants of this demonstration were students.

However, we never thought that the Lao Communist government would crushed our movement while the student leader along with 30 other students began to demonstrate. The Lao Police arrested the first group along with its members in front of Horkham(Lao Presidential Palace). When I realized that the demonstration was crushed, I therefore got into my bike and left the scene and went back home after I drove around Horkham to observe the situation.

The next day, I went on with my life as usual, but I heard that the police arrested many people who participated in the demonstration, and I also heard that the government arrested Mr. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun along with our colleagues and several members of our movement. The police arrested them, but never admitted that the incident of demonstration ever happening because the government was afraid that the world would know about it. When I heard that the secret police were looking for the rest of the members of the demonstration, my colleagues and I therefore decided to escape because if I didn't leave, I know that I will be killed. I left Laos along with two of my friends by hiring someone to take us to Ban Houahath, Nongkhai Province on November 11, 1999. We stayed in Nongkhai until November 21, 99 then we met two additional members of our movement, and on the 22nd we met with our leader, Ms. Hongthong Mysaysana. After that we left for Bangkok at 4:00PM and we arrived to Bangkok at 2:30AM, we stay here and receive assistance from International Humanitarian organizations until today.

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My name is Mr. Vongsavath Phetpakaiseng. I was born on December 18, 1975 at Ban Nonesavang or Ban Phonsavanh, Paek City, Xiengkouang Province. I was born to Mr. _______________ 50 years old, a current resident of Ban Phonsavanh, Paek City, Xiengkhouang Province. My mother's name is Ms. _____________ 45 years old, a current resident of Ban Phonsavanh, Paek City, Xieng Khouang Province. I have 4 siblings together including me.

I began my education at Ban Phonsavanh elementary school since 1983 until 1988. I then continued my middle school at Ban Phonsavanh, Paek City, Xiengkhouang Province until 1991 and then High school at Paek City, Xiengkhouang Province until 1994. After that I continued my education at the National University in Km 5 area since 1995-1999 majoring in Architect and I was in my junior year when I left.

I became member of the Students Movement for Democracy at the beginning of 1998 because I don't like the selfishness of the government who doesn't care about education, citizens and low level civil servants. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun recruited me. In 1999, I became a member of the leadership team. In the leadership team we have 11 members. We have Ms. Hongthong as our director. Thongpaseuth is a student leader in addition to Seng-Aloun, Khamphouvieng, Bouavanh, Keochay, Ms. Litsyda, Mr. Vongsavath, Mr. Keth-Anong, Mr. Aliyaphonh and Mr. Lae.

We began to recruit for people to become our members by looking for people who dislike the systems of governing by the government. We recruited beginning from ordinary citizens, merchants, civil servants and students who disliked the government, but afraid to speak out in fear of the reprisal by the dictatorial regime of the current government. The government who has no hesitation to killed and silence its opponent in order not to allow the world to know about their acts of reprisal towards its opponents.

For this reason, I along with our members were having a meeting on October 20, 1999 by giving responsibilities to each individuals. Ms. Hongthong is the Director. Thongpaseuth is a student leader along with Seng-Aloun, Khamphouvieng, Bouavanh, and Keochay responsible as assistance in recruitment. Mr. Vongsavath and Mr. Aliyaphonh responsible in making signs. Ms. Litsyda and Mr. Keth-Anong were responsible for printing documents and flyers and Mr. Lae was responsible for providing transportation.

From that meeting, we agreed to use October 26, 1999 as the day of the demonstration because it was the same day as the national boat racing festival and it was appropriated to do the demonstration because there were lots of people in that day. On October 26, 1999 at around 10:45AM, I along with some members were divided in group and dispersed in several locations to prepare to participate in the demonstration. The group that suppose to begin the demonstration had 30 people. They supposed to start at Horkham (Presidential Palace). In this group, Thongpaseuth Keuakoun was the leader. At 11:00AM, the group began to open the signs for the demonstration. The police came in suddenly and crushed the demonstration and arrested everyone and it was chaos at that time. I along with 9 other members who waited at the south end of the starting point to participate in the demonstration were scarred. We therefore decided to blend in with the people who came to the festival. However, I was able to see the persons who carried the signs got arrest. I then went back home afterward.

Even though the demonstration at this time was crushed, but I believe that we were succeed in making the people around the world known about our struggle for justice, freedom and democracy, but we crushed. Further, the government still continue to arrest the remaining of members of our movement to bring them to torture until death. This behavior of the government--the Lao people know very well and would like this uncivilized government to change.

After the 26, I went to school as usual. I then received information that Thongpaseuth along with Seng-Aloun, Khamphouvieng, Bouavanh, Keochay who are members of the leadership team were arrested. For one week that I went to school, I thought all along that the police would come and arrest me since I am a member in the leadership team.

I came back home one day. My neighbor told me that the police came to see me and they just left. My neighbor asked me "Why there were so many police came to see you, they came for what?" I answered them jokingly, but in my heart I know very well of the reason that the police came to see me. I packed up only few clothing and left that day. I went to stay with my acquaintance in the south end of town for about two weeks. I then received information that the government was planning to deploy soldiers along the border. I therefore decided to cross the Mekong River at Ban Marknow on November 11, 1999 and met with Mr. Lae who is member of our leadership team and we crossed the border together. We went to the meeting point where we agreed upon on our last meeting on October 20, 99 and met with another member who arrived there before us and took us to meet another friend. On November 22, 99 we met with our leader Ms. Hongthong Mysaysana. Each of us who crossed the border had no documents and with only little money. After that our leader took us to Bangkok and arrived on November 23, 99.