"He sacrificed his life in the Quest for democracy"

Kay Danes - Former Political Prisoner Laos [2000-2001]

Khamphouvieng Sisa-at died in September 2001 in the notorious Samkhe prison after Lao authorities allegedly starved him and forced him to endure prolonged exposure to the sun in the prison courtyard. A former political prisoner who had fled to Thailand after completing an eight-year prison sentence, Ly Vong, witnessed Khamphouvieng's arrival at the prison.

Ly Vong said Khamphouvieng was very weak when he arrived at Samkhe, a jail in the nation's capital, Vientiane, located not far from the beautiful golden landmark known to tourists as 'That Luang'.

During his detainment, like most other prisoners, Khampouvieng lived only on a small portion of sticky rice and bowl of water soup. Ly Vong says before his death, the prison authorities put Khamphouvieng outside in the direct sun for a long period of time.

Amnesty International has released several credible reports concerning the treatment of prisoners and conditions in Lao prisons. Ly Vong's account of Khampouvieng's death has been confirmed by other sources that arrived in Thailand earlier this year having been released from Samkhe prison.

Khamphouvieng was one of five key leaders of the 1999 student democracy movement-including Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh, Bouavanh Chanmanivong and Keochay-who helped organize a peaceful but abortive demonstration on Oct. 26, 1999 in Vientiane. These young students were preparing to call for democratic reforms in Laos, a country controlled by an oppressive communist regime that prevents the social justice for its people.

After years of denials from Lao authorities over the arrests of the five student democracy leaders, the truth is now known.

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