Great news! The 'diplomatic relations' have secured the release of the two European journalists and US Minister Rev Mua. The trio were detained for almost one month in Laos following their arrest for reporting on the Ethnic Hmong cleansing in the Xieng Khouam Province. They were taken to trial and sentenced by the Laos court 15 years.

Their release gives me a strong sense of dejavu. They had to pay compensation, retain their criminal conviction for life and agree to other ludicrous demands made by the Communist dictatorship, just as we had to in order to go home to our children.

I'm of a thousand mixed emotions after hearing this news. I'm mostly dissapointment that foreigners are continually subjected to this type of treatment all because Western Governments refuse to hold these dictatorship regimes accountable.

Who will be next? I have anxiety for those that remain in Phonthong Prison, the foreigners jail. The journalists confirmed reports of torture there. And yet, Laos still refuses to allow the International Red Cross to visit the foreigners jail, despite other countries, like Burma and Cambodia adopting this form of transparency. The Laos Government continues to breech the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights to which it became a signatory on 7 December 2000.

The Political Prisoners detained in the appalling conditions of Phonthong prison will be hoping that these journalists can do something to tell the world of how much they suffer. I personally am holding my breath with anticipation that they won't let this fight against the blatant abuse of human rights die along with those I knew in Laos.

Meanwhile the Laos Government will be thinking "Boy that went well... won't affect the foreign dollars coming in".

Laos Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad will the saying "Oh good, I can torture anyone and no-one can do anything". (Laughing out loud)

I merely feel sick to my stomach when I contemplate what the Hmong nationals who were arrested along with the foreign journalists must now be going through. Who will champion their human rights? The world will most likely turn its face from this situation and move on to polishing the bi-lateral relations that exist between them and Laos. But in doing that, they will have the blood of foreigners and Lao nationals on their conscience, those they failed to help in preference to the almighty dollar.

The nightmare has just begun and no-one out here (in the world) will hear the screams of those in the Laos jails. But I will always remember the sound of another human being anguishing like a wounded animal as he/she is beaten and tortured to the brink of death.

Regards,

Kay Danes