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Page added on May 13, 2014
Orlov: Resilience in the face of genocide
The book is at the printer’s and approved the final proofs this morning. Also as if this moment there are exactly 72 copies yet to be claimed, so please place your order if you haven’t done so already.
This week we showcase an article by Jason Heppenstall, a travel writer. He wrote about his experiences in a small riverside village in the world’s poorest and most heavily bombed country on earth, showing us how its people survived and recovered, with their traditional culture intact.
“The Secret War on Laos remains one of the most shameful episodes of the 20th century. New York Times columnist Anthony Lewis called it ‘…the most appalling episode of lawless cruelty in American history.’ For six years there was a news blackout that kept Americans from knowing that their government, both Republicans and Democrats, were dropping bombs on civilian targets in Laos. When the news eventually did leak out, many Americans were outraged over what was being done in their name. But by then it was too late and 2.1 million tons of high explosives had been dropped on the villages, farms, temples and schools of this neutral Buddhist country. Laos had been declared neutral in Geneva, and although the U.S. wanted to pursue Vietnamese fighters inside the country, it was unable to do so without breaking international law. The way around it was to use bomber planes whose pilots, code-named ‘Ravens’ took off from bases in neighboring countries.
“This new way of warfare was dubbed ‘automatic warfare’ in that it relied solely on technology and might, with minimal risk to service personnel. It would become a model for future warfare, most recently using drones, and was termed the ‘Laos Model.’ Villages were bombed since they were the only targets visible to the pilots, and local people were forced to flee into the forests, emerging at night to farm their fields. Because the bombing was secret, there was no need for restraint, with whole areas being reduced to ashes. Once the villages had been destroyed, the buffalos, horses and other livestock became the new targets, and farmers were strafed by machine gun fire as they fled their fields. Because the villagers hid in the forests, the planes came and sprayed defoliant to kill the trees. The only place left to hide was the caves that riddled the limestone karst landscape of Laos, but these too were targeted with laser-guided missiles by the hotshot pilots. Once all of these options had been exhausted, there was nothing that the surviving villagers could do other than begin the trek south and become refugees in the camps set up around the capital, where they awaited the end of the war and a return to their fields and forests.”
So many bombs had been dropped on Laos that unexploded shells (with their explosive payload extracted), being the most common type of metal scrap available in this undeveloped, non-industrial nation, became part of the landscape.
“Huge steel casings were used to prop up houses or as walkways over gutters, or as troughs for pigs. … Other bombs were used as pots and had flowers growing out of them. But these were the safe bombs—the ones that had been successfully defused and turned into useful scrap. Most shops and noodle houses in the village contained, on a wall somewhere, a set of three or four posters that indi- cated in cartoon form what to do upon finding an unexploded bomb. The figures on the posters were shown tilling fields with buffalo, hoeing earth, planting rice, washing in streams and digging up plants. In each environment a piece of unexploded ordnance (UXO) was in evidence. One picture showed a farmer trying to defuse one, and the next frame depicted a spectacular explosion which had one of the man’s arms flying off and a gory eyeball, complete with stalk, shooting skywards from his head. All the village children knew what to do with UXO, in the same way that children in England are made to learn the Green Cross Code for safely crossing roads. Walking off the trails in the surrounding hills is strictly forbidden, to falangs (foreigners) at least. Unfortunately for the people of Laos, UXO continues to be a daily menace, and some 20,000 have been killed since they returned to their villages after the bombing. Many of these are children, and even in the course of writing this article in April 2014, I saw news reports of two boys being killed by unexploded muni- tions. Bombing records indicate that 8,470 square kilometers were car- pet-bombed, and that around 280 million cluster munitions, designed to maim rather than kill, were dropped. … The bombs were everywhere. For several years the warplanes carpet-bombed the area around Muang Ngoi. Many of the bombs they dropped were huge and the scars on the faces of some of the surrounding limestone peaks were still visible, although they were now partially filled in by scrub vegetation and trees.”
“If a community could make kitchen units out of bombs sent to kill them, I began to wonder what else the villagers of the hilly regions of Laos could be capable of that has allowed them and their culture to thrive more or less intact despite everything that has been hurled at them. Apart from the aforementioned geographical barriers (a not inconsiderable advantage if one wants to survive a cultural onslaught) the people of Laos also enjoy one other benefit conferred on them by circumstance: relative poverty. With their terrain too hilly and difficult for building golf courses and luxury hotels, and far enough away from the tax inspectors and other bureaucrats who would want to impose top-down reforms on them, the locals are more or less left to themselves to carry on with life as they have done for centuries. To do so, of course, they have to ask very little of the external system—which they want to avoid at all costs—and here they are lucky too because they can rely on their cultural wealth, the majority of which remains intact. Medicine men and women know which plants to gather in the forests, which herbs to grow in the hollowed-out bomb shells that serve as plant pots (the four stabilizer fins are excellent at keeping the “pot” upright), and, if things get really bad, village shamans know a range of elaborate ceremonies to aid with prolonging life. Agriculture continues to provide sustenance in much the same way it has for centuries, with rice paddies, water buffalos and wandering pigs and fowl.”
“During my time there I began to develop the idea that perhaps the peoples of upper and middle Laos were an example of humanity living in balance with the environment. The subject of human ecology has dropped out of favor in recent years as the age of cheap oil continued to run its course, but here surely was an example of a population living as a dynamic part of its environment without destroying it. Rivers were kept clean, forests were left mostly intact. Disease, natural disasters and small-scale war kept the population within the region’s carrying capacity. And the people loved the land. Fred Branfman conducted interviews with refugees fleeing the bombing, published in his book Voices From the Plain of Jars, and time and again the one recurrent theme among the survivors was that they had left what for them was paradise and could not wait to return. None wanted to live in the city or to become wealthy; all they desired was the chance to farm their fields, be back in their villages and live among their families.”
“…I never met anyone in Laos who seemed to harbor resentment or anger. Perhaps this was a way of staying sane, by choosing not to dwell on negative emotions and instead letting go of the past. Indeed, perhaps this offered a glimpse into the deep inner strength of these people: surely an invaluable strategy in the face of overwhelming odds. Here is another: Laotians in general seemed disenamored with our idea of working any more than absolutely necessary. Traditionally, Lao farmers grew only one rice crop a year, although two are possible even without chemical fertilizers, and spent the rest of the year relaxing.”
“This ambivalence towards participating in a system that promises much but delivers little might prove to be a saving grace for the traditional subsistence farmers of Laos. At a point in human history where the modern paradigm—of putting the economic growth horse before the environmental integrity cart—is dying a messy death, the Laotian subsistence farmer is surely further ahead of the game than the most devout Western permaculturist. Cultural integrity surely plays its part. Traditional dress is still worn in many villages and there are distinct art forms, such as forms of embroidery or batik, that help identify the uniqueness and individuality of each tribe or region.”
As I read through the descriptions of these diverse tribes which Jason provides, I was able to tick off many of the essential traits of communities that abide—absence of money, finance and land as property, refusal to work for wages, informal systems of governance, unwritten codes of conduct, lack of artificial divisions between work, play and education, and many others. These cultural traits allowed them to survive as societies and to return to their native ways after the American carpet-bombing campaign; but will they survive the Chinese economic juggernaut? For their sake, all we can hope for is that it chokes on its own fumes and shudders to a halt in a timely manner.
“The Laotians have a big advantage over their neighbors in, say, Thailand, which went all-in for turbo capitalism a few decades back. A certain amount of resilience still exists in Laos, and because the Laotians can still manage to survive with- out air conditioning, refrigerated food and eight-lane highways crammed with SUVs, they may have a key advantage over others for whom these things have become necessities. The vast majority of investment money pouring into Laos comes from China, and it’s not hard to foresee that China’s gargantuan credit bubble—put at $23 trillion in 2014—will burst messily and cause untold misery for its citizens and those of the other Asian “tigers.” When it does so, and the brave new world that economists and politicians have promised is stood on its head, would you rather be living on the 20th floor of a tower block in a Chinese city, or in a bamboo village hut in the Laotian forests?”
“The people of Laos have suffered more than most at the hands of ag- gressors, and yet they have managed, for the most part, to persist with their ways of doing things. Some people who regard themselves as liber- als in the Western world are appalled by the “backward” practices of some of the more remote tribal communities. But that is just noise; what surely matters most is the fact that the Laotians have managed to survive for so long and over such a tumultuous period of modern history. Whether or not they will be able to do so over the coming years and decades is very much a matter for debate, and it pains those who have allowed themselves to be charmed by this softly-spoken collection of long-suffering peoples to see them lined up for assimilation and fed into the gaping maw of 21st century capitalism. Perhaps all we can do is observe this diverse collection of cultures with respect, gain wisdom as we do so, and hope that they may continue to abide long into the future.”
17 Comments on "Orlov: Resilience in the face of genocide"
Plantagenet on Tue, 13th May 2014 1:16 pm
Orlov confuses extreme poverty with living in balance with the environment. They aren’t the same thing.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Tue, 13th May 2014 1:26 pm
Another Orlov going out of his way to condemn the nasty horrible Americans from something that happened years ago. This is rightly a crime against humanity within a criminal war of the superpower age. The Vietnamese and their communist benefactors were as much to blame for this as the Americans. Both side had poop on their hands. Why is he not recounting the Stalinist crimes of his loving homeland (he should return to!)? How about the Maoist crimes or maybe we can reach back to Hitler. Most critiques on savagery eventually mention Hitler and his Nazi thugs. There was a time when I kinda like Orlov. I have one of his books in my collection of PO subjects. He has gone off the cliff into being just another PPI (political propagandist ideologue) with selfish personal interest selling himself to other PPI’s. His current motivation is preach about the collapse of the hated USA and in the process totally disregarding China, Russia. Europe, and the rest of the third world. He is a very intelligent and used to be funny guy but his vision is clouded by an unhealthy motivation that occurs when one is consumed by hatred. We have seen brilliant people fall off the wagon into the darkness of resentment, hatred, and self-promotion. This is where Olov is. I am thinking collapsnics eventually lose their minds. I guess I should head that warning being the doomer I am.
Northwest Resident on Tue, 13th May 2014 1:36 pm
Davy — Don’t worry. It is only unbalanced collapsnics that lose their minds — those that can only dwell on the negative and who are unable to objectively balance the good with the bad. I think you’re going to be okay.
I totally agree with your take on just how far Orlov has transformed himself from a rational voice to one where he is overly focused on blaming America for all the world’s ills. He lost his objectivity, and lost his mind at the same time.
But I like this phrase: “gaping maw of 21st century capitalism”.
BTW, Orlov, that gaping maw of capitalism was chewing and crunching in the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries too. Did you miss that?
GregT on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:09 pm
Guys,the article was written by Jason Heppenstall, not Orlov. The subject of Orlov’s book, “Communities That Abide” is aptly portrayed in Heppenstalls writings.
What Orlov did write; “These cultural traits allowed them to survive as societies and to return to their native ways after the American carpet-bombing campaign; but will they survive the Chinese economic juggernaut? For their sake, all we can hope for is that it chokes on its own fumes and shudders to a halt in a timely manner.”
By no means is he focussing on America as the evil empire. He is focussing in the resiliency of the Laotians, and even mentions the threat to Laos from China.
IMHO, you guys are taking Orlov far too personally.
noobtube on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:14 pm
The pompous arrogance of Americans is astounding.
I am on a PeakOil site and the Americans still can’t take any responsibility for all the evil they have done to the world.
And, that is why I know the United States is doomed (within my lifetime).
One thing Americans are good at is willful ignorance, selective incompetence, and practiced stupidity.
Take all the credit but avoid all the blame. (It’s not America’s fault. Everybody does it. Name someone better. If not America, it would have been somebody else. They were WAY worse. The world NEEDS America. This time it’s different.)
Paraphrase…
You cannot convince a man of the truth, if his lifestyle depends on believing a lie.
That is the basic corrupt nature of the American.
Or, should I say, Amurukkka… F**K YEAH!
Plantagenet on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:18 pm
What country do you live in, noob?
GregT on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:28 pm
I am sure there are just as many good and bad people where you live noob, as there are in the US, and every other country for that matter.
Prejudices, and discrimination know no national boundaries, as you have so apply pointed out, repeatedly.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:32 pm
Noobie I know a good Dr. He has drugs that can help you. Really it will make your life better. Maybe you can have a normal life Noobie because currently you are unbalanced and a danger to yourself.
RICHARD RALPH ROEHL on Tue, 13th May 2014 2:48 pm
Not too far down the path of future history, lurking in cosmic shadows, waits a righteous ape-rape karma that shall make the willfully ignorant corn syrup sheeple-people in capitalist-fascist Amerika pay for their predatory misdeeds.
Personally… I view the United States of Perpetual War Profiteering to be the most violent and criminally insane nation in the known history of humanity. Old Coyote Knose that evaporation is on the near horizon for the evil Amerikan empire.
Karma and destiny demand accountability. Fate assures it.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Tue, 13th May 2014 3:14 pm
Rich come on are you a bit of a exhibitionist. Do you like dropping your trousers so everyone looks. That is what you are doing just like the nut job Noobie. You guys need to start your own blog along with Deec and the Makster. We don’t friggen care if you hate America. And your comments show your lack of historical understanding for a world that has been and is now in a state of perpetual misdeeds. I know of no country that can throw the first stone. Yes, the US has sins that rank high but Richie so does China, Russia, “All” of Europe.
Northwest Resident on Tue, 13th May 2014 3:46 pm
How did a Peak Oil website and discussion board become a magnet for America haters and blamers?
My guess is that these radical, borderline insane posts are not tolerated anywhere else and the deranged individuals like noobtube and others who feel compelled to write them do so on this posting board simply because they can — no moderation, no membership required, splat all the hate and history rewrites and blame and general B.S. everywhere, no problem. But it is the “openness” of this posting board that also makes it more interesting than some of those members only sites. So, I guess we have to take the good with the bad.
…”lurking in cosmic shadows, waits a righteous ape-rape karma…”
That sounds pretty bad. I’m glad I didn’t do anything wrong, contribute to harming anybody, and that I as an American have always voiced my dissent against those things that I believe are wrong — the same things the ranting ranters like noobtube yell and scream about here.
J-Gav on Tue, 13th May 2014 4:30 pm
Laos was raped by the Nixon/Kissinger bunch during the Vietnam war. There is zero doubt about that. And then they F’ed the Hmong people they had enlisted to help them against the Viet Cong. The history is there for all to see. I also had a friend there who saw it all up close and personal.
Apart from that, interesting exchange above in the comments on Orlov etc. Hardly know where to start there … so i’ll take it step-wise.
1 – I don’t think Orlov has lost his mind – he still holds down a high-pressure job and spends a lot of the rest of his time, well, looking out for Orlov (and his wife). He may be overly disappointed that the U.S. isn’t the paradise that everybody promised but he didn’t have to believe that in the first place, did he?
2 – Sometimes I feel pretty close to Davy and Northwest when they protest about posters who write AmeriKan with a K. Do the professional America-bashers think they’re any better than the professional Russian-bashers? Do they really believe that if North America disappeared, everything would suddenly become rosy and infused with tenderness and love? Sheesh!
3 – At the same time, we have to accept that, as the present (i.e. not eternal) world hegemon (could we please get some historical perspective?) the U.S. is going to be the obvious target for disgruntled whatevers, wherever. The rest of the Western world (and parts of Asia) are tagging along for the ride, often critically (and sometimes justly so!) but without taking on the responsibilities and risks associated with being N°1. That can become annoying. Personally, I don’t see why anybody needs to be N°1 anyway, it creates too much tension – we need to share risks and responsibilities much more generally, less competitively – otherwise “global” has no meaning at all. For the time being, it rather looks like that’s the case.
Well, there was supposed to be a 4 – but I’ll stop here as posts do tend to get a tad too long on this site.
Davey on Tue, 13th May 2014 4:54 pm
Gav, well put, I welcome a multipolar world with a diminished US. It has been obvious from all the social ills in the US that being a superpower has not been beneficial to most of the population. Tptb are intoxicated on power at the expense of the people.
energy investor on Tue, 13th May 2014 6:54 pm
Hmm,
Everyone knows the USA is an oligopoly driven by banker/industrial interests. It is a long time since vested interests did not control its government and allow them to do some pretty dumb things…Vietnam, Iraq, totally shameful.
We have been seeing all sorts of disturbing stories about official missdeeds – ever since WWII then we got to believing Perkins book “The Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”.
Now evidence of what happened in 1945 confirms that the US Government simply lied about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki being necessary…when it really wasn’t.
There is good and bad in all of us so there is no use in being thin skinned about the bad bits. The country should learn from them.
But the bigger you are the more bad things you have the power to do. Looking at the comments here I wonder…is free speech now dead in the USA? The CSM wonders that too…
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2014/0513/Protesting-commencement-speakers-What-happened-to-free-speech-on-campus
That “Clippers” fiasco certainly confirms no-one has any privacy there anymore and that no-one can say anything remotely politically incorrect.
With this sort of attitude can we count on the USA to defend Pax Americana in the future? I doubt it while civil liberties are dying in the “land of the free”.
The Laotian story is one that should be told and all Americans should want to hear and learn from it.
But the sad part is that now everyone believes the stories about American missdeeds. They didn’t use to. Certainly not in our part of the world. We all know the debt of gratitude we have for US assistance in WWII. We want to believe the best.
Just that we too need to be realistic.
Shit happens.
I hope we can learn something from Orlov’s stories…whether we believe them or not. Because right now the BRICS are building an alternate to IMF, ADB and so on, and while the USA plays rough, enjoys its denial of the reality of depleting resources, those guys play rougher as their various missdeeds disclose. As the USA has killed tens of thousands, the Russians and Chinese have killed tens of millions.
And they too, want to silence their press and public opinions. We just hope the USA doesn’t go further down that track.
Boat on Tue, 13th May 2014 9:05 pm
energy investor,
Your wrong,
That “Clippers” fiasco certainly confirms no-one has any privacy there anymore and that no-one can say anything remotely politically incorrect.
You can say it but any comment by anyone can be judged by the public in a free to talk society. No one has kept the old racist from talking. See, I just judged him with my opinion. There are a lot of racists around that would have a different opinion.
MKohnen on Wed, 14th May 2014 2:02 am
The past is the past and can’t be changed. But I’m sure, Davy and NWR, that you both see Hitler as a criminal for the crimes he committed. Same with Stalin. So I’m sure you can both understand the frustration the rest of the world feels when the US holds itself up as a moral pillar, after having committed egregious war crimes itself. It’s as ridiculous as Russia coming out with its “White Paper” of human rights abuses in the Ukraine!
I wish all these stories of past abuses would lead the world to understand that economic sanctions are not the way to ensure a peaceful world. The best shot we have at it is a fully supported ICC with all countries of the world signed on. That way, international trade can gradually become a matter of trust (which suits the economic model) and compliance with law can be left to the legal model. I know it’s only dreaming, but hey, why not dream?
Davy, Hermann, MO on Wed, 14th May 2014 6:40 am
MK, I hate the bogus hypocrisy of the US DC mafia. But the “Hypocrisy” is on both sides. There is a majority of US bashes here on this board so I try to remind people of history and the unimaginable horrors of China, Russia, Europe and the like. The US is no worse or no better just a little more sophisticated in hiding the rape and pillage. It is obvious and plain the US is the largest of the hypocrites on the block currently for sure. It makes me sick with the lies and the supposed compassion.