Kou Voravong (lao : ກຸ ວໍຣະວົງ) (6 December 1914 – 18 September 1954) was a Laotian politician. He was part of the anti-Japanese resistance leading group during the Second World War and then anti-Lao Issara (ລາວອິດສລະ) in the post-war period. Throughout his career, from 1941 to 1954, he has been District Chief, Province Governor, member of the Lao National Assembly, and Royal Lao Government Minister.
The political crisis caused by his assassination, barely two months after the Geneva Agreements which prepared to restore peace in Indochina, contributed to bring down the current neutralist government (pro-French) which was replaced by a progressive one (pro-American) in extremely tense atmosphere of the Cold War between Russia and the United States. From 1955 indeed, the political history of this small landlocked country fell trapped inexorably in the ideological confrontation between the capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union, annihilating any hope of national unification.
We can find a Kou Voravong Road in the city of Thakhek as well as in Savannakhet where his name is also given to an old stadium now a sports park. Since 1995, a statue is erected in the garden of the family residence where he lived as a child.
Family and childhood
Historical context To counter the British Empire's expansion in this area, French colonies were established since the middle of the 19th century in Indochina. French Government also began from this period, to be interested in exploiting the Mekong River Valley's resources. Several expeditions later,Henri Mouhot in 1860, then Francis Garnier under the command of Commander Doudart de Lagrée in 1864. the King Oun Kham (ເຈົ້າອຸ່ນຄຳ) of Luang Prabang (ຫລວງພຣະບາງ), whose Kingdom was victim of neighboring countries covetousness attempting conquests (Siam, Myanmar, China) and at the same time divided by succession crisis, requested protection to France in 1887, accordingly to the explorer Auguste Pavie's advice. The Franco-Siamese Treaty dated October 3, 1893, determined new land-borders between Siam and LaosThe Siamese authorities restored the acquired territories and recognized therefore implicitly the authority of France on the left bank of the Mekong River. and established the French Protectorate. The Lan Xang Kingdom (ຣາຊະອານາຈັກລ້ານຊ້າງ) was, therefore, administered by the French Colonial Government, already present in French Cambodia, Tonkin, Annam and Cochinchina.
The Laotian territory was then divided into provinces (khoueng - ແຂວງ),The number of provinces varied from 10 at the beginning of the century, to 12 by 1947, and up to 17 in the current time. including districts (muong - ເມືອງ), themselves regrouping cantons (baan - ບ້ານ). They were directed by local notables : chiefs (chao - ເຈົ້າ) who were intermediaries between local populations and French officials - « fonctionnaires d'autorité » - such as Government Commissioners - « commissaires de gouvernement » - and Residents of France - « résidents de France ». The Senior Resident - « le résident supérieur » - settled in Vientiane, which naturally became the country's administrative capital. All of these officials were assisted by some: adjoins (oupahaat - ອຸປະຮາດ), assistants (phousouei - ຜູ້ຊ່ວຍ) and secretaries (samien - ສະໝຽນ).
In this historical context, Kou Voravong's maternal grandfather,The ancestor of Kou Voravong, appointed "Chao Muong" at the beginning of the century by the colonial administration, would be a bandit! Histoire de Savannakhet PhagnaRespectful titles: "Phagna" = lord - "Thao"= Sir - "Nang"= lady - "Thaan-krou"= professor and "chao/tiao"= chef/prince or princess - "Gna Pou"= grandfather. Poui (ພຍາປຸ້ຍ), was appointed the first District Chief (chao muong - ເຈົ້າເມືອງ) of Khanthabouri (ຄັນທະບຸຣີ)Former name of the city of Savannakhet. in 1902, in Savannakhet Province, South-Laos. His younger brother, Thao Taan Voravong (ທ້າວຕານ ວໍຣະວົງ) would succeed him from 1922 to 1928.
Birth and education
Born in this influential family in 1914 in Khanthabouri district, Kou Voravong was the only sonFrom his mother's remarriage with Thaan-krou Di Voravong (ທ່ານຄຣູດີ ວໍຣະວົງ), Kou Voravong had two half-brothers (also deputies and ministers) and three half-sisters. of Thaan-krou Khammanh Nackphouminh (ທ່ານຄຣູຄຳໝັ້ນ ນັກພູມິນ) – schoolteacher, and Nang Chanheuang (ນາງຈັນເຮືອງ), one of Phagna Poui's daughters. When his parents separated, he was adopted as infant by Nang Kiengkham (ນາງກຽງຄຳ), his mother's older sister, married to Thao Taan Voravong, who was, at the time, interpreter at the « Résidence de France ». The couple didn't have any children.
Kou Voravong grew up in Savannakhet and pursued a primary education there. He obtained the « certificat d'études primaires complémentaire indochinois » - Certificate of Indochinese Additional Primary Studies - (CEPCI)Education system based on "The General Regulation of Public Instruction" (RGIP), introduced on December 21, 1917 by Albert Sarraut, Governor General of Indochina. in 1930, went afterward to Vientiane and began his first-secondary-school year at the CollègeAlthough these high schools were called "collège, students were much older than the "schoolchildren" of France and the academic cycle (which led to a local high school diploma) was shorter (2 years instead of 3, in France). Auguste Pavie. But because of a conflict which opposed him to French Colonial administration,It was a charge of misappropriation of public funds, which the Government Commissioner Urbain Malpuech, in office at Savannakhet from 1921 to 1930, would be the accuser. his adopted father was sentenced to prison that same year. As reaction to this situation, Kou Voravong left school and returned to Savannakhet. As an out-of-school teenager, he practiced sports, especially soccer.His name is given to the old soccer stadium of Savannakhet, now a sports park.
One day, after a game, Kou Voravong and friends gathered some coconuts from trees bordering the playground to satisfy their thirst. Madame Malpuech, the previous Commissioner's wife shouted at them, considering these behaviors as an act of vandalism on public property. As captain, he defended his teammates with such virulence that she filed complaint with the police against him for assaulting.
When the Resident of France in officeFor the Savannakhet Province, probably Mr Delmas (1929), then Mr Détrie (1930). discovered that the young boy who stood up to him, was the son of Thao Taan Voravong, surprised by his educational background and particularly by his French language skills, he recruited him as private secretary (samien).
Kou Voravong left Savannakhet, returned to Secondary School, and while working, furthered his studies at the « École de droit et d'administration » (Law & Administration School), in Vientiane. He graduated in 1933, then occupied various administration positions. In 1941, he became adjoin (oupahaat) of the Governor (Deputy Chao Khoueng) of Vientiane. And in 1942, he was appointed District Chief (Chao Muang) of Paksane (ປາກຊັນ), in Borikhamxay Province (ບໍຣິຄຳຊັຍ) at a time when the Empire of Japan, allied to Nazi Germany, was extending its high-handedness throughout the entire region.
Career
Anti-Japanese resistance In Europe, the World War II broke out in 1939. As member of the Axis powers, Japan invaded Laos in 1941 with the French Vichy Government's agreement. On the other side, temporarily allied with the Japanese Empire in the «Greater Est Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere» – which back then reigned supreme on Southeast Asia – Siam Empire took advantage of France's defeat to annex Laotian territories of Champassak and Sayaboury,"Got back" by France in 1893, then by the Siam in 1941, these territories are definitively returned to Laos in December, 1946, after the defeat of Japan. both located on the east bank of the Mekong River. From 1940 to 1945, the two Asian allies, as liberators involving indigenous populations and denouncing Western colonialism, encouraged rebellions. To counteract the Japan-Siamese ambitions, Admiral Jean Decoux, the « Gouverneur général d'Indochine » (General Governor of Indochina), strove to strengthen ties between Laos and France. This policy promoted a bipartisan nationalism – on the one side pro- and on the other side anti- French presence – which would fight each other, once the global conflict ended.
Kou Voravong supported a progressive autonomy encouraged by France, and he was opposed to the nationalist movement Lao-Issara (ລາວອິດສລະIn Lao : « Free Laos ») founded by the Viceroy Chao Phetsarath Rattanavongsa (ເຈົ້າເພັດຊະຣາດ ຣັດຕະນະວົງສາ), whose objective was to combat the colonial power and to proclaim the independence of Laos at the end of the war.
March 9, 1945, the Japanese army attacked Indochinese French garrisons, and by a coup, took control of the whole Administration. French officials were arrested and the King Sisavang Vong (ສີສະຫວ່າງວົງ), declared under duress, the country's independence. Early in the occupation, some French army officers were air-dropped and organised clandestine resistance operations in the jungle. Kou Voravong immediately contacted the anti-Japanese guerrilla group parachuted into his district (Paksane), a unit commanded by Colonel Jean Deuve.Parachuted with nine other members of the Force 136 in the night of 21–22 January 1945. On order, he remained at his post for secretly and actively support the French-Lao guerrilla actions: volunteers recruitment, food and weapons supplies, information's collects, munitions hiding. As « chef de l'administration parallèle » (Leader of the Parallel Administration), he conducted anti-Japanese propaganda operations in cities and rural areas, developing resistance and information network. Denounced in June 1945, he was arrested but managed to escape. Accompanied by 150 volunteers, he joined the guerrilla, took up arms and alongside the French-Lao resistance fighters, continued fighting until the end of the war.
Anti-Lao Issara activities On August 15, 1945, Japan Empire's collapse resulting of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki's nuclear bombing, provided to French Government the opportunity to reestablish its authority over Indochina.
King Sisavang Vong declared officially the French protectorate's continuity. But on September 11, his cousin and Viceroy, Chao Phetsarath accompanied by his two brothers,Le vice-roi Bounkhong (death in 1920) had 11 wives and 23 children. Of his first wife: Chao Phetsarath Rattanavongsa and Chao Souvanna Phouma. From his 11th wife, a servant of the Palace: Chao Souphanouvong. Chao Souvanna Phouma (ເຈົ້າສຸວັນນະພູມາ) and Chao Souphanouvong (ເຈົ້າສຸພັນນຸວົງ), supported by Chinese and Viêt Minh nationalists, proclaimed the Lao Issara Government and required the immediate independence of Laos, refusing all discussions with France. Therefore, struggles between different factions started out.
Appointed Governor (Chao Khoueng) of Vientiane Province since late 1945, Kou Voravong created a civic guardMilitia citizen formed by volunteers, constituting an auxiliary strength of the army. and directed the political and military struggle of Monarchists from the occupied capital, facing the Lao Issara, Chinese and Việt Minh who took control of the major cities of the country. But after some months, besieged, injured and threatened, he had to withdraw into the countryside, where he continued to manage for liberation. On April 24, 1945, French army entered Vientiane. The Lao Issara Government went into exile on the right bank of the Mekong River. The movement dissolved in 1949 and was divided into three factions : Chao Phetsarath's historical and intransigent branch which continued the fight in Thailand, Chao Souvanna Phouma's moderate branch, which agreed to negotiate with France, and whose members returned to Laos, Chao Souphanouvong's armed branch, uniting with Việt Minh leaders, which militarized in Hanoi.