Another book this week from the energetic folk at Maverick House which has an office in Bangkok. Nightmare in Laos (ISBN 1-905379-08-0, published this year) tells the horrific tale of Australians Kay and Kerry Danes who were imprisoned by the Laos authorities, their ordeal during incarceration, and the subsequent efforts to get them released by the Australian government.

Thrown in jail, the advice given to them was “Be patient”, a very prevalent Asian response. However, it was difficult for two westerners to quietly accept such ‘karma’.

The book chronicles an international game of cat and mouse at government levels, where international diplomacy continues roughshod over humanity. Kay Danes in her acknowledgment at the front of the book thanks the Australian government, but there is no doubt in my mind that there was too much kow-towing to its Laos counterpart, which was prepared to tough it out, rather than seek an immediate face saving situation.

The impasse which ended up with a discussion of semantics as to whether accepting the decisions of the Laos court was actually an admission of guilt or otherwise left the Danes with no alternative, other than to sign the document showing acceptance of the Laos court and their (assumed) guilt. This in itself was a psychological conundrum for the two people concerned. A ‘damned if you do or damned if you don’t’ situation. That Kay Danes showed Post Traumatic Stress Disease afterwards was not surprising.

The end to their incarceration came with a bilateral government brokered “pardon”, with the Laos Foreign Minister saying, “We are happy that both governments have been able to resolve this situation in the best interests of the long standing relationship our countries share.” Read the book and you will be totally nauseated at such a public display of hypocrisy.

At B. 495 it is not only an inexpensive primer into understanding the workings of governments and officialdom, but also manages to show the strength of disparate individuals against the shallow background of so-called strength in leadership. Every day, the prisoners were exposed to the dogma “Trust the (Laos) government to know the way to be perfect for the future. Follow their wisdom to see the way forward. Do not question their knowledge or the way they do everything because they defeated the Americans in the war, alongside our Vietnamese brothers.” Unfortunately for the originators of such drivel, they ignore the basic need for human beings to retain their unique individuality. Kay Danes managed to retain hers, despite the enormous psychological stress, and the fact that she not only endured, but has also now dedicated some of her life to helping political prisoners throughout the world shows wonderful moral fiber.

This is a book for those who can think for themselves, and a wake-up call for those who are prepared to accept status quo for the sake of peace and quiet. As one of her fellow inmates said when she was doubting whether she should carry on, “Yes Madam, because your case can open the eye of the world to Laos.”

A disturbing book, but good value and a good read.

Pattaya Mail