Lao Policy on multi-ethnic Lao-American citizens

Laos is a country that comprise of more than 47 ethnic minority groups.  The Kha mu, Mien and Hmong are the largest groups after the majority of Lao loum (low land).  During and after the war, large numbers of multi-ethnic Laotian fled to the U.S. As a result, today there are about 500,000 who can trace their heritage back to Laos living in the U.S.  Many still have contact with their relatives at home country. 

Increasingly more and more make visit home while others are beginning to invest in business in different provinces in Laos.  Many older Laotian Americans are interested in returning to their homeland as they retire. The Lao government encourages Laotian-Americans to visit, do business and even return to live in Laos. However, there is not yet a government policy in Laos to enable dual citizenship, making some hesitant to return to live fulltime in Laos.  There are also no government policies in place that provide Laotian – Americans with any special incentives or privileges to invest in their homeland. They are treated the same as any foreign investor who would like to come to Laos, receiving the same tax incentives and subject to the same investment policies.

Today, the Lao government and the people of Laos have strengthened relations with the multi-ethnic Lao –Americans in the US.  Even among those who were on different sides during the war. This is evidenced by an increase in visits of Laotians to the US and Laotian-American to Laos. Recently a delegation of the government officials and private enterprises from Laos visited the US to promote cooperation on bilateral trade between the Lao people and the multi-ethnic Americans in the US.  With the gradual increase in exchange visits, collaboration, and cooperation between the two countries the people of both nations will have an opportunity to work together to promote understanding and trust needed to help build a strong and prosperous Laos.

However, mistrust of the government of Laos is still an issue among some Laotian - Americans.  The pain and loss suffered by many during the years of war is still strongly felt and has hindered many from Laotian Americans from reconciling with their homeland.  This mistrust is aggravated by a great deal of misinformation about what the country of Laos is like today.   The US- Laos National Coalition aims to rectify this problem by being a source of unbiased and accurate information about Laos today. Though the best way for anyone to understand Laos is to see for themselves the great changes that have occurred there over the past 30 years and the issues that the country still faces as it struggles to address the consequences of war and improve its socio-economic conditions.