LAOS DECIDES TO STOP KILLING PREGNANT WOMEN

May 6 2009

Vientiane, Laos – Laos has never been one of the more prominent Southeast Asian country. With countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, The Philippines, and recently East Timor and Burma taking the majority of the global spotlight, Laos has often been left out in the cold. Landlocked and isolated, Laos is country more or less left behind not only in Asia but in the modern world in general since their
independence from France in 1949. With the recent announcement that they will stay the execution of a pregnant British woman though, Laos may finally be stepping into the 21st century.

Samantha Orobator was arrested last summer, found with over half a kilogram of Heroin, and sentenced to death by firing squad. Faced with mounting criticism the Laotian government intervened on the woman’s behalf to at least delay her execution until after giving birth. Though some mystery does revolve around the circumstances of her pregnancy owing to her incarceration, officials are less interested in how she became pregnant and more on how prison officials can prevent such incidents in the future and pursue executions without prejudice.

“Laos hasn’t executed a person since 1990 even though it is the standard penalty for drug trafficking in the country. That could be a
lot of things. It could be that they want to make example of a foreigner or that their appeal process is quite lengthy. More than likely though it’s a result of being Laos and nobody wanting to visit there for any reason, including drugs,” said Scrape TV International analyst Gustav Hander. “If they had gone ahead and executed this woman they would have done irreparable harm to their tourist industry. When you have a few dozen people visit your country every year you want to do everything you can to keep them coming. Killing pregnant women usually causes people to stay away.”

Surrounding countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia have become tourist hotspots in recent years, due in part to the long coastlines, rich history, and inviting people, much of which Laos lacks. They have equally not reported any pregnant executions in recent years.

‘The Laotian people are as nice as people anywhere else but they are hamstrung by accident of geography. The people who live there day-to-day can’t help where their country is located or the relatively boring history of the county. What they can do though is set up future generations for success by doing things like not killing everyone who enters the country,” continued Hander. “By doing this they are also giving an out for any drug traffickers who might want to use their country to launder product. Send a bunch of preggos in and you’re gold. At least it will get something happening in the country.”

That possibility is exactly what concerns many in the Laotian government. Some see this reprieve as an open invitation for pregnant criminals to set off a crime wave across the country with the government and courts left almost helpless to do anything about the ensuing chaos.

“We are now at risk of a country wide crimes spree. Women will simply become pregnant and commit crimes and we will stand back and allow them to do whatever they want,” said a police official who preferred to remain anonymous. “We must show the world that we do not accept pregnancy as reasonable excuse for criminal acts otherwise we will be overrun.”

Abortion in Laos is illegal except in extreme cases, drug smuggling is not one of the accepted reasons.

“This may just be the price they have to pay to move into the modern world. Countries like the United States wait until after the birth of the baby to execute criminals and they are not overrun by pregnant crime syndicates,” continued Hander. “Sometimes modernizing means doing things you are uncomfortable with and if that means not killing pregnant women, that may be what it takes, for the good of future generations.”

Reportedly men across Laos are looking for ways to become pregnant but to no avail as yet.             

Emil Uliya, International Correspondent

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