from Pat Jordan
fmerican propaganda has claimed that the 'neutralist' prime minister of Laos has asked for their assistanee because of aggression by the Pathet Lao forces. A much more accurate picture of the set up in the cluntry ois given in the following A.P. report dated May 23rd: "Since the fighting erupted in the Plain of Jars area, the coup leaders have practially remained in the background. They have left Souvanna to do all the talking in condemning the Laotian Communists and their North Vietnam friends....Some Ministers privately complained that they do not have full control over their ministries and the revolutionary committee is still sending in orders." The report said that the Laotian “rightwingers have agreed to - as they put it - disappear. They merged with the neutralists in oné single faction under Souvanna's lead-= ership. This means Souvanna should have become the absolute ruler of the right wing areas including Vientiane. “But he is not." It added that "The Revolutionary committee still maintains control of this administrative capital and other areas under right wing control. Souvanna's residence is now guarded by right wing trcops." The coup clique continued the censorship on cable including press, private and official dispatches, and the Vientiane radio . station was still under their strict control.
It said that Souvanna, despite Neo Lao Haksat (the Laotion left wing party) protests, had sacked two neutrelist cabinet members and filled the foreign minister's post. But the right wing coup leaders had demanded that Souvanna make more changes in the Government to include the replacement of Neo Lao Haksat ministers. “Apparently the revolutionary committee is determined to keep pressurising Souvanna for further changes in the Government," :
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