Coup in the Year of the Serpent

Laotians seemed less interested in politics than in the annual Phi Mai festival, during which for three days everybody doused everybody else with scented water to wash away bad luck and celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Serpent, symbolizing wisdom and chaos. Most celebrants used buckets; some favored water pistols. Before long, more serious weapons were in evidence, and Laos was in the midst of a military coup seeking to overthrow the shaky coalition government. Wisdom? That remained to be seen. Chaos? Plenty.

On the Plain. Last week's chain of events began with a conference, and quite a remarkable conference it was.

Last week the government finally brought to trial on charges of murder and extortion Ngo Dinh Can, 53, brother of the slain President and former boss of Central Viet Nam. Can suffers from diabetes and spent his time in court on a stretcher.

While hardly ranking with the parley between Marc Antony, Lepidus and Octavian in a tent near Bologna at which they created the Second Roman Triumvirate, the meeting of the three little men under a tent on Laos' Plain of Jars certainly rivaled it in security precautions.* Amid fluttering truce flags, the only outsiders allowed within 100 meters of the tent were one unarmed bodyguard for each principal, and two servants. Between 100 and 300 meters away were stationed ten unarmed guards for each side, and in an outer circle stood 330 more soldiers.

The display of distrust was understandable, for the huddle brought together, for the first time in a year, the leaders of the country's three warring factions: Neutralist Premier Souvanna Phouma, pro-Communist Pathet Lao Chief Prince Souphanouvong, and General Phoumi Nosavan, boss of the right-wing forces. Prompted by Souvanna Phouma, the "summit" was to discuss how the Pathet Lao might be brought back to Souvanna's coalition government--which the Reds fled when new fighting broke out a year ago.

Showing up in Edwardian splendor, the moustached Souvanna Phouma sported a pearl stickpin, Homburg, and carved Laotian walking stick. He received a hug and kiss from Half Brother Souphanouvong, himself resplendent in a most unproletarian two-button suit with a bigger pearl stickpin. Paunchy Soldier Phoumi thought it more appropriate to wear combat fatigues. The trio conferred for an hour, broke for box lunches and Scotch airlifted in from Vientiane.

State of Siege. After another session the following morning, the talks broke down. Next thing anyone knew, gunfire briefly rang through Vientiane and a group of rightist army officers calling itself the Revolutionary Committee of the National Army was on the radio, announcing that it had seized power. Their leader: General Kouprasith Abhay, who has been fighting the neutralists and leftists for years. As commander of the Vientiane military district Kouprasith was the top soldier under Rightist Boss Phoumi, but also acquired a great deal of power on his own.

The rebel officers proclaimed a state of siege; Premier Souvanna Phouma was quoted as announcing his resignation and willing to pass his power on to the new regime. The rebels declared that they "took over the country" because the coalition had utterly failed to solve the nation's problems. It was far from clear whether they could hang on, let alone "restore national harmony," as they promised. After all, Laos has seen coups before. And the U.S. quickly let it be known that it disapproves of this one, still backs the 1962 Geneva agreement setting up Souvanna's coalition.

*To discourage treachery by one another during their talks in 43 B.C. the three contending Roman generals met alone on a river island.

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