No other Senator has yet come forward to persuade him to change his mind. This group, which despite its name has no link to the U.S. Government, has held closed-door, secretive meetings on Laos since 1999. NW, is an address that does not exist . This group's influence on Capitol Hill is far out of proportion to its actual constituency. Although income and education gaps among regions and ethnic groups can be great, there is no legal discrimination against any minority.
Ethnic minorities are well represented at all levels of government.
More than 80 international development organizations in Laos are encouraged to work with all ethnic groups and have access to all parts of the country. Laos continues to have human rights problems . International human rights groups do not have access inside Laos. However, some progress has been made in the area of religious freedom. U.S. Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Robert Seiple, visited Laos several times in the past two years.