The Ministry of Public Security is the ministry of the interior of Laos. It includes local police, traffic police, immigration police, security police (including border police), and other armed police units. The current minister is Mr. Thongbanh Sengaphone.
In order to increase its capacity to address issues such as the illegal drugs trade and human trafficking, the Ministry of Public Security has established working relations with a number of foreign government agencies and international organisations, including UNODC and UNICEF.
The security forces subject to the ministry have occasionnally been accused of human rights violations. Their persecution of Christians in Laos is among the heaviest in the world. Particularly members of the ethnic group of the Hmong have been subject to violence by security forces.
Famous quotes containing the words ministry, public and/or security:
“The State has but one face for me: that of the police. To my eyes, all of the State’s ministries have this single face, and I cannot imagine the ministry of culture other than as the police of culture, with its prefect and commissioners.”
—Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)
“Life is like playing a violin solo in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“It is hard for those who have never known persecution,
And who have never known a Christian,
To believe these tales of Christian persecution.
It is hard for those who live near a Bank
To doubt the security of their money.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)