寮國的國家認同──殖民與戰爭後的重建

National Identity of Laos: Construction after Colonization and War

對多數人而言，寮國是個陌生，甚至是若有似無存在的國家。寮國與中國、越南、柬埔寨、泰國、與緬甸為鄰，也是被這五國完全包圍，形成東南亞唯一的內陸國。在歷史上與這周圍5國都有相當接觸，地理創造歷史實際帶給寮國豐富的異國文化和特色。近代則受到法國殖民與美國越戰的影響甚深。本文透過國家認同的議題，探索寮國的民族主義發展，檢視長久歷史發展與殖民經驗對寮國的影響，也探討美國在越戰期間在寮國發動秘密戰爭所造成的後果。國家認同也涉及國家發展方向與自我定位，認定自身在區域及世界的角色，因此本文也探索這些情形。佛教是凝聚與建構寮國認同的重要因素，即使是無神論的共產黨政權也無法脫離佛教民族主義。美國的秘密戰爭除造成寮國人民的傷亡，對後續發展也形成很大的障礙。周旋在鄰近的大國與國際強權間，寮國希望從內陸國轉變成陸橋國，建立一個美麗的佛陀國度。

To most people, Laos is a strange, even non-existent country. Laos is bordered by China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar, and is also completely surrounded by these five countries, forming the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. Historically, it has had considerable contact with these five surrounding countries, and geography has created a rich and distinctive foreign culture and character for Laos. In modern times, it has been deeply influenced by French colonialism and the American Vietnam War. This article explores the development of nationalism in Laos through the issue of national identity, examines the impact of long-term historical development and colonial experience on Laos, and also explores the consequences of the secret war launched by the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War. National identity also involves the direction of national development and self-positioning, and identifying one’s own role in the region and the world. Therefore, this article also explores these situations. Buddhism is an important factor in the cohesion and construction of Lao identity, and even the atheist communist regime cannot escape Buddhist nationalism. The US secret war not only caused casualties among the Lao people, but also created great obstacles for subsequent development. Caught between neighboring powers and international powers, Laos hopes to transform itself from a landlocked country to a landlocked country, building a beautiful Buddhist country.