Need For Improvement In The Control Over Refugee Relief Commodities Shipped To Laos

GAO was asked by the Chairman, Subcommittee to Investigate Problems Connected with Refugees and Escapees, Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Senate, to investigate the movement of refugees and the occurrence of civilian war casualties in Laos. GAO was specifically asked to review shipping arrangements for refugee supplies moving from and through Thailand to Laos. GAO found that the United States Agency for International Development Mission in Laos had not established the controls necessary to safeguard U.S. interests and to account for the large amounts of commodities sent to Laos under its programs to assist refugees and other victims of the conflict.