Responsibility in the Shadows: The Hmong in Laos and the Responsibility Gap of Covert Proxy Interventions

This working paper examines structural limitations of international law, especially the law of state responsibility, in the context of covert proxy interventions. Using the Hmong case in Laos as an illustrative example, it argues that the central limitation lies not only in attribution under Article 8 of the Articles on State Responsibility, but also in the state-centred implementation architecture of international responsibility. While doctrines such as effective control and aid or assistance help to structure legal responsibility, they often fail to translate the long-term exposure of local partners into effective protection or remedy. The paper therefore highlights a broader gap between legal responsibility, political abandonment, and practical protection in covert proxy settings.