US senators in Hmong refugee appeal
Senators from Wisconsin, Minnesota and California are urging the State Department to take action to protect a group of Hmong refugees being held at an immigration detention center in Thailand. The six senators wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice about the roughly 150 Hmong refugees who have been held for 10 months at Nong Khai, 310 miles northeast of Bangkok.
"As longtime advocates for the Hmong, it is our hope that the United States will remain a leader in seeking protection and assistance for the detainees in Nong Khai," they wrote. "We urge you to continue pressing the Thai government to provide better living conditions for these detainees, and to ultimately bring about a swift resolution to this ongoing problem."
The State Department said it had not yet seen the letter and could not comment.
The letter was signed by Wisconsin Democrats Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, California Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Republican Norm Coleman.
The Hmong are an ethnic group from Laos who fought alongside the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Many settled in the U.S. starting in the 1970s, with most settled in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The senators noted that Hmong at the Thai detention center recently staged a hunger strike to protest their conditions. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees and human rights advocates have said the refugees are crammed
into two windowless cells and are forbidden to go out, and that their sole source of water comes from a bathroom.
"While we understand that the Thai government does not intend to deport the Nong Khai detainees back to Laos," they wrote, "we are concerned by recent reports which indicate that detention conditions have worsened, and that the Thai government is decreasing its commitment to assist Hmong fleeing persecution from Laos and blocking efforts to resettle eligible individuals to third countries."
The Thai embassy in Washington didn't immediately return a telephone message left Tuesday.
The Hmong were on the verge of being repatriated to Laos in January, but promises from Western countries to take them for resettlement halted the move.
Showing posts with label Hmong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hmong. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Wives Hold Vigal for Men Missing in Laos
St. Paul Hmong-Americans’ Wives to Hold Vigil
The wives and families of three Hmong-Americans missing in Laos since their arrest on August 25 by Lao military and security forces in Vang Vieng, Xieng Khouang Province Laos will hold a vigil to await the return of their husbands at the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota airport at the international arrival section on Sunday, September 9 from 12:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.
“We want concrete answers from the Lao government not denials; and we want our husbands, who are American citizens, to be able to walk out the airport door here and come home,” stated Sheng Xiong the wife of Hakit Yang, 29, one of the three Hmong-Americans arrested, jailed and missing in Laos.
Sheng Xiong continued: “I am very frustrated by the lack of information from the government of Laos as well as the denials from the Laotian authorities that U.S. citizens by the names of Hakit Yang, Congshineng Yang and Trillion Yuhaison were arrested or are being detained. The Lao authorities denial needs to be investigated and addressed appropriately. I know that the current situation regarding the Hmong people in Laos is very sensitive and I am fearful for Hakit and the other two Hmong Americans well being.”
The three Hmong-Americans were last seen in the notorious Ponthong Prison in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, where Lao security forces have tortured and killed hundreds of political and other prisoners over the years whom they arbitrarily arrest and imprison. Multiple reliable sources, including eyewitnesses, have confirmed the imprisonment at Ponthong prison of the three Hmong Americans and their Lao-Hmong guide, Pao Vang, shortly after their arrests. The four Hmong were taken from the jail by the Lao military and security officials by military truck on August 30 and moved to an unknown location .
The wives and families of three Hmong-Americans missing in Laos since their arrest on August 25 by Lao military and security forces in Vang Vieng, Xieng Khouang Province Laos will hold a vigil to await the return of their husbands at the Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota airport at the international arrival section on Sunday, September 9 from 12:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.
“We want concrete answers from the Lao government not denials; and we want our husbands, who are American citizens, to be able to walk out the airport door here and come home,” stated Sheng Xiong the wife of Hakit Yang, 29, one of the three Hmong-Americans arrested, jailed and missing in Laos.
Sheng Xiong continued: “I am very frustrated by the lack of information from the government of Laos as well as the denials from the Laotian authorities that U.S. citizens by the names of Hakit Yang, Congshineng Yang and Trillion Yuhaison were arrested or are being detained. The Lao authorities denial needs to be investigated and addressed appropriately. I know that the current situation regarding the Hmong people in Laos is very sensitive and I am fearful for Hakit and the other two Hmong Americans well being.”
The three Hmong-Americans were last seen in the notorious Ponthong Prison in Vientiane, the capital of Laos, where Lao security forces have tortured and killed hundreds of political and other prisoners over the years whom they arbitrarily arrest and imprison. Multiple reliable sources, including eyewitnesses, have confirmed the imprisonment at Ponthong prison of the three Hmong Americans and their Lao-Hmong guide, Pao Vang, shortly after their arrests. The four Hmong were taken from the jail by the Lao military and security officials by military truck on August 30 and moved to an unknown location .
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Laos Denies It
Of course the scumbags deny it. The same way they deny their ethnic cleansing against the Hmong and their persecution of the Karens.
Laos denies Hmong-Americans arrested
The Lao government on Wednesday denied reports that authorities had arrested three US citizens of Hmong decent in Vientiane, the capital.
"I've checked with security authorities and they assured me that none of these people are being kept under custody in Laos," said Lao foreign ministry spokesman Yong Chanhthalousy, in a telephone interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
According to press reports from the US, three Hmong-Americans identified as Hakit Yang, 21, Conghineng Yang, 31, and Trillion Yunhaison, 41, were allegedly arrested in Vientiane on August 25 by security personnel.
A US Embassy source in Vientiane confirmed that they had obtained reports of the arrests.
"We have local sources who inform us that the arrests took place on August 25 but we don't have confirmation from the central government," said an embassy spokesperson in Vientiane.
News of the alleged arrests coincided with a Thai-Lao Border Committee meeting in Phitsanulok, Thailand, concerning the fate of some 8,000 Hmong refugees who have been living in Thailand for decades.
Thailand has classified the Hmong living at Huay Nam Khao camp as "illegal migrants," while the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and various human rights groups claim they are refugees who will face persecution if they are repatriated to Laos.
The current Thai government is trying to find an acceptable way to repatriate the Hmong as part of their long-term solution to problem of Lao-Hmong fleeing to Thailand.
Laos is also seeking their repatriation, primarily to prove that the ongoing Hmong resistance struggle is a myth.
"These people are illegal migrants, and you can see how illegal migrants are treated in the West, for instance African migrants in Europe," said Yong of the Hmong in Thailand. "This is a global problem."
The New York based Human Rights Watch last week blasted Thailand's efforts to repatriate the 8,000 Hmong in Huay Nam Khao.
"It is shocking that Thailand is even considering the return of refugees fleeing from political persecution, rights abuses and fighting in Laos," said Brad Adams, Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
"The Thai government's threatened return of the Lao Hmong refugees shows a brazen contempt for the most basic principle of refugee law," he added in a statement made available in Bangkok.
Laos denies Hmong-Americans arrested
The Lao government on Wednesday denied reports that authorities had arrested three US citizens of Hmong decent in Vientiane, the capital.
"I've checked with security authorities and they assured me that none of these people are being kept under custody in Laos," said Lao foreign ministry spokesman Yong Chanhthalousy, in a telephone interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.
According to press reports from the US, three Hmong-Americans identified as Hakit Yang, 21, Conghineng Yang, 31, and Trillion Yunhaison, 41, were allegedly arrested in Vientiane on August 25 by security personnel.
A US Embassy source in Vientiane confirmed that they had obtained reports of the arrests.
"We have local sources who inform us that the arrests took place on August 25 but we don't have confirmation from the central government," said an embassy spokesperson in Vientiane.
News of the alleged arrests coincided with a Thai-Lao Border Committee meeting in Phitsanulok, Thailand, concerning the fate of some 8,000 Hmong refugees who have been living in Thailand for decades.
Thailand has classified the Hmong living at Huay Nam Khao camp as "illegal migrants," while the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and various human rights groups claim they are refugees who will face persecution if they are repatriated to Laos.
The current Thai government is trying to find an acceptable way to repatriate the Hmong as part of their long-term solution to problem of Lao-Hmong fleeing to Thailand.
Laos is also seeking their repatriation, primarily to prove that the ongoing Hmong resistance struggle is a myth.
"These people are illegal migrants, and you can see how illegal migrants are treated in the West, for instance African migrants in Europe," said Yong of the Hmong in Thailand. "This is a global problem."
The New York based Human Rights Watch last week blasted Thailand's efforts to repatriate the 8,000 Hmong in Huay Nam Khao.
"It is shocking that Thailand is even considering the return of refugees fleeing from political persecution, rights abuses and fighting in Laos," said Brad Adams, Asia director at the New York-based Human Rights Watch.
"The Thai government's threatened return of the Lao Hmong refugees shows a brazen contempt for the most basic principle of refugee law," he added in a statement made available in Bangkok.
American-Hmong "Disappear"
The Laos Government has been killing Hmong for years so this in no surprise to anyone who's ever spent any time there. What amazes me is how the world just doesn't care.
At least three U.S. citizens, possibly four, of ethnic Hmong descent have recently disappeared in Laos, at the hands of Laotian security forces, following their recent arrest and imprisonment on unknown charges.
At least three U.S. citizens of ethnic Hmong descent, possibly four, have recently disappeared in Laos, at the hands of Laotian security forces, following their recent arrest and imprisonment in Vientiane, Laos on unknown charges.
“Multiple, and reliable independent eyes-on-the-ground human sources in Laos as well as immediate family members in the United States have confirmed that three Hmong-American citizens were arrested on August 25 in Laos by Laotian military and security forces while they were apparently sightseeing and seeking business opportunities,” stated Philip Smith, Executive Director for the Center for Public Policy Analysis, in Washington, D.C.
The three Lao-Hmong-American men include: Mr. Hakit Yang, 21; Mr. Conghineng Yang,, 31; and Trillion Yunhaison, 41. All are from St. Paul, Minnesota and the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. A fourth Hmong individual Mr. Pao Vang, of unknown nationality and age, was reportedly acting as tour guide for the group, and was also reportedly arrested and jailed with them.
The Hmong-Americans have no known political or family ties to opposition or dissident factions and had departed the United States for travel to Laos on July 10 from the Twin Cities.
Continued Smith: “Eyewitness and reliable sources, including dissident and opposition sources inside the Lao regime, have reported that these Hmong-American men were transported in Vientiane Laos to Ponthong prison by special Lao military and secret police. The Lao officials forcibly gagged the men and put black hoods over their heads and handcuffed them behind their backs. Their feet were also shackled and they were dragged into the notorious Ponthong Prison on August 25 where many prisoners, including political prisoners, have been tortured, killed or held for lengthy sentences under horrific conditions .
Stated Smith: “Unfortunately, on August 30, eyewitness and reliable sources reported that all of the Hmong-American citizens were taken out of Ponthong Prison by Lao security and military forces who forcefully loaded them on a government truck along with other unknown Hmong and Lao prisoners. Once again, the Hmong -Americans were placed in black hoods and were handcuffed, shackled and gagged. They were then forced under a canvas tarpaulin on the military vehicle for apparent transport to an unknown location with the unknown Hmong and Lao prisoners.”
In 2003, Pastor Naw Karl Moua, a Hmong-American citizen and Lutheran Pastor from St. Paul Minnesota was arrested in Laos along with two European photojournalists and a group of Hmong seeking to document human rights violations and reports of ethnic cleansing in Laos directed against the Hmong people in closed military zones. Pastor Moua was held at Ponthong Prison along with the others reportedly in his group, some of whom are still jailed in Laos by the Communist authorities, including two Hmong guides and translators that are now reportedly moved from Ponthong prison to Sam Khe prison where they are serving long prison terms in harsh conditions.
Details of the arrests and disappearance of the Hmong-Americans, comes at a pivotal time when Laotian officials are holding a major joint meeting at Ban Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai, Thailand from Sept. 2-4 with Thai military officials regarding the fate and status of some 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees and asylum seekers . Lao officials have stated that they would like the Hmong refugees repatriated to Laos.
In recent weeks, the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees ( UNHCR ), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ), Journalists Without Borders and other humanitarian and human rights organizations have urged the Thai Government not repatriate the Lao-Hmong refugees back to the Communist regime in Laos that they fled.
On August 3, 2007, Rep. Frank Wolf ( R-VA ), Rep. Ron Kind ( D-WI ), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ( R-CA ) and thirteen Members of Congress transmitted a U.S. Congressional letter to the King of Thailand appealing for his help to seek to grant asylum to the 8,000 Lao-Hmong at Ban Huay Nam Khao until they can be resettled in third countries like Australia.
Smith concluded: “Since their brutal transfer out of Ponthong prison, no current information has been received about the whereabouts and condition of the three Hmong-Americans now being detained without formal charges nor their Hmong travel guide. They are presumed to have been transported to another Lao government prison or detention camp outside of the capital for further detention, interrogation or worse. To date the Lao government reportedly refuses to confirm or deny that it has arrested the group Hmong-Americans.”
Recent efforts by the U.S. Embassy in Laos, family members of the three Hmong-Americans, and humanitarian and human rights organizations, appear to have yielded no further information to date.
At least three U.S. citizens, possibly four, of ethnic Hmong descent have recently disappeared in Laos, at the hands of Laotian security forces, following their recent arrest and imprisonment on unknown charges.
At least three U.S. citizens of ethnic Hmong descent, possibly four, have recently disappeared in Laos, at the hands of Laotian security forces, following their recent arrest and imprisonment in Vientiane, Laos on unknown charges.
“Multiple, and reliable independent eyes-on-the-ground human sources in Laos as well as immediate family members in the United States have confirmed that three Hmong-American citizens were arrested on August 25 in Laos by Laotian military and security forces while they were apparently sightseeing and seeking business opportunities,” stated Philip Smith, Executive Director for the Center for Public Policy Analysis, in Washington, D.C.
The three Lao-Hmong-American men include: Mr. Hakit Yang, 21; Mr. Conghineng Yang,, 31; and Trillion Yunhaison, 41. All are from St. Paul, Minnesota and the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. A fourth Hmong individual Mr. Pao Vang, of unknown nationality and age, was reportedly acting as tour guide for the group, and was also reportedly arrested and jailed with them.
The Hmong-Americans have no known political or family ties to opposition or dissident factions and had departed the United States for travel to Laos on July 10 from the Twin Cities.
Continued Smith: “Eyewitness and reliable sources, including dissident and opposition sources inside the Lao regime, have reported that these Hmong-American men were transported in Vientiane Laos to Ponthong prison by special Lao military and secret police. The Lao officials forcibly gagged the men and put black hoods over their heads and handcuffed them behind their backs. Their feet were also shackled and they were dragged into the notorious Ponthong Prison on August 25 where many prisoners, including political prisoners, have been tortured, killed or held for lengthy sentences under horrific conditions .
Stated Smith: “Unfortunately, on August 30, eyewitness and reliable sources reported that all of the Hmong-American citizens were taken out of Ponthong Prison by Lao security and military forces who forcefully loaded them on a government truck along with other unknown Hmong and Lao prisoners. Once again, the Hmong -Americans were placed in black hoods and were handcuffed, shackled and gagged. They were then forced under a canvas tarpaulin on the military vehicle for apparent transport to an unknown location with the unknown Hmong and Lao prisoners.”
In 2003, Pastor Naw Karl Moua, a Hmong-American citizen and Lutheran Pastor from St. Paul Minnesota was arrested in Laos along with two European photojournalists and a group of Hmong seeking to document human rights violations and reports of ethnic cleansing in Laos directed against the Hmong people in closed military zones. Pastor Moua was held at Ponthong Prison along with the others reportedly in his group, some of whom are still jailed in Laos by the Communist authorities, including two Hmong guides and translators that are now reportedly moved from Ponthong prison to Sam Khe prison where they are serving long prison terms in harsh conditions.
Details of the arrests and disappearance of the Hmong-Americans, comes at a pivotal time when Laotian officials are holding a major joint meeting at Ban Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai, Thailand from Sept. 2-4 with Thai military officials regarding the fate and status of some 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees and asylum seekers . Lao officials have stated that they would like the Hmong refugees repatriated to Laos.
In recent weeks, the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees ( UNHCR ), Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders ( MSF ), Journalists Without Borders and other humanitarian and human rights organizations have urged the Thai Government not repatriate the Lao-Hmong refugees back to the Communist regime in Laos that they fled.
On August 3, 2007, Rep. Frank Wolf ( R-VA ), Rep. Ron Kind ( D-WI ), Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ( R-CA ) and thirteen Members of Congress transmitted a U.S. Congressional letter to the King of Thailand appealing for his help to seek to grant asylum to the 8,000 Lao-Hmong at Ban Huay Nam Khao until they can be resettled in third countries like Australia.
Smith concluded: “Since their brutal transfer out of Ponthong prison, no current information has been received about the whereabouts and condition of the three Hmong-Americans now being detained without formal charges nor their Hmong travel guide. They are presumed to have been transported to another Lao government prison or detention camp outside of the capital for further detention, interrogation or worse. To date the Lao government reportedly refuses to confirm or deny that it has arrested the group Hmong-Americans.”
Recent efforts by the U.S. Embassy in Laos, family members of the three Hmong-Americans, and humanitarian and human rights organizations, appear to have yielded no further information to date.
Thousands of Hmong to be "Repatriated"
It isn't the repatriation that is the problem, it is what will happen once they are. The "no foreigner" sentiment in Thailand that began under Thaksin continues with possibly deadly consequences.
Thousands of Hmong in Thailand to be screened for repatriation to Laos
Thai officials plan to screen thousands of ethnic Hmong in northern Thailand to determine which should be repatriated to Laos, Thai and Lao authorities said Tuesday.
Thai military officials who control an informal refugee settlement in the northern province of Phetchabun, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Laos border, will screen the camp's nearly 8,000 Hmong to decide which should be deported, said Lt. Gen. Nipat Thonglek.
"These people are illegal immigrants and so they have to be deported to Laos," Nipat said.
The Hmong say they will be persecuted if they return to Laos. Many of them fought on the side of a pro-U.S. Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Thailand, however, claims that many of the 8,000 Hmong are not legitimate refugees, and have violated Thai law by entering the country illegally.
It says those who have entered the country since 2004 will be sent back. Those who arrived prior to that will either be allowed to stay in Thailand or sent to a third country.
Both Thai and Lao officials have rejected any international oversight in the screening process.
"Thailand and Laos have agreed that this is a bilateral issue and we can do it well and transparently," Gen. Nipat said. "We don't need any other agencies to be involved in the process."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has repeatedly requested to take part in the screening process to verify if the Hmong's fears of persecution are genuine.
"For the credibility of the process, it might be useful to have some outside agencies involved," said Kitty McKinsey, spokeswoman for the U.N. agency.
Yong Chanthalansy, a Lao Foreign Ministry spokesman, dismissed concerns that the Hmong have anything to fear by returning home. To make his point, he said the government would be providing land for up to 500 Hmong who are homeless.
"The Hmong are just making it up to put the government in a bad light so that they could find justification to go to a third country," Yong said.
In Washington, a State Department spokesman declined to comment on reports of the screening program, but acknowledged there were a number of projects aimed at repatriating or resettling ethnic Hmongs living in Thailand.
"We support the process of reconciliation and support the process of people being able to either ultimately return home or find a place to settle elsewhere," said spokesman Tom Casey.
Thousands of Hmong in Thailand to be screened for repatriation to Laos
Thai officials plan to screen thousands of ethnic Hmong in northern Thailand to determine which should be repatriated to Laos, Thai and Lao authorities said Tuesday.
Thai military officials who control an informal refugee settlement in the northern province of Phetchabun, located about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Laos border, will screen the camp's nearly 8,000 Hmong to decide which should be deported, said Lt. Gen. Nipat Thonglek.
"These people are illegal immigrants and so they have to be deported to Laos," Nipat said.
The Hmong say they will be persecuted if they return to Laos. Many of them fought on the side of a pro-U.S. Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Thailand, however, claims that many of the 8,000 Hmong are not legitimate refugees, and have violated Thai law by entering the country illegally.
It says those who have entered the country since 2004 will be sent back. Those who arrived prior to that will either be allowed to stay in Thailand or sent to a third country.
Both Thai and Lao officials have rejected any international oversight in the screening process.
"Thailand and Laos have agreed that this is a bilateral issue and we can do it well and transparently," Gen. Nipat said. "We don't need any other agencies to be involved in the process."
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has repeatedly requested to take part in the screening process to verify if the Hmong's fears of persecution are genuine.
"For the credibility of the process, it might be useful to have some outside agencies involved," said Kitty McKinsey, spokeswoman for the U.N. agency.
Yong Chanthalansy, a Lao Foreign Ministry spokesman, dismissed concerns that the Hmong have anything to fear by returning home. To make his point, he said the government would be providing land for up to 500 Hmong who are homeless.
"The Hmong are just making it up to put the government in a bad light so that they could find justification to go to a third country," Yong said.
In Washington, a State Department spokesman declined to comment on reports of the screening program, but acknowledged there were a number of projects aimed at repatriating or resettling ethnic Hmongs living in Thailand.
"We support the process of reconciliation and support the process of people being able to either ultimately return home or find a place to settle elsewhere," said spokesman Tom Casey.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Hmong End Hunger Strike
It's good to see the world BEGINNING to notice the plight of the Hmong in Laos. Maybe someday they'll notice the plight of the Karens and everyone else there.
UN: Hmong refugees in Thai jail end hunger strike
A group of ethnic Hmong refugees from Laos have called off a hunger strike at a jail in northeastern Thailand, but are still being held in dire conditions, the U.N. refugee agency said, urging the Thai government to release them.
The 149 refugees - who began their strike on Thursday to protest the harsh conditions in which they are being held by immigration police in Nong Khai, 310 miles northeast of Bangkok - are all recognized refugees and should be released, said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
"We are alarmed and deeply concerned about the steadily deteriorating detention conditions of the refugees over the last weeks," said Janet Lim, who heads the agency's Asia and Pacific bureau. "They are being held in truly inhumane conditions - including innocent children."
The group includes 90 children. Some babies were born in detention.
The refugees are crammed into two windowless cells and are forbidden to go out, UNHCR said. Their sole source of water comes from a bathroom, it said.
Amnesty International said it had "grave concerns for their welfare, particularly as more than half of them are children and some are already suffering from health problems."
They have been held at the center since January.
"There is absolutely no reason for these 149 people to be detained, especially as other countries have come forward and offered them resettlement places if they are only allowed to leave Thailand," Lim said in a statement.
The Hmong say they fear political persecution in Laos. Many Hmong fought on the side of a pro-U.S. Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated back home. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Thailand asserts that the Hmong are not legitimate refugees, and have violated Thai law by entering the country illegally. Thai authorities have deported more than 300 of them over the past year.
The 149 Hmong in Nong Khai were on the verge of being repatriated to Laos in January when international pressure halted the move.
The UNHCR said the group had committed no crime and needed protection.
"We appreciate the assurances given by the Thai government that these 149 will not be deported," Lim said, but added that "now we need to move forward to end their detention, particularly as there is a solution at hand."
UN: Hmong refugees in Thai jail end hunger strike
A group of ethnic Hmong refugees from Laos have called off a hunger strike at a jail in northeastern Thailand, but are still being held in dire conditions, the U.N. refugee agency said, urging the Thai government to release them.
The 149 refugees - who began their strike on Thursday to protest the harsh conditions in which they are being held by immigration police in Nong Khai, 310 miles northeast of Bangkok - are all recognized refugees and should be released, said the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
"We are alarmed and deeply concerned about the steadily deteriorating detention conditions of the refugees over the last weeks," said Janet Lim, who heads the agency's Asia and Pacific bureau. "They are being held in truly inhumane conditions - including innocent children."
The group includes 90 children. Some babies were born in detention.
The refugees are crammed into two windowless cells and are forbidden to go out, UNHCR said. Their sole source of water comes from a bathroom, it said.
Amnesty International said it had "grave concerns for their welfare, particularly as more than half of them are children and some are already suffering from health problems."
They have been held at the center since January.
"There is absolutely no reason for these 149 people to be detained, especially as other countries have come forward and offered them resettlement places if they are only allowed to leave Thailand," Lim said in a statement.
The Hmong say they fear political persecution in Laos. Many Hmong fought on the side of a pro-U.S. Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated back home. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Thailand asserts that the Hmong are not legitimate refugees, and have violated Thai law by entering the country illegally. Thai authorities have deported more than 300 of them over the past year.
The 149 Hmong in Nong Khai were on the verge of being repatriated to Laos in January when international pressure halted the move.
The UNHCR said the group had committed no crime and needed protection.
"We appreciate the assurances given by the Thai government that these 149 will not be deported," Lim said, but added that "now we need to move forward to end their detention, particularly as there is a solution at hand."
Friday, August 17, 2007
Hmong Stage Hunger Strike
Can't say I blame them.
Hmong Refugees in Thai Jail Launch Hunger Strike
Some 149 ethnic Hmong refugees from Laos have launched a hunger strike to protest the harsh conditions under which they are being held at a jail in northeastern Thailand, a UN agency and refugee advocates said Friday.
The Hmong, who have been granted refugee status by the UN and promised resettlement in third countries, have been held since January by immigration police in Nong Khai, 500 kilometers (310 miles) northeast of Bangkok.
To protest the conditions of their detention, the 149 began a hunger strike at lunch time Thursday, said Kitty McKinsey, a spokeswoman for the Bangkok office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Describing the state of their incarceration as "deplorable" and "inhumane," she said the refugees—who include 90 children—are crammed into two cells with no windows and are not allowed out. Their sole source of water is a bathroom, she said.
"What's really shocking is that they haven't committed any crimes," McKinsey said. "They are legitimate refugees with the status of refugees."
The Hmong say they fear political persecution in Laos. Many Hmong fought on the side of a pro-US Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated back home. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Hmong Refugees in Thai Jail Launch Hunger Strike
Some 149 ethnic Hmong refugees from Laos have launched a hunger strike to protest the harsh conditions under which they are being held at a jail in northeastern Thailand, a UN agency and refugee advocates said Friday.
The Hmong, who have been granted refugee status by the UN and promised resettlement in third countries, have been held since January by immigration police in Nong Khai, 500 kilometers (310 miles) northeast of Bangkok.
To protest the conditions of their detention, the 149 began a hunger strike at lunch time Thursday, said Kitty McKinsey, a spokeswoman for the Bangkok office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Describing the state of their incarceration as "deplorable" and "inhumane," she said the refugees—who include 90 children—are crammed into two cells with no windows and are not allowed out. Their sole source of water is a bathroom, she said.
"What's really shocking is that they haven't committed any crimes," McKinsey said. "They are legitimate refugees with the status of refugees."
The Hmong say they fear political persecution in Laos. Many Hmong fought on the side of a pro-US Laotian government in the 1960s and 1970s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.
More than 300,000 Laotians, mostly Hmong, fled to Thailand after the takeover. Most were resettled in third countries, particularly the United States, though several thousand were voluntarily repatriated back home. Several thousand continue to hide out in the jungles of Laos, where they are hunted down by the military.
Hmong Going Back to Laos
Returning Hmong may be forced to stay in govt-designated site
Also known as a mass grave.
Some 8,000 Hmong immigrants from Laos staying in a Thailand holding centre could return home unpunished but some would have to resettle at a prepared location near Vientiane, Lao government spokesman Yong Chantalangsy said.
The issue will be addressed when the Thai-Lao general border sub-committee co-chaired by Lt-Gen Nipat Thonglek and his Lao counterpart Brig-Gen Buasieng Champaphan, meet from Sept 2-4 at the Ban Huay Nam Khao holding centre site in Phetchabun.Mr Yong said the Lao government would not let the immigration problem derail bilateral ties and would guarantee the safety of the Hmong after their return.
''The two countries will not allow the issue of Hmong illegal immigration to undermine our good relations since we have reached a conclusion that these people are not refugees and must be repatriated back to Laos,'' Mr Yong said as he was accompanying a group of Lao journalists to Bangkok.During the sub-committee's visit, a video will be screened at the centre showing how other Hmong had readjusted their lives after returning to Laos, he said.''If they want to come back home, 80% could be reunited with their families where they used to live, but the rest would be lodged at a government-arranged area near Vientiane,'' he said.
A group of US congressmen recently petitioned His Majesty the King to stop the Hmong at the centre from being sent back for fear of their safety.But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has said they must return to Laos as the government does not want to entice more Hmong immigrants to come to Thailand in the hope of resettling in a third country.After the end of the war in Laos in 1975, more than 300,000 Lao refugees, mostly Hmong, fighting the Lao People's Revolutionary party, fled to Thailand and later were settled in other countries, mainly the United States.
The Laos Army regularly wipes out Hmong Villages and holds no quarter. The Hmong are really interested in giving up their land so the Laos Generals can grow opium on it. Thus part of the conflict. But no one cares. Certainly not in Hollywood.
Also known as a mass grave.
Some 8,000 Hmong immigrants from Laos staying in a Thailand holding centre could return home unpunished but some would have to resettle at a prepared location near Vientiane, Lao government spokesman Yong Chantalangsy said.
The issue will be addressed when the Thai-Lao general border sub-committee co-chaired by Lt-Gen Nipat Thonglek and his Lao counterpart Brig-Gen Buasieng Champaphan, meet from Sept 2-4 at the Ban Huay Nam Khao holding centre site in Phetchabun.Mr Yong said the Lao government would not let the immigration problem derail bilateral ties and would guarantee the safety of the Hmong after their return.
''The two countries will not allow the issue of Hmong illegal immigration to undermine our good relations since we have reached a conclusion that these people are not refugees and must be repatriated back to Laos,'' Mr Yong said as he was accompanying a group of Lao journalists to Bangkok.During the sub-committee's visit, a video will be screened at the centre showing how other Hmong had readjusted their lives after returning to Laos, he said.''If they want to come back home, 80% could be reunited with their families where they used to live, but the rest would be lodged at a government-arranged area near Vientiane,'' he said.
A group of US congressmen recently petitioned His Majesty the King to stop the Hmong at the centre from being sent back for fear of their safety.But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has said they must return to Laos as the government does not want to entice more Hmong immigrants to come to Thailand in the hope of resettling in a third country.After the end of the war in Laos in 1975, more than 300,000 Lao refugees, mostly Hmong, fighting the Lao People's Revolutionary party, fled to Thailand and later were settled in other countries, mainly the United States.
The Laos Army regularly wipes out Hmong Villages and holds no quarter. The Hmong are really interested in giving up their land so the Laos Generals can grow opium on it. Thus part of the conflict. But no one cares. Certainly not in Hollywood.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Laos Hmong Be Sent Back
Land of Smiles? Not if you are Hmong trying to escape the genocide being waged against you by the Overlords of Laos.
Surayud insists Hmong will be sent back
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont insists that his government will repatriate Hmong immigrants to Laos to deter more coming in the future and end the burden on Thailand. Gen Surayud was responding to news that some US congressmen had petitioned His Majesty the King to stop the repatriation of around 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees now staying in a camp in Phetchabun province.
''We are writing out of urgent concern for the plight of some 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees and asylum seekers at Huay Nam Khao, Phetchabun, Thailand, who are in imminent danger of forced repatriation back to the brutal communist regime in Laos that they fled,'' the 13 members of the House of Representatives wrote in the letter.
They asked the King to ''personally intercede to ensure that these and other Lao-Hmong remain in Thailand until they can be resettled in third countries''.
The prime minister said at Government House yesterday that if Thailand continues to be a transit point for Hmong immigrants going to third-party nations, more Hmong people would arrive and that would place a heavy burden on the country.
He said the latest group of Hmong arrived after a group who lived in Saraburi province moved on to the US.
Action had to be taken to end the burden of taking care of the illegal immigrants or the situation would continue, Gen Surayud said.
He promised that the repatriations would be done gradually and human rights would not be violated. His government, through the Foreign Ministry, will ask a neutral member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to supervise the repatriation and help guarantee that the Hmong people will be fairly treated when they are back in Laos.
''The Foreign Ministry is doing what the government has agreed with the neighbouring country,'' Gen Surayud said without elaborating.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri said yesterday that he had not seen the petition from the 13 US congressmen. He confirmed that the government would not take any action that would violate human rights
Surayud insists Hmong will be sent back
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont insists that his government will repatriate Hmong immigrants to Laos to deter more coming in the future and end the burden on Thailand. Gen Surayud was responding to news that some US congressmen had petitioned His Majesty the King to stop the repatriation of around 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees now staying in a camp in Phetchabun province.
''We are writing out of urgent concern for the plight of some 8,000 Lao-Hmong political refugees and asylum seekers at Huay Nam Khao, Phetchabun, Thailand, who are in imminent danger of forced repatriation back to the brutal communist regime in Laos that they fled,'' the 13 members of the House of Representatives wrote in the letter.
They asked the King to ''personally intercede to ensure that these and other Lao-Hmong remain in Thailand until they can be resettled in third countries''.
The prime minister said at Government House yesterday that if Thailand continues to be a transit point for Hmong immigrants going to third-party nations, more Hmong people would arrive and that would place a heavy burden on the country.
He said the latest group of Hmong arrived after a group who lived in Saraburi province moved on to the US.
Action had to be taken to end the burden of taking care of the illegal immigrants or the situation would continue, Gen Surayud said.
He promised that the repatriations would be done gradually and human rights would not be violated. His government, through the Foreign Ministry, will ask a neutral member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to supervise the repatriation and help guarantee that the Hmong people will be fairly treated when they are back in Laos.
''The Foreign Ministry is doing what the government has agreed with the neighbouring country,'' Gen Surayud said without elaborating.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sawanit Kongsiri said yesterday that he had not seen the petition from the 13 US congressmen. He confirmed that the government would not take any action that would violate human rights
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