Prisana Nuechterlein*
Samak's Thailand, Laos Crisis: Appeal to King, Gen. Nipat Thonglek Condemned
*
The U.S. Senate letter was signed by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Senator
Herb Kohl (D-WI), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Senator Patrick
Leahy (D-VT). The Hmong refugees in Thailand and Lao-Hmong community in the
United States, France and internationally have joined in support of U.S.
Congressional legislation and letters appealing to His Majesty, King
Bhumibol Adulyadej, of Thailand, for humanitarian assistance to help stop
the repatriation of the Hmong.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Washington, D.C., July 8, 2008 - The Center for
Public Policy Analysis ( CPPA ), Hmong Lao Human Rights Council, Inc., the
United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., and other organizations condemn
the grossly misleading and inaccurate statements reportedly made on July 4,
2008, by Thai Lt. General Nipat Thonglek, Chief of the Royal Thai Army's
Border Affairs Department, that nine envoys from six countries were
satisfied with the treatment of 215 Hmong political refugees that are slated
to be forced back to Laos on Thursday, July 10, 2008.
"According to the Hmong, and other sources, this was a 'Potemkin village'
visit by a few envoys who were apparently only allowed one hour to visit
some 215 Hmong that are being heavily guarded by Thai soliders at the 28th
Cavalry Battalion in Petchabun, Thailand," stated Philip Smith, Executive
Director of the CPPA.
"The group of 215 Hmong political refugees in Thailand who are now being
threatened to be repatriated back to Laos this week have not volunteered to
be sent back to Laos," stated Vaughn Vang, Director of the Hmong Lao Human
Rights Council, Inc. According to Vang, "Current information that we have
received from Thailand is that if the Hmong indicate that they do not want
to go back to Laos, they are beaten and threatened until they agree."
Mr. Vang has serious concerns regarding the refugees and raises some
important questions about the factual situation. Vang, asked: "Why is Thai
Lt. General Nipat Thonglek making grossly bogus and false public statements
and assertions that official diplomatic envoys from Western nations are
being given free access to the Hmong refugees when this is clearly not
true?"
He further asked: "If the 215 Hmong political refugees being held at the
28th Calvalry Battalion in Phetchabun Province were interviewed, we want to
know who interviewed them and what are the names of the people who
interviewed them? When were they interviewed?
Director Vang further questioned: "Could the refugees speak freely or were
Thai officials and soldiers listening and watching? What kinds of questions
were asked? Who were the translators and were they independent translators?
Was the UNHCR given access to this location during the alleged questioning?
How many Hmong refugees were interviewed?"
Most importantly, Vang asked, "What is the total number of Hmong refugees
and asylum seekers at the 28th Cavalry Battalion, since we believe many more
are being held there against their will?"
"Thai authorities claim that these were voluntary repatriations," said
Gilles Isard, Medecine Sans Frontiere ( MSF ) head of mission in Thailand.
"It is hard to believe. Families have been torn apart. One of our Hmong
staff members who joined the protest has been sent back to Laos without her
children and we know of other similar cases. Many of these refugees have
expressed grave fears at the prospect of being sent back to Laos," he said.
"In the camp there are more than one hundred and fifty people who have
suffered bullet wounds that they claim they received a few years ago from
the Lao army while staying in the jungle. Hmong refugees who were receiving
treatment from MSF for mental trauma caused by the violence and persecution
they experienced in Laos are among the missing. These people do not trust
the Lao government and demand real guarantees before going back."
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/release.cfm?id(18
During the events reported by MSF, hundreds of Hmong refugees and asylum
seekers have disappeared or have been arrested in Thailand by Thai military
and security forces, in addition to the over 800 forced back to Laos
following a protest march by over 5,000 Lao Hmong refugees on June 20, 2008,
in opposition to their being sent back to Laos. Thirteen Hmong refugee
leaders were arrested and disappeared after the protest march.
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1068367.html
The Hmong refugees in Thailand and Lao-Hmong community in the United States,
France and internationally have joined in support of U.S. Congressional
legislation and letters appealing to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
of Thailand, for humanitarian assistance to help stop the repatriation of
the Hmong and grant them asylum in Thailand until they can be resettled in
third countries.
The legislation, H. Res. 1273, was introduced, and is cosponsored by seven (
7 ) Members of the U.S. House of Representatives including Congressman
Patrick Kennedy ( D-RI ), Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin ( D-WI ), Congressman
Frank Wolf ( R-VA ), Congressman Jim Costa ( D-CA ), Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher ( R-VA ), Congressman Ron Kind ( D-WI ) and Congressman James
Langevin ( D-RI ).
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?
dbname 0_cong_bills&docid=f:hr1273ih.txt.pdf
Seven ( 7 ) U.S. Senators recently wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice urging her intervention with Prime Minister Samak and the
Royal Thai Government to stop the forced repatriation of over 800 Hmong
refugees back to Laos and to seek to stop the involuntary repatriation of
some 7000 additional Hmong refugees including those at Ban Huay Nam Khao,
Phetchabun Province, and elsewhere in Thailand. The letter was signed by
Senator Russ Feingold ( D-WI ), Senator Herb Kohl ( D-WI ), Senator Amy
Klobuchar ( D-MN ), Senator Barbara Boxer ( D-CA ), Sheldon Whitehouse (
D-RI ), Norm Coleman ( R-MN ) and Senator Patrick Leahy ( D-VT ).
http://media-newswire.com/release_1068048.html
http://media-newswire.com/release_1068376.html
-------
Contact:
Anna Jones or Philip Smith
Center for Public Policy Analysis
Tele. ( 202 ) 543-1444
Fax ( 202 ) 207-8437
e-mail: info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
research@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
website:
www.cppa-dc.org
--
Prisana Nuechterlein
1816 South Tamarac Street
Denver, CO 80231
Samak's Thailand, Laos Crisis: Appeal to King, Gen. Nipat Thonglek Condemned
*
The U.S. Senate letter was signed by Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), Senator
Herb Kohl (D-WI), Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Senator Barbara Boxer
(D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Senator Patrick
Leahy (D-VT). The Hmong refugees in Thailand and Lao-Hmong community in the
United States, France and internationally have joined in support of U.S.
Congressional legislation and letters appealing to His Majesty, King
Bhumibol Adulyadej, of Thailand, for humanitarian assistance to help stop
the repatriation of the Hmong.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Washington, D.C., July 8, 2008 - The Center for
Public Policy Analysis ( CPPA ), Hmong Lao Human Rights Council, Inc., the
United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., and other organizations condemn
the grossly misleading and inaccurate statements reportedly made on July 4,
2008, by Thai Lt. General Nipat Thonglek, Chief of the Royal Thai Army's
Border Affairs Department, that nine envoys from six countries were
satisfied with the treatment of 215 Hmong political refugees that are slated
to be forced back to Laos on Thursday, July 10, 2008.
"According to the Hmong, and other sources, this was a 'Potemkin village'
visit by a few envoys who were apparently only allowed one hour to visit
some 215 Hmong that are being heavily guarded by Thai soliders at the 28th
Cavalry Battalion in Petchabun, Thailand," stated Philip Smith, Executive
Director of the CPPA.
"The group of 215 Hmong political refugees in Thailand who are now being
threatened to be repatriated back to Laos this week have not volunteered to
be sent back to Laos," stated Vaughn Vang, Director of the Hmong Lao Human
Rights Council, Inc. According to Vang, "Current information that we have
received from Thailand is that if the Hmong indicate that they do not want
to go back to Laos, they are beaten and threatened until they agree."
Mr. Vang has serious concerns regarding the refugees and raises some
important questions about the factual situation. Vang, asked: "Why is Thai
Lt. General Nipat Thonglek making grossly bogus and false public statements
and assertions that official diplomatic envoys from Western nations are
being given free access to the Hmong refugees when this is clearly not
true?"
He further asked: "If the 215 Hmong political refugees being held at the
28th Calvalry Battalion in Phetchabun Province were interviewed, we want to
know who interviewed them and what are the names of the people who
interviewed them? When were they interviewed?
Director Vang further questioned: "Could the refugees speak freely or were
Thai officials and soldiers listening and watching? What kinds of questions
were asked? Who were the translators and were they independent translators?
Was the UNHCR given access to this location during the alleged questioning?
How many Hmong refugees were interviewed?"
Most importantly, Vang asked, "What is the total number of Hmong refugees
and asylum seekers at the 28th Cavalry Battalion, since we believe many more
are being held there against their will?"
"Thai authorities claim that these were voluntary repatriations," said
Gilles Isard, Medecine Sans Frontiere ( MSF ) head of mission in Thailand.
"It is hard to believe. Families have been torn apart. One of our Hmong
staff members who joined the protest has been sent back to Laos without her
children and we know of other similar cases. Many of these refugees have
expressed grave fears at the prospect of being sent back to Laos," he said.
"In the camp there are more than one hundred and fifty people who have
suffered bullet wounds that they claim they received a few years ago from
the Lao army while staying in the jungle. Hmong refugees who were receiving
treatment from MSF for mental trauma caused by the violence and persecution
they experienced in Laos are among the missing. These people do not trust
the Lao government and demand real guarantees before going back."
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/pr/release.cfm?id(18
During the events reported by MSF, hundreds of Hmong refugees and asylum
seekers have disappeared or have been arrested in Thailand by Thai military
and security forces, in addition to the over 800 forced back to Laos
following a protest march by over 5,000 Lao Hmong refugees on June 20, 2008,
in opposition to their being sent back to Laos. Thirteen Hmong refugee
leaders were arrested and disappeared after the protest march.
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1068367.html
The Hmong refugees in Thailand and Lao-Hmong community in the United States,
France and internationally have joined in support of U.S. Congressional
legislation and letters appealing to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
of Thailand, for humanitarian assistance to help stop the repatriation of
the Hmong and grant them asylum in Thailand until they can be resettled in
third countries.
The legislation, H. Res. 1273, was introduced, and is cosponsored by seven (
7 ) Members of the U.S. House of Representatives including Congressman
Patrick Kennedy ( D-RI ), Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin ( D-WI ), Congressman
Frank Wolf ( R-VA ), Congressman Jim Costa ( D-CA ), Congressman Dana
Rohrabacher ( R-VA ), Congressman Ron Kind ( D-WI ) and Congressman James
Langevin ( D-RI ).
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?
dbname 0_cong_bills&docid=f:hr1273ih.txt.pdf
Seven ( 7 ) U.S. Senators recently wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice urging her intervention with Prime Minister Samak and the
Royal Thai Government to stop the forced repatriation of over 800 Hmong
refugees back to Laos and to seek to stop the involuntary repatriation of
some 7000 additional Hmong refugees including those at Ban Huay Nam Khao,
Phetchabun Province, and elsewhere in Thailand. The letter was signed by
Senator Russ Feingold ( D-WI ), Senator Herb Kohl ( D-WI ), Senator Amy
Klobuchar ( D-MN ), Senator Barbara Boxer ( D-CA ), Sheldon Whitehouse (
D-RI ), Norm Coleman ( R-MN ) and Senator Patrick Leahy ( D-VT ).
http://media-newswire.com/release_1068048.html
http://media-newswire.com/release_1068376.html
-------
Contact:
Anna Jones or Philip Smith
Center for Public Policy Analysis
Tele. ( 202 ) 543-1444
Fax ( 202 ) 207-8437
e-mail: info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
research@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
website:
www.cppa-dc.org
--
Prisana Nuechterlein
1816 South Tamarac Street
Denver, CO 80231
...