Society for Threatened Peoples International (STP) is extremely concerned about the situation of the Hmong in Laos and Thailand. On Friday (06/20/2008) about 5.000 out of 8.000 Lao Hmong refugees living in the Thai refugee camp Ban Huay Nam Khao left the site protesting, marching towards Bangkok in order to get to the UNHCR. (The UNHCR had been denied access to the refugee site by the Thai military and therefore could not determine the refugee status of each individual.
However, the protest march was stopped by Thai riot police and troops only 5km away from the camp. On early Sunday morning (local time) the leaders of the protest march and a group wanted by the Lao authorities was forcefully deported back to Laos. STP is extremely worried about their fate - In Laos their lives might be endangered.
Later on Sunday, another group of ~ 832 Lao Hmong refugees was deported back to Laos, as well. Up to an estimated ~ 600 Hmong have been locked up in local prisons after the protest march was resolved.
A STP informant on the ground was able to speak with one man on one of the deportation buses, who said people were contemplating suicide. There were media crews waiting for the buses in Nong Khai - but the Thai authorities were one step ahead of them - changed the route of the final deportation buses to avoid the cameras and never allowed anyone out of the buses, each of which had an armed soldier/guard; the Hmong refugee who spoke to our informant had to do so by pulling his shirt over his head to conceal what he was doing (talking to a outsider). Some of those who did not want to return but were forced to do so refused to take money from the Thai authorities, so not all were paid the 15,000 baht per family- some people received money from laos in oder to accept to return.
At present, we have no reliable information which leaders and who else was "most wanted" by the Lao govt was returned, aside from those in the buses that crossed over at about 6pm. Sadly, a range of factors appears to have lead to a short of emotional meltdown in the camp, with some unpleasant incidents prior to the big fire, and the march on friday. There appears to have been a scandal involving teenage Hmong refugee girls being taken out of the camp to be part of a sex video filmed in a local resort; later families found out what happened - some of the girls were 13 and 14 and were virtually gang-raped at the hotels, to the point where they could hardly walk, a local reporter told me yesterday. The whole experience has been a nightmare for many families, I'm sure you'd agree.
We are very concerned about the security and well-being of those repatriated.
We urge you to encourage diplomats to communicate with Vientiane to urge for diplomatic access to these recently deported refugees, and to enquire about their treatment, well-being and health.
We would furthermore like to ask you to kindly use all diplomatic instruments to convince Thailand to release the up to 600 imprisoned Hmong to the refugee camp and not to deport any other Hmong refugee before the UNHCR has had access to them to determine their refugee status.
Strong objection against these latest deportations are of upmost urgency, otherwise we assume that Thailand will continue to deport the remaining refugees also now residing in the camp.
We would very much appreciate it if you could inform us about the steps you have taken to intervene in this matter.
Sincerely yours,
Rebecca Sommer Ulrich Delius
Indigenous Department Head of Asia Department
STP USA, New York STP Germany
However, the protest march was stopped by Thai riot police and troops only 5km away from the camp. On early Sunday morning (local time) the leaders of the protest march and a group wanted by the Lao authorities was forcefully deported back to Laos. STP is extremely worried about their fate - In Laos their lives might be endangered.
Later on Sunday, another group of ~ 832 Lao Hmong refugees was deported back to Laos, as well. Up to an estimated ~ 600 Hmong have been locked up in local prisons after the protest march was resolved.
A STP informant on the ground was able to speak with one man on one of the deportation buses, who said people were contemplating suicide. There were media crews waiting for the buses in Nong Khai - but the Thai authorities were one step ahead of them - changed the route of the final deportation buses to avoid the cameras and never allowed anyone out of the buses, each of which had an armed soldier/guard; the Hmong refugee who spoke to our informant had to do so by pulling his shirt over his head to conceal what he was doing (talking to a outsider). Some of those who did not want to return but were forced to do so refused to take money from the Thai authorities, so not all were paid the 15,000 baht per family- some people received money from laos in oder to accept to return.
At present, we have no reliable information which leaders and who else was "most wanted" by the Lao govt was returned, aside from those in the buses that crossed over at about 6pm. Sadly, a range of factors appears to have lead to a short of emotional meltdown in the camp, with some unpleasant incidents prior to the big fire, and the march on friday. There appears to have been a scandal involving teenage Hmong refugee girls being taken out of the camp to be part of a sex video filmed in a local resort; later families found out what happened - some of the girls were 13 and 14 and were virtually gang-raped at the hotels, to the point where they could hardly walk, a local reporter told me yesterday. The whole experience has been a nightmare for many families, I'm sure you'd agree.
We are very concerned about the security and well-being of those repatriated.
We urge you to encourage diplomats to communicate with Vientiane to urge for diplomatic access to these recently deported refugees, and to enquire about their treatment, well-being and health.
We would furthermore like to ask you to kindly use all diplomatic instruments to convince Thailand to release the up to 600 imprisoned Hmong to the refugee camp and not to deport any other Hmong refugee before the UNHCR has had access to them to determine their refugee status.
Strong objection against these latest deportations are of upmost urgency, otherwise we assume that Thailand will continue to deport the remaining refugees also now residing in the camp.
We would very much appreciate it if you could inform us about the steps you have taken to intervene in this matter.
Sincerely yours,
Rebecca Sommer Ulrich Delius
Indigenous Department Head of Asia Department
STP USA, New York STP Germany
