July 13, 2010 Thailand on Trial regarding Hmong refugees
PRESS RELEASE – July 13, 2010
Thailand on Trial
regarding Hmong refugees
Late last year, Thailand suffered much international
criticism when it forcibly repatriated over 4000 Hmong refugees to Laos, 158 of whom were UNHCR-recognized refugees.
On July 10, Thai TV Channel 11 broadcast rather lengthy news coverage of the Thai-Lao border committee meeting
in which the Lao counterpart brought up the issue of Hmong refugees re-escaping to Thailand, demanding that they be sent
back.
Before Thailand deported the group last December, they assured the diplomatic community that the
Lao government had agreed to allow the 158 to resettle in third countries within a month after returning. Representatives
from the US, Australia, Canada and Netherlands, the countries who agreed to resettle them, also conveyed this assurance
to the frightened refugees the day they were forced back.
Over six months have passed, and a good portion of
these 158 refugees have re-escaped to Thailand due to harassment by Lao officials who try and quiet them each time foreign
media and diplomats are allowed access to their remote resettlement village. The village is more like a detainment camp
where freedom of movement is tightly controlled and diplomat and media visits are cut short whenever these unhappy Hmong
returnees risk speaking out that they are scared and wish to resettle in a third country. The camp is run by a hundred
Lao soldiers who have an ugly history with the Hmong. During diplomatic visits they blend in by wearing plainclothes and
putting down their weapons so as not to give the wrong impression.
A government curfew was put into effect
on June 22, believed to have been initiated due to many unhappy families fleeing the settlement. U.S. Senator Al Franken
(MN) was allowed a brief visit last week but was quoted in the press stating he did not get the access he would have liked.
The UNHCR-recognized refugees have pretty much been harassed by Lao officials both before and after each delegation visit
to make sure they don’t speak out or approach the visitors who are airlifted in by military helicopter.
Now
that Thailand holds the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council it remains in the spotlight and needs to respect the
sanctity of human rights law. Bowing to continuing pressure from the Lao government by deporting these refugees is no
excuse. Thailand has a great opportunity to show the world what it stands for and make things right by allowing these
re-escaped Hmong refugees exit visas so they can resettle in the third countries who have agreed to take them.
Joe Davy
Hmong Advocate
