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Hmong Crisis: Thailand's PM Abhisit, Gen. Anupong Mobilize Army to Force Hmong Refugees to Laos

"Thai special troops, equipped with riot gear, have set up tents encircling the Hmong refugee camp and are engaged in military exercises in a new effort to force Hmong refugees back to Laos," stated Vaughn Vang of the Lao Human Rights Council. "Thai officials are preparing to force a group of 18 Hmong families and about 2,000 Hmong refugees back toLaos soon."

"Why isn't the international community horrified over the forced repatriation of Hmong political refugees to a regime with a history of cruelty toward the Hmong who fought against communist forces in their homeland of Laos?" questioned Dr. Jane Hamilton-Merritt, a human rights and refugee expert.

Dr. Hamilton-Merritt's acclaimed book 'Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, the Americans and the Secret Wars for Laos' (Indiana University Press) is replete with horrific examples of the persecution, torture and killing of Hmong refugees forcibly repatriated toLaos. http://www.tragicmountains.org

"On December 30, some 600 Royal Thai Third Army soldiers, reinforced by Ministry of Interior (MOI) forces, were secretly deployed to encircle Hmong political refugees at Ban Huay Nam Khao, Phetchabun Province, Thailand," stated Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis inWashington, D.C.

Thai commanders are threatening to attack or burn the refugee camp unless the Hmong return toLaos.

"Many in the U.S. Congress andWashington, D.C. are concerned that the Thai military and MOI, at the apparent orders of Prime Minister Abhisit and General Anupong, are mobilizing to force Hmong refugees back to Laos," Smith continued.

"Thailand's new Prime Minister Abhisit and General Anupong work to implement the appeals made by the U.S. Congress, in H. Res. 1273 and numerous Senate and House letters, to His Majesty the King ofThailand, to grant asylum to the Hmong refugees until they can be resettled abroad," Smith said.

H. Res. 1273 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Frank Wolf (R-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Dana Rohrabacher and some 15 Members of Congress.

www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org

SOURCE Center for Public Policy Analysis