With due respect to the Royal Thai Government’s (RTG) integrity and leadership, the RTG should abide by
the internationally accepted standards and protocols when determining refugee status. The RTG claim to
have screened all of the Hmong Lao in Huay Nam Khao and concluded that everyone is an economic
refugee. I strongly disagree with that, because I have personally talked to them and screened them. They
gave me their written statements and provided live testimonies on film. I believe the people I screened have
legitimated refugee claims.
On March 23, 2008, at around 12:00 PM, the Hmong refugees in Huay Nam Khao gathered in a large
group to address their concerns. They stated that they were survivors of the Secret War in Southeast Asia.
They witnessed the killings of their parents, cousins, relatives and friends. They were always on the run,
living on roots and plants for survival. They also faced political manipulation, starvation, and persecution
for the last thirty years.
Women and children as well as men are injured with bullet wounds all over their bodies. There are orphans
and widows in the camp who are in need of international protection. There are 142 families, 839 people, in
the Samthisut group (might be more in other groups). They have been contacting our organization on a
regular basis informing me that they will not return to Laos under any circumstances, because they are not
economic refugees. They are prepared to fight for their lives if forced repatriation does take place. Any
forced repatriation against this group would be considered a violation of the international law.
In July of 2006, the RTG conducted a pre-screening process in Huay Nam Khao. The group claiming to be
from the jungles of Laos was named “Samthisut”. They submitted their summary of claims to the Royal
Thai Authorities. In September of 2006, the RTG screened everyone in Huay Nam Khao again to determine
where they came from originally. They were screened again in November of 2006. The stories remain the
same, no matter how many screenings.
On August 31, 2007, the Royal Thai military officials in Huay Nam Khao suggested that the refugees
address their cases before the news media at the Lao-Thai conference in Phisanoulok, Thailand on
September 4, 2007. The Samthisut group did not hesitate to present their case to the Lao and Thai
Government officials at the meeting, because they wanted justice. They requested that the international
communities, the royal Thai government, and UNHCR protect them further persecution and political
manipulation in accordance to internationally accepted standards and protocols.
However, on September 4, 2007, the Lao PDR Government officials refused to allow the Samthisut group
to participate in the Lao-Thai Conference. The representatives of the Hmong from the jungle had return
without presenting their case. Although the case was not presented to the Laos PDR and Thai Government
officials, it has been submitted by other NGO’s to the UNHCR, the Royal Thai Government, and the
International Diplomatic communities for consideration.
From December 4, 2007 to January 25, 2008, the RTG conducted another screening in Huay Nam Khao.
The Hmongs from the jungle believed the RTG would truly want to determine the status of everyone and to
find out who have valid refugee claims. They cooperated with the Thai military officials and followed the
directions of the interviewing team, believing that their cases would be properly addressed to the UNHCR
for consideration.
The refugees were shocked when the Thai military officials start talking about repatriation to the group.
According to the refugees, the Royal Thai military officials in Huay Nam Khao stated that everyone will be
deported to their place of origin. Those from the jungles will be relocated to Phalak, Vang Vieng.
Everyone else will be returning to the villages where they came from.
The Hmongs from the jungle asked us, Hmong International Human Rights Watch, to speak on their behalf.
They have asked me to inform the international communities, the news medias, and the diplomatic
communities that they are prepared to resist forced repatriation. If forced repatriation does take place
against this group, then the news media should prepare to do a cover story on them. They are prepared to
face violence, including death, that the Thai military may use against them. The Hmongs from the jungle
have expressed their grief that due to lack of human rights protection in the deep jungles of Laos, they
scaped to Thailand where they believed His Majesty King Abulyadej and his royal Thai Government would
protect them from further persecution. They are not tradable commodities or livestock. They are human
beings with legitimate refugee claims and should be protected under nternational laws.
The Hmongs from the jungle will fight for their lives. They ask for nothing but the right to live and enjoy
life without fear of persecution. They would like to send a strong message to the international and
diplomatic communities that if the RTG does not want them in Thailand, and third country resettlement is
not an option, then it would be better to kill them in Huay Nam Khao. If Thailand does not have any space
to burry their dead bodies, then their decomposed bodies may be dumped into Laos soil as fertilizers.
Therefore, as long as they are still alive, they will not return by free will to Laos, where they have suffered
from the great loss of their parents, cousins, relatives and friends. The traumatic experience that they have
suffered for the last 30 years may come back to haunt them if returned to Laos.
They request that you properly address their issues to all other diplomatic communities. They also request
that you urge the RTG for a transparent process to determine the course of actions regarding internationally
recognized political refugees in Huay Nam Khao and third country resettlement as an option.
On behalf of the Hmong community in the United States, we trust your leadership and hope that your
negotiation with the RTG on the Hmong refugee crisis in Thailand will be successful. Your efforts are
greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Laura Lo Xiong , Executive Director