Thread: Gen Anupong plot to Force Mass Repatriation of Hmong

Plot by Thailand’s Gen. Anupong, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, PM Abhisit for Laos, Hmong Mass Forced Repatriation

Soldier of Fortune: September 27, 2009

In the wake of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s trip to New York, Royal Thai Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Royal Thai Third Army troops have been secretly mobilized to implement a covert strategy to force 4,000 Lao Hmong refugees in Thailand back to the communist Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (LPDR) where they fled persecution and military attacks.
“Royal Thai Army General Anupong Paojinda, Thailand’s Military Chief of Staff, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, Chaovarat Chanvirakul, the Thai Minister of Interior, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and other Thai policymakers in Bangkok have plotted a detailed strategy that, while temporarily delayed, is now being secretly implemented to seek to force 4,000 Lao Hmong refugees back to Laos over the coming days and weeks,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA).
“There is a bloody vast tragedy now being secretly planned and implemented by General Anupong, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, Chaovarat Chanvirakul, the Thai Minister of Interior and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to seek to force some 4,000 Lao Hmong political refugees in Thailand back to the horrific communist regime in Laos where they fled military attacks, mass starvation, ethnic cleansing and political and religious persecution,” stated Mr. Smith from the United Nations in New York City where Thai Prime Minister Abhisit attended the UN General Assembly opening session.
Smith concluded: “Many in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Congress are concerned that Thai Prime Minister Abhisit, General Anupong, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, Chaovarat Chanvirakul, the Thai Minister of Interior and others, including key Thai Third Army and Ministry of Interior (MOI) commanders, are oblivious and unconcerned with the many international appeals from the United States and U.S. Congress to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, requesting that asylum and amnesty be granted to the Lao Hmong refugees at Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai; these political refugees from Laos have fled unspeakable political violence and persecution in Stalinist Laos, under the brutal LPDR regime, and should be granted asylum, as the U.S. Congress has requested and appealed to His Majesty, King Bhumibol Aduyadej, in H.R. Res. 1273 and U.S. Congressional letters to His Majesty, until the Lao Hmong refugees can be resettled in France, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United States and other third countries that have agreed to resettle them, or who may wish to begin a resettlement program.”
U.S. Senator Russell Feingold and U.S. Senator Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin Democrats, as well as U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), U.S. Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and a bipartisan coalition in the U.S. Congress, have spearheaded efforts to urge Thailand to halt the forced repatriation of Lao Hmong refugees in Ban Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai, Thailand, back to the LPDR military junta which is a close ally with North Korea and Burma.
U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), U.S. Congressman Frank Wolf (D-VA), U.S. Congressman Ron Kind (R-WI), Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Congressman Steve Kagen (D-WI), Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA), Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (D-CA), Congressman James McGovern (D-MA) and others have written U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton about the current crisis in Thailand and Laos facing Lao Hmong refugees and cosponsored H.R. Res. 1273, legislation introduced regarding the human rights and refugee crisis. www.statesurge.com/bills/353629-hres1273-federal
The Paris, France-based, non-governmental humanitarian organization MSF, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) ), has issued repeated appeals and statements regarding its opposition to the Thai military’s forced repatriation of Lao Hmong refugees to the LPDR regime in Laos.
www.msf.org/msfinternational/invoke.cfm?component=pressrelease&o ..
www.msf.org/msfinternational/invoke.cfm?component=pressrelease&o ..
Prime Minister Abhisit is currently in the United States were he participated in ceremonies and events in New York at the United Nations, Wall Street, Columbia University and the US – ASEAN Business Council. The Thai Prime Minister is currently attending the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on behalf of Thailand while hundreds of additional Royal Thai Army soldiers and Ministry of Interior (MOI) security forces have been secretly mobilized in preparation for the mass forced repatriation of thousands of Lao Hmong refugees in the coming days and weeks.
“All you Hmong here at Huay Nam Khao must volunteer to go to Laos now as Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and General Anupong have ordered,” screamed the Thai soldiers pointing machine guns in the faces of the Lao Hmong political refugees and children imprisoned at the detention camp holding some 4,000 refugees in Petchabun Province, Thailand, according to reports received in recent days by the CPPA in Washington, D.C. “You go back to Laos now, or we will kill you and your children and family here with our guns, weapons and attack dogs as General Anupong Paojinda and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva have instructed,” the Thai soldiers continued screaming at the frightened and defenseless Lao Hmong refugees in the detention camp.
“The head of the Thai Authority and Assistance in Huaj Nam Khao, Thailand, Commander Bounluang, recently informed Lao Hmong refugees there that Thai military and security forces will engage in a mass bloody tragedy involving the forced repatriation of 4 ,000 Lao Hmong in Huaj Nam Khao back to Laos beginning on September 27,2009, they will not spare any one or mercy any one any more,” stated Vaughn Vang of the Lao Hmong Human Rights Council.
“Seven (7) Thai soldiers are being mobilized per Hmong refugee family to arrest and capture these Hmong refugees and force them into Army Trucks,” Vang continued.
“Two (2) soldiers will be protecting other soldiers while they are catching or capturing the family members, three (3) soldiers will the one who are actually capturing or catching this family members into Army trucks and two (2) soldiers who are carrying weapons, Including electric cattle prods and tazer-like guns, M 16 automatic machine guns and black stick with many long nails
. Hundreds of Thai soldiers will be present at the Hmong refugee’s camp in Huaj Nam Khao, Thai land to complete this mast bloody force repatriation mission,” Mr. Vang said further.
Vaughn Vang concluded: “We, the Lao Hmong America community, want Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to stop his force repatriation policy of forcing the 4,000 Hmong in Ban Huaj Nam Khao, Nong Khai, elsewhere in Thailand, back to the communist regime in Laos they fled. We want PM Abhisity Vejjajiva to free these Hmong refugees and allow international, United States, and United Nation’s access to these Lao Hmong political refugees and allow an international screening process involving the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and third countries.”
According to a key Lao Hmong refugee camp leader at Huay Nam Khao who escaped Laos, and whose family was attacked by Lao Peoples Army (LPA) troops and LPDR security forces: “Our parents, brothers, sisters and uncles have been, hunted like animals, tortured, and killed by the Lao Communist Government, We are the only surviving family members…. We will not go back to be persecuted and killed by this killer government any more. Why do we not have the rights, liberty and the freedom to live as human beings as stated… in the United Nation declaration of Human rights.”
The Lao Hmong refugee leader in Thailand, who wishes to remain anonymous, continued with his statement about the crisis in Ban Huay Nam Khao camp: “We appeal to the United States, the United Nations and the world community to help protect us, the Lao Hmong political refugees in Thailand, and save our lives; We want help from the international community to stop Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s bloodily mass forced repatriation policy of forcing us back to the Lao Communist regime. Many Hmong refugees, women and children will be bloodily beaten up and possible killed by these Thai soldiers.
The Lao Hmong refugee camp leader concluded: “We are very concern about the safety of our Hmong refugees in Huaj Nam Khao and Nong Khai Detention Center, Thailand. More than 2,000 Lao Hmong political refugees have been forced by the Thai government and military back to Laos; Many of these Lao Hmong refugees are currently in jail in Laos, and many were disappeared; We do not know the whereabouts of many of these returnees forced back to Laos. Many of these Lao Hmong refugees will be persecute, torture and slowly killed by the Laos Communist Government while they are on the soil of Laos.”
Laos, Hmong refugee and human rights scholars and advocates including T. Kumar, Amnesty International, former U.S. Ambassador H. Eugene Douglas (U.S. Department of State, Retired), Dr. Jane Hamilton-Merritt, B. Jenkins Middleton, Edmund McWilliams (U.S. Department of State, Retired), Kay Danes, Joe Davy and others have repeatedly addressed the current crisis in Laos facing the Lao and Hmong people. www.tragicmountains.org

Source: Hmong Mass Forced Repatriation

Burma and Thailand seem more and more alike each day.

Originally Posted by chitown

Burma and Thailand seem more and more alike each day.

Most certainly the long-historied establishment are very similiar.

Thailand to go ahead with repatriation of 4,000 ethnic Hmong
Dec 24, 2009

Bangkok - Thailand plans to repatriate 4,000 ethnic Hmong to Laos despite concerns about their safety, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thursday.

'We have to send them back,' Abhisit told reporters, 'but we will not violate their human rights and will follow a suitable schedule.'

Thailand has signed an agreement with Laos to repatriate the Hmong from camps and detention centres in Phetchabun and Nong Khai provinces in northern Thailand by the end of this year.

The European Union this week expressed its concerns about the pending mass repatriation because there are fears that the Hmong, an ethnic minority group that sided with the US military in its 'secret war' against communism in the Indochina War, could face persecution.

Thousands of Hmong have been in the Ban Huay Nam Klhao camp in Phetchubun since 2004 with little hope of being resettled to third countries.

Thailand has not acknowledged their refugee status and refers to them as 'economic immigrants.'

Thailand has argued that Laos has developed substantially since it opted for a communist regime in 1975 and is prepared to take back its citizens.

'Laos has guaranteed that the Hmong returnees will not be mistreated and that independent observers will be allowed access to them,' Thai Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said.

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, however, has not been invited to monitor the repatriation process.

Thailand has repatriated 3,059 Hmong from Phetchabun to date with no confirmed cases of human rights violations, Abhisit said.

It was still unclear whether the government intended to send the remaining 4,000 Hmong back before a New Year's deadline, a manoeuvre that would draw international attention since many of the remaining Hmong have resisted past efforts to repatriate them.

'There's still some indecision as to the timeframe,' Thani said.

The Thai army, which now controls Ban Huay Nam Khao camp, is known to be keen to hasten the repatriation because it no longer has a budget to guard the refugees.

Tens of thousands of Hmong fled Laos after the Indochina War with most of them settling in the United States.

monstersandcritics.com

Amnesty 'appalled' by Thai plans to expel Hmong to Laos
December 24, 2009

A LEADING human rights group said today it was "appalled'' by the Thai government's plans to send more than 4,000 ethnic Hmong back to communist Laos, where many fear persecution.

Amnesty International called on Thailand to prevent the expulsion of the group held in northern Phetchabun province, as premier Abhisit Vejjajiva confirmed it would go ahead despite international protests.

But he told reporters the repatriation would take place at "the most appropriate time'', after the defence ministry said yesterday it would happen before the end of the year, as agreed with the Lao regime.

The group are seeking political asylum based on claims they face persecution from the Laos because they fought alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.

Thailand says they are economic migrants and has refused access for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to assess if any are in fact political refugees.

"Undoubtedly many of them have valid fears of persecution if they are returned to Laos,'' said Donna Guest, Amnesty's Deputy Asia-Pacific Director.

"We also know of people who have already been sent back who have been tortured or are missing, and moreover there has not been international access on a regular basis to these returnees, so that's a very big concern.''

She told AFP Thailand "has completely ignored everybody's calls and we are appalled by this... We're calling on the Royal Thai Government not to send them back and to allow UNHCR full and unimpeded access to these people''.

Nine US senators have written to Abhisit to protest the deportation and denounce the government's "lack of transparency'' in screening the Hmong.

theaustralian.com.au

Thailand to begin Hmong deportation Monday
26 December 2009


Hmong refugees at a Thai detention centre in Nongkhai province, northeastern Thailand near the Thai-Laos border
(file pic)

BANGKOK: Thailand will begin repatriating more than 4,000 ethnic Hmong refugees to Laos on Monday despite strong international opposition to the move, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Saturday.

The New York-based international rights group said that armed forces had been mobilised for the deportation from a camp in northern Phetchabun province where the Hmong are being held.

"The first wave of action to clear the camp will happen on December 27 night, and the deportation can start on December 28 morning," according to an email sent to AFP by HRW Thailand analyst Sunai Phasuk.

"During that (period), mobile phone (signals) will be jammed to prevent the Hmong from contacting outsiders. More than 100 buses and trucks are put on standby," he said, adding that the army would be in charge of the operation.

A spokesman for the Thai government could not immediately be reached for comment.

The 4,000 Hmong are seeking asylum based on claims that they face persecution from the Laotian regime for fighting alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.

Thailand has promised Laos, which insists the group will be safe after their return, that they would be sent back by the end of the year.

Thailand said the Hmong are economic migrants and refused to grant the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) access to them to assess whether any are, in fact, political refugees.

The United States said it was "deeply concerned about reports of the imminent and involuntary deportation" and Antonio Guterres, the head of the UN refugee agency, on Thursday urged Thailand to call off the deportation. - AFP/sc

channelnewsasia.com

Originally Posted by Mid

Thailand to begin Hmong deportation Monday
26 December 2009



The 4,000 Hmong are seeking asylum based on claims that they face persecution from the Laotian regime for fighting alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.

Look a little young to have fought alongside those big, bad 'Merkins during the war...

II think that is one reason that so many guys are convicted pedofiles, as it is just so damn hard to tell the age of the people here,,
Those people would have to be at least 55 or 60 years of age to have fought with the Thai/US troops in that war or to have been supplied and trained as civilian fighters by their good buddys , The CIA, I know some looked young when we were in their after the US troops were pulled out in 68 when Richie said there would be no more US military to cross into Laos, but I think even then those people did look a little older then than now

oh ffs the pair of you ,

this case has been going on for so long that the Hmong have had children .

really would have expected better from both of you , sadly disappointed .

Do you mean that anyone who has ever did anything inline with the USA is still under the protection of said USA?

Does the USA still protect the frogs who were underground still get protection, how bout the bohunks and polish underground, do they still count.
Is there a cutoff point or can I still live on the actions of my forefathers thast were pobly horsethieves in Europe 200 or 300 years ago, can they still hang me for the horses them assholes stold and pobly ate??

Remember Paochinda is the Prime Ministers boss, he can whatever the fuck he wants and the government will say nothing and do nothing.

Thailand has no shame.

I would hope that when their revoluton hits, neighbouring countries would show them no mercy.

Thailand says Hmong repatriation imminent
Vithoon Amorn
(Editing by Jerry Norton)

Thailand's repatriation of thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to Laos was imminent despite international objections that they could face persecution back home, a senior army officer said on Sunday.

About 5,000 soldiers, policemen and civil servants were being assigned to carry out the repatriation of the Hmong at a refugee camp in Huay Nam Khao in Phetchabun province, 300 km (186 miles) north of Bangkok, Colonel Thana Charuvat said.

"We will start the operation as soon as we get the final instruction and when everything is ready. That includes mobilising enough manpower to carry it out, otherwise it may encourage resistance," Thana told Reuters.

"A show of sufficient force on our part is essential to deter resistance, but we have no intention to use force. Our men are armed with shields and batons. They carry no guns or tear gas out of concern for the safety of women and children," he said.

Most of the 4,400 Hmong facing repatriation have settled at Huay Nam Khao since 2004 to seek political asylum, saying they would be persecuted by Laos's communist government if they return.

Over 1,000 of them are men over 15 who could put up resistance to the forced repatriation, according to Colonel Thana, a senior officer charged with running the camp.

"We need to meet the obligation we have made with Laos, and hope that we don't have to postpone it again. Laos has given repeated public guarantees of full safety for the returnees," he said.

FORGOTTEN ALLIES

Known as America's "forgotten allies," Hmong were recruited by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to fight alongside U.S. forces during the Vietnam War.

When the communists took power in 1975, the Hmong exodus began. Tens of thousands have since been resettled in the U.S.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday sought to allay fears about their forced repatriation, saying his government would ensure it took place in a transparent way "without chaos and in accordance with human rights principles."

Thailand regards the ethnic minority group at Huay Nam Khao as illegal economic migrants and has come under fire for denying the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) access to the camp.

Colonel Thana said the media was denied access to the Hmong prior to the repatriation out of official concern they might resort to stunts to draw public attention to their status.

"This is to discourage the Hmong from resorting to possible self-inflicted physical abuses to attract public attention," he said.

Officials at the camp said about 100 buses and trucks would be needed to move the Hmong from Huay Nam Khao to the Thai-Lao border at Nong Khai opposite Lao capital Vientiane.

UNHCR, diplomats and rights groups believe some of the Hmong could qualify for refugee status if a screening process were allowed to take place.

Thailand fears that by facilitating their resettlement in a third country, it could create a "pull factor" that encourages more illegal migrants.

Colonel Thana questioned the sincerity expressed by third countries about accepting the refugees.

"If other countries really want to accept these refugees, they would have been resettled a long time ago," he said.

The U.S. State Department expressed concern on Thursday about reports of forced repatriation, noting that in the past, the Thai government had said many Hmong were in need of protection.

"Forced returns of persons entitled to protection is inconsistent with international practice and Thailand's long history of protection of refugees," acting spokesman Mark Toner said in a statement.

UNHCR said Thailand had "the responsibility and international obligation" to ensure those in need of protection in their native countries were returned "only on a voluntary basis."

uk.news.yahoo.com

Officials from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), other human rights workers and journalists were held several kilometres away from the Huay Nam Khao camp in Phetchabun province, about 280 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, Thai security forces.

Several thousand soldiers and police, backed by squads from the Interior Ministry, were determined that no outsiders should be seen by the refugees to prevent spontaneous protest or resistance, said one Thai official who asked to remain nameless.

'More than 100 trucks and buses will take the Hmong from the camp to Laos on Monday morning. The first moves to clear the camp will occur Sunday evening,' an unnamed source told the Bangkok Post.

Preparation for the mass deportation began last week when the Thai army, which controls Huay Ban Khao, confiscated all sharp objects and mobile phones from the 4,000 Hmong residents, some of whom have lived in the camp since 2004 hoping to be resettled in third countries.

UN officials held back as Thailand deports Hmong refugees (1st Lead) - Monsters and Critics

The Thai military was ready yesterday to begin forcibly repatriating thousands of ethnic Hmong to communist Laos, despite global protests over a deportation that could “turn ugly”, activists said.


Thai soldiers patrol at a market near Ban Huay Nam Khao refugee camp in Phetchabun province, northern Thailand, yesterday

Gulf Times ? Qatar?s top-selling English daily newspaper - Philippines/East Asia

US pushes Thailand over Hmong repatriation
Last Updated: 1 hour 41 minutes ago


The group of more than 4,000 Hmong are being held in a camp in northern Phetchabun province.
[Reuters]

The United States has made a last-ditch offer to help Thailand find a "humane" solution for dealing with thousands of ethnic Hmong the Thai army is ready to forcibly repatriate to Laos.

Thai armed forces have reportedly been mobilised for the expulsion to begin on Monday from a camp in northern Phetchabun province, where the Hmong are being held.

The group of more than 4,000 are seeking asylum based on claims they face persecution from the Laotian regime for fighting alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.

But Thailand says they are illegal economic immigrants and has agreed to send them back to Laos by the year's end.

radioaustralianews.net.au

HUNTED LIKE ANIMALS

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If we come out-they kill us

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Short History

Surrendered-Raped by Lao soldiers

Under attack

WARNING-Not for children

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Bangkok - Thailand early Monday morning began to deport 4,000 ethnic Hmong refugees to Laos despite international appeals to the government to reconsider the mass involuntary repatriation to an uncertain future.

'We started putting them on busses at 5:30 am,' Thai Army Colonel Thana Jarutwat said. 'No undue force will be used.'

Thailand starts to deport Lao-Hmong - Monsters and Critics