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January 31, 2007
Laos’ Desperation for 153 Hmong in Nong Khai
Thai police brutality against the group of 153 Hmong in Nong Khai came to a halt due to intense international pressure on the Royal Thai Government. The women and children are allowed to return to their cell. The men continued to hold onto their position, refusing to come out of their cell in fear further brutality might occurred to force them back to Laos. At 7:30 AM this morning, one of the Thai officers by the name of Phoukong Athueon brought some food to the group of Hmong men inside the cell and called them “rebellions” for disobeying the Thai authorities yesterday. He shouted to the group that they “would have to be starved for the next three days to learn a lesson.”
During the police brutality yesterday, Tong Her and Boua Lue Xiong, who are among the group of 153 and had been hospitalized at Nong Khai Hospital were taken out by Thai authorities. They were brought back to the Immigration Detention Center (IDC). Throughout the night, they were handcuffed and locked onto the outside wall of the cell in front of the other men who refused to come out of their cell. As of 9:50 AM this Wednesday morning, January 31, 2007, Tong Her’s severe face from the surgery at the hospital continues to bleed and the group is asking urgent medical attention to care his wounded face before any infections occurred.
In a report by Reuters’ Correspondent Nopporn Wong-Anan, Lieutenant General Nipat Thonglek denied of any police beating against the Hmong women. FFC has concluded that the Hmong women were forcibly dragged out of their cell. Some where grabbed by the arms and dragged out of their cell into the buses. Others were multiply grabbed by the arms and legs by the policemen and taken into the buses. Two Hmong women who refused to get into the buses were forcibly dragged by the hair and forced into the buses. There was one woman who is about seven months pregnant and was forcibly grabbed by the policemen. She is believed to have been punched in the fact by the police. By the time she was put into the bus she realized she had a bloody nose.
I am Blia Shoua Her. The time right now is 7:45 AM Thailand time on this 31st of January, 2007. First of all, I want to address to the United Nations Higher Commission, His Majesty of Thailand, Royal Thai Government, all of the non-governmental agencies, the foreign diplomats, and the various media groups. I want to thank you to all of you. I want to let you know that in the past twenty-four hours, the Lao officials from Vientiane along with the Thai police here had used police brutality and tear gas or some sort against us. We have not got anything to eat in the past twenty-four hours and are starving. On behalf of the 153 people here, we are requesting for your support with the following:
1. To not deport us back into Laos. 2. To provide medical assistance to those who have been exposed to the unknown gas from yesterday and food for our people here. We do not trust the Thai police in here, and are not willing to eat the food they provide us. 3. We ask to be relocated to Bangkok where we will be closely watched and protected by the UNHCR and the foreign diplomats. We are civilians, not bandits or insurgents as accused by the Lao government. Therefore, we ask all of you to help save our lives take us into safety as soon as possible.
Thank you!
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Courtesy of the Associated Press |
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Courtesy of Roger Arnold |
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Tong Her (23) was shot in the face few years ago in the jungle of Laos. Photographed by WPN Correspondent Roger Arnold in the remote jungle north of Vang Vieng in early July, 2006. |