April 12, 2007

 

21 Hmong Girls in Laos will not “reunite” with Families in Thailand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last month, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith assured Thai Foreign Minister, Mr. Nitya Pibulsonggram that 21 out of the 26 Hmong teenagers have been found and were to be reunited with their families in Thailand.  Thus far, no word from Lao authorities on how they are going to return the children to their families, who are currently in Huay Nam Khao. 

 

Three weeks ago, FFC reported that credible sources revealed 2 of the 21 Hmong girls promised by Dr. Sisoulith died in Laos’ prison last year due to poor treatment and severe traumatized anxiety.  As of April 9, 2007, more sources further revealed to the Fact Finding Commission that the Lao government is feeling shameful to reunite the children with their parents in Thailand due to the two absences.  Instead, according to reliable sources, the Lao government has decided to release the children to relatives, who are in Laos. 

 

On April 9, 2007, the Lao government sent out a Hmong policeman by the name of Shoua Lor from Muang Phone Hong,Vientiane Province to inform the children’s relatives in Laos, and told them to gather in Muang Phone Hong on the 11^th of April for further instructions.  According to the sources, the Lao government will not return the children to Thailand to reunite with their parents.  The relatives in Laos were informed that they will be taken to the prison facility on April 12th to receive those children. 

 

The Fact Finding Commission greatly concerns that Laos’ continuous denial and refusal to work openly with the international community will continue to harm the welfare and well beings of the children. The United Nations, foreign diplomats, and human rights agencies should encourage the government of Laos to be more transparent and allow the remaining 19 Hmong girls safe return to their parents in Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fact Finding Commission is dedicated to exposing the plight of the veterans of the U.S. Secret War who have hid in the mountains and jungles of Laos for the past thirty years to escape the retribution of the communist Lao government for their loyalty services to the United States during the U.S. Secret War in Southeast Asia.

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Mai Ker Vue, 14 years of age at the time of arrest on November 29, 2005, died on February 18, 2006.

Ia Lor, 11 years of age at the time of arrest on November 29, 2005, died on September 20, 2006.

Lao government spokesperson, Yong Chantanlangsy briefed the state run media on the hand over of the 19 Hmong girls to their relatives in Laos.  No Thai diplomats and other foreign diplomats were invited.  No outside media groups were allowed to cover the hand over.

No westerners and outside media groups were allow to observe this hand over of the children to their relatives in Laos.  All State ran media groups surrounded the subjects.