May 24, 2008

 

Homes Burn in Huay Nam Khao Refugee Camp

Refugees Hospitalized from Liquid Spray

 

 

Petchabun Province, Thailand (FFC)  The burning of 850 to 1013 homes in the Hmong refugee camp at Huay Nam Khao has been reported.  The disaster has left the majority of the refugees without shelter.  The fires occurred on Friday, May 23 2008 starting at about 11:45 AM.  Thai officials report the burning of the shelters was by the Hmong themselves that have been protesting their threatened repatriation back to Laos.  Some protestors claim the Thai authorities are responsible for the fires.

 

The refugees have been holding protests since May 16, 2008 demanding the United Nations step in and prevent their return to Laos.  The international community has been denied access to the refugees and those in the camp have asked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees for help.

According to news sources Thai officials report the protests for the most part have been peaceful and there have been no arrests.  However, Saturday Thai television Channel 7 in Bangkok reported Thailand is planning on returning all the Hmong to Laos as a result of the protests.

Officials in Thailand blame the protests on the influence of Hmong/ American groups in the U.S. who have urged the refugees to resist that governments handling of those that have fled Laos.  The refugees have been wary of efforts by Thai authorities to interview and register those in the camp.  Their distrust comes from Thailand’s repeated threats to repatriate them back to Laos and their denial of access to the refugees by the UNHCR.  Thailand on the other hand states the interview and registration process is to identify those that had been residents of Thailand, those that came from Laos for economic reasons, and those that had come from the jungles of Laos and were fleeing persecution there.  Reportedly once the reason for their presence in the camp was determined the three groups would be separated and policies would be put in place according the classification of the individuals involved.

On Saturday, May 24, 2008 at about 5:30 PM five military trucks entered the camp at Huay Nam Khao and began spraying a liquid on the burned structures.  Refugees reported the spray contained chemicals which caused blurred vision, fainting and nose bleeds.  At the time of this report six people, 5 adults and 1 child have been  hospitalized as a result.  Those hospitalized are as follows: Chia Moua, female age 18; La Lee,male age 1; Lee Xue Lee, male age 40; Shoua Moua, male age 37; Kia Zoua Xiong, female age 18; and La Lo, female age 18.

Earlier in the week there were reports that Lee Xue Lee had been handcuffed and taken out of the refugee camp by Thai authorities.  Sources report he was returned to the camp on Tuesday of this week. The reason for his detention is unknown at this time.  

 

The mission of the Fact Finding Commission (FFC) is to bring to the attention of the world the plight of the U.S. Secret War veterans and their families in the jungles of Laos and the refugee camps in Thailand.  Please visit www.factfinding.org  for this and other reports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News Releases

www.factfinding.org