Laos (FFC)  Leaders of U.S. Secret War veteran groups, also known as the Freedom Fighters, in Laos claim surrenders to LPDR military authorities was not voluntary as has been reported.   In interviews with the Fact Finding Commission the leaders from the three groups who reportedly had as many as 900 persons surrender to the communist government of Laos contradicted earlier reports of voluntary surrenders, capture of high-ranking officers, and humane treatment of those now in the hands of the LPDR.
     
On Saturday March 20, 2003 Seenoon Xaosinxay, leader of Secret War veterans in Bolikhamxay province, reported continued attacks by LPDR government military troops against his group.  He stated they are surrounded by 400 Pathet Lao troops and 200 North Vietnamese troops.  These forces are firing mortars at them and using MI-8 gunship helicopters to fire machine guns on them.  Casualties were unknown at the time of the report. 
In a report on Thursday, March 18, 2004, Seenoon Xaosinxay and Wameng Yang, leaders of the Secret War veterans in Bolikhamxay province, reported one of the groups in Bolikhamxay who were captured and forced to surrender to LPDR government during the week of February 16, 2004 were located at La Xao, Khammoun province.  Seenoon and Wameng were told by their reliable contacts that these people have been treated inhumanely.  Their sources report that on Tuesday, March 2, 2004, two families - 9 people- were ordered to be removed from La Xao to Mouang Xang for better farming opportunity by LPDR authority.  These two families were transported north of Nam Moung by boat.  Seenoon said that these families never arrived at Mouang Xang, nor returned to La Xao.  Both Seenoon and Wameng urged the United States government, United Nations, international community, and human rights organizations to intervene and monitor the safety and security of those who are still in La Xao.  They requested help in determining the fate of the two families that were removed from La Xao to Mouang Xang.  They stated they believe that if no one ever intervenes and monitors the safety and security of these people, the LPDR government will execute all of them. 

Moua Toua Ter, leader of Secret War veterans in Mouang Xaysomboune Special Zone, reported to the Fact Finding Commission on Saturday, March 20, 2004 that his group is  still under heavy attack by LPDR military troops.  He reported the Secret War veterans and their families are surrounded by the LPDR military troops.  Gunship helicopters have been transporting more troops and supplies to the surrounding encampments. 
Moua Toua Ter stated that on February 15, 2004, 18 families, 96 people, were captured by military troops and forced to surrender to the LPDR government.  Of those captured  three men Cher Chang Lee, Neng Yee Yang, and Lee Fong Vang were shot and killed. 

Moua Toua Ter stated reports of his willingness to surrender if others were treated humanely were not true.  He also stated that reports of interviews with State Department Assistant Deputy Secretary Matthew Daley heard on Voice of America had no influence on the surrenders. Moua Toua Ter urged the US government, United Nations, and human rights organizations to intervene and monitor the security and safety of those who were forced to surrender. 

Yang Toua Thao, leader of the Freedom Fighter group north of Vientiane stated that during the week of February 16, 2004, over 200 people from his group were captured by LPDR military troops and forced to surrender. 

Other reliable sources in Laos report that on March 5, 2004 fifteen men, women and children were executed by Lao government soldiers near the village of Muang Cheng, Luang Prabang Province.  It was reported two Hmong men, one from Muang Cheng Village, and another from Luang Prabang City guided LPDR and SRV troops into the jungle bordering between Luang Prabang, Xieng Khouang and Xaisomboun Special Zone.  It is unclear what the motivation of the Hmong men was in taking the communists soldiers into the jungle to find these people.  Once there the soldiers captured and executed the fifteen who  were among commander Yang Toua Thao's group. 

According to all three leaders the their people had never volunteered to surrender, but they were captured and forced to surrender.  They stated that after their people were forced to surrender, LPDR government lied to the international community and foreign diplomats in Vientiane that those who surrendered were not all U.S. Secret War veterans, and they volunteered to surrender.  They stated that none of the people from Moua Toua Ter and Yang Toua Thao's groups, who surrendered in the middle of February 2004, holds the rank of Generals as reported by the communists.  Moua Toua Ter stated there are no generals among the U.S. Secret War veterans currently in Laos.   

Commentary:  A peaceful resolution to the issues surrounding the U.S. Secret War Veterans of Laos could be reached if the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic abandoned it's campaign to destroy these people and worked with the international community to negotiate a truce.  The execution of those that have been captured only reinforces the fear of the people in the mountains that they will be tortured and killed if they submit to the LPDR government.  For nearly thirty years they have seen executions, rape and torture of women, children with their heads slammed against trees or their throat slit. 
Recently the LPDR has claimed to have an amnesty program for the Freedom Fighters who surrender.  Reports in the last month indicate leaflets have been dropped from helicopters offering amnesty.   These reports clearly contradict the sincerity of the LPDR to be offering amnesty in good faith.  Their actions only support the belief the LPDR is carrying out the promise made in 1975 to "destroy to the root" all those that were loyal to the United States during the Secret War.