US fails to intercede in Hmong forcible repatriation
We suspect few in the US would know a great deal about the Hmong people. The Hmong are a rugged hill people from Laos, many of whom gave their lives in a clandestine war on behalf of the US in the Vietnam era. Many Hmong fought under that catchall phrase for Vietnam black ops, “CIA advisers”, supporting a pro-American Lao government. This was the dirty and bloody strategy termed Washington’s “secret war” before the communist victory in 1975.
The Hmong have been sorely treated in Laos and many have tried to leave the country. Since the war era more than 300,000 have fled to Thailand and housed in displaced persons camps aided by international agencies before being resettled in third countries, particularly the United States. Smaller numbers found refuge in France, Australia and Canada.
However, Thailand doesn’t want to accept any more Hmong and is sending them back from the border to face potential retribution in Laos. Many regional commentators are disappointed that the US didn’t intercede to aid its former allies:
Thai troops packed more than 4,000 ethnic Hmong into military trucks for a one-way journey to Laos, all but ending the Hmong’s three-decade search for asylum following their alliance with the U.S. during the Vietnam War.
The United States and rights groups have said the Hmong could be in danger if returned to the country that they fought, unsuccessfully, to keep from falling into communist hands in the 1970s.
The European Union said it was “deeply dismayed” by the forcible deportation and issued a statement that urged Laos to ensure the Hmong’s human rights are protected and international observers are granted “unfettered access” to them.
Though Thai soldiers were armed with batons and shields Monday, Col. Thana Charuwat said no weapons were used in the repatriation and the Hmong offered no resistance. The last of the group crossed the border early Tuesday…
Some former American soldiers and civilians who developed close bonds with the Hmong during the war believe that the United States should have done more to help its one-time allies.
