[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
    CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE HMONG PEOPLE AND GENERAL VANG PAO

                                 ______


                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 1994

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to include in the Congressional 
Record an important and eloquent letter to the Government of Thailand 
about the Hmong people of Laos, their leader General Vang Pao and Lao 
General Thonglid Chokbenbun. Congressman Ben Gilman, the vice chairman 
of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, recently wrote this letter in 
response to a number of deeply disturbing reports from Thailand about 
the plight of Hmong refugees and the situation of General Vang Pao and 
General Thonglid Chokbenbun.
  As a Vietnam veteran, I appreciate the great sacrifices General Vang 
Pao and the Hmong people made for the United States and Thailand during 
the war years.
  General Vang Pao continues to work to bring human rights, freedom, 
and democracy to the Hmong and to all the peoples of Laos. I know that 
many other Members of the U.S. Congress as well as America's Vietnam 
veterans will appreciate Congressman Gilman's letter and the help and 
cooperation of Thailand on this important matter:
                                     Committee on Foreign Affairs,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                   Washington, DC, March 10, 1994.
     His Excellency M. L. Birabhongse Kasemsri,
     Ambassador E. and P., Embassy of Thailand, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Ambassador: Twenty-two years ago, during my first 
     official visit overseas, I met with General Vang Pao in Laos. 
     I was deeply impressed by this man and his people who made 
     such enormous efforts and paid so dearly, to attempt to stop 
     the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Accordingly, when 
     I learned last week that there were reports in the Bangkok 
     media which stated that Thailand's Supreme Command has asked 
     the United States to take action against Generals Vang Pao 
     and Khonglit Chokbenbun for alleged illegal activities in 
     Thailand, I became concerned and perplexed.
       It is my hope that the request from the Army does not 
     represent a policy decision supported by the Government of 
     Thailand.
       During and after the Vietnam War, Hmong leaders and their 
     people fought loyally beside Thai and American soldiers, and 
     paid an enormous price. The Hmong continue to suffer 
     tremendously from the sacrifices they made on behalf of 
     Thailand and the United States.
       We would be sending the wrong signal to the dictatorships 
     remaining in Asia if the Hmong, who have borne a 
     disproportionate share of the struggle for freedom and 
     democracy in Southeast Asia, are now made unwelcome. 
     Accordingly, I look forward to working with you to find a way 
     in which we can resolve the problems facing the Hmong and I 
     thank your nation and government for having been a refuge for 
     them for so many years.
           Sincerely,
                                               Benjamin A. Gilman,
     Ranking Republican Member.

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