[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 31 (Friday, March 18, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 18, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
       A WASTE OF U.S. TAXPAYERS' MONEY TO BETRAY HMONG REFUGEES

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                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 18, 1994

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, the plight of Hmong refugees and asylum 
seekers in Thailand and the mandatory, forced, repatriation of them by 
some Thai Ministry of the Interior [MOI] and United Nations officials 
back to the repressive Communist government in Laos remains of deep 
concern to many Members of Congress, especially those of us who served 
in the Vietnam war. Tragically, this terrible betrayal is, in part, 
being financed by U.S. taxpayers.
  Current policy toward the Hmong in Thailand and Laos is a disgrace 
and a waste of the United States taxpayers' money. It is a major 
mistake to send the Hmong people back to a country where their short- 
and long-term security cannot be ensured.
  Hmong returnees continue to die and disappear in Communist Laos, 
including the famous Hmong leader, Mr. Vue May, who was the symbol of 
the Thai/UN repatriation effort's supposed success.
  The following Oct. 29, 1993, report (Volume XIV, Number 10) of 
Refugee Reports--a publication of the Washington D.C.-based 
organization, U.S. Committee for Refugees--details the case of Mr. Vue 
May, which is symbolic of a much larger and more serious problem.

       The repatriation of Hmong refugees from Thailand to Laos 
     could be affected by the disappearance in Laos of a prominent 
     Hmong leader. The leader, Vue May, formerly supported the 
     Hmong resistance group that seeks to overthrow the Laotian 
     government. In 1991, he severed his links to the resistance, 
     and decided to repatriate to Laos. He reportedly did so to 
     demonstrate to other Hmong refugees that safe repatriation 
     was possible. (See Refugee Reports interview with Vue May, 
     Volume XIII, No. 8.) Vue May's 1992 repatriation was highly 
     touted by the Thai and Laotian governments. He was featured 
     in a video about repatriation that is shown to Hmong refugees 
     in Thailand to encourage them to repatriate.
       Vue May disappeared from Vientiane, the Laotian capital, on 
     September 11. News of his disappearance did not begin 
     circulating widely in the United States until mid-October. 
     Informed sources report that the Laotian security forces, 
     which had been tracking Vue May's movements for several 
     months, arrested him. Reportedly, the Laotian authorities 
     have told one of Vue May's relatives that he will be released 
     soon, but offered no reason for his arrest nor any 
     indications of his whereabouts.

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