[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 71 (Thursday, June 9, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 9, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                             HMONG REFUGEES

                                 ______


                          HON. STEVE GUNDERSON

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 8, 1994

  Mr. GUNDERSON. Mr. Speaker, I learned recently that on April 27, the 
National Security Council of the Royal Thai Government called for the 
accelerated repatriation of Hmong refugees from camps in Thailand back 
to Laos. This is a very serious and regrettable turn of events that 
will serve to accelerate the practice of forced repatriation of Hmong 
refugees. Most of the Hmong in Thailand are opposed to returning to 
Laos and will refuse to go, unless they are made to return by force. I 
have a sizable Hmong population in my district, and several have made 
personal, last-minute pleas on behalf of relatives who would shortly be 
repatriated to Laos.
  I have worked closely with several of my colleagues to express our 
concern over the current status of the refugee program in Thailand. In 
particular, we are deeply disturbed about the emergency situation now 
facing Hmong refugees at Ban Napho Refugee Camp and Wat Tham Krabok, a 
Buddhist monastery in Thailand which serves as a Hmong refuge. In order 
to increase awareness, I would like to include in the record a 
bipartisan letter that Congressman Hunter wrote and 16 Members of 
Congress signed, including myself.
  In the letter, the U.S. Congress appeals to the King of Thailand for 
his personal intervention and assistance with this important and urgent 
matter. Time is running out for the Hmong in Thailand who fought so 
hard as an ally of the United States to defend the interests of 
democracy in Indochina during the Vietnam war. We continue to await His 
Majesty's response to the following letter:

                                       United States Congress,

                                                    March 1, 1994.
     His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
     The Grand Palace, Na Phra Lan Road, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
       Your Majesty: As Members of the United States Congress, we 
     ask for your assistance with the current Hmong refugee crisis 
     in Thailand and Laos.
       As you may know, the Hmong people fought with America and 
     Thailand during the Vietnam war. Because the fighting in the 
     Lao theater--the so-called ``Secret War''--was highly 
     classified, few people are aware of the major contribution 
     the Hmong people made to American and Thai efforts during the 
     war. A Hmong army guarded the highly secret CIA site (Lima 
     Site 85) at Pho Pha Thi mountain that was the only facility 
     of its kind. All-weather and night bombing of targets in 
     North Vietnam and along the Ho Chi Minh trail would have been 
     impossible without this site.
       Because of this, a war of genocide was waged against the 
     Hmong after the United States withdrew from the war until the 
     late 1980s.
       Unfortunately, it has recently been reported that over 
     11,000 Hmong with formal refugee status and 3000 Hmong asylum 
     seekers at Ban Napho refugee camp in Thailand will be sent 
     back to Laos against their will through ``mandatory 
     repatriation'' (forced) under the auspices of the United 
     Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). An additional 
     12,000 Hmong refugees have sought refuge at the Buddhist 
     temple of Wat Tham Krabok after the Thai Ministry of Interior 
     (MOI) closed Ban Vinai refugee camp. The fate of the Hmong at 
     Wat Tham Krabok remains uncertain, but it is feared they will 
     be sent to Laos.
       As you may know, all Lao Hmong in Thailand are to be sent 
     back to Laos by the end of 1994 under the terms of the 1991 
     Luang Prabang Tripartite Agreement signed by Thailand, Laos, 
     and the UNHCR.
       It now appears, from a number of recent events, that the 
     Tripartite Agreement has been nullified. Hmong are being 
     unfairly screened-out and denied refugee status by some Thai 
     camp officials. In the most recent Hmong refugee scandal in 
     Thailand, it is alleged that tens of thousands of dollars 
     were extorted by three Thai officials out of the American 
     families of 305 Hmong refugees--who did not want to be 
     returned to Laos. Also, the disappearance of Mr. Vue Mai in 
     Laos, the Hmong repatriation leader which the UNHCR and the 
     U.S. Department of State upheld as the symbol of the success 
     of the repatriation program, has sent shock waves through the 
     Hmong refugee camps in Thailand and in Hmong communities 
     throughout the world. If the UNHCR and the United States 
     Department of State cannot guarantee the safety of such a 
     high profile Hmong leader in Laos, how will the security of 
     less prominent Hmong be ensured? The Lao government continues 
     to bar international human rights organizations from visiting 
     or monitoring the country. Moreover, U.S. Embassy officials 
     in Laos are not permitted in some provinces where Hmong have 
     been repatriated because of the ongoing civil war. It appears 
     that Hmong repatriated back to Laos cannot be monitored 
     properly by U.S. or UNHCR officials, and their short term and 
     long term security cannot be guaranteed.
       Young Majesty, we ask you to urge leaders of Thailand--both 
     military and political--to immediately stop the repatriation 
     of Hmong back to Laos. Please request that the Prime 
     Minister, the head of the National Security Council and the 
     Minister of the Interior begin an immediate four (4) year 
     moratorium on the return and repatriation of Hmong back to 
     Laos.
       A four year moratorium will allow all Hmong in Thailand--an 
     estimated 40,000-50,000--to resettle in third countries (like 
     Canada, France and Australia) where their security can be 
     better guaranteed and they can live in peace with their 
     families and communities.
       Your personal intervention in the past saved Thailand from 
     additional bloodshed after the May 1992 crisis and helped 
     restore peace. Your personal intervention to save the Hmong 
     at Ban Napho camp. Wat Tham Krabok and elsewhere in Thailand 
     is also important and we would appreciate your kind 
     assistance with this matter. We look forward to your reply.
           Sincerely,
         Duncan Hunter, James Oberstar, Bill McCollum, Pat 
           Schroeder Ben Gilman, Tom Lantos, Toby Roth, Gary 
           Condit, Wally Herger, Randy Cunningham, Bob Dornan, Dan 
           Schaefer, Steve Gunderson, Jim Moran, Porter Goss, Jay 
           Kim, Members of Congress.

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