Oct. 23, 2008
UPDATE: Hmong Lao Refugees in Thailand
By Rebecca Sommer
Special to Huntingtonnews.net
How many Refugees are still in the camp?
The last population census done by the Thai army (Begining of September 2008), and confirmed by MSF food distribution figures, give a total of 6035 people (1142 families). To remind - January 2008, the camp held about 7950 people (1480 families).
How many refugees volunteered to return to Laos?
That is very difficult to say accurately, simply because ... what is the limit between voluntary and forced repatriation? When one is forced to become a volunteer for repatriation, then is one a voluntary or forced repatriated? Indeed the Thai army put a great deal of pressure on the Hmong to return to Laos and so far they have managed to convince a few hundreds of them to return. However, for the past couple of months it seems to be getting more difficult for the Thai military (+Laotian officers) to find new volunteers. As a matter of fact, no one has agreed to return to Laos since the begining of September.
Article about repatriated Hmong refugees, June 2008, CLICK: http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/06/23/regional/regional_30076252.php
Report MSF, the NGO working in the refugee camp, May 2008, CLICK: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=2726
What happened to the Hmong held in prison (Immigration Detention Center)?
The people of Nong Khai are still held behind prison bars, now the number is 158 people.
UNHCR, 14 January 2008 Click: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=25292&Cr=lao&Cr1=thai
What may happen to Hmong refugees when they are repatriated to Laos?
One of the first forcefully deported refugees were children. Some girls escaped from Laos, and fled back to Thailand. Their witness accounts on what happened to them in Laos - shouldn't be dismissed.
Background article, CLICK: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/national/070417-kinchen-hmong.html
TO WATCH THE VIDEO- THE GIRLS TESTIMONIES - CLICK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn394wy-pw
What are the US based Hmong doing right now to help their people?
Additionally to the ongoing (and growingly frustrating) advocacy work, US based Hmong are currently applying to the US Family Union Program (that supposes to get the ones with close relative living in the US to be entitled for ressettlement in the US). But, as far as we know - this program is stuck because the US Embassy has no access to the applicants (US cannot access to the camp) and therefore cannot carry out the interview and blood test; Thus, they cannot confirm the claim of blood relative.
What is the international community doing to help the Hmong refugees?
Governments, and UN agencies continue to "raise their concerns" with Thailand.
Is the international intervention effective?
Go to the beginning of this e-mail, read the summary again.
What can you do?
There is a lot what you can do - be creative and help to raise awareness. You can post on your blog, website. Inform your friends, local newspapers, teachers, professors, student associations, local Hmong associations and organizations - volunteer your time. You can write a letter to: Your state representatives, government, the UN system (such as the UNHCHR), Thailand, Laos, the media etc.
Rebecca Sommer: Representative of the NGO Society for Threatened Peoples International, in consultative status to the United Nations ECOSOC and in participatory status with the Council of Europe.
Indigenous Peoples Department, USA
website: http://www.gfbv.de
e-mail: rebeccasommer@earthlink.net
Tel: 1 718 3021949
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