Oct. 5, 2006
 
HMONG REFUGEE CRISIS: 354 Hmong Decide to Come Out, After 30 Years Hiding and Running from Laos Military; ‘Hunted, Killed Like Vermin’: Rebecca Sommer
 
By David M. Kinchen
Editor, Huntington News Network
 
“We cannot hold on any longer, we have no choice. If we stay here, we will die,” said Blia Shoua Her, the leader of his group of ethnic Hmong, which made headlines when on April 6, 2006, 26 of his group were reportedly massacred while searching food -- by Laotian soldiers.
 
”Please inform the UN and the International governments, including the U.S. Government that we, the Hmong people from the jungle of Laos, will walk down of the mountain, to surrender to the Lao soldiers between October 5 to 7, 2006, at Ban Na Khae, We need someone to be there for us – to ensure that we are not killed by them.”
 
“I will bring my 354 people, mostly women and children, said Blia Shoua Her, crying desperately. “We will arrive at the Ban Khae village, which is about 2 or 3 kilometers north of the city of Vangvieng. There is a road that connects the village. Please ask the UN and the U.S. governments to be present in the village -- to secure our safety.”
 
“We call upon the UN system, and individual governments, to ensure that these people are not enduring the same fate as other groups which have surrendered,” said Rebecca Sommer, UN representative for the Society for Threatened Peoples International. “We want to see a clear commitment to resolve this unacceptable situation -- which is violating international human rights standards.”
 
“We are walking down the mountain, the elders and children are dying while we speak, we are weak, sick, and very very afraid, “ said Blia Shoua Her. ”Please, do not forget us: Please be there when we arrive at the village.”
 
Today, Oct. 5, 2006, 354 Hmong people are expected to arrive at village Ban Khae, to surrender to the same Lao authorities who have chased and killed them, Sommer told HNN.
 
”It may be two to three days longer before the traumatized and half staved people make it down to the village -- which lies in a valley,” she said, adding: “Let’s hope that someone will be there to monitor and ensure their safety.”
 
The U.S.-based Hmong organization Lao Human Rights Council’s received Blia Shoua Her’s call via a solar panel satellite telephone, which was smuggled 4 years ago into the Laotian military training areas, where numerous Hmong groups have been hiding in the jungle mountain tops for more than 30 years.
 
“We received hundreds of reports that they are hunted and killed like vermin,” Sommer said. ”It is so upsetting, some people categorize the Hmong-in-hiding as resistance groups, but in reality, these people run away from the military -- which is chasing and killing them -- they avoid any contact, they are afraid to come out, that’s why they are hiding.”
 
“We believe that the Hmong-in-hiding are used for real-life military training purposes.” said Vaughn Vang, director of the U.S. based Hmong organization Lao Human Rights Council.
 
Recently, American photojournalist Roger Arnold went into the conflict area and met with Blia Shoua Her’s group, which fell on their knees and begged to be rescued from the military attacks. He visited the scene of the massacre of April 6, 2006, and reports that survivors of the alleged massacre carried shrapnel and bullet wounds -- indicating that the group was running away from the attacking soldiers as they were shot at from behind.
 
“They just want to live without fear, without being hunted and chased by the Laotian soldiers,” Blia Shoua Her told Roger Arnold. “Blia Shoua Her repeated over and over, that they are not a resistance movement, they want to live in peace,” Arnold said.
 
“They do carry old, rusty guns, left overs from the Vietnam War,” said Sommer, “Those who have 2-3 bullets will use them if they are attacked, but that is not out of active resistance -- they shoot the few bullets if they have to save time for their running women and children.”
 
“Let’s not forget these people are the second third or even fourth generation of Hmong, who helped the U.S. to hinder the spread of communism during the Vietnam War, “ said Kue Xiong, the president of LHRC who received the call.” When the U.S. pulled out, our people fled the new communist regime which took over Laos, but many could not make it, and were forced to hide in the remote mountainous. jungles.”
 
“It is 30 years, and nothing has been done to address this humanitarian crisis, not by the UN, not by the U.S., nobody, “ said Chue Chue Tchang, spokesperson for the U.S.-based Hmong organization HAMAA, which facilitates jobs, education and other assistance programs to more than 500,000-strong U.S.-based Hmong community.” We do not understand why this can go on for so long, we report since years about the massacres and unprovoked attacks on our people in Laos.”
 
Patricia Haslach, the U.S. Ambassador to Laos, called on the Lao government to investigate the reported April 6, 2006 massacre of Blia Shoua Her’s group, where 25 Hmong children and women, and one man were shot dead while searching for food.
 
“We cannot find any food, we are surrounded and shot at, we have to stay in holes and caves to avoid that the soldiers see us,” said Blia Shoua Her. “We cannot endure any longer, we are starving, shot at, we are so afraid, please, can you come and wait for us down in the village, and safe our lives from being killed by the soldiers?”
 
Sommer told HNN that the U.S. seems to be reluctant to remember its former allies during the Vietnam War, which to this day -- 30 years later – endure genocide by the Laotian government. Currently, approximately 7,000 Hmong refugees are stranded in Thailand, threatened to be sentback to Laos at any moment, she added, noting that recent arrivals of refugees are held in Thailand’s prisons, most of them children and women..
 
Even though most Hmong refugees fled a life of death and terror, the U.S. remains unmoved by their plight to be rescued and resettled, Sommer said. She has been reporting on this crisis to HNN for several months. Thailand continues its hard line policy towards the Hmong refugees, and warns to send them back as illegal immigrants, she added.
 
“The U.S. could easily resolve this humanitarian crisis, by allowing and organizing that the survivors of the Hmong groups hiding since 31 years are resettled to the U.S.,” said Chue Hue Vang, from United Hmong International.
 
“To end this problem the estimated 17,000 Hmong – in hiding, and the refugees in Thailand must be given a chance for their future, we in the U.S. Hmong community have everything here to welcome and care for these traumatized people who know nothing but death and starvation.”