> Thailand to repatriate 215 ethnic Hmong to Laos
>
> BANGKOK, July 4 (TNA) - Thailand will repatriate 215 ethnic Hmong
> minority to Laos next Thursday across the Thai-Lao Friendship bridge
> border crossing across the Mekong River in the northeastern province
> of Nongkhai, according to Lt-Gen. Nipat Thonglek, Chief of the Royal
> Thai Army's Border Affairs Department.
>
> Gen. Nipat noted that some foreign diplomatic missions expressed
> satisfaction that there were no human rights violations taking place
> and that the members of the ethnic minority group were not being
> deported against their will.
>
> He said nine envoys from six countries -- Australia, Britain, Canada,
> France, the Netherlands, and the United States, as well as a
> representative from the European Union -- were satisfied with the
> treatment of the 215 Hmong who would be sent back to Laos next week,
> after the diplomats visited them Wednesday at the 28th Cavalry
> Battalion in the northern province of Phetchabun.http://www.flickr.com/photos/troubles
>
> According to Gen. Nipat, the trip was organised after Thailand
> successfully repatriated 837 Hmong voluntarily back to Laos on June 22http://www.flickr.com/photos/hmongreturnee837and some foreign
> diplomatic missions in Thailand and international organisations called
> for more information about the repatriation.
>
> He said that the foreign countries worried that the Hmong ethnic were
> forced to return to the Lao PDR and the families were separated
> against their will.
>
> After the visit, the foreign mission representatives were satisfied
> with Thailand's treatment of the Hmong, and that the facilities
> provided were acceptable, he said.
>
> The latest repatriation came after ethnic Hmong living at a temporary
> camp in Phetchabun burned their shelters to protest the Thai
> government plan to repatriate them to Laos.
>
> The protested was aimed to draw the attention of the United Nations
> and the world community.
>
> Many ethnic Hmong soldiers fought alongside the US forces during the
> Vietnam War. After the war in Laos ended in 1975, many fled to the
> jungles fearing the communist authorities would hunt them down for
> having worked with the Americans, and being potentially disloyal to
> the new Pathet Lao communist government.
>
> Thailand, however, claims that many of the Hmong had violated Thai law
> by entering the country illegally. (TNA)
>
>  General News : Last Update : 19:16:12 4 July 2008 (GMT+7:00)