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| Re: LAURA XIONG - HMONG INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH |
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Group: soc.culture.hmong · Group Profile
Author: vuevue Date: Jan 12, 2007 23:29
chaisom2, please be informed that laura does not expect me to put this
document out, but i think it is good evidence to prove that i am not
talking without evidence, so to speak. this is the same article
indigenous posted on SCH on March 26, 2006.
(RS)= REBECCA SOMMER
(LX)=LAURA XIONG
Subject: Fwd: stolen Film footage/Hmong refugees Petchabun
From: "Rebecca Sommer" earthlink.net> Add to Address
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Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2006 15:39:40 -0500
Dear Mr Bon Xiong
(RS)I expected that you would have the courtesy to call or e-mail - to
ask me directly.
(RS)I was not send by your organization, I went as an independent
individual, and as a film maker and director, to create an awareness
raising film. Your Organization offered to pay half of my airfare,
among other minor expenses - which you have not reimbursed me as of
yet, and to translate. I offered that your organization can use my
final Film for your organizations fundraising purposes, and for
awareness raising purposes. I was not payed, I did that out of my own
pocket.
LX)Ms. Rebecca Sommer was not sent by HIHRW, but she agreed to go only
if HIHRW paid for her trip and covered all of her travel expenses. She
wrote the contract herself, and HIHRW agreed because we expected her to
deliver the final film on the Hmong refugees in Phetchabun, Thailand as
stated in the contract.
(LX)In July 2005, our organization planned to send a delegation to
Thailand to pre-screen the Hmong refugees in Phetchabun. We met with
the State Department and UNHCR in Washington, DC on August 30, 2005. We
requested that the UNHCR get involve in the Hmong refugee issue in
Thailand, but nothing could be done due to the fact that the Royal Thai
government does not recognize the UN refugee convention. However, the
UNHCR and US DOS suggested that HIHWR go to Thailand and see the
situation for ourselves.
(LX)Therefore, they assisted HIHRW by setting up an appointment with
the UNHCR and US Embassy in Bangkok. Due to our trust for Ms. Sommer,
HIHRW asked if she would be willing to go with me. We would be willing
to pay for airfare, food, lodging plus all other expenses such as
paying for the Mini DVD, an external Hard-Drive for film making.
Without this agreement, she did not want to go.
(LX)When an NGO, the Khmer Krom Federation, found out that we would go
to Asia, they offered to pay half of the Airfare ticket for Ms. Sommer.
They expected her to go to Cambodia to film their people as well. Our
organization agreed to accept their offer due to the fact that our
organization is a non profit organization without any funding except
for a few thousand dollars from the Hmong community through donations.
(LX)Ms. Sommer and I (Laura Xiong) stayed in Thailand from October 5,
2005 to October 29, 2005 before we separated. I came to the US and she
went to Cambodia to continue the Khmer Krom Federation's project.
(LX)HIHRW paid for everything while we were in Thailand. The Khmer Krom
picked up her expense from there on, so HIHRW has nothing to do with
the expenses incurred after October 29, 2005. However, while she was in
Vietnam filming the Hmong people, she expected HIHRW to pay $400 for a
car rental and a Hmong translator for her. Due to our great trust for
her, we agreed to help her out with the $400.
(LX)This $400 was paid in cash to Ms. Sommer on December 18, 2005 in
New York. This was a complimentary donation from HIHRW's President to
help her out only.
(LX)She did not do it out of her own pocket. We paid for film
development, sent fedex-packages, and paid for the maintenance of her
camera in Thailand. The contract speaks for us.
****************
(RS)I am not sure if you are aware, what a huge present I offered to
you.
Further, I went as an independent human rights advocate and supporter,
as a non-Hmong person, interested and caring enough - to spend over 3
month, by the way also for no pay, and not send by you but decided by
me as a free person to do so, in order to help resolve the problem of
the Hmong refugees, which had to this day no official pre-screening by
the UNHCR to evaluate "if they could receive refugee status". (I
explained via Hmong radio in detail -why the UNHCR can't)
(LX)We appreciated her time and believed that what she did for us was
from the goodness of her heart as she claimed. We did not realize that
without paying for all expenses, including her time, she would not
bother to go and did not care for what the real Hmong cause was. If she
would have told us that she needed to be compensated for her time,
which was not stated in the contract, then we would not have taken her
with me. She decided to join the mission just because of a free ride to
Asia and to enjoy a trip, worry-free of any expenses.
(LX)Since she did not have a job, because the UN Permanent Forum no
longer provided contracts for her to film the Indigenous Peoples, she
wanted to search for other opportunities. Therefore, she was fortunate
to have HIHRW offer her to take a free trip to help them out with the
Hmong cause.
(LX)At first, we believed that she would truly want to help resolve the
problem of the Hmong refugees. We both put a lot of work and traveled
from Bangkok to Phetchabun by airplane. I took her with me to meet with
the UNHCR and US Government officials plus the Thai and Lao government
officials concerning the refugee situation in Thailand. When we
returned to the United States, we were on the Hmong public radio
encouraging the Hmong community to support our mission, because we felt
the problem in Thailand was well founded enough for the international
communities, UNHCR and all other governments to get involved. We
believed that in order to push this issue forward, we needed the Hmong
community's support. That was the reason why we were on the radio
program talking positively on the issue.
(RS)I have spoken to you on many occasions on the phone, while Laura
was my invited guest for over a month at my home, while I was writing
and drafting the Summary of Claims of the interviewed Refugees,
background papers , history , conduct of work, and List of persons
(civilians with well-founded fear to be persecuted), to be finally
submitted to the relevant governments, UN agencies and NGO's.
(LX)This reveals her true dishonesty towards me. I was in New York for
over a month believing that she would help with the final report plus
the final documentary film for my (HIHRW) lobbying work. We both sat
together to do the report. Basically, we should have stayed with the
same facts that we wrote based on our first hand experiences of the
situation in the camp. All we needed to do was add any additional
information we received from the refugees and the translation of the
summaries of claims with the final report. The report was suppose to be
finished by the end of December 2005, but she kept on telling me that
we needed more information. I told her that there was nothing else left
to be added and that it was time for me to meet with the State
Department and the UNHCR in Washington, DC. I needed the report and the
documentary film in order to present the case. (The UNHCR and US DOS
expected me to return from Thailand with evidence and documentation).
If she claimed that the final report was submitted to the relevant
governments, UN agencies, and NGO's, why didn't HIHRW receive the
reports? She kept putting the project on hold and kept telling me to
wait.
(RS)I myself informed you about my disbelieve, that Laura and your
organization has not prepared any translations or documents(Summary of
Claims/List etc) to the United Nations and relevant governments to
truly help the refugees, even so I volunteered and had drafted my Semi
Final documents in October still in Thailand, which you was supposed to
finalize.
(LX)I did not finalize the report because she did not let me touch it.
(RS)After 1 1/2 month -coming back from my continued film trip in Asia
(helping the Khmer Krom from Vietnam),not ONE translation or
finalization of my drafted work was continued by neither your
Organization or Laura.
(RS)I am saying 1 1/2 month = while this work was needed to be done.
For the Refugees. Instead of talking.
(LX)I did not prepare the translation due to the life and death
situation I was in. I did apologize to her when we met in New York. Due
to the unprepared translation of the Summary of Claims, I agreed to
stay with her to finish the report and the documentary film which she
also agreed to. She demanded that I contact my employer to extend my
leave of absence. She wanted me to be there for at least two months
because she wanted me to translate all clips from the documentary film.
I was willing to lose my job because I cared for the Hmong in Thailand.
(RS)I informed you on the phone, that I was greatly saddened to have to
sit and volunteer for weeks on documents which your organization/ Laura
was supposed to do, as I went to the camp in oder to support the cause,
to conduct a capacity building training for the refugees (translated by
Laura), but mainly to create as a self employed film-maker my
awareness raising FILM to support the Hmong plight, which you was
offered to use, again all for no pay.
(LX)We appreciated her willingness to support the Hmong plight, and
willingness to accept our offer to take her there to support the cause.
On the agreement, she was obligated to deliver the final documents to
HIHRW. She must admit that without Laura (HIHRW) she would not have had
the chance to do all of what she did. This was a joint project which
the both of us were equally important in making this trip and the
project possible. We drafted a contract for this trip.
(RS)Instead of working fully on my film, I instead found myself in the
situation to organize volunteers, spoke on US Hmong radio stations
asking for help with translations, and did everything on a 16 hour work
day to create and write the urgent needed documents to the UNHCR, as
that was the most important action to HELP resolve the refugee problem,
instead of TALKING.
(LX)Once again, this was a joint effort to make all of what she claimed
possible. She makes it sound like she was the only one who did it. It
is unfortunate to work with a person who I put all my trust in and who
later turns against me due to not getting paid for her time. I would
have appreciated more if she meant what she said. If she really wanted
to solve the problem, she would not have put the project on hold and
not have assaulted me. The report would have been submitted by the end
of 2005. Instead, she misled me to stay in her apartment for a month
and then found a way to make me leave without the final documentary
film and the final report for my lobbying work.
(RS)I spend Christmnas and New year on the computer !!!!! With Laura
as my invited guest and former friend was at my home . . . as she
claimed to need a place to hide and in danger to be murdered by some
Hmong leaders.( their name is known to you, as it was public announced
via Hmong radio by herself).
(LX)This statement is untrue. I stayed in her home because she expected
me to be equally participating in the project. We agreed that I stay in
her apartment so that we could work on any hour of the day. We spent
15-20 hours a day sitting in front of the computer. We woke up at 3:00
AM to make phone calls to Thailand; we worked from as early as 5:00 AM
straight to 1:00 AM in the morning before going to bed. I did not stay
in her place just because I needed a place to hide. It is true that my
life was and is in danger by certain Hmong organizations due to my
involvement with the Hmong refugees in Thailand, but staying at her
place for the sole purpose of hiding from them was not true. The both
of us worked equally hard of which I expected good results by sticking
with the facts.
(RS)She was supposed to fully translate the "Summary of Claims" written
by the refugees after receiving my training, and my filmed interviews,
which I wanted to include into the documents to the UNHCR, to built a
strong and powerful documentation which would resolve the question "if
there are persons with well-founded fear to be persecuted and in need
for "refugee status".
(LX)Like I said before, I did not have the time to translate all of
them due to the situation that another Hmong organization attempted to
murder me while we were in Thailand. When I returned to the US,
Ms.Sommer told me to be in New York right after she arrived in the US
and then we would go from there. I already told her clearly the reasons
why I did not finish the translation. The documents had been sent to
the community in Minnesota for translation, and the majority of the
claims have been forwarded to us in New York.
(RS)While working on the documents to be handed to UNHCR etc, I
realized that I was greatly miss-informed about our Hmong focus groups
which I was directred to by Laura, including translations left out
essential information-I informed you on the phone in December 25th, and
January 4th.
(LX)I did not leave anything out. Instead she claimed to be very
intelligent and cut me off in the middle of the translations. She
claimed to know exactly what they were talking about without letting me
finish the translations. She said that their facial expression spoke
for themselves and that she did not need me to go very deep in detail.
I believed she meant well.
(RS)I remind, I do not speak Hmong, and I had full trust in Laura, as a
friend, as a neutral advocate and translator for her peoples.
(LX)Same here, as I had full trust in Rebecca Sommer, as friend who
claimed to have a good heart and a volunteer who support the Hmong
cause without compensation. I believe I had done my best to translate
whatever she needed to know.
(RS)I addressed my concerns to you and Laura, that I got doubts - that
certain groups in my List which I compiled with Lauras help, are not
civilians, but instead are well known leaders of rebel groups, and
known as such most likely by the UNHCR and relevant governments.I
raised my concerns to you again via phone, as the documents to the
UNHCR should bring cases of civilians which are persecuted, or in fear,
not combatants. The reason I wrote these documents was to bring about
strong evidence, that there are civilians with claims to be persecuted.
(LX)I agreed with her that some fully participated with rebel groups,
but it was not our decision to judge them just because we feel they are
disqualified. It is our position to find out how many groups there were
and what claims they had. I suggested that we submitted their claims
and names, and let the UNHCR decide, but she wanted to make the
decision for the groups without giving the UNHCR the opportunity to
review the documents.
(RS)I further informed you via phone, that all summary of claims, also
from the combatants, will be submitted to the UNHCR, but taken out of
my Summary which was concentrating on strong cases of civilians.
(LX)She only said that she would submit that group to the UNHCR after
an argument with me. She already deleted the entire group from
Borikhamxay without consulting with me. It is obvious that she cannot
be trusted.
(RS)After further receiving translations from other Hmong volunteers
who volunteered as a result of my calls on the Hmong radios, and double
checking them with Laura's, I realized that I have been indeed miss
lead profoundly.
(LX)What made her feel that she has been misled? The volunteers
translated based on their interpretations. They had done what they were
suppose to do, and what else could we expect from someone who just came
to help without focusing on the project like we did.
(RS)I also got disturbing information, which was already raised from
various refugees of the camp, hostile to Laura, that there is a
possibility that this List would be forwarded to the Laotian
government, which alarmed me even further, knowing that the initial
list with the miss leading information had indeed various rebel groups
listed with full names, house numbers and other relevant information.
Obviously this would endanger those peoples= if send back to Laos!
(LX)This was the reason why I urged Ms. Sommer to help me complete the
final report and the testimonies on film, so that we could address the
issue by urging the decision makers to intervene the deportation of the
group. If she really felt that the lives of the groups were endangered,
then she would not have omitted the Rebel group from our list. As a
Hmong Human Rights advocate, I feel that the UNHCR must get involved
due to the fact that many of the Hmongs in the camp would face
persecution if sent back to Laos. How could Ms. Sommer put this project
on hold and ignore the fact that this could happen to the people in the
camp? Furthermore, the only agencies that received the list from me
were UNHCR and the US DOS. I have not sent the list to any other NGOs.
I do not believe that the two agencies I mentioned would provide the
list to the irrelevant agencies unless Ms. Sommer did something I was
not aware of.
(LX)This is also the reason why I forbad her from producing the
documentary for sale. It would jeopardize the lives of the Hmong
refugees in Thailand.
(RS)I asked your organizations executive director, and my former friend
Laura, in various occasions in between 2 weeks to leave my home, which
she refused.
(LX)I must admit that she had asked me to go back home in two
occasions. The first time took place in December 22, 2005. We spent the
first week on the report and the list. She feared that I had only one
week left and I might not be able to translate her Sesame Street Film
and the Hmong Vietnam film for her, which it was not my responsibility.
She said that if I let her suffer from producing her films without
translation, then no report and no final documentary film for me. I
agreed to extend my flight back and stay with her to help translate the
films and at the same time I need my final documentary film and the
final report in return. She agreed and I had to call to cancel my
flight, contacted my employer to extend my leave of absence to ensure
her that I wouldn't leave without completing the joint project
together. The second time took place on January 3, 2006, when she
demanded that I purchase the second external hard drive for her and I
questioned her for the reason why I should buy another one. She said
without the extra external hard drive, she would not finish the
documentary film. I told her that my project fits in the current
external hard drive which I purchased for her as agreed. She said if I
do not buy another one, then I had to leave. It was not right to spend
so much time, effort, and money for an unfinished project. Therefore, I
decided to buy it so that the project can be completed as planned.
After I agreed to purchase the second external hard_drive, she was
happy and we continued to work as usual.
(RS)After a very significant situation on the 15th and 16th january,
where I realized fully- that I have been purposely miss lead by your
NGO's executive director, and not out of naivety , I demanded her to
leave my home on the 16th and 17th of January, which she desperate
refused, resulting in her hanging on me like grim death, and me trying
to remove her.
(LX)I strongly believe that she had the intention to take advantage of
me for her own benefit. I purchased the second hard drive for her on
January 3, 2006. She transferred all of the Hmong film footages into
the new hard drive which included some of the Khmer Krom film footages
because I had some free space left. I worked many hours to translate
the little Hmong girl, her family and the Hmong casts for Rebecca's
Sesame Street film, and the Hmong Vietnam Girl film. After translating
the Sesame Street and the Hmong Vietnam girl films for her, she asked
me to finish translating the entire Hmong refugee film so that we could
start our documentary film after the 10th of January 2006.
(LX)She said that after the 10th of January, we should be able to work
and finish the documentary film. We were supposed to meet with the
State Department and UNHCR in Washington, DC in the week of January 2,
2006. Rebecca called the State Department, telling them positively
about how well we did in Thailand and would like to address the issue
to the US DOS within a week. The State Department officials were
anxious to see us with the documents. Somehow, Rebecca had to finish
her Sesame Street film which would be due on the 10th of January 2006,
so we had to postpone the meeting in Washington, DC.
(RS)It was a very unbelievable situation, to have a guest, which is
neglecting to leave my home, to have a friend and work partner, who had
manipulated and used me, who was not honest, who had not the courtesy
to accept my right to decline this work.
(LX)I was used and taken advantage of by a friend who I put all of my
trust and had high hope in, believing that she would help resolve the
Hmong refugees problem as she had promised the Hmong people and me. It
is terrifying knowing that I had worked and stayed with a person who
could have killed me when I could no longer be taken advantage of.
(RS)It was a very unbelievable situation, to volunteer on a human
rights issue, and to realize that one is manipulated and not
appreciated.
(LX)We appreciated her hard work and trusted her with all our hearts.
That was the reason why I left my family behind, spent time working
15-20 hours a day in her apartment without Christmas and New Year. Due
to my devotion to the Hmong cause, I believed that she would have kept
her words and finish the project as promised. However, how could I
appreciate someone who is dishonest, self-centered, and controlling,
taking advantage of me without even finishing the project as promised?
(RS)It ended in Laura filing criminal charges against me at the police,
claiming that I tried to murder her while she refused to leave my own
home, defaming me with outragious lies such as that I held her "hostage
at my home", went to UN officials which and discredited me and the good
work for the Hmong refugees.
(LX)It is the laws of this land that I must file a police report when
someone physically injures me. I was fortunate to be alive because of
her roommate who was in the house. Instead of a civilized discussion on
the issue, she physically hurt my back by forcing me to the floor with
her strong fist. She pulled my sweater and threw me into the bathroom,
bruising my forehead. She chased me back to the bathroom and strangled
my neck, prevented me from breathing. Then she covered my mouth with
one of her giant hands, while the other arm squeezed my neck,
restricting my breathing. I had to cooperate with her by shaking my
head that I would not make any more noise for her roommate to hear us.
Due to my cooperation, she released my neck and allowed me to breath.
(LX)Because I had no family or anyone in New York, the only people I
thought of were the UN Permanent Forum officials, who I treated as
personal friends. They have known Rebecca and me for more then three
years and know how hard we work as a team. We spoke with them just days
before this incident that we would be there to discuss and report about
the situation in Thailand with them.
(lx)Unfortunately, she turned violent against me, and told me that she
quit the project. She did not finish the report or the video. I had the
strong feeling that she would put a red tape on my lobbying work and
the refugee situation in Thailand, which would be a serious matter.
Even though I was hurt physically, I needed talk to the UN official to
ensure the issue was addressed. I needed the UN officials' advice on
where to begin without Rebecca. In order to make them understand why
Rebecca was no longer on the project with me, I explained to them what
happened.
(RS)She further stole out of my home on the same day with a key I never
gave to her my film footage( and footage of other indigenous peoples
from cambodia and Vietnam)and is using the filed charges against me now
to blackmailing me .
(LX)This statement reminds me of what she did to her roommate and other
Earth Peoples Partners who stayed in her apartment a year ago. She
accused them of stealing her camera and other house hold items without
proof. Ms. Sommer did give me her house keys twice just because she
wanted me to go out to purchase food while she was out for work. On
those two occasions, she did not come home until late at night. I gave
her the key back each day she arrived from work. NO, I do not have her
house key. She asked me help her on her painting job on the 17th of
January. She said that after helping her, I could go shopping or return
to the apartment because she had to work for the whole day. She had not
given me the house key. She left the apartment after assaulting me, and
then returned to ask me to leave her apartment at around 9:00 AM. If I
had her house key, how could she open the door and enter the house
without me opening it for her? When she returned to the apartment, her
roommate and I were sitting on the couch after the police detective
left her apartment. We did not open the door for her because she had
her keys with her.
(RS)Laura's master plan, which I am sure you are aware about, was
revealed, when she send me her written requests in order to remove the
charges she brought upon me:
(LX)The reason I wrote this email to her roommate, Uri, was because Ms.
Sommer asked him to talk to me. She was worried that if I continued to
press charge against her, she would have to leave the country due to
her criminal record. She requested that if I remove or drop the charge,
then she would do anything for me. Her roommate called me while I was
in California finishing the project. I had no intention to hurt her and
am glad that I escaped alive from her apartment. Her roommate suggested
that I put whatever I wanted her to do on paper and have both of us
sign it if I had doubts that she would lie after I dropped the charge.
He said that she was very worried because if convicted, she would be
deported, lose her apartment, lose her agent, lose her work permit, and
would not be able to go to Brazil for her other film project. He tried
to be the mediator between us, because I had been in their apartment
for a month and he knew how patient I was. He tried his best to settle
this case without a costly battle in court. Well, due to my respect for
Uri, I agreed to write down what I wanted out of her.
(LX)She may feel that this was something she can use against me, but it
was a suggestion from her roommate who I trusted.
(RS)She requests that I:
- never reveal that she has been investigated by the FBI (and what she
said to the FBI)
- (LX)This is because it involved my life. When the FBI agents were in
her apartment talking to me, Rebecca tried to be the talker and provide
all the information she experienced with me in Thailand. She told the
FBI agents all about what happened to us while we were in Thailand. She
spoke nicely and clearly to the FBI on December 29, 2005. The FBI
agents told me to keep it confidential, so I requested that Rebecca
also keep it confidential for security reasons to protect my life. I
didn't want her to tell everyone about me meeting with the FBI. I was
not investigated, but someone cared for my life, and they notified the
FBI to come take my report. An FBI investigate is different from an FBI
report. She must understand that.
- (RS)never reveal my findings and opinions about her agenda regarding
the refugees.
- (LX)The written request I sent to Uri is still on file and there is
nothing on the email that says what she put here.
- (RS)-not reveal my findings and opinions about the refugees
- (LX)I did not say that. I did not prevent her from giving her
opinion about the refugees. Instead, I tried to stop her from lying
about what we found. I was concerned that she would change the story,
which she did. One of her emails to the Hmong community already proved
her dishonesty by twisting the story to fit her intentions. Please read
her other emails for your information about this.
- (RS)-not touch the Hmong issue any further.
- (LX)We do not expect any professional exploiter to touch the Hmong
issues. I said that because she already proved to me that she tried to
use me to exploit the Hmong people. She signed a contract restricting
us from making money out of the Hmong refugees, but before the film was
even finish, she expected me to come up with at least $2,500 for the
cost of producing 1,000 DVDs. Furthermore, she expected me to sell all
of them for $20 a piece. She complained that this was a $150,000
project and she was get nothing out of it.
-
- (RS)-that I will give her all the rights on my film footage(including
from other indfigenous peoples Vietnam_Cambodia)
- (LX)I expected to have the rights to own the Hmong film footage
because I paid her trip, and she failed to provide me with the final
documentary film for my lobbying work. I needed the evidence to present
to the UNHCR and the US Department of States on my finding in the camp.
Putting this project on hold would let thousands of Hmong suffer. She
knew that without this documentary film to prove the Hmong issue, the
Thai Government would deport them back to Laos. She already mentioned
that if they were deported back to Laos, they would be persecuted. How
could she have the heart to hold the evidence? The Hmong people in the
camp were in need of being helped, and refusing to finish the project
would consider breaching the contract. I have no interest in the
Vietnamese-Cambodia film footage, but had no choice but to take it
because she stored it into my hard drive along with all the files that
I needed.
- (RS)- that I decline all my rightful titles on my footage as
director and film maker (and give it to her instead)
- (LX)On the contract, Rebecca and I both were the producers to the
film. While we filmed, I had to stay by her side at all times and did
exactly what she did. If she fulfilled her obligations to give me my
final document and film, then I would have not contested for the right
to own the film. I have my own digital camera that my body guards
filmed for me. I was fooled and taken advantage of by a professional
exploiter who had a hidden agenda that costed my money and could have
costed my life.
(RS)Laura further went so far and used my stolen Film footage, edited
it California to a film, and forwarded it to UN officials and US state
department, and broadcasted on your website that she has directed my
film. She is seeing herself as the director and owner of my film
footage, and used my drafted documents and intellectual property to
forward to the UN and state department.(please remove all images of my
person of your website, as I am not affiliated with your organization,
and you have not asked for my consent)
(LX)I had to make the film to meet my deadline with the State
Department and the UNHCR who I have dealt with concerning the Hmong
refugees problem in Thailand. Rebecca had called the US State
Department telling them that we would meet with them on the first week
of January 2006 to present our findings. When she called it quits on
the project, I had to do everything I could to provide what I had to
them as planned. This is a life and death situation and I was not going
to let her stop me from helping my Hmong people. She was allowed to go
with me to the Hmong not for her personal gain. We trusted her and
expected her to film the reality of the people. It is an urgent issue
that cannot be put on hold. What rights does she have to hold the
evidence just because of her personal problems with me? This is a joint
project and if she decided to discontinue, then I must carry on the
mission. I would not let an outsider who has no sympathy for the
victims to stop my work. If she does not like the project, does not
believe the people, then leave them alone.
(RS)Even so shocked and betrayed, spending money on lawyers, I have
been silent to this day about my disturbing findings and the situation
itself, because I do not want to harm the humanitarian cause, which are
the REFUGEES. I did not addressed this matter until now, because it
will backfire for the very reason, why I believe everyone is/was
working so hard on this.
(LX)She has to spend money on Lawyers due to her violent behavior. She
could have saved the lawyers' fees if she was honest and sincere
about the issue. She kept it silent not because she cared about the
issue. It was because she believed that without her, I would not be
able to carry on the mission and the issue would not be addressed as I
wanted. She undermined my intelligence which led her to cause so much
damage on both sides.
(RS)In order to help resolve this urgent matter of Jungle Homing,
refugees, NGOs have to work together professionally, and in good
standing.
(LX)I agree with this statement. That's the reason why no matter how
badly she treated me, I still kept a professional relationship with her
and tried to work with her to resolve the issue. I wish she meant what
she said in this sentence.
(RS)This story is the opposite of professional, absurd , grotesque and
out of context. Is it for personal gain, for the idea of "power"? What
is the reason for this situation? I will find out.
(LX)She is right about her own description. She should be more
professional and finish the project in good faith. Instead of treating
the Hmong issue seriously, she tried to benefit from it. For personal
gain? Evidently, she expected to make money out of the project and
abused the power of her ECOSOC status by manipulating me and the
project. The situation behind her agenda is to use me as a bridge to
the Hmong people for her own benefit.
(RS)Until now I have great difficulties to believe how far your
organization and executive director went without appreciation.
(RS)I have always believed and appreciated what Ms. Sommer did for me
and the Hmong refugees in Phetchabun due to the great promise that she
made for us. She promised to work as a partner with me and together, we
would be able to push the issue up to the highest UN officials and all
other Government agencies. Regretfully that she lost control and put
the project in jeopardy.
(RS)I am aware that these actions are not reflecting the Hmong peoples,
as I met beautiful, wonderful, special Hmong all over Asia and in the
US. I will not let this behavior cast a cloud on my profound love to a
strong, stubborn and freedom loving peoples.
(LX)I agree that she should not cast a cloud on my people who love
freedom and peace.
(LX)Her emails reveal the truth about herself. She had put me through a
hostile environment and also another Hmong Vietnam girl, her tourist
guide, in the same situation. At first, she would pretend to be a
friendly person with a good heart. After using the person, she finds
someway to end the relationship and blames it on the victim. I will
find out what she did to the little Hmong girl in Vietnam.
(RS)I will continue my film as planned, will continue to advocate for
an efficient solution to resolve the remaining Jungle Hmong issue,will
continue to work on the promotion that the refugees need an official
pre-screening, will also continue to do that professional, neutral,
intelligent and without a political or personal "greed" agenda.
(LX)Based on per past actions, it is hard to believe that what she
plans to do would benefit the Hmong people rather than for her own self
benefit. It would be nice if she could do what she preaches.
(RS)I will also not enter into the absurd stories and accusations
spinning around all over made by Laura, as it will only bring about
more and more disrespect and harm to the Hmong issue. I have worked for
years in an international arena, were Laura just entered as a newborn.
(LX)I have not. She is the one who is spinning the accusation against
me around the Hmong community, over the internet, other organizations,
and NGOs around the world.
(RS)I am not using my contacts to discredit your organization or Laura,
and this letter is sent internally to you- Hmong , so that you get a
chance to contact me directly, and to decide for what you are standing
for, and how you wish to go about this.
(RS)If she has not intention to discredit me and the organization, she
would not spin her message around the Hmong community. She knows that
there are some Political Hmong organizations who oppose my mission due
to their dirty political agenda. Her intention is to discredit me.
(RS)I expect a call.
Rebecca Sommer.
1 718 3021949__________________
chaisom2...@yahoo.com wrote:> hi
>
> I'm suspecious about the issues of Rebecca Sommer committed another
> violation against Laura Xiong. Tell me more about it. Don't tell me
> lie, I want factual information only.
>
> Chaisomboun
>
>
> vue wrote:
>> rebecca sommer has committed another violation against laura xiong. the
>> video clip has been removed. if anyone see the complete video she
>> produced for neohom please forward a copy to HIHRW for the record.
>> HIHRW will pay up to $$$$$$ for a copy. thanks.
>>
>>
>> xongmenglee@ hotmail.com wrote: >>> The opener of a 30 min. video:
>>> Laura Xiong , a traitor to her own Hmong people.
>>>
>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxeDV_sCB1Y
>>> Are the refugees right with their fears that Laura Xiong, from Hmong
>>> International Human Rights Watch (HIHRW) works for the LPDR government?
>>>
>>> Check other other rough clips:
>>> 1) Laura Xiong attacked by the refugees (Hmong language - English
>>> subtitles)
>>> 2) Laura Xiong making a deal with the Lao PDR government (in Lao
>>> language - English subtitles)
>>> 3) Laura Xiong paying refugees to go back to Laos, telling them that
>>> she organized with the LPDR that they will be save . . (Hmong language
>>> - English subtitles)
>>> 4) Laura Xiong discussing on the phone how Hmong International Human
>>> Rights Watch can hide 120 000 Dollar from the IRS (Hmong language -
>>> English subtitles)
>>>
>>> More downloads soon.
>>>
>>> A work in progress.
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