Here are some article about the missing men.
St. Paul families fear for 3 Hmong men held in Laos
By Maria Elena Baca and Tom Ford, Star Tribune
Last update: September 3, 2007 - 11:37 PM
Three Hmong men from Minnesota were last heard from on Aug. 25
Nine days after three Hmong men from St. Paul were taken into custody
in Laos by security forces, their families said Monday that they are
desperate for information.
The men, Hakit Yang, 29, Cong Shi Neng Yang, 31, and Trillion
Yunhaison, 41, haven't been heard from since Aug. 25. They were
sightseeing and looking into opportunities to open a business, said
Hakit Yang's wife, Sheng Xiong.
Philip Smith, the Washington director of Lao Veterans of America, said
he has heard from sources in Laos that the men's captors accused them
of supporting Gen. Vang Pao, a prominent leader of the U.S. Hmong
community who was recently indicted by federal authorities on charges
of plotting to overthrow the Laotian government.
Based on conversations with the men's family members and with Pao
supporters, Smith said that the men appear to have no ties to Pao and
that the accusations are baseless.
Smith said he was told the men were arrested Aug. 25 by Laotian
military and security forces in Xieng Khouang, a province north of the
Laotian capital.
Xiong said she has been unable to learn whether her husband is even
alive, and is frustrated by the lack of cooperation from the Lao
government.
"We just want to know they are safe and are not being mistreated," she
said.
4 years ago, another arrest
In 2003, the Rev. Naw-Karl Mua of St. Paul was arrested in Laos and
faced 15 years in prison, but was freed.
Members of Laos' Hmong minority say they face persecution in Laos
because they served in a CIA-backed guerrilla army led by Pao that
fought Lao communists in the 1960s and 1970s.
Xiong, who said she was related to all three of the men, said she was
sure none of them was involved in Lao politics. She said they were
thinking of opening a motel or guesthouse or possibly a farming
venture there.
All three men, who are U.S. citizens, had visited Laos earlier in the
year and were treated well, she said.
Cong Shi Neng Yang is a single father to an 8-year-old daughter and 5-
year-old son. His mother, Sao Xiong, said Monday that she did not want
him to go to Laos.
"She is begging and pleading for help from anyone out there that can
locate where they are," Sheng Xiong said, translating for Sao Xiong.
Yunhaison's wife, Neng Lee, said the couple have six children, ranging
in age from 9 to 22. "I'm really worried about him. I don't know what
to do," she said Monday.
Reports from Laos
Smith said that his sources in Laos have told him the men were first
taken to Ponthong prison, which is in the capital city of Vientiane
and which he called "notorious" for mistreatment of prisoners. He said
he has heard that the men have been kept in solitary confinement,
interrogated, beaten and not allowed any visitors. Still, he is unsure
what if any charges the men might be facing.
On Aug. 30, they were seen being taken out of the prison, hooded and
shackled, and then thrown into a military truck with several others,
Smith said. It is unknown where the men went from there, though they
may have been transported to another prison or detention camp, he
said.
He guesses that because the men are U.S. citizens and likely would
benefit from pressure the American government would place on Laos to
offer fair treatment, they might go through a trial and eventually be
released, probably after being forced to pay a fine or signing some
confession.
"Hopefully enough attention will be brought to [the case] that the Lao
government will treat these Hmong-Americans with care and caution," he
said.
The arrests have parallels to the case of the Rev. Mua, Smith said.
Mua had gone to Laos in May 2003 to work as an interpreter for two
European journalists who were reporting on the Hmong resistance
movement in the country. The three encountered Laotian soldiers and
one soldier was killed. Mua was charged in connection to the soldier's
death and sentenced to 15 years in prison. But after spending more
than a month in prison, he was released and returned to Minnesota. As
part of his release, Mua -- who maintained his innocence -- had to pay
$2,500 to the family of the dead soldier.
Sheng Xiong said the couple's children, Ulond, 8, and Journie, 5, have
been asking about their father's absence. "My daughter has been
asking, 'Why isn't Daddy calling or why don't we call Daddy?' It just
breaks my heart really bad.
"It's like they are kidnapping them secretly and not telling anyone
what is going on."
mbaca@
startribune.com • 612-673-4409 tford@
startribune.com •
612-673-4921
U.S.: Laos Mum On 3 Missing St. Paul Hmong
Bangkok, Thailand (AP) ― Laos' government has not responded to
repeated requests for information about three Hmong-American men from
Minnesota who are missing in the country after reportedly being taken
into custody by security forces, a U.S. Embassy official said
Thursday.
The three men from St. Paul, Minn., were arrested Aug. 25 by Laotian
military and security forces, according to Philip Smith, the
Washington director of Lao Veterans of America. The government of Laos
denied the allegations.
He said it wasn't clear why the men were arrested, and that they had
no known political or family ties to dissident groups. Smith said the
men were traveling in Laos sightseeing and looking to start
businesses.
Amy Archibald, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Laos, said
embassy officials were aware of reports that the three were being
detained in Laos but so far were not able to confirm it.
"Officials in our embassy are working to confirm these reports, gain
consular access to any detained Americans and provide appropriate
consular assistance," Archibald said. "The central government of Laos
has not yet responded to U.S. officials' request for an official
confirmation."
Yong Chanthalansy, a spokesman for the Laos Foreign Ministry, denied
the U.S. claim and said police had determined the three men identified
as Hakit Yang, Conghineng Yang and Trillion Yunhaison had not been
arrested.
Yong said Laos is seeking talks with the United States to "clarify the
matter."
Sheng Xiong, Hakit Yang's wife, has said the families of the men last
heard from them on Aug. 25, when Yunhaison borrowed a cell phone from
a security guard and called his family to say he had been arrested.
"We are really upset at the Lao government for trying to deny this,"
she said Thursday. "Why are they denying this? We are growing
impatient. We need answers."
Smith said that based on his sources in Laos, the men were taken on
Aug. 30 from Ponthong Prison in shackles and hoods and loaded into a
government truck. They were then taken to an unknown location, he
said.
Members of Laos' Hmong minority served in a CIA-backed guerrilla army
that fought against Lao communists in the 1960s and 1970s. Afterward,
thousands fled retribution in communist Laos and settled in the United
States.
Smith is also the executive director for the Center for Public Policy
Analysis, a group advocating democracy in Laos.
U.S.: Laos Mum On 3 Missing St. Paul Hmong
Bangkok, Thailand (AP) ― Laos' government has not responded to
repeated requests for information about three Hmong-American men from
Minnesota who are missing in the country after reportedly being taken
into custody by security forces, a U.S. Embassy official said
Thursday.
The three men from St. Paul, Minn., were arrested Aug. 25 by Laotian
military and security forces, according to Philip Smith, the
Washington director of Lao Veterans of America. The government of Laos
denied the allegations.
He said it wasn't clear why the men were arrested, and that they had
no known political or family ties to dissident groups. Smith said the
men were traveling in Laos sightseeing and looking to start
businesses.
Amy Archibald, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Laos, said
embassy officials were aware of reports that the three were being
detained in Laos but so far were not able to confirm it.
"Officials in our embassy are working to confirm these reports, gain
consular access to any detained Americans and provide appropriate
consular assistance," Archibald said. "The central government of Laos
has not yet responded to U.S. officials' request for an official
confirmation."
Yong Chanthalansy, a spokesman for the Laos Foreign Ministry, denied
the U.S. claim and said police had determined the three men identified
as Hakit Yang, Conghineng Yang and Trillion Yunhaison had not been
arrested.
Yong said Laos is seeking talks with the United States to "clarify the
matter."
Sheng Xiong, Hakit Yang's wife, has said the families of the men last
heard from them on Aug. 25, when Yunhaison borrowed a cell phone from
a security guard and called his family to say he had been arrested.
"We are really upset at the Lao government for trying to deny this,"
she said Thursday. "Why are they denying this? We are growing
impatient. We need answers."
Smith said that based on his sources in Laos, the men were taken on
Aug. 30 from Ponthong Prison in shackles and hoods and loaded into a
government truck. They were then taken to an unknown location, he
said.
Members of Laos' Hmong minority served in a CIA-backed guerrilla army
that fought against Lao communists in the 1960s and 1970s. Afterward,
thousands fled retribution in communist Laos and settled in the United
States.
Smith is also the executive director for the Center for Public Policy
Analysis, a group advocating democracy in Laos.

Report: Three Hmong men from US missing in Laos
MINNEAPOLIS: Three ethnic Hmong men from Minnesota were missing in
Laos on Monday after being taken into custody by security forces,
according to an advocacy group and one man's wife.
Philip Smith, the Washington director of Lao Veterans of America, said
multiple sources in Laos said the men were arrested Aug. 25 by Laotian
military and security forces.
He said it was not known why the men were arrested, and that they had
no known political or family ties to dissident groups. Smith said the
men were traveling in Laos and looking to start businesses.
Laotian authorities were not available for comment Monday afternoon.
Smith identified the men as Hakit Yang, 21; Conghineng Yang, 31; and
Trillion Yunhaison, 41. All are from St. Paul, Minnesota, which has
one of the largest concentrations of ethnic Hmong in the United
States.
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Sheng Xiong, Yang's wife, said families of the men last heard from
them on Aug. 25, when Yunhaison borrowed a cell phone from a security
guard and called his family to say he had been arrested.
Xiong, who said she was related to all three men, said she was sure
none were involved in Lao politics.
"Everybody is just worried and sick," she said. "We just need some
answers here."
Smith said a fourth man may also have been taken into custody. He was
Pao Vang, who was reportedly acting as a tour guide for the group.
Smith said Vang's age and nationality were not known.
Smith said that based on his sources in Laos, the men were taken on
Aug. 30 from Ponthong Prison in shackles and hoods, loaded into a
government truck and taken to an unknown location.
"They are presumed to have been transported to another Lao government
prison or detention camp outside of the capital for further detention,
interrogation or worse," Smith said in a news release.
Members of Laos' Hmong minority served in a CIA-backed guerrilla army
that fought against communists in the 1960s and 1970s. Afterward,
thousands fled retribution in communist Laos and settled in the United
States.
Smith is also the executive director for the Center for Public Policy
Analysis, a group that advocates for democracy in Laos.
