In a fairly frightening example of treatment of at risk-refugees, the Thai government has been going ahead with its plan to expel Hmong refugees to the Laos dictatorship, where Hmong have reported to Doctors Without Borders facing "killings, gang-rape and malnutrition" at the hands of Laotian forces. Much of this forced removal occurred yesterday, to the dismay of many in the US government and the UNHCR and other international advocacy groups.
I want to call attention to a couple previous diaries from a few days ago dealing with the same subject. However, I think this issue requires continued awareness, and I also believe both diaries were written before the "evacuation" action actually took place the other day. (more)
Here is a link to a basic article on this subject before going on.
http://www.google.com/...
The senators from Wisconsin & Minnesota, Kohl(D), Feingold(D), Franken(D), and Klobuchar(D), states with the most significant Hmong populations in the United States, have expressed their outrage at the actions of the Thai government. Vermont's Senator Leahy(D) as well has suggested that US military cooperation with longtime-ally Thailand should potentially be curbed in response to this action that has put thousands of refugees in harms way.
While I'm not the sort to jump easily to conclusions, the defense of both the Thai & Laotian governments that the Hmong refugees in question are not refugees at all but "illegal immigrants" is something I imagine is meant to be tailored toward apparent sympathies in the US for a hardline against "illegal immigrants." Language matters, and I seldom think such terminology is chosen accidentally.
Many Hmong were essentially conscripted by the US military to help in the fight against the North Vietnamese during the 1970s, and both those individuals who did indeed help, and many Hmong simply as a form of group punishment, have been harassed & often persecuted by the communist Laotian government for decades partly because of this history.
The UN is currently demanding access to the recently displaced Hmong community now back in Laos from the Laotian government, and asking the Thai government for access to whatever "assurances" they're received that these refugees will not face oppressive treatment.
Ban "regrets that these deportations have taken place in the face of appeals from the (UNHCR) and despite the availability of third country resettlement solutions for those recognized as refugees," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
And as this excellent Christian Science Monitor article reminds us, this is not the first time this year the Thai government has behaved "questionably," to put it lightly, when it comes to refugee issues.
In January, Thailand’s military was accused of pushing several boatloads of Muslim refugees from Burma out to sea on ships without motors or adequate food and water. Hundreds were later rescued after their vessels washed up India and Indonesia, while others drowned at sea. Under international pressure, Mr. Abhisit promised an enquiry but failed to reprimand any of the military officials implicated in the program.
http://www.csmonitor.com/...
This act by the Thai & Laotian governments is incredibly concerning for those worried about refugee rights across the globe. Perhaps a good first step would be to write to the Senators from Wisconsin & Minnesota to voice your support for their condemnation of this provocative move that may put 4500 civilians into harms way for being, well, "illegal immigrants" without recourse instead of refugees, apparently.