Pm Abhisit: Bangkok Respects Rights And Laws In Repatriation

[webfact]

REPATRIATION OF HMONGS

Bangkok respects rights and laws in repatriation : PM

By The Nation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated Wednesday that the repatriations of Hmongs to Laos have been carried out in accordance with human rights principles and laws.

News reports earlier said that rights groups and diplomats have expressed deep concern over Thailand's repatriation of 4,000 Hmongs taking shelters in Phetchabun province to Laos. They said they feared Hmongs would face persecution.

The prime minister said the National Security Council had discussed the issue on Tuesday and affirmed that Thailand would do everything in accordance with the law and bear in mind the principles of human rights.

Thailand has repatriated 17 groups of Hmongs; a total of 3,059 persons to Laos to date, Abhisit said, adding there was no confirmed case of human rights violations.

He insisted there was no critical conflict or any fighting in Laos that could affect the returnees and it is believed that the Lao government had allowed other countries to inspect the conditions of the returnees.

The premier said Thailand has clear principles on the matter and would have no problem to clarifiy the issue to the international community.

Foreign diplomats in Bangkok reportedly met Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to voice their concern about the repatriation.

-- The Nation 2009/12/23

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

The Hmongs had helped the United States fighting against the communist Pathet Lao during the Indochina War. After the communist victory, many Hmong fled to settle in the US and other western countries, while many remain in Thailand and are reluctant to return to their homeland for fear that the Lao government might persecute them.

[Credo]

Thailand is not a signatory on the conventions related to Refugees. They have not allowed for the screening of many of these people to determine if they are refugees and it is against the UN charter to return persons who may face persecution.

The last time he got on this topic, it was to the backdrop of the Rohyingas being drug back out to sea.

[Reasonableman]

"Legal", "humanitarian", "ethical" and "moral" are not necessarily synonymous terms

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Don't just voice concerns, offer solutions

By Supalak Ganjanakhundee

The Nation

Published on December 24, 2009

Instead of just expressing their concerns, countries should start offering solutions to resolve the problems faced by the thousands of Hmong being sheltered in Phetchabun's Ban Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai. If nothing is done soon, this will only develop into another never-ending story.

More than 4,000 ethnic Hmong from Laos have been living in Ban Huay Nam Khao in Phetchabun's Khao Koh district since late 2004. Some of them claim to be close associates of militiamen the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) supported to fight the communists before the fall of Vientiane in 1975. They say they are fleeing suppression back home.

Some of them sneaked out of the Phetchabun shelter to seek protection from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) in Bangkok. However, they were rounded up in late 2006 and sent off to the Nong Khai detention centre. Yet, when the group was close to being repatriated, they started resisting and some international agencies raised objections. Now, there are more than 158 of them, including newborns, at the detention centre.

As for their story about CIA connections, Lao and Thai are not buying it. As far as Thailand is concerned, the Hmong are normal economic migrants and should be sent home.

Thailand began repatriating Hmong refugees from May 2007, with the most recent group sent back just last month.

In addition, Thai authorities want to shutdown the shelter in Ban Huay Nam Khao as soon as possible, because it doesn't have the funds for its upkeep. Even though food and medication is provided by non-governmental organisation Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees, Thai authorities still need to spend a lot on security and the funds have run dry since September.

The repatriation efforts have not been going too well either because it is against human-rights practice to force them to leave against their will. Most Hmong do not want to return home, and are instead holding out for resettlement in a third country, preferably the United States, where many of their friends and relatives moved to after the Vietnam War.

Meanwhile many countries in the West and international organisations, including the UNHCR, are urging Thailand not to repatriate the Hmong for fear they will be severely punished in Laos. In fact, some countries like Australia have even offered to resettle some 20 Hmong, provided they can obtain the UN "people of concern" status. However the resettlement process has not yet started, and the offer is not much compared to the large population.

On the other hand, Laos insists that ethnic Hmong have never been suppressed and that they will be welcomed back with open arms. Lao deputy chief-of-staff Brig-General Buaxieng Champaphan visited Ban Huay Nam Khao twice this year to guarantee their safety back home.

The general told Hmong representatives that they would not be punished for fleeing the country, but instead will each be given 300,000 kip (Bt1,800), a house and a plot of land for farming upon their return. In fact, he even invited diplomats and journalists to visit the area marked out for Hmong people in Ban Pa Lak in Vientiane province.

Though western countries have officially voiced concerns in a letter sent to the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, repatriation will most likely not be stopped because the letter did not offer any clear solutions or even commitment to move some of the refugees.

Of course, some, if not all, Hmong refugees are qualified to resettle in a third country, yet no agency has said who would be given the chance to resettle, nor has anybody guaranteed if the influx of Hmong refugees to Thailand will ever be stemmed.

-- The Nation 2009/12/24

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[BangkokJazz]

A nice editorial by The Nation. Many in the west are quick to criticize and condemn, anything accept offer help or assistance themselves. Thailand has potentially millions of refugees from Burma, Laos, Cambodia, etc., and can't take care of them all.

That being said, they do need to follow humanitarian doctrine when dealing with these people (the army especially, must be held accountable) so that no more of the boat people travesties happen again. Wishful thinking perhaps.

[Credo]

Many governments and a host of NGO's, as well as the UN does offer assistance. The Thai government often blocks the work of NGO's in the camps, even if that work is as simple as providing medical care and or assisting in resettlement. The process of screening asylum seekers is hindered because the Thai government doesn't recognize refugees.

The scenario is basically give us a lot of money and we will spend it as we see fit and then when we are done, we will do with them what we want.

The Thai government has a big problem with asylum seekers, illegal immigrants and other groups who end up on Thai soil. Blocking humanitarian efforts to deal with the asylum-seekers only exacerbates the problem. Allow for screening. Resettle refugees, return the remainders.

[dom samui]

BURNING ISSUE...... any firefighters here?