"SOLVING THE HMONG PROBLEM"
The Bangkok Post
Friday September 07, 2007

Brig-Gen Buasieng Champaphan, the Lao deputy chief of staff and co-chairman of the Thai-Lao general border sub-committee, talked about Laos' position in solving the problem of Hmong immigrants in Thailand in a meeting with journalists, including ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Hmong support groups in the United States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have criticised the Thai-Lao plan to repatriate nearly 8,000 Hmong people from Phetchabun's Khao Kho district and another 150 Hmong detained at the Nong Khai immigration centre. Are you concerned about their pressure?

Those outside our country have always caused trouble for us. They attack us and make the repatriation of Hmong back to Laos more difficult. They have accused the process of being inhumane, [and accused Lao authorities of] jailing the returned Hmong or raping the Hmong girls. Those [allegations] are not true. We have received 192 Hmong from Thailand since the middle of this year. Most of them were sent back to their hometowns, except those who do not have farm land to tend who were provided with two hectares of land per family at Ban Pattana Phahak, some 200 kilometres north of the capital [Vientiane]. The Lao government has also educated the ethnic Hmong so that they will not be easily lured by any gangs into crossing the border into Thailand.

International agencies have called for Lao permission to observe the resettlement process to guarantee the rights of the returnees. Will Vientiane reconsider their request, or will the government allow the Hmong at Ban Huay Nam Khao to participate in the resettlement discussion?

Laos and Thailand will proceed with the bilateral plan to repatriate them with no need for third party involvement.

Both the armies and governments have agreed that there should be no intervention from a third party. In the past, Lao did not want to take back these people since they illegally crossed the border and it was up to the Thai government to make any decision. But Thailand has sought cooperation from Laos, and we cannot let our neighbour and friend shoulder the growing problem alone any longer. We therefore agreed to take them back, no matter how many there are. If they are Lao nationals, we will receive them.

What will be the plight of around 150 Hmong at the temporary detention centre in Nong Khai, where half are recognised by the UNHCR as persons of concern?

They are still illegal immigrants. They will be considered refugees only if they come from a country that is still waging a war. But we do not have any war. They just crossed the border of their own will. We did not force them to leave. They just do not love their home and would like to enjoy a flashy life elsewhere. So we do not have to negotiate with them.

Both those in Huay Nam Khao and Nong Khai will be repatriated to Laos. Those opposing the plan are [doing so] because they are losing face when returning home. They boasted to their relatives and colleagues that they would be sent to the US, but they couldn't go.

Are you concerned that the post-election Thai government might change policy towards the Hmong?

If the Thai government changes any policy measures or guidelines, it is within its rights. But I believe that whichever parties become the government will have to maintain the good relations and cooperation with Laos and would like to see a peaceful and prosperous Laos. I believe an elected [Thai] government will even be fully legitimate in solving the Hmong problems.