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Welcome to the CPPA Press Page Regarding East Asia. Please select from the
list below to find press releases or articles of interest. Still No Christmas in Laos: State-Sponsored Persecution Directed
Against Lao Hmong Believers,
Political Dissidents, Increases
December 25, 2014, For Immediate Release Washington, D.C. & Vientiane, Laos
On Christmas Day, 2014, the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) is raising concern about
the increased persecution of minority Christian, Animist and independent Buddhist believers in Laos at the hands of military
and security forces of Laos and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Religious freedom and human rights violations have dramatically
increased under the Hanoi-backed, one-party communist government in Laos, especially against various Laotian and Hmong minority
groups, including religious believers and political dissidents.
“Intensified religious freedom violations directed against ethnic Laotian and Hmong Christian
believers are increasingly violent and egregious, with independent religious ceremonies and Christmas celebrations prohibited,
or under attack, by the Lao military and security forces,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the CPPA in Washington,
D.C. “In the latest crackdown, Lao and Hmong Christians, and Animist, believers have been arrested, tortured, killed
, or have simply disappeared, on a systematic and more frequent basis, as the Marxist government of Laos, working in coordination
with the Vietnam People's Army and authorities in Hanoi, continues its policy of attacking independent religious believers
who wish to worship freely outside of state-controlled, and state-monitored, religious institutions.”
“Clearly, under these dark and grim conditions,
there is still no Christmas in Laos for those who seek to celebrate and worship outside of the watchful eye of the military,
secret police and communist authorities in Vientiane and Hanoi,” Smith stated.
“It is also clear, and unfortunate, that the current Stalinist government
in Laos is unwilling to cooperate on the many international appeals for the release of prominent political dissidents and
prisoners, including Sombath Somphone, the Lao Students' Movement for Democracy protesters, and significant numbers of Hmong
refugees,” Smith concluded.
Earlier
this month, the CPPA and a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) urged the United Nations to address ongoing
serious human rights violations, as well as religious and press freedom violations, by the government of the Lao Peoples
Democratic Republic (LPDR). The NGOs also raised concern about the plight of a growing number of Lao and Hmong people who
have disappeared at the hands of Lao military and security forces, including Sombath Somphone, Lao student protest leaders,
Hmong refugees and others.http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
###
Contact(s):
Maria Gomez or Philip Smith Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Tele. (202)543-1444
NGOs Call for United Nations to Pressure Laos on Sombath Somphone, Human Rights, Press and Religious Freedom Violations
Geneva, Switzerland, Washington, D.C., and New York, 3 December 2014 – For Immediate Release Center
for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA)
Tele. (202)543-1444
The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), the Lao Movement for Human Rights (LMHR),
and a coalition of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are a calling for United Nations' (UN) members
to urge the government of Laos to cease ongoing human rights violations, religious freedom violations, and to restore
fundamental human freedoms, including press freedom. They are also calling for the release of Sombath Somphone and other
imprisoned Lao and Hmong political and religious dissidents. Joining the CPPA and LMHR, in coalition,
are the: Lao Human Rights Council, Inc.; the United League for Democracy in Lao, Inc.; Lao Veterans of America, Inc.;
Laos Institute for Democracy; Lao Students Movement for Democracy; Hmong Advance, Inc.; Hmong Advancement, Inc.; and, others. “We are calling for increased transparency and human rights reforms by the Lao government, military and
communist party, as well as press and religious freedom,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for
Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) in Washington, D.C. “The NGOs and civil society organizations have also joined together
to call for the immediate release of Sombath Somphone, and others who have disappeared at the hands of the Lao military
and secret police, including the leaders of the Lao Students Movement for Democracy of 1999, ethnic Hmong refugee leaders,
Lao and Hmong minority Christian believers, and many other political prisoners and religious and political dissidents.”
http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Smith continued: “Unfortunately, in Laos, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPRD or Lao PDR)
is still a one-party Marxist government largely controlled by the military and communist party; It continues to be strongly
allied with Stalinist North Korea.” Mrs. Vanida Thephsouvanh of the Paris, France-based
Lao Movement for Human Rights [(LMHR or Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l’Homme (MLDH)] expressed: “deep
concerns about violations of freedom of expression, enforced disappearances and religious freedom in Laos.” http://www.mldh-lao.org Mrs. Thephsouvanh said the LMHR along with other civil society organizations are urging
United Nations' members to press the Lao PDR government for urgent reforms at its upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
schedule for the 20th
of January, 2015 in Geneva.
“In advance of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LPDR)'s Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) scheduled for 20 January 2015 in Geneva, the Geneva-based UPR-Info
invited diplomats to hear the concerns of civil society organizations at a UPR pre-session in Geneva today,”
stated Thephsouvanh.
“The UPR is a key mechanism for addressing the state of human rights in all
193 United Nations member states. The UPR is designed to treat all states equally with respect to their human rights records.
The UPR process includes the opportunity for each state to declare what efforts they have undertaken to fulfill their
obligations to respect human rights;
“We have deep concerns about violations of freedom of expression,
enforced disappearances and religious freedom in Laos. Regretting that Lao PDR has not implemented recommendations it
accepted at its first UPR in 2010, she urged States to raise concerns on these human rights abuses and presented concrete
recommendations for human rights progress in Laos,” continued Thephsouvanh, speaking on behalf of the LMHR, which
is also a member of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). Twenty one representatives from the Geneva-based
missions attended the pre-session.
The following
is the full statement made today by Mrs. Thephsouvanh in Geneva, Switzerland, regarding concerns about the serious situation
in Laos (full text below in English translation): STATEMENT
ON THE SECOND UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF
LAOS
at
the Pre-session organized by UPR- Info
Geneva, 3 December 2014 I speak on behalf of the
Lao Movement for Human Rights, a non- political human rights organisation based in France, a member of FIDH, the International
Federation for Human Rights. We have been involved with the UPR process since the Lao PDR first review in 2010 and have
closely monitored the Lao PDR’s pledges and implementation of recommendations it accepted. The Lao PDR is a one-party State with no independent
national human rights institution. No independent civil society organisations were involved in preparing the State report
for the UPR. Only state-affiliated CSOs were consulted. Therefore, it is most necessary
that independent information be provided here and I thank UPR-info for making this pre-session possible. At its first UPR in 2010, Lao PDR made a voluntary
pledge to ‘’fulfill the reporting obligations under human rights treaties, cooperate with the Special
Procedures by extending invitation to Special Rapporteurs on thematic issues to visit the country [...]’’ (149).
To this day, the Lao PDR has 3 overdue reports: ICCPR (due in 2011), ICESCR (due in 2009) and CRPD (due in 2011). The Lao PDR
has also pending requests for visits from three Special Procedures, namely the Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions
(request made in 2006), the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing (request made in 2009) and the Special Rapporteur on
the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association (requests made in 2011 and in 2013). For the second (2nd) UPR on the Lao PDR government,
scheduled for 20 January 2015, the report we submitted jointly with FIDH highlighted the situation
of land rights, which has become a key issue in the country. Today, I will focus on the following 3 issues: Press freedom, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly.
Enforced
disappearances. Religious
freedom.
I - Press Freedom, freedom
of expression, and freedom of assembly In 2010, Laos accepted recommendations by Australia (5), Canada (27), Italy (48), the Netherlands (66),
New Zealand (99), and Slovakia (115) to guarantee freedom of expression and strengthen
press freedom. Although a party to the ICCPR, the Lao PDR has failed to protect the rights
to freedom of expression and assembly.In practice, the Penal Code severely limits freedom
of expression under the pretext of protecting national security. There is still no free press in the Lao PDR and no legal protection for Lao
journalists who do not follow the party line. The Lao PDR government still controls all TV, radio, and press
outlets in the country. Self-censorship is still widespread. In January 2012, the Ministry of Information and Culture
cancelled the only live call-in radio program after farmers called in to complain about
government land grabs. In December 2012, the government expelled within 48 hours the director of a Swiss NGO for sending a letter to
some donor countries, criticising the authorities for creating a hostile environment for development and civil society
groups by stifling freedom of expression and association.
In September 2014, the Lao PDR enacted an internet law that prohibits online criticism
of government policies and the one-party State.
Peaceful assembly is still restricted under Article 72 of the Penal Code. Three people
have been imprisoned since 1999 for having planned a peaceful protest. Laos refused the recommendation made by Belgium in
2010 to release them. Another 9 persons were arrested for the same reason in November 2009 and have since disappeared. We invite States
to urge the Lao PDR to: Set
a firm time frame for the reform of the Penal Code and ensure that all new laws conform with international human rights
standards and ensure that they are implemented. Repeal
all provisions of the Constitution, the Penal Code, the law on media, and the new decree on internet that criminalise
basic human rights and subordinate individual rights to the interests of the state. Extend a standing invitation
to the UN Special Rapporteurs on Freedom of Opinion and Expression and on Human Rights Defenders to visit the Lao PDR. Release all prisoners detained owing to their participation in peaceful demonstrations,
and in particular the student leaders who were arrested in 1999. II- Enforced disappearances
In 2010,
the Lao PDR accepted recommendations by France (46) and Spain (122) to ratify the International
Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Furthermore, the Lao PDR made a voluntary pledge
ratify this Convention. To this day, the Lao PDR has not yet ratified it. However,
by signing this Convention in 2008, Laos has the obligation to adhere to the Convention and to
prevent and suppress the practice of enforced disappearances. For two years now, the Lao
PDR has been obstructing the investigation on the disappearance of prominent activist and civil society leader Sombath
Somphone in December 2012. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that police stopped Sombath’s car at a
police checkpoint. Analysis of the video footage shows that Sombath was taken away in the presence of police officers.
A few weeks before his disappearance, Sombath played a key role in organizing the Asia-Europe People’s Forum (AEPF),
a civil society forum that preceded the official Asia-Europe Summit Meeting. At the forum, the topic of land issues was
discussed openly for the first time in the Lao PDR. His disappearance is emblematic of
the Lao PDR government’s lack of accountability for rights abuses. Over
the years the Lao PDR government has used enforced disappearances as a means to intimidate and silence its citizens, including
the disappearance in 2007 of Somphone Khantisouk, an outspoken critic of large-scale
rubber concessions that damaged the environment, and, in 2009, the enforced disappearance
of 9 persons who planned peaceful demonstrations to call for social justice.
We call on States to urge the Lao PDR to: - Ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Person from Enforced Disappearance without delay followed by a time-bound implementation.
- Amend domestic
laws to include specific provisions in line with the ICCPR, the CAT, and the ICPPED and implement them.
- Accept 'foreign experts’ assistance
in examining evidence in the case of Sombath Somphone, including the closed circuit video taken on the night he was taken
away in front of police authorities. - Investigate all cases of enforced disappearances in a transparent manner.
III- Religious freedom The Lao PDR accepted recommendations from Australia (7), Denmark
(37), France (47), Italy (64), Netherland (90), New Zealand (98) and the United Kingdom (141) to adopt adequate measures
to fulfill the right to practice religion freely. The Lao PDR government pledged
to amend Decree 92 on Religious Practice in accordance with the ICCPR. However, to
date, Decree 92 has remained unchanged. Decree 92 still contains numerous mechanisms for government control of, and interference
in, religious activities. Decree 92 regulates up to the smallest detail of control that the government exercises over
religious organizations. In the Lao PDR, Christian
minorities in remote areas remain persecuted. Repression of Christians,
mainly Protestants, has not diminished. Throughout 2014, in remote areas of every part of the Lao PDR, Christians have
been victims of arbitrary arrest, intimidation, and forced eviction from their village by the authorities for practicing
their faith. The central government denied responsibilities for the abuses by blaming local authorities. But Vientiane
has never taken any action to hold local authorities accountable. Christians also face repression on the basis of ethnicity
as many of them belong to ethnic minorities. We invite States to urge
Laos to: - Amend Decree 92 on Religious
Practice to bring it in line with Article 18 of the ICCPR. - Implement
measures through revised legislation to protect all citizens from discrimination due to their religion.
- End all restrictions on the right to practice one's religion of choice without discrimination.
- Prosecute all those involved in the persecution of religious groups.
(Ends)
###
Contact: Maria Gomez or Philip Smith
Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA)
Tele. (202)543-1444 Australia OAM Honors Laos, Hmong Human Rights Advocate Washington,
D.C., January 28, 2014 Center
for Public Policy Analysis Kay Danes, who suffered
imprisonment and torture in Laos at the hands of communist officials, is being honored in Australia with the prestigious
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her social justice and human rights work. Danes often travels to Washington,
D.C., on invitation, to speak in the U.S. Congress about human rights violations in Laos and the plight of the Lao and Hmong
people, including imprisoned political and religious dissidents. She has testified about the status of
Hmong refugees facing forced repatriation in Thailand, foreign prisoners tortured in Laos, religious persecution, and Lao-
and Hmong-American men from St. Paul, Minnesota, still imprisoned in Laos, including Hakit Yang. Congshineng Yang,
and Trillion Yunhaison. The OAM is the principal and most prestigious means of recognizing
outstanding members of the community in Australia. It was established by the Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom
and the Commonwealth nations, Elizabeth II. "I am grateful to be a recipient of this award and hope that the human rights conversation
continues to strengthen throughout the world,” said Kay Danes. “Human
rights are the foundation of civil societies and set the guidelines on how we ought to act towards one another. “My
long-standing relationship with the Centre for Public Policy Analysis and in particular, with Mr. Philip Smith, has very
much played an important part of this award to which I am recognized today. Together, and with other humanitarians and U.S.
Government officials, we hope to secure greater human rights freedoms for the thousands of those still oppressed by totalitarian
regimes.”
“Kay Danes had provided
critical research, evidence and testimony to the U.S. Congress, government policymakers and the Center for Public Policy
Analysis (CPPA), over the years, regarding ongoing human rights and religious freedom violations in Laos, Vietnam and elsewhere
in Southeast Asia,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the CPPA. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“Kay Danes’
courage to give voice to the voiceless has been invaluable in helping to understand the hidden reality of the communist regimes
in Laos and Vietnam, especially in light of the abduction of civic activist and Magsaysay Award winner Sombath Somphone
by Lao security forces and the international outcry for his release.
“We congratulate Kay Danes
for being honored with the Medal of the Order of Australia. We are happy for her, and her husband Kerry, especially after
the horrific human rights abuses they both suffered and witnessed in Laos during their imprisonment by the Lao communist
government as political prisoners.”
“The Lao and Hmong community are grateful to Kay Danes
for her important human rights efforts,” said Sheng Xiong, of St. Paul, Minnesota, whose husband was imprisoned and
tortured in Laos with other Hmong-Americans. “We thank Kay Danes for bringing awareness about terrible human rights violations in Laos
and the suffering in the prisons, detention centers and refugee camps,” said Bounthanh Rathigna of the United League
for Democracy in Laos (ULDL). Two Lao-American members of the ULDL from St. Paul, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, who participated
in public policy events with Kay Danes in Washington, D.C., disappeared last year in Savannakhet Province, Laos, and are
feared dead in an incident involving Lao security and military forces. The three men traveling together
during the incident were Souli Kongmalavong, Bounma Phannhotha and Bounthie Insixiengmai. Kay Danes
is an author of several books on Laos and the plight of foreign prisoners. ### Laos, Hmong Human Rights Advocate
Honored With Medal of the Order of Australia Washington, D.C., and Canberra, Australia, January 26, 2014, Center for
Public Policy Analysis Human rights and humanitarian advocate Kay Danes, who suffered imprisonment and torture in Laos
at the hands of communist officials, is being honored today on Australia Day with the prestigious Medal of the Order of
Australia (OAM). She is one of Australia's 2014 OAM recipients for service to the community through social
justice and human rights. For over
a decade, Mrs. Danes has repeatedly traveled to Washington, D.C., on official invitation, to speak in the U.S. Congress about
human rights violations in Laos and the plight of the Lao and Hmong people, including imprisoned political and religious
dissidents. She has testified about the status of refugees facing forced repatriation, foreign prisoners
tortured in Laos, religious persecution, and three Hmong-Americans from St. Paul, Minnesota, still imprisoned and missing
in Laos, including Mr. Hakit Yang. Mr. Congshineng Yang, and Mr. Trillion
Yunhaison, “Kay
Danes had provided critical and important research, evidence and testimony to the U.S. Congress, government policymakers
and the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), over the years, regarding ongoing human rights and religious freedom violations
in Laos, Vietnam and elsewhere in Southeast Asia,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the CPPA.
http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org “This vital information, and Mrs. Danes’ courage to
give voice to the voiceless, has been invaluable in helping to understand the hidden reality of the situation under the
communist regimes in Laos and Vietnam, especially in light of the recent abduction of civic activist and Magsaysay Award
winner Sombath Somphone by Lao security forces in Vientiane, and the international outcry for his release,” Smith
commented. Smith continued: “Joining with many U.S.-based
non-governmental organizations, including Lao and Hmong-American human rights and refugee groups, and victims’ families,
we wish to sincerely congratulate Mrs. Kay Danes for being honored today with the Medal of the Order of Australia by Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the government and people of Australia. We are very happy for Kay Danes as well as her husband
Kerry Danes and family, especially after the horrific human rights abuses they both suffered and witnessed in Laos during
their terrible imprisonment and abuse by the Lao government.” “Among
other important humanitarian efforts, Kay Danes also provided crucial evidence and testimony about the Lao government’s
recent and unfettered role in human rights abuses, torture, extra-judicial abductions and killings as well as its role in
the forced repatriation of Hmong refugees and the brutal persecution of Lao student dissidents and religious believers,
especially minority Christians,” Smith observed. “The
Medal of the Order of Australia is the principal and most prestigious means of recognizing outstanding members of the community
at a national level and nominations are encouraged from all members of the Australian public,” states the Australian
Honours Secretariat of the Australian government. "I am
grateful to be a recipient of this award and hope that the human rights conversation continues to strengthen throughout the
world,” said Mrs. Danes. “Human rights are the foundation of civil societies and set the guidelines
on how we ought to act towards one another.” Danes states further: “My long-standing relationship with the Centre for Public Policy Analysis
and in particular, with Mr. Philip Smith, has very much played an important part of this award to which I am recognized
today. Together, and with other humanitarians and U.S. Government officials, we hope to secure greater human rights freedoms
for the thousands of those still oppressed by totalitarian regimes." Queensland’s
Bayside Bulletin and The Redland Times (Fairfax Regional Media
– Australia) helped to announce the news of the award today and cited Danes’ “…passion for social
justice.”
“The Lao and Hmong community are very pleased and also grateful to Kay Danes, and her husband
Kerry Danes, for their important human rights and humanitarian work,” said Sheng Xiong, of St. Paul, Minnesota, whose
husband was also imprisoned and tortured in Phonthong Prison along with other Hmong-Americans. “We
want to thank Kay Danes for helping to bring awareness about terrible human rights violations in Laos and the suffering
in the prisons, detention centers and refugee camps of Laos, including Phonthong prison; We commend Australia’s government,
and Queen Elizabeth II, for awarding the Medal of the Order of Australia to Mrs. Danes,” said Bounthanh Rathigna,
President of the United League for Democracy in Laos (ULDL). Two Lao-American
members of the ULDL from St. Paul, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, who participated in public policy events with Kay Danes in
Washington, D.C., disappeared last year in Savannakhet Province, Laos and are feared dead in an incident involving Lao security
and military forces. Three Lao-Americans were traveling together during the incident including Souli Kongmalavong, Mr. Bounma Phannhotha and Mr. Bounthie Insixiengmai. Kay
Danes has authored several books on human rights violations in Laos and the plight of foreign prisoners unjustly abused,
tortured and killed abroad including: Standing Ground and Families Behind Bars.
Philip Smith was asked to write the preface and Foreword to her most recent book, Standing Ground
(2009, New Holland Publishers Australia).
According to the Australian
government, the Order of Australia also serves to define, encourage and reinforce community standards, national aspirations
and ideals by acknowledging actions and achievement and thereby identifying role models. The award was
established by the Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth nations, Elizabeth II.
HM Queen Elizabeth II is the Sovereign Head of the Order.
###
Contact:
Maria Gomez, Jade Her or Philip Smith Tele (202)543-1444
Center for Public Policy Analysis 2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington,
DC USA 20006 USA Cambodia,
Buddhist Monks’ Rally at United Nations: Prelude to Upcoming Phnom Penh Demonstrations WASHINGTON & PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, September 6, 2013 -- A major, but largely unnoticed, demonstration held in front of the United Nations
(UN) in New York on August 19 by Cambodians and Buddhist monks was an important prelude to planned mass demonstrations in
Phnom Penh tomorrow, September 7th, according to the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), a non-governmental research
organization. “This major demonstration
of Cambodians and Buddhist monks in front of the UN headquarters, on August 19, as well as rallies in Long Beach, California,
were an important prelude to the mass demonstrations in Phnom Penh tomorrow, September 7” “As a result of the UN protest, it appears that Buddhist monks will help
stand peacefully against the army tanks and soldiers to seek to protect the Cambodian people in the coming days at the planned
mass protests in Phnom Penh on September 7th,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the CPPA in Washington, D.C.
http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“There was little news coverage of the historic Cambodian and Buddhist monks’ demonstration
at the United Nations on August 19, but the estimated 1500 peaceful protestors made an important statement in appealing to
the UN and the United States, as well as the international community, to address the problematic and contested July election
results in Cambodia as well as the current crisis in Phnom Penh,” Smith observed.
“The protestors have appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as U.S. Secretary
of State John Kerry to help intercede in Cambodia so that Prime Minister Hun Sen’s security forces, along with the army
and tanks, are withdrawn from Phnom Penh, and so that the July 28 election results are fully investigated by the UN and international
observers,” Smith commented. “This
major demonstration of Cambodians and Buddhist monks in front of the UN headquarters, on August 19, as well as rallies in
Long Beach, California, were an important prelude to the mass demonstrations in Phnom Penh tomorrow, September 7," Smith
said. “Unfortunately, Hun Sen has deployed tanks, heavy weapons, army troops and security forces in an apparent attempt
to intimidate opposition groups including Sam Rainsy’s Cambodia National Rescue Party.” “We want the United Nations to get involved in the July election results
in Cambodia because we feel the National Election Committee is not fair and because many Cambodian citizens were not allowed
to vote,” said Ms. Reasmy Sou, a young, educated Cambodian-American who participated in the UN rally. “There was
widespread voter fraud and intimidation in the Cambodian elections in July; the election results were not fair and are being
challenged." Ms. Sou explained: "The
United Nations should get involved to help to make the election results fair and right. Prime Minister Hun Sen should not
use the army against the people who are seeking fair election results and peaceful protests. Hun Sen should not be sending
frontline army troops and tanks into the capital. We want the withdrawal of all army troops and security forces prior to the
upcoming peaceful, mass demonstrations planned on September 7, 2013, to contest and protest the election results.” Contacts Center
for Public Policy Analysis
Maria Gomez or Philip Smith
202-543-1444
Cambodia, Buddhist Monks’ Rally in America, United Nations, a
Prelude to Upcoming Phnom Penh Rally
Washington, D.C., Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Bangkok, Thailand, September 5, 2013
A largely unreported major demonstration
of Cambodians and Buddhist monks in front of the United Nations headquarters, in New York, on August 19, 2013, is a prelude
to planned upcoming demonstrations in Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh on Saturday, according to the Washington, D.C.-based
think tank, and non-governmental research organization, the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA).
“Although, at the time, there was little
independent news coverage of the historic Cambodian and Buddhist monks' demonstrations
at the United Nations (UN), in New York City, on August 19, the
estimated 1500 peaceful protestors made a major
and important symbolic statement in appealing to the United Nations , the United States, and the international community, to help address the problematic and
contested July election results
in Cambodia as well as the current crisis in Phnom Penh facing the Cambodian people, ” said Philip Smith, Executive
Director of the CPPA in Washington, D.C. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“The protestors
have appealed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to help intercede in Cambodia
so that Hun Sen ’s police and security forces, and army tanks, are withdrawn from the streets of Phnom Pen and the
July election results are investigated and are deemed fair by the UN and international observers.”
Many of the protestors have family members
in Cambodia. They waved banners, protest placards and Cambodian, American and Canadian flags outside the UN.
“This largely unreported major
demonstration of Cambodians and Buddhist monks in front of
the United Nations headquarters, in New York, on August 19, 2013, as well as similar rallies in Long Beach, California, on
August 19, is an important prelude to the planned upcoming demonstrations
in Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh on Saturday, September 7, where Prime Minister Hun Sen has, unfortunately, deployed army tanks, armored
personnel carriers, and army and security force troops, in an apparent attempt to intimidate supporters of opposition groups
including Sam Rainsy’s political party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP),” Smith commented.
Smith continued:
“In New York City, Cambodian Buddhist monks in traditional saffron robes were joined
by a diverse crowd of some 1500 Cambodia-Americans, and Cambodians from Canada, of
all ages, young and old, in front of the United Nations, to peacefully protest and challenge the results of the July 28
elections which appear to be severely unfair, and riddled with widespread irregularities, voter intimidation, and fraudulent
results that again give Prime Minister Hun Sen, and his party, control of Cambodia.”
Similar peaceful demonstrations were also held the same day, on August
19, in Long Beach, California, by hundreds of Cambodian-Americans.
“Clearly, after well over two long decades of Hun Sen’s rule in Cambodia,
many Cambodian people, including Cambodian-Americans, just want change, and new leaders in Phnom Penh, that are elected
in free and fair elections, without interference from Hun Sen’s party or elements in the Cambodia’s army and
security forces, ” Smith observed.
“Hun Sen’s statement that he wishes to rule Cambodia for another 13 years, until
he is 74 years of age, has many people and policymakers concerned and troubled for a variety of reasons, including economic
and political.”
“We
want the United Nations to get involved in the July election results in Cambodia because we feel the National Election Committee
is not fair and because a lot of people with Cambodian citizenship were not allowed to vote because their names were missing
from the voter registration rolls,” said Ms. Reasmy Sou, a 36 year old Cambodian-American woman, who participated
in the UN demonstrations in New York City.
Ms.
Sou was born and grew up in Cambodia and still has family and friends there who are concerned about the July 28 elections
and the deployment of army tanks and troops following the elections. She further stated: “There was widespread voter fraud,
voter intimidation and voter fraud in the Cambodian elections in July; Prime Minister Hun Sen should not use the Army against
the people who are seeking fair election results and peacefully protesting.”
Ms. Sou
explained: “The election results were not fair and are being challenged.
The United Nations should get involved to help to make the election results fair and right.
We need everything to be free and fair. Prime Minister Hun Sen should not be sending frontline
army troops, tanks and soldiers from the Cambodian armed services into the capital. We
are asking for a withdrawal of all of these army troops and security forces so that they can be removed prior to the upcoming
peaceful demonstrations planned on September 7 to protest the contested election results. Because Hun Sen has deployed the Army in the capital, many ordinary Cambodian people are scared, and fearful,
and are hoarding rice, food, gasoline and other items they need in Phnom Penh to survive. This is bad for the economy and ordinary Cambodian people, since prices are skyrocketing on many daily commodities.”
One demonstrators sign, carried by a
young Cambodian college student at the UN in New York City simply stated: “Hun Sen must step down.”
On yet another student’s protest sign outside the UN were painted the words:
“We need the United Nations to Help Cambodia: We
need to change the National Election Committee in Cambodia. ”
Cambodian groups are planning a protest
rally in Phnom Penh on July 7 led by Sam Rainsy’s political party, the CNRP.
###
The
Center for Public Policy Analysis is a non-governmental public policy think tank and research organization headquartered
in Washington, D.C.
Contact(s):
Maria Gomez
or Philip Smith Center for Public
Policy Analysis Tele. (202)543-1444
Laos, Vietnam Human Rights Appeal Issued in Washington
November 15, 2011, Washington, D.C., Vientiane, Laos and Bangkok, Thailand
For Immediate Release
The United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., (ULDL) has released the text of a seven-point international appeal
and statement following events it hosted last week in Washington, D.C., which included representatives of the Laotian, Vietnamese,
Cambodian, Hmong and Asian-American community The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) and other non-governmental organizations
(NGO) and policymakers were invited to speak and participate in policy events, Capitol Hill meetings and a human rights
rally held in front of the Lao Embassy in Washington, D.C. www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
The following is the text of the statement issued by Bounthanh Rathigna, President of the ULDL:
Statement of Bounthanh Rathigna, President
United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc.
Washington, D.C.
November 5-8, 2011
Laos International Policy Conference &
Demonstration and Protest Rally In Front of the
Lao Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Honored Guests, American policymakers, Members of the U.S. Congress and
staff, Fellow Laotian leaders, Lao and Hmong students, fellow NGO and non-profit organization leaders, representatives of
the Free Vietnamese Community and other freedom loving people of Asia and America, Ladies and Gentleman, I am Bounthanh
Rathigna, President of the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc. (ULDL) and I welcome you here today at our international
policy conference and protest rally and demonstration in front of the Lao Embassy in Washington, D.C.
It is
good to see so many friends and supporters from across the country and from Laos gathered here in Washington to discuss
the problems of the one-party, corrupt authoritarian regimes in Laos and Vietnam that continue to persecute their own citizens.
I deeply appreciate your efforts to discuss and to protest human rights violations in Laos and the dictatorship of the Hanoi-backed
Stalinist regime in Laos that continues to imprison and persecute the freedom-loving Laotian people.
We have
gathered here in Washington, D.C., to memorialize and remember all of the Laotian, Vietnamese, Hmong and Asian people who
continue to suffer human rights violations, religious persecution, torture and harsh imprisonment, without due process,
and the rule of law. We remember, and are here, to demonstrate against the oppressive corruption and ongoing attacks by
the secret police and military forces of the Lao regime in Vientiane, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, against ordinary
Lao and Hmong people who seek political, religious and economic freedom for Laos. We especially remember the Lao Student
Movement for Democracy protesters of October 26, 1999, who peacefully demonstrated in Vientiane for democracy, human rights
and political and economic reform but were arrested and continue to suffer in jail. After 12 years they are still suffering
in prison in Laos for their beliefs and for their efforts to bring about reform and change in Laos.
We are here
to bring attention to and remember the Laotian and Hmong hiding in the jungles and mountains of Laos who continue to suffer
military attacks by Vietnam People’s Army Forces and the Lao Army because they wish to live in peace and freedom apart
from the Communist regime in Laos’s persecution and religious freedom violations and human rights violations.
We, therefore, are calling for:
1.) An end to the dictatorships in Laos and Vietnam. In Laos, we are
calling for the hosting of truly free and fair multi-party elections in Laos monitored by the international community and
an end to one-party Communist rule in Laos by the Lao People’s Army, and its military junta, that controls the Politburo
in Vientiane;
2.) The immediate withdrawal of all Hanoi-backed army units and secret police of the Vietnam
People’s Army that remain on the territory of Laos in support of the Lao communist regime’s (the Lao People’s
Revolutionary Party) efforts to oppress and persecute the Laotian and Hmong people and exploit the economic resources of
Laos and destroy its environment; We want the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to immediately withdrawal alls its troops, soldiers
and police from Laos—as well as its covert security advisors;
3.) An immediate end to illegal logging
by Vietnam People’s Army owned companies in Xieng Khouang, Sam Neua, Khammoune, Luang Prabang and other provinces
in Laos that is destroying the environment, killing minority peoples such as the Lao Hmong people, and exploiting the natural
resources of Laos without just compensation to ordinary Laotians;
4.) Stop the persecution, imprisonment, torture
and killing of religious believers in Laos, including dissident Buddhists, minority Catholics, Protestant Christians and
independent Animist believers; We, the Laotian people, want true freedom of religion for all Laotians of all religious faiths;
5.) Allow international humanitarian access to, and release, all political prisoners, prisoners of conscience,
and foreign prisoners, including the Lao Students for Democracy Movement leaders, Hakit Yang and other two other Lao-Hmong
American citizens from St. Paul Minnesota;
6.)Allow international humanitarian access to, and release, the over
8,500 Lao Hmong refugees and asylum seekers who fled persecution in Laos and who were tragically and brutally forced from
Huay Nam Khao, Thailand, back to the regime in Laos in 2009 and 2010;
7.) Release the Ban Vang Tao patriots,
the Laotian citizens, who were forced back to Laos from Thailand after their courageous efforts to raise the Royal Flag
of Laos, the true and traditional flag of Laos, in opposition to the arrest and imprisonment of the Lao Student leaders and
in support of freedom for their beloved country of Laos.
At these events in Washington, D.C. and the demonstration
and protest in front of the Lao Embassy, we are here to give voice to the millions of suffering people of Laos and Vietnam
who continue to live under the brutal Stalinist regimes in Vientiane and Hanoi. We are here to call for freedom and human
rights for Laos, Vietnam and all of the people of Asia.
Thank you.
(End Statement by Bounthanh Rathigna,
President, the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc.)
Invited participants and cosponsors included the ULDL,
CPPA, United Lao for Human Rights and Democracy (ULHRD), Laos Institute for Democracy, Inc., Lao Students for Democracy,
Lao Veterans of America, Inc., Free Vietnam Community, Hmong Advance, Inc., Hmong Advancement, Inc., and other NGOs and
Asian-American organizations.
Laotian-American, and Asian-American, delegations from Washington, D.C., Maryland,
Virginia, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, California, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Rhode Island and other
states, also attended and participated.
Thank you.
###
CPPA -- Center for Public Policy
Analysis
Contact: Jade Her or Philip Smith
Tele. (202) 543-1444
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 220
Washington, DC 20006 USA
www.cppa-dc.org
###
Laos Policy
Events, Protest Rally in Washington, DC For Immediate Release, November 8, 2011, Washington, D.C.
Center for Public Policy Analysis
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Laotian and Hmong non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have concluded an international policy
conference in Washington, D.C. and protest demonstration in front of the Lao Embassy. The Center for Public Policy Analysis
(CPPA) and U.S. policymakers participated in the events held from November 5-8, 2011.
Lao, Hmong, Vietnamese,
Cambodian, and Asia-American NGOs from across the United States and internationally participated in the events.
NGO participants expresses concerns about ongoing environmental and refugee issues in Laos, Thailand and Southeast Asia
as well as human rights violations linked to the influx of VPA-backed logging and mining companies in Laos.
“We don't need the Vietnamese military cutting down and stealing our trees in Laos,” said Boon Boualaphanh,
President of the United for Lao Human Rights and Democracy, Inc. These trees and forests belong to Laos and the Laotian
people who should be allowed to benefit it by themselves, our country needs freedom and human rights, not economic and military
exploitation by Vietnam People’s Army-owned companies and soldiers.”
“The role of Laotian
and Hmong-American NGOs in raising concerns about ongoing human rights and environmental abuses in Laos, Vietnam and Southeast
Asia is significant,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director for the Center for Public Policy Analysis. “We were
pleased to be invited to speak at these events and to discuss the plight of Laotian and Hmong refugees and political and
religious dissidents that continue to be persecuted and imprisoned in Laos.” www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“We are especially concerned about the plight of imprisoned Lao student leaders, the detention of thousands
of Lao Hmong political refugees, and the horrific ongoing persecution of independent Lao Hmong Christian and Animist believers
in Laos,” Smith stated. www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1110/S00785/laos-rights-groups-urge-re ..
The CPPA and non-profit humanitarian, human rights, research and policy organizations also participated in
the Washington, D.C., international policy conference held on current issues in Laos and Southeast Asia.
The
policy conference was followed by meetings with U.S. policymakers in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Congress, regarding Laos
and Southeast Asia. ###
2020
Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 220
Washington, DC 20006 USA
Contact Person:
Jade Her or Philip
Smith
Communications & Public Affairs Dept.
Phone: 202-543-1444
email: info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Web: http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org ###
Laos, Hmong Human Rights Activist Nominated For Australian
of the Year AwardWashington, D.C., Brisbane and Canberra, Australia, November 3, 2011
Author, human rights advocate and humanitarian activist Kay Danes has been nominated for the Queensland category
of the Australian of the Year Award. The nomination was hailed by the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) and a
coalition of Laotian and Hmong non-governmental and human rights organizations including: the United League for
Democracy in Laos, Inc.; the Lao Students Movement for Democracy; United Lao for Human Rights and
Democracy, Inc.; Lao Institute for Democracy; Hmong Advance, Inc.; Hmong Advancement, Inc.; the Lao Veterans of America,
Inc.; and, others.
Danes, who was arrested in 2000, was brutally interrogated and tortured in the notorious
Phonthong prison in Vientiane, Laos, along with Laotian, Hmong and foreign prisoners. She is now an author and human
rights activist.
“Her critical testimony about her interrogation and torture
in Laos, and that of other victims, helped to develop deeper understanding and awareness about the terrible fate of
those languishing in foreign prisons who are often imprisoned unjustly in horrific and inhumane conditions in violation
of international law,” Smith stated. http://centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“Kay Danes has been a tireless and effective international advocate for human rights, womens' rights,
the suffering of torture victims, and the plight of refugees and those imprisoned in horrific conditions in Laos, Afghanistan,
and other nations around the world,” Smith said.
“Kay Danes distinguished
work, especially as it relates to the Laotian and Hmong people, refugees and foreign prisoners, has been crucial in
helping to bring international attention to the suffering and voiceless people of Laos and other countries,” Smith
continued. "Danes has researched and spoken about the fate of imprisoned and missing Lao student pro-democracy
demonstrators as well as three Hmong-Americans from St. Paul, Minnesota, including Mr. Hakit Yang, who have been jailed
in harsh conditions for years under the Communist regime in Laos."
The awards
will be announced in Brisbane on November 17, 2011. Winners will join recipients from other states and territories in Australia
as finalists for the national awards that will presented in Canberra, Australia, in January 2012.
Kay Danes has authored important books about human rights violations and torture in Laos including “Standing
Ground” (New Holland Publishers, Australia), released in 2009. In the same year, she was invited to speak in the
United States about her experiences in Laos, and as an advocate for the Foreign Prisoners Support Service, at the World
Affairs Council, National Press Club and U.S. Congressional Forum on Laos.
presszoom.com/story_148273.html
www.media-newswire.com/release_1089564.html
www.newholland.com.au/product.php?isbn=9781741107579
Dane's book "Standing Ground" was cited and acclaimed by the American Authors'
Association and others.
www.americanauthorsassociation.com/ images/ Standing%20Ground%20Press%20Release%20March%2009.pdf
Contact: Maria Gomez or Philip Smith
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Tele. (202) 543-1444
CPPA - Center for Public Policy Analysis
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 220
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Contact Information:
CPPA - Center
for Public Policy Analysis
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Suite 220
Washington, D.C. 20006 USA
Contact Person:
Maria Gomez or Philip Smith
Communications / Public Affairs Department
Phone: 202-543-1444
Laos: Rights Groups Urge Release of Student Protestors 26
October 2011
Press Release: Center for Public Policy Analysis
October 26, 2011, Vientiane, Laos, Bangkok, Thailand, Washington, D.C. and Paris, France
Center for Public
Policy Analysis
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org In solemn memory of the 12th anniversary of peaceful student demonstrations in Vientiane, Laos,
a coalition of non-governmental organizations is calling for the immediate release of Lao student leaders who continue
to be imprisoned in harsh conditions, without charge, for over a decade. The . Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA)
was joined by the Lao Movement for Human Rights [(Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l’Homme (MLDH)], United League for
Democracy in Laos, Inc., Lao Students Movement for Democracy, Lao Veterans of America Institute, Lao Veterans of America,
Hmong Advance, Inc., Hmong Advancement, Inc . and other non-governmental organizations in calling on the one-party authoritarian
government in Laos to release the Lao student leaders and other Laotian and Hmong political prisoners, prisoners of conscience
and refugees. Events and statements issued to mark the occasion were held in Washington, D.C., Paris, France and Bangkok,
Thailand. The Lao student demonstrations held 12 years ago on October 26, 1999, sparked major
calls for political, economic and institutional reform in Vientiane, the capital, and throughout the nation of Laos. Ten
years later, follow-on demonstrations were held in Laos in October 2009 that also resulted in the arrest and imprisonment
of many Laotian protestors demonstrating against the one-party governemnt. “The Stalinist
regime in Laos should immediately release all of the Lao student protestors as well as ethnic Hmong refugees and religious
and political dissidents it continues to brutally imprison and persecute,” stated Philip Smith, Executive Director
of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) at events held in the U.S. Congress today to mark the occasion of the 12th
anniversary of the Lao military crackdown. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org “We want the military regime in Laos and the communist officials to release all of the
peaceful Lao student demonstrators and other innocent religious believers and political prisoners it has placed in jail
without charges or trial,” said Bouthanh Rathigna, President of the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc. “The Lao people need freedom and democracy and want Vietnam’s military troops and secret police out
of Laos,” said Bounleuam Boualaphanh, President of United Lao for Human Rights and Democracy, Inc. of Minnesota. “We
want the Lao government to change and reform and to release the Lao student leaders who peacefully protested in support of
human rights and democracy for Laos.” “It is time for the military and communist
party leaders of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (LPDR) to release the Lao students because the peaceful demonstrations
sought to help the nation and because the Lao student leaders arrested and young people are the future of the country,”
said Colonel Wangyee Vang, National President of the Lao Veterans of America Institute. The
Paris-based Lao Movement for Human Rights [(Mouvement Lao pour les Droits de l’Homme (MLDH)] said in a statement read
at the Capitol Hill anniversary events in Washington today: “4380 days after their arrest, the four human rights
defenders of the Student Movement of 26 October 1999 remain in detention. The Lao Movement for Human Rights expresses its
extreme concern about the prolonged arbitrary detention of four members of the Student Movement of 26 October 1999, a group
that tried to organize a peaceful march in Vientiane to claim for social justice, human rights respect and democratic reforms.” “Twelve years after their arrest, MM. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh, and Bouavanh Chanmanivong
Keochay are still jailed in the prison of Samkhe, in the province of Vientiane, whereas Mr. Sisa-At Khamphouvieng died
in prison from torture in 2001,” the MLDH, Lao Movement for Human Rights organization stated. The
MLDH continued: “ (we are) highly worried by their plight …as during the final adoption of the Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) of Laos at the UN in September 2010, the LPDR had totally ignored the recommendation 'to release
those detained for participating in peaceful demonstrations, including the leaders of the Movement of 26 October 1999, and
rejected the primary recommendation for the creation of an independent national commission on human rights in accordance
with the Paris Principles.’” The MLDH stated further: “In accordance with
Article 5 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) ratified by the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic in September 2009, the prisoners must be treated in compliance with international human rights standards The
arrest of peaceful protesters, and the death of one of them in detention show the failure of the Lao government in the implementation
of the international human rights instruments it has ratified.” The MLDH statement concluded:
“The Lao Movement for Human Rights urges to the international community - including the European Union and its Member
States, the United Nations, the United States, Japan, Australia and ASEAN - to take urgent, concrete and concerted actions
so that the Lao government applies the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), as well as other international
agreements related to the United Nations declaration of 1988 on human rights defenders and proceed to the immediate and
unconditional release of MM. Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, Seng-Aloun Phengphanh, Bouavanh Chanmanivong and Keochay and also
those arrested on 2 November 2009 - Ms. Kingkèo (39), MM. Soubinh (35), Souane (50), Sinpasong (43) and Khamsone
(36) arrested in Phon Hong, M. Nou (54) arrested in Pakkading, Miss Somchit (29), MM. Somkhit (28 years) and Sourigna (26),
arrested in Vientiane - while they were heading to Vientiane to claim for social justice and basic human
rights.” ###
Laos, Hmong Veterans of Vietnam
War Fight For Burial Honors Sunday, 23 October 2011,
5:02 pm
Press Release: Center for Public Policy Analysis
Laos, Hmong Veterans of Vietnam War Fight For Burial Honors
Washington, D.C. and Fresno, California, October 21, 2011
Center for Public
Policy Analysis The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA), the Lao
Veterans of America Institute (LVAI), the Lao Veterans of America, Inc. (LVA), and a coalition of Laotian and Hmong-American
organizations, joined today to express gratitude and support for the re-introduction of a bill in Congress that would honor
Laotian and Hmong veterans by permitting their burial in national veterans cemeteries across the United States. The non-governmental
organizations hailed the leadership of U.S. Congressman Jim Costa (D-CA), and a bipartisan group of Members of the U.S. House
of Representatives in Washington, D.C., for helping to spearhead the legislation on Capitol Hill that bestows further respect
and overdue honor to the Laotian and Hmong-American community for their efforts during the Vietnam War. “We again sincerely thank U.S. Congressman Jim Costa and seven key Members of Congress for reintroducing
critical legislation that honors the Laotian and Hmong veterans of the Vietnam War in Laos,” said Colonel Wangyee
Vang, National President of the Lao Veterans of America Institute, who helped to educate Congress about the plight of Lao
Hmong veterans in the United States and Southeast Asia. “Our
Laotian and Hmong veterans courageously served in combat alongside U.S. forces in the secret theatre of operations in Laos
alongside U.S. special forces and American intelligence community members, and they should be rightly honored with burial
in U.S. national veterans cemeteries alongside their American counterparts,” Colonel Vang stated. “Hmong veterans served side-by-side with American forces in Vietnam, and these veterans deserve
the honor of a final resting place next to their brothers in arms,” stated U.S. Congressman Jim Costa said. “These veterans defended our American ideals long before any of them called
our country home. Extending burial benefits to our Hmong veterans recognizes their sacrifice and honors their patriotic service,”
U.S. Representative Costa further stated. “This important legislation,
if passed by the U.S. Congress and enacted, would permit several thousand Laotian and Hmong-American veterans who served
in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War to be buried, or their ashes interred, in veterans cemeteries across the United
States,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director for the Washington, D.C.-based CPPA. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org “Commendably, Laotian and Hmong veterans and their family members
across America are continuing the fight for burial honors in Washington, D.C. and are educating Members of the U.S. Congress
and policymakers about their sacrifices during the Vietnam War in Laos and Southeast Asia,” Smith commented. In Washington, D.C., over the years, the LVAI, LVA and CPPA have helped to conduct
and lead national ceremonies in the U.S. Congress, Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam War Memorial to honor Laotian
and Hmong veterans and their refugee families. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100608007501/en/Laos-Hmong-Community-Concludes-National-Memorial-Ceremonies The new legislation, H.R.3192 would authorize the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs to inter in national cemeteries individuals who supported the United States in Laos during the Vietnam War era in
combating invading communist forces from North Vietnam as well as Marxist Pathet Lao guerrillas. Support for the initiative in Congress have received the support of various historians, scholars and
advocates, including prominent Southeast Asia scholar Dr Jane Hamilton-Merritt. http://www.tragicmountains.org Organizations today hailing the new effort in Congress on behalf of
burial honors for Lao Hmong veterans include the LVAI, LVA, CPPA, the United League for Democracy in Laos, Inc., Hmong Advance,
Inc., Hmong Advancement, Inc. and others. Will Thai Army Eventually Halt
Yingluck Victory ? Bangkok, Thailand
and Washington, D.C. For Immediate Release: July 3, 2011 info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Contact: Maria Gomez Tele. (202) 543-1444 With polls closing in Thailand today, concerns have been raised by the Washington, D.C.-based Center
for Public Policy Analysis that elements of the Royal Thai Army may militarily intervene, in the post-election aftermath
of Thailand’s recent election, where the Pheu Thai Party is predicted to sweep control of a majority of seats in Parliament
and potentially usher in Thailand’s first female Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. “There are concerns that elements of the Royal Thai Army may intervene militarily, at some
point down the road, in the post-election aftermath of today’s elections, in opposition to a majority victory by Pheu
Thai Party candidates in Parliament, or the potential that Yingluck Shinawatra will become Thailand’s first female
prime minister,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) in Washington,
D.C., a public policy research organization. The CPPA is a Washington,
D.C.-based, think-tank and non-governmental organization focused on public policy research--especially in the areas of
international security, economics, trade, human rights, religious freedom, humanitarian and refugee issues. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org “Will Thailand’s Army intervene, overtly or covertly,
to halt Yingluck Shinawatra, or a Red-Shirt Victory, that will likely occur if Pheu Thai Party candidates sweep control
of Parliament in a supermajority ?” Smith questioned. “If so, how will Washington and the Obama Administration
respond to a new round of political violence in Thailand down the road in the aftermath of the election results ?”
“Ongoing political violence in Thailand, while less likely
if the elections results are overwhelmingly in favor of Pheu Thai Party candidates, and the ushering in of Thailand’s
first female Prime Minister is still significant, especially given the Thai Army’s crackdown of Red Shirt demonstrators
in Bangkok last year,” Smith stated. Smith questioned: “Will
there be a peaceful transfer of political power in Thailand, some policymakers wonder in Washington ?” “In addition to other issues, some elements of the Thai Royal family’s
circle and the Royal Thai Army have concerns about the Shinawatra family’s previous business and political ties,
as well as corruption allegations, and this may lead to ongoing post-election political turmoil in Bangkok,” Smith
observed. “Clearly, Washington policymakers, including the Obama
Administration and Secretary of State Clinton, are hopeful for greater stability in Thailand, and an enhanced partnership,
as well as election results that reflect the will of the Thai people,” Smith explained. “Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Administration, and some elements of the Democratic
Party and Royal Thai Army, were criticized domestically, and internationally, for a number of key issues, including the
violent crackdown on demonstrators in Thailand as well as the unnecessary forced repatriation of Hmong refugees from Thailand
to Laos,” Smith stated. “It is hoped that today’s
elections in Thailand will help to usher in a new era of stability, unity and prosperity for the people of Thailand, and
the Royal Family, with whom the United States shares a special affection and relationship; The election of Thailand’s
first female Prime Minister would indeed be historic, if the polls confirm this prediction, and apparent unfolding new
political reality, ” Smith concluded. ### Vietnam, Laos:
MI-24 Helicopter Gunships Bring Death to Hmong in Dien Bien
May 21, 2011, Dien Bien Province, Vietnam, Phongsali, Laos, and Washington,
D.C. Center for Public Policy
Analysis (CPPA)
Contact: Ms. Helen Cruz,
Tele. (202) 543-1444
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) has
unleashed attack helicopters on unarmed Vietnamese civilians and those suspected of participating in mass rallies involving
an estimated 8,500 Viet-Hmong protesters, including thousands of Catholic, Protestant Christian and animist religious
believers seeking human rights and land reforms. Today, newly deployed squadrons of MI-24 “Hind” helicopter
gunships flew bloody combat sorties against ethnic Hmong villagers and protesters fleeing into the rugged interior
of Dien Bien province and across the border into Laos, according to the Center for Public Policy Analysis and Hmong and
Vietnamese sources in Vietnam and Laos.
An estimated
thirty-four (34) Soviet-era “HIND” MI-24 assault helicopters remain in the SRV’s current arsenal.
Older MI-8 helicopters have also been deployed. Special units of the Vietnam People’s Army, including “Dac Cong”
special forces units with Viet-Hmong translators, have been mobilized to assist heliborne troops in tracking, arresting,
interogating and summarily executing suspected Hmong demonstrators who have fled into the rugged interior.
“Our Hmong people are being attacked without
mercy and killed and wounded by the helicopters sent from Hanoi to machine gun and bomb their villages and pursue them into
the mountains and jungles of Dien Bien province in Vietnam and Laos,” said Christy Lee, Executive Director for Hmong
Advance, Inc.
Ms. Lee stated further:
"Some Vietnamese clerics with ties to the Vietnamese Ministry of Interior, and secret police, have join Vietnamese
government officials in declaring that all of the Hmong protestors are cult members and irredentists, a theme often repeated
by Hanoi’s state-run media, and parroted by the official propaganda apparatus, to justify the use of armed force against
ethnic Hmong-Vietnamese and Vietnamese Christians who have previously joined peaceful Catholic and mainstream Protestant
demonstrations, including demonstrations in Hanoi in previous years for religious freedom and government reforms. "
“What have the Viet-Hmong people done wrong that
would allow them to be slaughtered and attacked by the Vietnamese military and police, and why has the government in Hanoi
escalated the attacks with these new helicopters being deployed against many innocent Catholic, mainstream Protestant Christians
and Animist believers who participated in recent protests,” Ms. Lee said.
“Do they deserve to be
attacked by armed force by the Army for their non-violent appeals for civil rights, human rights and reform?” Ms. Lee
questioned.
"On the Laos side of the border, next to
Dien Bien province, Vietnam People's Army troops, and special advisors and police, are active and working with the Lao People's
Army, along the Vietnam-Laos border area in the Laotian provinces of Luang Prabang and Phongsali, to help with military
operations to seal the border area off from independent journalists and newsmedia and to arrest or attack the Hmong who
have attempted to flee," said Bounthanh Rathigna of the United League for Democracy in Laos (ULDL). http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/136891-1304943947-vietnam-army-kills-14-more-hmong-prostesters-hundreds-more-missing.html
“The General Staff of
Vietnam's armed forces and the Ministry of Defense in Hanoi, including General Phung Quang Thanh, appear to be alarmed
and have apparently ordered the deployment of significant numbers of the very lethal MI-24 attack helicopters to fly
additional strafing and bombing sorties against the Hmong people fleeing Vietnam's military crackdown in the Dien Bien province
area,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) in Washington, D.C. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“M-24 ‘Hind”
attack helicopters are now being deployed by Hanoi to fire their machine guns and launch deadly rockets at the Hmong who
are fleeing into the rugged mountain interior of Dien Province and across the border into Laos,” Smith said.
“Today, two Hmong mountain villages, and several enclaves, in Vietnam
were attacked by helicopter gunships and we are awaiting final casualty figures since there were more killed and many
wounded in the havoc and the aftermath of the aerial bombardment.” “Viet-Hmong casualties and those arrested
by Vietnam People's Army soldiers continue to mount with each passing day as the military continues its bloody crackdown
and security operations in Dien Bien province have intensified,” Smith stated.
“Vietnam's Minister of Defense, General Phung Quang Thanh, and others in the military and politburo, are concerned
about mass demonstrations spreading to the general population who may also appeal for reforms, greater freedom and regime
change in Vietnam and Laos,” Smith commented.
Smith explained:
“By pursuing a policy of using overwhelming, violent, armed force against the peaceful Hmong demonstrators, Communist
party officials and the military elite in Vietnam are hoping to bring things to a rapid conclusion in the Dien Bien area,
but they cannot control the crisis situation because of the mountainous terrain and determination of many of the Vietnamese
and Hmong demonstrators who have dispersed. What if the demonstrations in Dien Bien, and their demands for reform,
spread to other parts of Vietnam and Laos ? Cozy Communist party officials in Hanoi fear that the ethnic Hmong and
other minority populations in the Hanoi and Red River Delta area, and other parts of Vietnam, will join together with other
ordinary Vietnamese citizens in calling for greater religious freedom, human rights, political reforms and in opposition
to corrupt and draconian government policies, including the recent violence directed against the Viet-Hmong Christians and
other citizens in Dien Bien.”
“We are
also concerned that the Lao People's Army, lead by Vietnamese troops and advisors, has mobilized in Luang Prabang Province
and the Phongsali area in Laos, in support of the efforts to seal off Dien Bien province to journalists and assist in interdicting
and capturing Hmong demonstrators fleeing Vietnam,” Smith concluded.
Vietnam has sealed key areas of Dien Bien province off to independent journalists as it continues military operations
against targeting the Viet-Hmong citizens who engaged in peaceful, non-violent protests that began earlier this month.
Protesters were demanding greater religious freedom, land reform, human rights and an end to illegal logging and the exploitation
of their lands and resources by Vietnam People's Army-owned companies. The
SRV government in Hanoi has also denounced and attacked Human Rights Watch's (HRW) recent report and statement on Dien
Bien province and the plight of the Viet-Hmong demonstrators.
###
Online PR News (press release) (Photo Courtesy: Center For Public Policy Analysis,License CC.2.0) The Vietnamese People's Army has
killed at least 72 Hmong Christian and animist ... Vietnam Forces Kill 72 Hmong, Hundreds Arrested and Flee
Online PR News (press release), May 17, 2011
The Vietnamese People’s Army has killed at least 72 Hmong Christian and
animist religious believers, many of them mainstream Catholic and orthodox Protestant Christians, according to the Center
for Public Policy Analysis and Hmong and Laotian non-governmental organizations with sources inside the region that borders
on Laos. The beatification of Pope John Paul II, in Rome on May 1st was a factor in sparking the mass gatherings and peaceful,
non-violent demonstrations by thousands of Viet-Hmong Catholics, Protestant and Animist believers according to Philip
Smith of the CPPA and other sources inside the northern province of Vietnam. At
least nine more Vietnamese-Hmong Catholic believers, who were part of a mass demonstration for religious freedom, land
reform and an end to illegal logging by Vietnam People’s Army owned military companies, were confirmed killed by
army soldiers, and police, as of Tuesday, May 17, for taking part in the peaceful rallies that occurred earlier in the
month. Many Hmong Catholics had helped form the core of demonstrations in Dien Bien to mark ceremonies in honor of Pope
John Paul II in Rome on May 1st.
Vietnam security forces, including over 15,000 soldiers from various Vietnam
People’s Army units, backed by allied armed forces from Laos, have sealed off much of Dien Bien province in Vietnam
and arrested over 2,400 ethnic Hmong citizens from Vietnam. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1105/S00366/nine-hmong-catholics-killed-during-mass-arrests-in-vietnam.htm
Online PR News (press release) Nine Hmong Catholics
Killed During Mass Arrests in Vietnam
Dien Bien Phu, Phongsali,
Laos, and Washington, D,C. May 16, 2011, 2:15 PM EST.
Contact: Maria Gomez, CPPA- Center for Public Policy Analysis
Tele. (202)
543-1444
Vietnam security forces,
including over 15,000 soldiers from various Vietnam People’s Army units, backed by allied armed forces from Laos,
have sealed off much of Dien Bien province in Vietnam and arrested over 2,400 ethnic Hmong citizens of Vietnam, according
to the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) and Hmong and Laotian non-governmental organizations with sources inside
the region that borders on Laos and Northern Vietnam. Nine (9) more Vietnamese-Hmong Catholic believers, who
were part of a mass demonstration for religious freedom, land reform and an end to illegal logging by Vietnam People’s
Army owned military companies, were known killed by army soldiers, and police, as of Monday, May 16, for taking part in
the peaceful rallies that occurred earlier in the month. The beatification of Pope John Paul II, in Rome on May 1 helped to spark the mass gatherings
and peaceful, non-violent demonstrations by thousands of Viet-Hmong Catholics, Protestant and Animist believers according
to Philip Smith of the CPPA and other sources inside the northern province of Vietnam.
“The Hmong Catholic
and Protestant Christian believers in Vietnam’s Dien Bein province continue to be wrongly targeted and defamed by
the Vietnam People’s Army soldiers and secret police who are arresting, beating and persecuting them by the hundreds,”
said Christy Lee of Hmong Advance, Inc. “ Ordinary Vietnamese Catholic, Christian and Animist believers, and Vietnamese citizens, engaged
in peaceful mass protests against the government for reform are being arrested, tied up and blindfolded, by the hundreds
and forcibly loaded onto military trucks where they being taken away and out of the sealed off province,” Ms. Lee
said.
“We fear that many
Viet-Hmong will be summarily executed after interrogation like the nine Catholic believers who were killed last week by
the soldiers and police because of their faith and peaceful appeals for an end to religious persecution and injustice,”
Lee stated. “Now, over 2400 innocent Hmong have been arrested on baseless and false charges as many people
had gathered initially in Dien Bien to honor Pope John Paul II, and his message of hope to the suffering people and Christians
worldwide who are being persecuted.” “Multiple sources in Vietnam have confirmed that nine more Vietnamese-Hmong Catholic believers,
who were part of a demonstration for religious freedom, land reform and an end to illegal logging by Vietnam People’s
Army owned military companies, have been killed by security forces,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the
Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) in Washington, D.C. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“Many of our Hmong
and Vietnamese sources in Dien Bien province and in the bordering areas of Laos have reported that the beatification of
Pope John Paul II, in Rome on May 1st played a significant factor in sparking the mass gatherings and
peaceful, non-violent demonstrations by thousands of Viet-Hmong Catholics, Protestant and Animist believers,” said
Mr. Smith.
“The Hmong people of
the Catholic diocese in Dien Bien were brutally beaten and killed by army soldiers, and police for allegedly taking part
in the peaceful rallies that occurred earlier in the month calling for an end to religious persecution, the lifting of
oppressive government restrictions on Christian and Animist believers and the celebration of the beatification of
Pope John Paul II in Rome on May 1st, of this year and the former Pope’s important message to fearlessly confront
government injustice and Stalinist authoritarianism,” Smith commented. “The Polish Pope, who had opposed Nazi forces during World II, and
the spread of Communist totalitarianism and its attacks on the Catholic and Protestant Church , has been a source of inspiration
to many Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian and Hmong Christian believers by the courageous moral conduct of his life and his
profound words to ‘be not afraid’ in challenging social injustice and Stalinist regimes around the world,”
Smith stated. “Now,
in Vietnam’s Dien Bien Province, the Vietnamese People’s Army has killed at least 72 Christian believers,
many of them mainstream Catholic and orthodox Protestant Christians believers,” said Smith. “Senior generals and defense ministry officials in Hanoi responsible
for these terrible bloody acts against peaceful demonstrators in Dien Bien province have sealed the area off to independent
journalists and the news media so the truth and facts cannot be easily learned,” Smith observed.
Smith continued: “Communist
officials in Hanoi, and senior Vietnamese army generals have enlisted the support of Lao People’s Army troops, lead
by Vietnamese military advisors, to help seal the border area off and persecute and arrest Hmong and Vietnamese citizens
and church members suspected of being involved with the mass protests.” “Vietnam and Lao People’s Army troops have also mobilized
along the Laos and Vietnamese border to cut-off and attack the freedom-loving Lao and Hmong people around Dien Bien province,
including many ordinary Christians and Catholics, who are only seeking human rights, religious freedom and an end to the
exploitation by certain corrupt communist generals in Hanoi who have engaged in illegal logging and the destruction of
churches, temples and religious shrines as well as the sacred mountain forests of the Hmong indigenous people,” Smith
concluded.
“We want the Vietnam
People’s Army troops out of Laos and to stop killing the Laotian and Hmong people, including many Christian, Catholic
, Animist and independent Buddhist believers,” said Bounthanh Rathigna, President of the United League for Democracy
in Laos, Inc. (ULDL). “Persecuted Vietnamese citizens, including many Hmong Catholic and Protestant believers
from Dien Bien, are trying to flee from Vietnam to Laos but are being arrested and killed in Laos as well by the Lao and
Vietnamese army units and police in recent days.” “The horrific illegal logging, religious persecution and environmental destruction
by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Army, in cooperation with the Vietnam People’s Army,
in Laos, and on the Laos -Vietnam border areas of Dien Bien province, must be stopped by the international community before
more people are driven off their homeland and are killed by corrupt communist officials,” Rathigna concluded in
a statement by the ULDL today. ###
Contact: Maria Gomez
CPPA- Center for Public
Policy Analysis (202) 543-1444 Online PR News (press release) - May 9, 2011At least sixty-three Hmong have been killed by the Vietnam People's Army
to date. ... Fourteen (14) more Viet-Hmong people were confirmed dead in overnight ... Today, new combat regiments of Vietnam Peoples Army's soldiers are converging, in a key province of Northern
Vietnam, to attack and arrest thousands of Hmong Catholic, Protestant and independent Animist religious believers demonstrating for human rights, religious freedom,
land reform and an end to illegal logging and deforestation. Fourteen (14) more Viet-Hmong people
were confirmed dead in overnight clashes between Vietnam's army and ethnic Hmong demonstrators who are Vietnamese citizens.
At least 63 protesters have been killed since the outbreak of the peaceful, mass demonstrations, according to the Center
for Public Policy Analysis, Hmong non-governmental organizations, and Hmong, Vietnamese and Laotian sources in Dien Bien
province, and along the Vietnam- Laos border, where the demonstrations began over a week ago. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) has announced that
it has sealed off the area of the demonstrations to independent journalists and news media, baring journalists from covering
the events involving thousands of protesters, and has deployed army troops to end the public rallies and appeals. Thousands
of Vietnam People's Army troops have been deployed to the area in recent days. 
Online PR News (press release) Vietnam: Army Convoys, Troops Converge On Hmong Protests, 14 Killed May 9, 2011, Washington, D.C., Dien Bein
Phu, Vietnam, and Phongsali, Laos
Fresh combat regiments of Vietnam Peoples Army's soldiers are now converging in a key province of Northern
Vietnam to attack and arrest thousands of Hmong Catholic, Protestant and independent Animist religious
believers demonstrating for human rights, religious freedom, land reform and an end to illegal
logging and deforestation. Fourteen (14) more Viet-Hmong people were confirmed dead in overnight
clashes between Vietnam's army and ethnic Hmong demonstrators who are Vietnamese citizens. At
least 63 protesters have been killed since the outbreak of the peaceful, mass demonstrations, according to the Center for
Public Policy Analysis, Hmong non-governmental organizations, and Hmong, Vietnamese and Laotian
sources in Dien Bien province, and along the Vietnam- Laos border, where the demonstrations began
over a week ago..
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) has announced that it has sealed off the area
of the demonstrations to independent journalists and news media, baring journalists from covering
the events involving thousands of protesters, and has deployed army troops to end the public rallies and appeals.
“On completely
false pretext, and wrong information, the military generals in Hanoi have sent more army troops
to attack and arrest our freedom-loving Hmong people which it continues to falsely accuse with
wild distortions and misinformation, while at the same time not allowing independent news media
and journalists to visit the ordinary Hmong people in Vietnam who have protested against the current
injustices, suffering, and religious persecution,” said Christy Lee, Executive Director of Hmong Advance,
Inc. in Washington, D.C. “Why are Vietnam's Party leaders afraid of the truth as to why
the people are demonstrating in Dien Bien for meaningful and real change and reform in Vietnam
?”
“The
mass demonstration for reform in Vietnam's Dien Bien province included nearly 5,000 peaceful Hmong
Protestant Christians and 2,000 Hmong Catholics with the rest being peace-loving Hmong Animists.”
Ms. Lee said. “The Vietnam People's Army has now killed at least 63 people who were unarmed and peace-loving
citizens of Vietnam, many hundreds have been injured or have now disappeared at the hands of the
Army which has loaded the Hmong people onto trucks with the soldiers beating them”
Ms. Lee stated further:
“The Vietnamese and Viet- Hmong people in Dien Bien province and along the Vietnam –
Laos border area in Northern Vietnam have told us that are poor people simply calling on the
government in Hanoi, and Communist politburo officials, to restore basic human rights and justice to the Vietnamese
common people, and minority citizens, in the province of Dien Bien.”
“The Vietnamese Hmong want Hanoi
to institute land reform policies and grant them greater freedom of religion and basic human rights,
including an end to oppressive religious persecution as well as halting illegal logging in the
province whereby the government is driving the Hmong people from their sacred forest and mountain
homelands in Vietnam and Laos,” Lee concluded.
“Today, local sources have reported that fresh regiments of
Vietnam People's Army troops in military trucks and vehicles are converging in greater force strength at the
sites of the Hmong demonstrations in Dien Bien province from key highways leading to the area
including the strategic Route 6 and Route 42,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of
the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) in Washington, D.C.
“We are concerned that many hundreds
of Hmong protesters, who are Vietnamese citizens, are being arrested, beaten and forced onto Army trucks
by soldiers where they are disappearing after being transported out of the area to unknown locations in Vietnam
or Laos,” Smith said.
“The new Vietnam People's Army (VPA) army units
deployed against the protesters include regimental-strength convoys of military trucks and armored
personnel carriers targeting the Hmong demonstrators for arrest and transport,, by force, to unknown locations,”
Smith said.
“At least eight more Hmong Christian demonstrators, five men and three
women, were killed overnight in clashes with the Army and Vietnamese security forces in Dien Bien
province,” Smith said citing Hmong, Vietnamese and non-governmental sources on location
in Dien Bien province and the Laos and Vietnamese border area of Northern Vietnam.
“Fresh regiments of Vietnam People's
Army soldiers are being deployed to Dien Bien province and are continuing to attack and pursuing many
of the peaceful Hmong Catholic and Protestant demonstrators pursuing them into their villages
and the mountains,” Smith stated. “ Heliborne combat troops have been deployed as
well as M-8 helicopter gunships to attack and pursue the Hmong in the highland areas.”
“Additionally,
early this morning, five Hmong demonstrators, 3 men and 2 women, were machined gunned to death by an armored personnel
carrier when the were caught fleeing the protest region, on Route 42, and had the misfortune of
running into a mechanized regiment of Vietnam People's Army troops that were being newly deployed
to the area,” Smith commented.
“Unfortunately, the group of five Hmong who were machine-gunned to death
this morning by the Army were ordinary and poor people— mountain-dwelling, Animist believers
who had joined the demonstrations only to seek land reform, human rights and greater religious freedom for their
suffering people in this neglected area of Northern Vietnam,” Smith said. ### Contact: Helen Cruz CPPA - Center for Public Policy Analysis (202) 543-1444 info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Vietnam Crackdown: More Hmong Killed As Army Deploys
May 7, 2011, Washington, D.C., Vientiane, Laos and Bangkok Thailand
More
Hmong protesters have been killed or arrested in Dien Bien province today as Vietnam deployed additional army units
and thousands of soldiers and police to seek to contain mass demonstrations and the spread of discontent with the policies
of the government in Hanoi, and local communist party officials. Hundreds of additional ethnic Hmong are missing or
have disappeared, many have been arrested and loaded onto military trucks where they are being sent to unknown locations
in Vietnam or Laos..
Vietnam People's Army troops and security forces have killed at least 21
more ethnic Hmong protesters on May 6-7, in the Dien Bien province area of Northern Vietnam and seriously wounded 132 more
according to the Center for Public Policy Analysis, non-governmental organizations and Hmong, Vietnamese and Lao sources
in the province and border area. Casualties continue to mount with a total of 49 now know dead since the crackdown by Vietnam's
army More Hmong demonstrators have also disappeared at the hands of Vietnamese security forces as Hanoi seeks to seal the
remote, mountainous border area, with Laos off from independent journalists.
“Innocent
Hmong protesters seeking basic reforms, and to address fundamental injustices, are now being attacked by Vietnam People's
Army troops and propaganda and false allegations from Hanoi; ” said Christy Lee, Executive Director of Hmong Advance,
Inc. in Washington, D.C.
“The soldiers have killed another 21 more people and have wounded
and arrested hundreds more according to what our Hmong people are reporting and from our sources in the Dien Bien province
area of Vietnam and the border area with Laos,” Ms. Lee stated. “Another Hmong person is on the verge of death
from her wounds inflicted by any AK-47 army rifle-butt and bayonet”
“We
know that the Army has falsely accused the Vietnamese and Hmong people engaged in the recent protests and rallies and has
moved in many armored vehicles and trucks to take the Hmong people away to unknown locations in Vietnam, or Laos, where
they may be tortured or killed, or simply disappear,” Lee concluded.
“The situation is in flux in Northern
Vietnam, but presently, we know that 21 more Hmong have been killed by Vietnam People's Army soldiers and police in Dien
Bien Province in the last 24 hours,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy (CPPA) in
Washington, D.C.
“Currently, a total of at least 49 Hmong people are known to have been killed by Vietnam People's
Army troops and special police since Hanoi's crackdown was launched by the military against peaceful Hmong demonstrators,”
Smith commented.
“At the height of the rallies, the Hmong demonstrations for land
reform and religious freedom involved more that 8,500 people in Dien Bien province and the Dien Bien Phu area along the
border of Vietnam and Laos,” Smith said. “The Hmong were peacefully calling for basic human rights and government
reform.”
“We have received credible reports that 1263 Hmong have been
arrested and loaded onto military trucks where they are being sent to unknown locations by Vietnam People's Army soldiers
and special paramilitary police,” Smith stated.
“Most of the Hmong killed
and wounded in recent days by the Vietnamese troops suffered gunshot wounds from automatic weapons, or were apparently beaten
and bayoneted to death,” Smith said.
“Unfortunately, thousands of Vietnamese soldiers
and police began attacking the Hmong demonstrators to try to disperse the crowds voicing calls for land reform, human rights
and religious freedom,” Smith commented. “We are urging the government of Vietnam and the Army to immediately
cease these senseless and blood attacks against the Hmong protesters and their families.
“Casualties
continue to mount and more Hmong demonstrators have disappeared at the hands of Vietnamese security forces as Hanoi seeks
to seal the area off and pursue the people into the mountains and jungles,:” Smith observed.
“We
have reports that over 1263 Hmong demonstrators are missing at the hands of Vietnamese People's Army soldiers and secret
police who have brought in military trucks to force Hmong protesters arrested, ” Smith concluded. The ongoing
religious persecution of minority Christians and independent Animist, and Buddhist believers, by the state security apparatus
and military in Vietnam, and Laos, remains problemati and is a serious problem for the Hmong and other ethnic groups.. According
to the CPPA and other sources, at least seventeen Viet-Hmong Christians were killed and 33 wounded on May 3rd in the Dien
Bien Province, and Dien Bein Phu, areas of Vietnam bordering Laos n attacks by VPA military forces. All of these people
were independent Catholic and Protestant Christian believers. Additionally, eleven independent Viet-Hmong animist believers
were also known, and confirmed, to have been killed on the same day by Vietnam People's Army forces.
### Contact: Maria Gomez Tele. (202) 543-1444 CPPA - Center for Public Policy Analysis 2020 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 220 Washington, DC 20006
Vietnam, Laos Uprising: 28 Hmong Protesters Killed
Washington, D.C., Bangkok, Thailand, and Vientiane, Laos, May 5,
2011 Center for Public Policy Analysis
Thousands of Viet-Hmong minority political and religious dissidents along
the Laos - Vietnam border, who are staging mass protests demanding religious freedom and land reforms from the communist
regime in Hanoi, have been attacked by Vietnam People's Army (VPA) troops and security forces in the remote Dien Bien
province of Vietnam. Twenty-eight (28) ethnic Hmong people, protesting against government policies, are confirmed dead
in recent days, with hundreds more missing, along the Laos -Vietnam border area of the the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
(SRV), according to Lao Hmong non-governmental organizations, and the Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington,
D.C.
Large
numbers of Vietnam People's Army infantry and mechanized troops, as well as Lao People's Army (LPA) soldiers, were rushed
to the Dien Bein border area at the direction of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the SRV on May 3-5, 2011. Ground
attack helicopters were also reportedly dispatched from bases in Laos and Vietnam by the VPA, at the direction of the armed
forces Chef of Staff of Vietnam. General Tran Quang Khue, and
other VPA generals, who dominate the politburo in Vietnam, have reportedly played a major role
in the crack-down, and deployment of the armed forces, against the peaceful Hmong protesters.
“We are concerned about credible
reports that many poor and ordinary Hmong people in the Dien Bein area, as well as other people along the Vietnam and
Laos border, have been arrested or killed by Vietnamese Army, and Lao Army, soldiers and police because of their protests
for land reform to Communist officials in Hanoi, their opposition to illegal logging, or because of their independent
Christian and Animist religious beliefs ,” said Christy Lee, Executive Director of Hmong Advance, Inc.(HAI) in Washington,
D.C.
Ms.
Lee continued: “Ordinary Hmong people, and other highland and forest-dwelling minority peoples in Laos and Vietnam,
have also been subjected to a new and increasing injustice by the authorities and Vietnam People's Army-owned companies,
which continue their oppressive methods, religious persecution, and to engage in illegal logging in Vietnam and Laos,
including the Dien Bien area in Vietnam, as well as the Laotian provinces of Xieng Khouang, Khammoune, Luang Prabang and
elsewhere.”
“The Hmong, and other minority Christian and Animist religious believers, are being driven of their lands
and killed and persecuted by corrupt Communist party officials and the military elite in Vietnam and Laos,” Ms.
Lee stated.
“At
least twenty-eight Viet-Hmong are known to have been killed, and 33 wounded, in recent attacks by Vietnam People's Army
troops in the Dien Bien area of Vietnam,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy
Analysis (CPPA) in Washington, D.C.
The non-governmental organizations, including the CPPA, HAI, Hmong Advancement, Inc. and others,
cite Hmong, Vietnamese and Lao sources inside the area of Dien Bien provice where the Hmong are currently staging
mass protests against Vietnam's communist and military authorities.
“The Viet-Hmong people fleeing to Laos from Dien Bien province,
during the recent anti-government protests and crackdown in Vietnam, have also been arrested by Lao security forces and
VPA troops who are working closely together to jointly seek to arrest, persecute and kill them,.” Smith stated.
“In
recent days, significant numbers of Vietnam People's Army troops from Hanoi, and security forces from Laos, have been
deployed for special military operations directed against the Hmong minority people, and independent religious believers
and political dissidents, along the Vietnam – Laos border and the Dien Bein province area of Vietnam,” Smith
observed.
Smith
continued: “At least seventeen Viet-Hmong Christians were killed and 33 wounded on May 3rd in the Dien Bien Province,
and Dien Bein Phu, areas of Vietnam bordering Laos n attacks by VPA military forces. All of these people were independent
Catholic and Protestant Christian believers. Additionally, eleven independent Viet-Hmong animist believers were also known,
and confirmed, to have been killed on the same day by Vietnam People's Army forces. .”
“Hundreds of Viet and Lao-Hmong
minority peoples are also missing after the attacks directed against the peaceful protesters by the Vietnamese government
forces in the Dien Bein area,” Smith stated.
“In addition to the seventeen Hmong Christians, an additional eleven
independent Viet-Hmong animist believers were also confirmed killed on the same day by VPA forces because they also were
accused of worshiping outside of the communist government's control in Hanoi and because they were standing up for land
reform and the religious freedom of the Viet-Hmong and Lao-Hmong people,” Smith continued.
“Lao-Hmong forest and highland-dwelling
people who have fled horrific religious persecution as well as illegal logging by Vietnam People's Army-owned companies
in Laos continue to flee to Vietnam and Thailand as political refugees by the hundreds each year,” Smith concluded.
In December
of 2009, Thailand forced some eight thousand Lao Hmong political refugees back to Laos, despited international protests.
They were put under the direction of the Deputy Chief of the Lao Armed Forces who was previously accused by human rights
and international humanitarian organizations of taking a leadership role in perpetuating atrocities and egregious human
rights violations against Lao Hmong civilians, including the rape, murder and mutilation of Lao Hmong women and children.
Lately, the
VPA and SRV have played a significantly increased role in Laos, with hundreds of additional troops and security forces from
Vietnam being deployed in Laos in recent years.
### Contact: Ms. Helen Cruz Center for Public Policy Analysis Tele. (202) 543-1444
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite No.#212 Washington, DC 20006 USA Amnesty Urged for Laos, Hmong Prisoners from Minnesota
Washington, DC and St. Paul, Minnesota,
April 28, 2011 Center for Public Policy Analysis
Minnesota
Twin Cities' Hmong-American families have renewed an international plea for amnesty for their wrongly-jailed family members
in Laos. St. Paul, and Minneapolis, Laotian and Hmong-American families, community members and human
rights organizations, continue to speak out requesting the release of three Hmong-American citizens who were arrested in
Laos by Lao People's Army soldiers and secret police in August of 2007. The families, joined by Laotian and Hmong non-governmental
and non-profit organizations, have appealed to U.S. President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Lao
President and communist party leader, Lt. General Choummaly Sayasone, General Choummaly Sayasone heads the one-party military
junta in Vientiane and also serves as the President.
“Our families in Minnesota, and many in the Laotian and Hmong-American
community, are appealing to President Barack Obama, the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to press the
Lao government to immediately release the three Hmong men who were arrested and wrongly imprisoned in Laos for over three
and a half years, without charges being filed,” said Sheng Xiong of Minnesota., a spokeswoman for the families of
the men.
The three American citizens of ethnic Lao Hmong descent, Congshineng Yang, Trillion Yunhaison and Hakit Yang,
traveled from Minnesota in July of 2007 to Laos as tourists, and to seek potential business investment opportunities in
Laos.
Mrs. Sheng Xiong recently voiced a renewed international appeal for the families, and many in the Lao Hmong-American
community, to Scoop News in New Zealand, Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) in Minneapolis, Businesswire in Washington, D.C.,
the Washington Times and other newspapers and radio stations..
"We
want answers from the Lao government about Hakit Yang, and the other Hmong-Americans, that were arrested while traveling
with him in Laos," Mrs. Xiong stated.
The
Australia-based Foreign Prisoners Support Service (FPSS), and author and human rights activist Kay Danes, has repeatedly
raised the case of the three jailed Hmong men in Laos. Danes was a keynote speaker at the World Affairs Council and public
policy events in Washington, DC in 2009, held in the U.S. Congress and National Press Club, to discuss the plight of the
three men jailed in Laos and other human rights and refugee issues regarding Laos, Thailand and Southeast Asia. Mrs. Danes,
Sheng Xiong, and others, spoke about the three American's arrest in Laos, imprisonment in Phonthong Prison in Vientiane,
and later forced move to a secret Lao People's Army (LPA) military prison in Sam Neua province in the Northeastern part
of the Southeast Asian nation. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1001/S00247.htm
Mrs.
Danes is also the author of “Standing Ground” ( New Holland Publishers, Australia ) a book about her ordeal
as a political prisoner suffering, and witnessing torture, in Vientiane's Phonthong Prison in Laos. Kay and Kerry Danes
were jailed by corrupt Lao communist party officials, who sought to seize the assets for foreign investors in Laos. The
Danes were released after the high-level intervention of human rights activists, the Australian Embassy in Laos, Australian
Foreign Ministry and others. http://www.newholland.com.au/product.php?isbn=9781741107579
The
Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) and its Executive Director, Philip Smith, as well as others
concerned about human rights and foreign policy issues in Laos, and Southeast Asia, continue to raise concerns about this
humanitarian case and other issues.
“We are concerned that the White House, and President Barack Obama and Secretary
Hillary Clinton, appear to be unaware of the serious human rights violations being committed by the Lao People's Army, and
senior communist party officials, against American citizens traveling to Laos as well as independent Laotian and Hmong
religious believers, student leaders, political refugees, dissidents and peaceful opposition groups,” Smith said.
“We are requesting that the White House, President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton, vigorously and repeatedly address this terrible injustice; We want the Obama Administration and U.S. Embassy
in Laos to raise the issue of the ongoing imprisonment of the three Hmong-American citizens from Minnesota, at the highest
diplomatic levels with the Lao government, and urge that the three American men be immediately released from Laos' notorious
and secret gulag system,” Smith stated.
“The continued
imprisonment of American citizens in Laos-- and other critical human rights, religious freedom, refugee and other issues
-- should be raised with the Lao President Lt. General Choummaly Sayasone , and other senior LPA military generals and
communist politburo members at meetings with Obama Administration and State Department officials,” Smith said.
“Unfortunately, corruption and human rights violations in Laos, by Lao communist party
and military officials is rampant, and we are concerned that the White House, President Obama and Secretary Clinton, are
not be perceived as appeasing the Lao military junta while it continues to wrongly jail and abuse American citizens and
many of its own Laotian people, including the Hmong and Lao student pro-democracy leaders; the one-party regime in Laos
is a close ally of authoritarian regimes in Burma and North Korea which is another serious concern,” Smith concluded.
### Contact: Maria Gomez Center
for Public Policy Analysis 2020 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C.
20006 Tele. (202) 543-1444
April 23, 2011 05:10 PM Eastern Daylight Time Laos, Obama Urged By Rights Groups, Hmong, to
Free 3 Americans WASHINGTON & MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, Minn. April 23, 2011 --(BUSINESS WIRE)--A coalition of Laotian and Hmong non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the Center for Public Policy Analysis
(CPPA), have joined the families of three Hmong-Americans from Minnesota in issuing an international appeal
for the release of their relatives who have been imprisoned in Laos for over three years. The appeal requests that
the Lao government, and U.S. President Barack Obama, work at a higher diplomatic level, with urgent priority,
to release the three Hmong-American citizens. In August 2007, for unknown reasons, Lao People's Army (LPA) troops and secret police arrested the
three Americans: Mr. Hakit Yang, 24; Mr. Congshineng Yang, 34; and Mr. Trillion Yunhaison, 44.
The Hmong-Americans remain imprisoned in
Laos' Sam Neua province by LPA troops and secret police. The three are being held without charges being filed,
or due process, according to the Foreign Prisoners Support Service (FPSS), the CPPA, human rights organizations,
family members and others.
Mrs. Sheng Xiong, a spokeswoman for the families, and Philip Smith of the CPPA, spoke to Minnesota Public Radio
(MPR) about the case.
“I just wish the Lao government would be upfront ...,” Xiong told MPR.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2011/04/21/hmong-americans-held-in-laos/ “We want answers
now from the Lao government about the arrest and continued imprisonment of my husband, Hakit Yang, and the other
two Hmong-Americans...,” Xiong, stated further. “We would like to ask the President, Barack Obama, and the U.S. Government,
to please seriously help to press the Lao military and government to cooperate in telling the truth about the arrest
and imprisonment of our families in Laos so that they can be released and come home to their loved ones, including
their wives and children,” Mrs. Xiong said. “Our Lao Hmong families, and the community in St. Paul and Minneapolis, are appealing to the
Lao government... to release my husband, Hakit Yang, and his colleagues...,” Xiong commented.
“We are grateful to Kay Danes and
the FPSS in Australia for helping to bring new and updated information, and evidence, about the arrest and
continued jailing of my husband in Laos-- and we appreciate her book 'Standing Ground' regarding... the plight of
prisoners at Phonthong Prison, in Vientiane, where my husband was jailed...,” Xiong concluded.
“The LPA, and secret police, later
moved the three Americans, including Sheng Xiong's husband Hakit Yang, from Xieng Khouang province, where
they were arrested, to Laos' notorious Phonthong Prison, in the capital of Vientiane, where the men were interrogated,
beaten and tortured, according to eyewitness and multiple sources...,” said Philip Smith, Director of
the CPPA in Washington, D.C.
http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org “In 2009, the
three Hmong-American men were again moved... and are now being held in a secret LPA military-operated prison camp
in Sam Neua Province, Laos,” Smith stated. “We are urging President Obama to press the Lao military
and government, at a higher diplomatic level, to release the three Americans...” “Additionally, we are also appealing to President Obama, and
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to assist with the release of other Lao and Hmong political prisoners
and religious dissidents in Laos...,” Smith concluded. “We condemn, in the strongest terms, the continued imprisonment by the
Lao military and communist officials in Laos of Mr. Hakit Yang, Mr. Conghineng Yang and Trillion Yunhaison, who
are U.S. citizens still being held without charge in horrific conditions in Laos by the LPA and secret police,”
said Christy Lee, Director of Hmong Advance, Inc. (HAI) in Washington, D.C.
http://www.hmongadvance.org The NGOs joining the
Hmong-American families in urging Laos, and the White House, to help release the Americans include the CPPA, HAI,
Hmong Advancement, United Lao for Human Rights and Democracy, Lao Human Rights Council, Hmong Students Association,
Lao Students for Democracy, United League for Democracy in Laos, Laos Institute for Democracy and Lao Veterans
of America. On March
16, the CPPA issued an appeal regarding the imprisoned Hmong-Americans and human rights violations in Laos.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110316007171/en/Laos-Hmong-Crisis-Rights-Groups-International-Appeal CPPA - Center for Public
Policy Analysis
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
Contacts
Center for Public Policy Analysis
Helen Cruz, 202-543-1444
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Laos: Appeal for Release
of 3 Hmong-Americans
Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, April 21, 2011 Center for Public Policy Analysis
The Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) and a coalition of Laotian and Hmong
non-governmental organizations have joined the Minnesota families of three Hmong-Americans in issuing an appeal for the
release of their relatives being held in Laos for over three years by military and communist party officials. The appeal
was issued from Washington, D.C., and the Twin Cities of Minnesota, to the Lao government and U.S. President Barack Obama
to request that they work at a higher diplomatic level, with urgent priority, to release three Hmong-American citizens
arrested and currently imprisoned in Laos.
The three jailed Americans, of ethnic
Hmong descent from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, have been imprisoned in Laos for over three years-- according
to eye-witness sources, human rights groups, prisoner support organizations, and humanitarian activists, including Australian
author and humanitarian advocate Kay Danes. . http://www.presszoom.com/print_story_140676.htm
According to the Foreign Prisoners Support Service in Australia, CPPA, family members
and other sources, the three Minnesota men were arrested in Laos by Lao military and security forces while they were visiting
Laos in the summer of 2007 as tourists and potential investors.. The three Hmong-Americans remained imprisoned in Laos'
Sam Neua Province by Lao military and ministry of interior police.. They are currently being held without charges being
filed, or due process.
“We want answers now from the Lao government about
the arrest and continued imprisonment of my husband, Hakit Yang, and the other two Hmong-Americans traveling with him
from Minnesota,” said Sheng Xiong, a spokeswoman for the families of the three Hmong-Americans arrested in the summer
of 2007 in Xieng Khouang Province. http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1089564.html
“Our Lao Hmong families, and the community in St. Paul and Minneapolis, are
appealing to the Lao government once again to release my husband Hakit Yang and his colleagues immediately, and unconditionally,”
Mrs. Xiong further stated.
“We would like to ask the President of the
United States, Barack Obama, and the U.S. government to please seriously help to press the Lao military and government
to cooperate in telling the truth about the arrest and imprisonment of our families in Laos so that they can be released
and come home to their loved ones, including their wives and children,” Xiong said.
“We
are grateful to Kay Danes and the Foreign Prisoners Support Service in Australia for helping to bring new and updated
information and evidence about the arrest and continued jailing of my husband in Laos and we appreciate her book 'Standing
Ground' regarding her experience and first-hand knowledge about the the plight of prisoners at Phonthong Prison in Vientiane
were my husband was jailed by the Lao authorities,” Xiong concluded.
Lao
People's Army (LPA) troops and secret police arrested the three Americans: Mr. Hakit Yang, 24; Mr. Conghineng Yang,, 34;
and Trillion Yunhaison, 44. The three were U.S. citizens from St. Paul, Minnesota and the Twin Cities area of Minnesota
where their immediate families remain. A fourth Hmong individual Mr. Pao Vang, of unknown nationality and age, was reportedly
acting as tour guide for the group, and was also reportedly arrested and jailed with them according to sources inside
Laos.
“The LPA and secret police later moved the three Americans, including Sheng
Xiong's husband Hakit Yang, to Laos' notorious Phonthong Prison, in the capital of Vientiane, where the men were interrogated,
beaten and tortured according to eyewitnesses as well as numerous and redundant Hmong, Laotian, Australian, and other
sources,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director for the CPPA in Washington, D.C. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“In 2009, the three Hmong-American men were again moved a second time in
army trucks and vehicles, and are now being held in a secret LPA military-operated prison camp in Sam Neua Province, Laos,
“ Smith stated.
“Australian human rights activist and author Kay
Danes as well as the Foreign Prisoners Support Service have also uncovered more details of the Lao government's continued
imprisonment and mistreatment of the three American's from Minnesota.,” Smith continued.
“We
are urging President Barack Obama to press the Lao military and government, at a higher diplomatic level, to release the
three Americans from the Twin Cities of Minnesota,” Smith said.
“We are
also appealing to President Obama, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to assist with the release of Lao and Hmong political
prisoners and religious dissidents in Laos, including jailed Lao student pro-democracy leaders and the Hmong translator
for Pastor Naw Karl Mua, of St. Paul, and two European journalists who were also previously arrested and imprisoned in
Laos,” Smith concluded.
“We condemn, in the strongest terms, the
continued imprisonment by the Lao military and communist officials in Laos of Mr. Hakit Yang, Mr. Conghineng Yang and
Trillion Yunhaison, who are U.S. citizens still being held without charge in horrific conditions in Laos by the Lao Peoples
Army and secret police,” said Christy Lee, the Executive Director of Hmong Advance, Inc. (HAI) in Washington, D.C.
“Laotian and Hmong-Americans are concerned that this is yet another brutal
example of the Lao government's, and LPA military's, institutional violence and endemic racism directed against the Hmong
people in Laos who continue to suffer mistreatment, gross human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, religious
persecution, the confiscation of their land, and many other terrible abuses from the Lao military and corrupt communist
party officials,” Ms. Lee stated from HAI offices in Washington..
On March 16,
2011, the CPPA and others issued and international appeal regarding the plight of the three Hmong-Americans from Minnesota
as well as political prisoners and religious dissidents being jailed in Laos.
The United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
in Geneva has repeated cited the government of Laos, and Lao People's Army soldiers and commanders, for egregious human
rights violations and institutional racism, including the rape and killing of unarmed Lao Hmong civilians.
“We want the one-party communist regime in Laos to abide by international
law and release the three Lao Hmong-American citizens from St. Paul who have been jailed in Laos for over three years,
” said Boon Boualaphanh , of the Minneapolis -based United Lao for Human Rights and Democracy (ULHRD). “These
America citizens and other prisoners , including prisoners of conscience and political prisoners, should also be released
by the Lao military and communist party authorities including the Lao student leaders of the October 1999 Movement for
Democracy in Vientiane.” ..
The Hmong-Americans currently being jailed in Laos, have
no known political or family ties to opposition or dissident factions and had departed the United States for travel to
Laos on July 10, 2007, from the Twin Cities of Minnesota as tourists and to potentially seek business and investment opportunities
in Laos, prior to their arrest and imprisonment.
Australian Kay Danes, a former political
prisoner in Laos, spoke in the U.S. Congress and the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in April 2009, with Sheng
Xiong about the current imprisonment and plight of the three Americans in Laos. Danes is the author of “Standing Ground”
a book about her ordeal in Phonthong Prison in Vientiane, Laos, where the three Americans were also imprisoned and tortured
before being moved to secret military prison in Sam Neua Province by Lao military and security forces.
Laos is governed by a one-party communist regime whose leadership has repeatedly been deemed as “Press
Predators” by the Paris, France-based Journalists Without Borders ( JSF ). Amnesty International and other independent
human rights organizations have also raise serous concerns http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGASA260022006
For nearly a decade, a Hmong translator with links to the Twin Cities, who assisted
Minnesota Hmong-American Pastor Naw Karl Mua (Naw Karl Moua) and two European journalists, Thierry Falise and Vincent Reynaud,
is still imprisoned in Laos on allegations regarding their efforts to document human rights violations. The group documented
horrific attacks and atrocities committed by the LPA on Laotian and Hmong civilians, independent Animist and Christians
communities, and dissident groups.
Over 8,000 Lao Hmong refugees were forced back
to Laos in 2009, and were placed in charge of a LPA General, General Bouasieng Champaphanh, who has repeatedly involved
with answering serious human rights and religious freedom violations, and atrocity, charges by the United Nations and
independent human rights and religious freedom organizations. http://media-newswire.com/release_1108993.html
The non-profit and non-governmental organizations joining the three Hmong-American
families in urging Laos to release the three Americans from Minnesota include the CPPA, HAI, Hmong Advancement, Inc., ULHRD, Lao Human Rights Council, Inc., Hmong Students Association, Lao Hmong Students For Democracy, United
League for Democracy in Laos, Laos Institute for Democracy, Lao Veterans of America, Inc., and others.
##
Contact: Jade Lee CPPA - Center for Public Policy Analysis Tele. (202) 543-1444
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite No. 220 Washington,
D.C. 20006 USA Concerns Raised As Burma Targets Refugees in Thailand, ASEAN Parliament
April 11, 2011, Washington, D.C. &
Bangkok, Thailand Center for Public Policy Analysis info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
The
Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA) has issued a statement today welcoming the retirement of Burma’s General
Than Shwe and calling on the new Burmese hybrid government, in its road map to “disciplined democracy”, to adopt
true political, social and economic reforms. Burma is expected to seek to join the Association of South East Asia Nations’
(ASEAN) Inter-Parliamentary Assembly as a long-term member by sending representatives to upcoming meeting in Cambodia in
September.
The CPPA also expressed concerns today about the recent announcement by elements of Thailand’s government,
and powerful military, to deport tens of thousands of Burmese refugees back to Burma in the wake of the transfer of military-civilian
power in Burma, and after the retirement of Gen. Than Shwe.
“General Than Shwe's historic retirement as head of the military
junta in Burma is an important first step and we welcome it with skeptical optimism and a variety of very deep concerns,”
said Philip Smith, Executive Director for the CPPA in Washington, D.C. http://www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org/
“We
urge the newly elected Burmese Union Parliament, and military-civilian government under President Thein Sein and Army General
Min Aung Hlaing, to adopt true political, social and economic reforms, which are badly needed by the people of Burma and
widely hoped for by the international community,” Smith stated.
Gen. Than Shwe headed Burma's military junta for nearly
two decades, out of the Burmese military’s five decade rule. He has ruled Burma, in an authoritarian fashion, since
1992.
Burma’s
Union Parliament reported announced on March 28th its intention to
seek formal, long-term membership in ASEAN’s AIPA. The eight present members of AIPA include Indonesia, Malaysia,
Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
“Clearly, more substantive reforms should be undertaken by the new
Burmese hybrid, military-civilian government prior to Burma being admitted to ASEAN’s Inter-Parliamentary Assembly,”
Smith said.
“Burmese political refugees and asylum seekers should not be deported by Thailand, or forced back to Burma
by the Thai military, until concrete reforms and changes have taken place in Burma under the new government, including serious
human rights reforms,” Smith said.
“The Burmese military has long targeted many of the refugees who have fled to Thailand
from persecution or worse, ” Smith observed.
President Thein Sein is a former Army office and Prime Minister under the General
Than Shwe’s State Peace and Development Council, previous know as the State Law and Order Council (SLORC). SLORC
engaged in widespread human rights violations against pro-democracy advocates, human rights defenders, minority peoples
(including the Karen and Kareni) as well as independent Buddhist monks and Christian and Animist believers.
Gen. Than Shwe
and SLORC were staunch allies of brutal authoritarian and communist regimes in Laos, North Korea and elsewhere.
“The
new hybrid, military-civilian government in Burma, which has replaced the old military junta under General Than Shwe, is
already being criticized in many quarters for being a sham and charade because it combines senior, and extensive, elements
of the previous military junta with a nominal number of new civilian elements,” Smith continued.
“The recent end of the old junta
in Burma should not merely usher in a new military-run Burma under the guise of ‘disciplined democracy’”,
Smith stated.
“Perhaps most importantly, we remain deeply concerned about the exclusion of the Aung San Suu Kyi’s
National League for Democracy (NLD) party in Burma’s new Union Parliament and the overwhelming predominance of the
military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in the recent elections,” Smith concluded.
The CPPA
is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank and research organization focused on foreign and national security policy issues as
well as economic development, humanitarian, human rights and refugee matters.
## Contact:
Maria Gomez info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
(202) 543-1444
Center for Public
Policy Analysis
Aquino,
Philippines Urged to Halt Epidemic of Attacks on Journalists
Washington, D.C.,
and Manila, Philippines, March 28, 2011 Center
for Public Policy Analysis info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
The Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C., has issued an international appeal today calling
upon President Benigno Aquino and the Philippine government to make it a higher national priority to address political violence
directed against journalists and press freedom in the Philippines. The statement condemns the apparent assassination of
radio talk show host and journalist Maria Len Flores Somera who was murdered last Thursday near her home in Malabon city,
in metropolitan Manila.
In the wake of the radio journalist “Len” Somera's
murder, the international appeal also urges support for Bishop Felixberto Calang's request that the United Nations monitor
the ongoing Maguindanao (Mindanao) massacre trial.
“We urge President Benigno Aquino, and
the Philippine government, to make it a higher national priority to address the recent murder of journalist Maria Len Flores
Somera as well as the epidemic of violent attacks on press freedom, and individual journalists, in the Philippines,”
said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA).
The
statement regarding the murder of journalists in the Philippines was issued in Washington, D.C. and Manila by Philip Smith,
Director of the CPPA.
The CPPA is a Washington, D.C.-based think tank and research organization focused on
foreign policy, human rights, humanitarian affairs, economic development and other public policy issues. http://centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org
“We condemn, in the strongest terms, the unconscionable murder of radio talk show
journalist Maria Len Flores Somera which appears to many in the international community as yet another example of political
violence and efforts to silence freedom-loving journalists and people in the Philippines seeking reform,” Smith stated.
Somera, 44, was a broadcaster for DZME radio in Manila, prior to being killed on March 24. According
to Philippine National Police (PNP) sources, she was shot with a pistol, execution-style, point blank, by a
male assailant.
“Mrs. Somera was popular to radio listeners in Manila, in part, for her tireless
dedication to freedom of expression and investigative reporting on issues of concern to the public and ordinary people, including
matters of government inefficiency, incompetence and corruption among some officials in the Philippines,” Smith said
in the CPPA's statement.
Excerpts of the CPPA's international appeal and statement continued:
“Tragically, this appears to be another act of political violence, and horrific human
rights violations, directed against journalists in the Philippines who seek to freely and fairly inform the public about
current events and developments, including issues of governance, public service and corruption;”
“We
urge President Benigno Aquino, and the Philippine government, to make it their highest priority to apprehend and bring to
justice those responsible for this terrible crime against Maria Len Flores Somera, and her family, as well as the Philippine
people, civil society, and the Philippine nation;”
“The international community
and Filipinos around the world have expressed shock, outrage and sadness regarding the murder of Mrs. Somera and the ongoing
pattern of systemic violence directed against journalists in the Philippines, which urgently needs to be addressed by President
Aquino and the Philippine government;
“We urge President Benigno Aquino, and the Philippine government, including
the judiciary and courts, to do significantly more to seriously provide full justice, and comprehensive psycho-social assistance,
to the suffering family members of the 57 people, including 32 journalists, murdered in the political violence and attack
in Mindanao, Maguindanao province ( Magindanaw ), on November 23, 2009...; 'We appeal to the United Nations
Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to monitor the Maguindanao massacre trial as requested by Bishop Felixberto Calang of the Philippine
Independent Church, and others, especially given troubling reports of ongoing delays, the resignation of state prosecutors,
and the disappearance and intimidation of witnesses; “Seriously
address the concerns and complaint filed earlier this month before the UNHRC by the families of journalists Maricel Vigo,
Juan Pala, Dennis Cuesta, Fernando Lintuan, and William Yap Yu who reportedly assert that the Philippine government has egregiously
violated the rights of their loved ones, who were killed between 2000-2007, in apparent disregard of the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)...; “We
are concerned that press freedom, and key institutions of civil society, are increasingly under attack in the Philippines
as sadly symbolized by the murder of Maria Len Flores Somera and other journalists,” Smith concluded in the CPPA's
international appeal and statement.
The CPPA has issued previous statements and appeals regarding
the world's largest known single massacre of journalists which occurred in Mindanao, Philippines on November 23, 2009.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO1102/S00381/philippines-urged-to-assist-families-of-slain-journalists.htm
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the National Union of Journalists of
the Philippines ( NUJP), and others, have also called on authorities in the Philippines to promptly investigate the murder
of Mrs. Somera.
According to reports by DZME Radio, GMA News, and others, the National Press Club of
the Philippines and the Alyansang ng Filipinong Mamamahayag, two media groups in the Philippines, have said they have raised
thousands in monetary funds, some 50,000 Philippine Pesos (PHP), for anybody who can provide information leading to the arrest
of the gunman and plotters in Mrs. Sumera's bloody killing
In New York, the Committee to
Protect Journalists issued a statement earlier this month expressing concern that an accused Maguindanao province mastermind,
allegedly involved in the mass killing of 32 journalists in Ampatuan, Mindanao, on November 23, 2009, may go free. http://www.cpj.org/2011/03/accused-maguindanao-mastermind-may-go-free.php
## Contact:
Maria Gomez Center for Public Policy Analysis
2020 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite 220 Washington, DC 20006
info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org Tele. (202) 543-1444 Businesswire - March 16, 2011, A coalition
of Laotian and Hmong organizations have issued a joint statement with the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CPPA)
urging Laos to release.
www.businesswire.com/.../Laos-Hmong-Crisis-Rights-Groups-International-Appeal
Jun 17, 2010 ... MSF is historical," said Dr. Jane Hamilton-Merritt
, author of "Tragic Mountains: The Hmong, The Americans, and the Secret Wars for Laos ...
www.prnewswire.com/.../congress-appeals-to-obama-administration-thailand--stop-hmong-returns-to-laos-62157667.html Dec 27, 2009 ... CPPA - Center for Public Policy Analysis Juan Lopez
or Philip Smith ... info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org · http://www.cppa-dc.org
...
www.businesswire.com/.../Senate-Questions-U.S.-Thailand-Military
-Funding-Anupong-Abhisi Laos, Hmong Refugee Crisis - Thailand's PM Abhisit, Anupong Should Stop Forced Douglas and the Center for Public
Policy Analysis (CPPA) are urging Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to seriously
address this humanitarian crisis and emancipate the Lao Hmong refugees for resettlement abroad. Douglas and
the Center for Public Policy Analysis
(CPPA) are urging Thailan
www.businesswire.com/ portal/ site/ home/ permalink/ ?ndmViewId=news_view &newsId=20091208006445
&newsLang=en Laos Army Chief of Staff, in Charge of Return of Hmong, Involved with Military Operations, Propaganda
Against Hmong
Online PR News – 29-December-2009 –Nong Khai and Bangkok, Thailand and Washington, D.C., December 29, 2009
“Lao Brigadier General Bouasieng Champaphanh,
along with other senior Lao Peoples Army commanders and Politburo members, have engaged in efforts before the United Nations
to deny and cover-up atrocities and war crimes committed in recent years to exterminate Hmong dissidents and unarmed civilians
in the jungles and mountains of Laos, including in Xieng Khouang Province, Boulikhamxai and Vientiane Provinces,” said
Philip Smith of the CPPA. Concerns
are growing about the background and history of a Lao general charged with the repatriation and resettlement of Hmong refugees
from Thailand to Laos. The
head of the Lao effort to forcibly repatriate Lao Hmong refugees from Thailand to Laos is a senior Lao Peoples Army (LPA)
general who has a track record of denying findings of war crimes and atrocities by Amnesty International, the United Nations
and others. Brigadier General Bouasieng Champaphanh (AKA Bouaxieng Champaphanh or Bouxieng Champaphanh), chairman of the Lao-Thai
general border sub-committee, is also the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Lao Armed Forces which has targeted the Hmong in Laos
for military attacks and political and religious persecution. General Bouasieng Champaphanh has been put in charge of the
Hmong repatriated from Thailand to Laos. http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/16061-1262102519-laos-general-involved-with-atrocities-war-crimes-denials-against-hmong-in-charge-of-repatriation-resettlement.html Urgent Appeal During SEA Games For Laos Prisoners of Conscience, Hmong Refugees
"Prior to the SEA Games in Laos, the Laotian groups from Vientiane
as well as other parts of Laos were seeking change and reforms in Laos, including expressing solidarity and concerns about
imprisoned Lao students, religious persecution, the military intervention of Vietnam's security forces and troops from Hanoi,
and very high-levels of corruption within the one-party military regime in the LPDR,” said Philip Smith of the Center
for Public Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. 2009/12/09  Vietnam, Laos Crackdown: SEA Games Avoided By Overseas Lao, Hmong in Protest
Laotians from the United States, Canada, France, Australia, Thailand and other countries have joined the protest
boycott refusing to attend the SEA Game events that are being held in the coming days in Vientiane, Laos. 2009/12/07
EP: Thailand Urged to Liberate Hmong refugees, Laos Urged To Free Students
The European Parliament has adopted a major resolution condemning
egregious and systemic human rights violations in Laos by the one-party, authoritarian Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (LPDR)
military regime. The resolution also appeals to Thailand to immediately free Lao Hmong refugees facing forced repatriation
back to the communist regime in Laos so they can be resettled in third countries such as France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
The Netherlands and the United States. 2009/11/27
Abhisit, Anupong’s Thanksgiving Day Final Solution to the Laos, Hmong Problem: Thailand
Moves More Troops Against Unarmed Hmong Refugees
Thailand’s Defense Prawit Wongsuwon and Minister of Interior
(MOI) Chavarat Charnvirakuland and Army Chief Anupong Paochinda have ordered more Royal Thai Third Army and special MOI troops
to prepare for the mass forced repatriation of over 5,100 Lao Hmong political refugees. There are growing indications that
mass forced repatriations of the Laotian refugees may occur over the American Thanksgiving Day holiday period or prior to
the start of the Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games or SEAG) in early December. The Thai military and General Anupong Paochinda
have threatened to return all Lao Hmong refugees in Thailand to Laos by the end of the year. 2009/11/25
St. Paul Americans Imprisoned in Laos: Hmong Urged to be Released Before SEA Games
Mr. Hakit Yang, Mr. Congshineng Yang, and Mr. Trillion Yunhansion
were arrested by Lao military and security forces in the summer of 2007 without charges and are still being imprisoned and
held in Laos after over two years without due process. The Southeast Asia Games (SEAG or SEA Games) are to begin in Laos in
early December. It is hoped that Laos may release the men as a good will gesture prior to the start of the SEA Games. 2009/11/23
Thailand SEA Games Crisis in Laos : Prawit Wongsuwon, Abhisit, Anupong Send Soldiers Against Hmong
Refugees
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, Army Chief-of-Staff
General Anupong Paochinda, Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, and Ministry of Interior (MOI) Minister Chavarat Charnvirakuland,
and other Thai policymakers, have newly deployed hundreds more special troops to the Lao Hmong refugee camps and are coercing
and threatening to force all Lao Hmong refugees back to the communist regime in Laos they fled before the start of the SEA
Games, or by the end of this year. 2009/11/20 Corruption High in Laos As SEA Games Approach in Vientiane
Systemic human rights abuses and corruption in the Lao Peoples
Army, which dominates Laos’ communist politburo and government, has fueled civil unrest and mass arrests by the LPDR
government in recent weeks as hundreds of Laotians have sought to protest against the Lao government prior to the start of
the Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games). 2009/11/18 Laos, Thailand Refugee Crisis: SEA Games May Suffer More Political Violence, Unrest
"The Thailand and Laos refugee crisis may stir more unwanted
political violence and civil unrest prior to the SEA games start if a military solution continues to be pursued by Thai Defense
Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, General Anupong and Prime Minister Abhisit as well as the Lao military," said Philip Smith,
of the Center for Public Policy Analysis in Washington, D.C. 2009/11/17 Laos, Vietnam Army Crackdown in the Kingdom of A Million Elephants
As President Barack Obama arrives in Southeast Asia for talks,
over eleven hundred and seventy-six Laotians have been arrested in Laos for suspected opposition to the authoritarian military
regime and the increasingly violent intervention of Hanoi's armed forces in Laos. Thirty-eight (38) more people were brutally
arrested in midnight, door-to-door raids by secret police and army units of the Lao Peoples Army (LPA) and Vietnam last night
in Vientiane, Laos. With the start of the Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games) slated to begin just weeks from now in early December,
Laos is seeking to renew a major faltering military effort to maintain civil order against Lao and Hmong pro-democracy, human
rights and political and religious dissidents, as well as ordinary citizens, who have sought to mobilize in mass opposition
to the authoritarian regime in the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (LPDR). 2009/11/13
Mortars Slam Jungle Enclaves in Laos Killing, Wounding 6 Hmong
In Laos, six (6) Lao Hmong women and children were wounded or killed
by army artillery and mortar attacks directed against Laotian civilians hiding from government forces in remote mountain and
jungle areas of Laos. 2009/11/07 Laos, Vietnam Crisis: Activists Mobilize for Human Rights, Religious Freedom Before SEA Games
In Vientiane, hundreds of Lao and Hmong students and activists
have sought to organize peaceful demonstrations in Laos against widespread government corruption and Stalinist policies in
the one-party communist regime. 2009/11/06
Hundreds More Laotians Arrested by Laos Army As SEA Games Approach
The military regime in Laos has engaged in a massive new round
of arrests of suspected political and religious dissidents prior to the SEA Games opening in December. In Laos, 346 people
preparing for anti-government demonstrations in support of human rights and democracy were arrest beginning on November 2
in Vientiane. Many are still being jailed. Ethnic Hmong and Laotian civilians and dissidents are also being attacked and persecuted
by Lao military and security forces. 2009/11/04
Laos Crisis: SEA Games Preceded By Human Rights Concerns, Violations
The Lao Peoples Army (LPA) is launching renewed military attacks
on Lao and Hmong civilians and political and religious dissident groups in-hiding in the Phou Bia and Phou Da Phao areas of,
Xieng Khouang Province, Laos, prior to the start of the upcoming Southeast Asia games (SEA Games) in Vientiane, Laos. 2009/11/01
Laos General in Charge of Hmong Repatriation Denies UN, Amnesty Reports of Attacks
Laos Human Rights Council Expresses Concerns About Hmong Refugees in LPDR
Obama Urged By Hmong Veterans To Intervene to Help Stop Thailand’s Forced Return of Refugees
Blood Everywhere: Abhisit, Anupong Order More Hmong Refugees Beaten, Tazered By Thai Soldiers
Leahy May Review Funding of U.S.-Thailand Military Relations as Anupong, Abhisit Move Against
Hmong
HRW Letter to Thailand's Abhisit: More Christmas Day Hope for Hmong Refugees Who Fled Persecution
in Laos
U.S. State Department, Senate Urge Thailand’s Abhisit, Anupong to Stop Hmong Refugee Return
to Laos
No Return from Laos: Thailand Army Column, Buses Arrive At Hmong Refugee Camp
More Laos, Hmong Refugees Forcibly Returned By Thailand Arrested, Killed by LPDR
Southeast Asia Games: SEA Games Raise Laos, Hmong Human Rights Problems
SEA Games: Laos, Hmong Arrested Prior To SEAG of Concern to Amnesty International
Boycott of SEA Games Widens As Thousands of Americans Ostracize Laos PDR Regime For Violations
McWilliams Appeals To End Repatriation of Laos, Hmong Refugees in Thailand
European Parliament Urges Emancipation of Lao Hmong Refugees in Thailand, Freedom for Jailed Laos
Students
SEA Game Attacks: Vietnam, Laos Military Kill 23 Lao Hmong Christians on Thanksgiving
Thailand’s MOI Chief Chavarat Charnvirakuland, Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwon Prepare
Abhisit, Anupong's Final Solution to Laos, Hmong Problem
U.S. Amb. Douglas: Halt Urged To Abhisit's Hmong, Laos Repatriation Tragedy in Thailand
Laos Urged To Free 3 Jailed Americans Before SEA Games: St. Paul, Minnesota Hmong Men in Limbo
International Communiqué on Laos Urges Release of Lao Hmong Refugees in Thailand
SEA Games Crisis in Laos: Lao PDR Listed As Among World’s Most Corrupt Nations
We Salute You: Hmong, Lao Veterans of America to Kham Xiong and U.S. Army Victims
Laos Rocked By Students, Activists: Army Violence as SEA Games Approach
Laos SEA Games: Lao, Hmong Demonstrators Beaten, Dragged Screaming to Prisons
Laos: Mass Arrests of 346 Protesters Prior to SEA Games
Support Grows For Laos, Hmong Veterans Bill in U.S. Congress
Southeast Asia Games in Laos Overshadowed by Army Intervention
SEA Games Problems: Psych Ops, Machine Guns Directed Against Laos, Hmong Refugees By Thailand’s
PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, General Anupong
“You Will Never Be Forgotten”: Lao Hmong Vets Bill Spearheaded by Jim Costa, Nunes,
Cardoza, Radanovich, Kagen
Laos Students, Persecuted Religious Believers, Christians Memorialized on Anniversary of Crack
Down
Veterans of Laos Secret War Mobilize on Capitol Hill
U.S. Congress, President Obama Urged to Honor Lao Hmong Veterans With Burial Benefits
Shooting Erupts With M-16s in Thailand Against Laos, Hmong Refugees
Laos, Hmong Crisis: Thailand’s General Anupong Paojinda, Prime Minister Abhisit Open Fire
on Refugees
Thailand’s Abhisit Vejjajiva, Gen. Anupong Paojinda, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha Mobilize Troops
Against Laos, Hmong Refugees
Abhisit Vejjajiva Ignores Appeals To Thailand's King on Laos, Hmong Crisis
Laos Students Appeal To Senator Jim Webb for Release of Student Leaders
Vietnam, Laos War Criminal Meets with Senator Jim Webb
Virginia Laotians Appeal to Senator Jim Webb To Stop Abuses Against Families, Students
U.S. Senator Jim Webb: Lao Hmong Shot Raped by LPA Soldiers During Visit
Thailand Again Urged to Halt Refugee Push Back of Hmong
Forced Back to Laos: Thailand 3rd Army, MOI Troops Brutalize 24 Hmong Refugees
Ambassador Douglas Issues Key Statement on Laos, Hmong Crisis in Thailand
Clinton, Webb Talks To Stop Laos, Hmong Refugee Crisis in Thailand Praised
Laos, Hmong Prison Hell: St. Paul Americans, Students Still Jailed
Laos: Hundreds Trapped As Military Attacks Lao Hmong Civilians
Report on Laos Violations, Hmong Crisis Discussed During Thailand Camp Visit
Laos Support for North Korea in Opposition to Obama, Clinton
Laos Troops Gang Rape Hmong Girl, Kill 5 Civilians - UPDATED
Laos, Hmong Letter Released in U.S. Congress, Washington, D.C.
Reps. Ron Kind, Tammy Baldwin, Steve Kagan, Frank Wolf, Dana Rohrabacher sign Laos,Hmong Letter
McWilliams Spotlights Reps. Kennedy, Rep. Cardoza's letter in Opposing to Laos, Hmong Abuses
U.S. Congress Urges Sec. Clinton, Thailand to Stop Forcing Hmong to Laos
Washington, D.C. Observes National Lao Hmong Veterans Recognition Day Events
Laos Ethnic Cleansing Task Force Kills 12 Hmong Children
MSF Hmong, Laos Refugee Effort in Thailand Lauded By Dr. Hamilton-Merritt, Congress
Laos, Hmong Mobilize to Appeal to U.S. Congress, President Obama To Help Feed, Save Refugees
Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand Army Abuses Force Hmong, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) To Leave
St. Paul Hmong Wife Urges Laos To Release Jailed Americans
Laos, Hmong Community of Minnesota Speaks in U.S. Congress
Laos Army Targets Hmong Christian, Shaman Believers in Thailand
Military in Laos Targets Hmong Civilians, Kills 9
Laos Movement for Human Rights: LPDR on U.S. Watch List
Abhisit’s Starvation of Laos, Hmong Refugees in Thailand Sparks Suicides
National Policy Conference on Laos, Hmong Thailand Crisis
Kay Danes, Sheng Xiong to Speak About Laos, Hmong Human Rights Issues
Hmong Americans Still Held in Laos From St. Paul Minnesota
Laos Student Movement for Democracy Issues Statement in Vientiane, Washington DC
Laos, Vietnam Troops Slaughter Lao, Hmong: Over 6500 Face Death
Laos, Thailand Hmong Refugee Crisis: Australian Author to Speak at World Affairs, Washington,
D.C. Events
World Hmong Congress Officially Recognized Hmong Pahawh Written Langauge
Laos, Thailand Hmong Crisis: President Obama, Secretary Clinton Urged To Save Refugees
U.S. Senate Briefing on Laos, Hmong Crisis: Tragic Mountains Commemorated
U.S. Congressional Briefing on the Laotian and Hmong Refugee Crisis in Thailand and Laos
Laos, Hmong Refugee Crisis: Tragic Mountains and the Human Rights Challenge in Thailand
Hmong Refugees Forced Back To Laos By Thailand's Military Draws Fire in Washington
U.S. Congress Raises Concerns About Hmong Americans in Laos
Thailand, Laos Crisis: Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Deploys Troops Against Hmong
Hmong Community and NGOs in the U.S. condemned Vietnam
Hmong Persecution in Laos: US Congress, Norm Coleman Urge Action
Laos military launches bloody attacks on Hmong civilians in hiding
Hmong: Institutional Violence, Racism By Laos Regime
St. Paul Hmong Americans Imprisoned in Laos: US Senator Coleman Urges Bush To Act
Hmong, Laos Community in California, Veterans Honor Tragic Mountains Author
Hmong, Laos Crisis: No Christmas for Hmong Refugees, Kue Xiong, As Thailand’s Third Army
Mobilizes
Hmong Joint Statement Appeal Issued: Text of International Communique
Hmong Joint Diaspora Statement: Communique Appeals For Solution to Thailand, Laos Refugee Crisis
Laos, Hmong Crisis: LMHR Commemorates Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Somchai’s Thailand, Laos Crisis: Torture, Abduction of Lao Hmong Refugees as Amnesty International,
UN Appeal
Laos Movement for Human Rights Calls For Release of Jailed Student Leaders
United League for Democracy in Laos Demands Release of Vientiane Student Protesters
Hmong Students, College Discuss Human Rights, Refugee Crisis in Laos, Thailand
Dr. Jane Hamilton Merritt Speaks To Hmong, Laos Students in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Hmong Students, Laos Community Welcome, Honor Human Rights Advocate
Thailand, Laos’ Hmong Crisis: Somchai Urged to Reverse Policy, Stop Pressuring refugees
to return to Stalinist regime
Thailand’s Somchai Visits Laos Following Bloody Military, Chemical Weapons Attacks on Hmong
Laos, Hmong Refugee Crisis: Human Rights Watch Questions Thailand’s Forced Repatriation,
Plight of Protest Marchers
Hmong Students in Wisconsin Discuss Tragic Mountains: Laos History, Refugee, Human Rights Crisis
Thailand, Laos Crisis: Officials Demand Hmong Refugees Return to Killing Fields
Thailand, Laos Human Rights, Refugee Advocate, Author Honored By Hmong Across America
Hmong New Year, Laos Community Honors Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Jane Hamilton-Merritt
Laos, Thailand Crisis: 31 Hmong Arrested Following Renewed LPDR Military Attacks
Laos, Thailand Hmong Crisis: LMHR Says More Laotian Christians Persecuted Following New Arrests
Laos, Hmong Crisis: European Parliament, LMHR Address Human Rights Violations By Lao Military
Junta
Thailand Laos Samak Crisis: Open Letter By Ambassador Douglas To President Bush on Hmong
Samak, George Bush Thailand, Laos Crisis: US Congress urges Samak,Bush to Address Hmong Crisis
Thailand, Samak Crisis: Ambassador Douglas Appeals to President Bush On Hmong, Laos Repatriation
Thailand, Samak Crisis: Secretary Condoleezza Rice Urged by 20 US Congressmen to Stop Sending
Hmong to Laos
Laos: Release of Political Prisoners, Hmong Refugee Reeducation Camp Victims Urged
Hmong Laos Human Rights Council Reports New Ethnic Cleansing Attacks By LPDR
Human Rights Crisis in Laos Continues: Lao Students Jailed, Hmong Under Attack
Laos, Thailand Crisis: Forced Repatriation of Hmong Refugees Concerns Human Rights Watch
Laos Crisis: Samak’s Forced Repatriation Leads To New Military Attack Against Hmong
Samak’s Thailand, Laos Crisis: Appeal to King, Gen. Nipat Thonglek Condemned
U.S. Congress: Crisis in Laos and Thailand Facing the Laotian and Hmong People
Thailand Samak Crisis: 13 Hmong Leaders Disappear, Thousands More Fear Laos
Samak, Thailand Crisis: Over 800 Hmong Forcibly Repatriated to Laos
Laos, Thailand Crisis: Action Urged by U.S. Ambassador, Congress on Hmong
U.S. Congress to Laos: Stop Attacks Against Hmong Now
US Senators Urge Samak To Halt Hmong Crisis
Laos, Vietnam: Withdrawal of Troops Urged At Protest, Conference
Thailand, Laos: US Senators Urge Samak To Halt Hmong Crisis, Repatriation
Samak Damaging Thailand's Relation With United States: Forcing Hmong To Laos
Samak's Thailand, Laos Crisis: Hmong Refugee Camp Burns, Hunger Strike Continues
Laos, Thailand Crisis: Eight Senators Urge Action on Hmong
Thailand, Samak Crisis: Senators Respond to Hmong Crisis, Hunger Strike
Laos, Vietnam: Attacks Against Hmong Civilians Mount
Thailand Arrest: 7,000 Hmong on Hunger Strike
Vietnam, Laos National Ceremonies to Honor Hmong Veterans
Religious Persecution of Laos, Hmong Citizens Increases
Laos Arrests Christian Pastors: Crackdown Expands
Laos: Religious Persecution Puts Regime on Watch List
Vietnam: Corruption, Illegal Logging in Laos Linked to Killing of Hmong
Samak Attacks in Laos Against Hmong Refugees Stain Washington Visit
Thailand, Laos Crisis: Samak Attacks Stain Washington Visit
Hmong Laos Protesters Condemn Visit of Ambassador Ravic Huso to Minnesota
Wisconsin and Minnesota Organize for Lao-Hmong Community
Samak Blasted Over Laos Killings: Attacks on Hmong in Thailand, Laos
Concerns Regarding Thailand, Laos Prompt Letter to United States Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice
US Senate Letter To Secretary Rice Raises Serious Concerns About Laos, Thailand Crisis
Note: Additional press releases regarding the Lao and Hmong refugee crisis
in Thailand and Laos can be found under the site menu to the far left of the page under the heading Laos Hmong Crisis
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