Sunday, December 27, 2009

A Legacy Of The Vietnam War Still Continues

Hmong refugees at the Huay Nam Khao refugee camp in Thailand. Sukree Sukplang/Reuters

Thailand Starts Deporting Hmong To Laos -- AFP

KHEK NOI, Thailand — The Thai army began Monday the forcible return of thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to communist Laos despite international protests over fears they could face persecution.

"The operation started at 5.30 am (2230 GMT Sunday)," Colonel Thana Charuvat, who is coordinating the repatriation, told reporters at an army centre about 12 kilometres (seven miles) from a camp in northern Thailand.

He said 5,000 soldiers, officials and assisting civilian volunteers had entered the camp in Huay Nam Khao village in the province of Phetchabun to begin rounding up more than 4,000 Hmong being held there.

"The operation is expected to take one day," he added.

Read more
....

More News On The Force Repatriation Of The Hmong Back To Laos

Thai troops to return Hmong to Laos -- Press Association
Thailand starts to deport Hmong asylum seekers -- The Telegraph
Thailand Begins Repatriation of Hmong to Laos -- New York Times
Thailand starts deporting Hmong refugees back to Laos -- BBC
Thai army returning 4,000 Hmong to Laos despite risk -- USA Today

No comments: