Sen. Mee Moua

Sen. Mee Moua

Several of Minnesota’s members of Congress, as well as state Sen. Mee Moua, have condemned the forced movement of Hmong out of Thailand and into Laos where advocates say they could face discrimination and persecution.

State Sen. Mee Maou, DFL-St. Paul, whose family came to Minnesota as Hmong refugees in 1978, condemned the actions of Thailand.

“The bilateral agreement between the Thai military and the government of Laos to forcibly deport these families back to Laos in spite of concerns expressed by the international community, as well as multiple human rights organizations, is not in alliance with the good spirit of international human rights,” she said in a statement. “The Thai government must honor international law and immediately desist this deportation.”

Rep. Betty McCollum echoed those sentiments.

“The forced repatriation to Laos by Thai authorities of more than 4,500 Hmong refugees from Huay Nam Khao in Phetchabun, Thailand, violates the basic principle of human dignity and decency upheld by international law,” she said. “The safety and well being of this group is vital, and I will continue to work closely with the U.S. Department of State and the Lao government to monitor the reintegration process of this group in Laos.”

Senators from Wisconsin and Minnesota, which together have some of the largest communities of Hmong families in the United States, crafted a joint statement condemning the actions. Sens. Russ Feingold, Herb Kohl, Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar said Tuesday:

“We strongly condemn the decision by the Royal Thai Government to forcibly repatriate over 4,000 Hmong back to Laos. This was done over the objections of the United Nations, the U.S. Government, and international human rights groups. This action violates humanitarian and refugee principles and could have serious repercussions. We share the concern of many of our Hmong-American constituents whose loved ones have been forced to return, and we will be paying close attention as the Hmong are resettled in Laos. We urge the Government of Laos to ensure the safety and well being of these individuals and to allow immediate and ongoing monitoring by international observers at all stages of the resettlement and reintegration process.”

The Hmong people were recruited by the CIA in 1961 as part of a secret operation to fight the Communists of North Vietnam. When the United States withdrew from southeast Asia, the Hmong were targeted by the Communist regimes in the region. Many Hmong fled to the United States, but others were left behind in Thailand and Laos.

Last year, Al Jazeera produced a series focusing on the situation for the Hmong living in Laos.