Laos insisted Wednesday that the international community need not fear for thousands of ethnic Hmong expelled from Thailand, after the United Nations and US lawmakers sought access to the deportees. Bangkok sparked outrage on Monday when it defied global criticism and used troops to forcibly repatriate around 4,500 Hmong, including women and children, from camps on the border with communist Laos. The Hmong, a Southeast Asian ethnic group, were seeking asylum in Thailand saying they risked... Read Full Story
Laos denied the U.N. immediate access to 4,500 ethnic Hmong who were forcibly repatriated from Thailand, saying Wednesday it would "complicate" matters but that international observers could visit later. Thailand deported the Hmong on Monday in a massive 24-hour military operation, ignoring pleas by the U.N., the United States and others that fear they could face persecution by the Lao government — particularly a group of 158 Hmong already recognized as refugees by the United Nations. The... Read Full Story
The United Nations called for access to thousands of ethnic Hmong deported to communist Laos from neighbouring Thailand as Bangkok insisted Wednesday that the returned people would be treated well. Thailand on Monday completed the repatriation of around 4,500 Hmong, including children, sending in troops to clear them from camps on the border despite international calls to halt the operation. The Hmong, a Southeast Asian ethnic group, were seeking asylum in Thailand saying they risked... Read Full Story
The United Nations called for access to thousands of ethnic Hmong deported to communist Laos from neighbouring Thailand as Bangkok insisted Wednesday that the returned people would be treated well. Thailand on Monday completed the repatriation of more than 4,000 Hmong, including children, sending in troops to clear them from camps on the border despite international calls to halt the operation. The Hmong, a Southeast Asian ethnic group, were seeking asylum in Thailand saying they risked... Read Full Story
US lawmakers on Tuesday denounced Thailand for expelling more than 4,000 Hmong into Laos and demanded that the Vientiane government allow immediate international monitoring to ensure their safety. The senators representing Minnesota and Wisconsin, states home to much of the Hmong community in the United States, said they "strongly condemn" Thailand for going ahead with Monday's mass expulsion despite US and UN pleas. "This action violates humanitarian and refugee principles and could have... Read Full Story
The Thai army on Monday rounded up thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers and began returning them to communist Laos despite international protests over fears they could face persecution. A force of 5,000 armed with batons and shields entered the camp in Huay Nam Khao village in northern Thailand before dawn to load the Hmong on to trucks, said Colonel Thana Charuvat, coordinator of the operation. Thana said a total of 4,371 Hmong had all left the camp. "The operation finished in the late... Read Full Story
The Thai army on Monday began the forcible return of thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to communist Laos despite international protests over fears they could face persecution. A force of around 5,000 entered the camp in Huay Nam Khao village in northern Thailand before dawn, to round up more than 4,000 Hmong being held there, said Colonel Thana Charuvat, co-ordinator of the repatriation. By early afternoon around 2,000 Hmong had been driven from the camp in trucks, according to an AFP... Read Full Story
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. An army-led force of around 5,000 entered the camp in Huay Nam Khao village in northern Thailand before dawn, to round up more than 4,000 Hmong being held there, said Colonel Thana Charuvat, co-ordinator of the repatriation. By midday (0500 GMT) around 1,500 Hmong had been driven from the camp in trucks, according... Read Full Story
HUAY NAM KHAO, Thailand (Reuters) - The Thai army began the forced repatriation of thousands of ethnic Hmong asylum-seekers to Laos on Monday, defying international concerns that some would be persecuted back home. About 5,000 troops armed with batons and shields were dispatched to a mountain camp in Huay Nam Khao, 300 km (186 miles) north of Bangkok in a pre-dawn operation to clear the 4,400 Hmong, who say they face oppression by Laos' communist government if sent back. Known as America's... Read Full Story
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... Read Full Story
