Thailand's Hmong expulsion imminent

Thailand's Hmong expulsion imminent

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The Thai government said it would not disclose the timing for its expulsion of 4,000 ethnic Hmong to Laos, but human rights groups warned it could begin as early as Sunday evening and degenerate into violence.

The Hmong, an ethnic minority group from Laos' rugged mountains, are being held at a camp in northern Phetchabun province.

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They say they fear political persecution in Laos, where many Hmong fought on the side of a pro-U.S. Lao government in the 1960s and '70s before the communist takeover of their country in 1975.

New York-based Human Rights Watch, said mobile phone signals inside the camp had been jammed so nobody could call out. Rights groups fear the Hmong will resist the deportation, as they have during smaller-scale repatriations.

Could be a very bad night for those refugees

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Update:

Thai soldiers on Monday began the repatriation to Laos of about 4,000 Hmong asylum-seekers, despite international concerns that they will face persecution in their home country.

SAFETY ASSURED

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the Lao government had assured him the Hmong would be well looked after and the U.N refugee agency UNHCR would be allowed to visit them.

Reuters

[edit on 28-12-2009 by DaddyBare]