Ms. Carroll: Hmong Need AP

Several articles crossed my screen that need the attention of the Associated Press. I did a Google News search of “Associated Press” + Hmong and + Laos, but nothing showed up.

Kathleen Carroll, executive editor of the Associated Press, says:

The Iraq war is one of hundreds of conflicts that AP journalists have covered in the past 160 years. Our only goal is to provide fair, impartial coverage of important human events as they unfold.

The Huntington News, that area of California containing many IndoChina refugees, reports:

While the UNHCR country team in Bangkok issued a strong statement objecting to the Thai government’s forced deportation policy succeeded and the detained Hmong refugees deportation plans by Thailand were suspended, the very reason why most of the Hmong refugees are flooding into Thailand to this day is unfolding at an alarming pace inside the remote mountain areas of Laos.

Even as Thailand is classifying the Hmong Lao refugees conveniently as "economic" rather than political refugees, and has forced some of the unlucky ones back to Laos after they have crossed into Thailand, many thousand fled the truly shocking genocide policies of the Laotian government….

In Laos, recent reports confirm that the Laotian governments policy to eliminate the remaining Hmong groups in hiding continues at its high peak. Laos seems to be disturbed by the unresolved refugee issue, and growing international attention on their violations of international human rights standards. It appears that Laos believes the issue to be resolved by eradiating the remaining groups-in-hiding, and that is exactly what they are doing at present.

In at least three mountain areas, military battalions are reported to crush and eliminate Hmong groups hiding in fear and despair, most of them children and women.

Officially, Laos denies any problems, or military activities, foreigners and diplomats, including the UN system, are not allowed access to the very remote areas, were the Hmong groups live in hiding. Who is allowed to enter the military regions is carefully guided to showcase villages, and does not meet the Hmong groups, hiding and hoping for international intervention, a way out, a chance to survive. Someone to come and rescue them….

But instead, even those who surrender themselves to the Lao authorities are taken in the best case scenario to artificial resettlement villages, but often the leaders and men are either selected for imprisonment or executions, in other cases the groups who surrender are held in military camps, the women and girls gang-raped by numerous soldiers, the men most often tortured and killed, depending on the decisions and moods of the military.

There are reports of unbelievable cruelty, were Hmong surrendered, and women after being gang raped having their sexual parts cut off and displayed on stakes.

Then, there’s this report from Radio Vietnam about the cooperation of the Vietnam, Lao and Cambodian governments to “develop” their contiguous Central Highlands:

With great efforts from the three countries, the socio-economic infrastructure in the development triangle has gradually taken shape. Orientations and key measures to be reached at the summit meeting in Da Lat will provide fresh impetus for the development of the triangle to meet the demand and interests of each country and contribute to strengthening peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

There’s a story there, Ms. Carroll. We’re awaiting the Associated Press to report it.