Thailand, December 24: A Leading human rights group said today it was “appalled” by the Thai government’s plans to send more than 4,000 ethnic Hmong back to communist Laos, where many fear persecution.
Amnesty International called on Thailand to prevent the expulsion of the group held in northern Phetchabun province, as premier Abhisit Vejjajiva confirmed it would go ahead despite international protests.
But he told reporters the repatriation would take place at “the most appropriate time”, after the defence ministry said yesterday it would happen before the end of the year, as agreed with the Lao regime.
The group are seeking political asylum based on claims they face persecution from the Laos because they fought alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.
Thailand says they are economic migrants and has refused access for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to assess if any are in fact political refugees.
“Undoubtedly many of them have valid fears of persecution if they are returned to Laos,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty’s Deputy Asia-Pacific Director.
“We also know of people who have already been sent back who have been tortured or are missing, and moreover there has not been international access on a regular basis to these returnees, so that’s a very big concern.”
She told AFP Thailand “has completely ignored everybody’s calls and we are appalled by this… We’re calling on the Royal Thai Government not to send them back and to allow UNHCR full and unimpeded access to these people”.
Nine US senators have written to Abhisit to protest the deportation and denounce the government’s “lack of transparency” in screening the Hmong.
—Agencies