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PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGV #0734/01 2470721
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 040721Z SEP 09
FM USMISSION GENEVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9203
INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 2028
RUEHVN/AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE PRIORITY 0232

C O N F I D E N T I A L GENEVA 000734 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2019 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PREL TH LA
SUBJECT: LAO AMBASSADOR SEES LITTLE INTERNATIONAL ROLE ON 
LAO HMONG IN THAILAND 
 
REF: A. BANGKOK 2041 
     ¶B. BANGKOK 2042 
 
Classified By: Douglas M. Griffiths, Charg d,Affaires, a.i., for 
reasons 1.4 b and d 
 
¶1.  (C)  Summary and Comment:  In a meeting with the Charg, 
Lao Ambassador to the UN Yong , expressed a willingness to 
have IOM play some role in resettling the Lao Hmong in 
Thailand, but made it clear that the return of Lao Hmong was 
a bilateral matter between Thailand and Laos and that any 
international organization role will be informal.  The Charg 
encouraged Yong to continue to improve GOL transparency on 
resettlement and pressed that an IOM role verifying that 
returns are voluntary and returnees well treated back in Laos 
would be the best means of countering "misinformation" that 
Yong complained was flowing from the Hmong and activist 
community in the US.  We did not have to scratch deep to 
encounter familiar GOL resistance to any international role, 
but there are points still worth exploring and Yong expressed 
a genuine desire to engage.  End Summary and Content 
 
¶2. (SBU)  The Charg used a courtesy call on Lao ambassador 
Young Chanthalangsy to follow-up on PRM PDAS Witten,s recent 
visit to Laos and Thailand to discuss Lao Hmong in Thailand. 
He was accompanied by RMA Counselor.  Noting improving US-Lao 
relations, the Charg stressed that we would like to help 
find a solution to the situation of the Lao Hmong that was 
acceptable to everyone.  He acknowledged GOL efforts 
regarding increased transparency and international monitoring 
of Lao Hmong returnees from Petchabun, Thailand, and 
encouraged further steps, such as allowing the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) to provide some sort of 
assistance once they return to Laos as well.  Pointing to 
high-level USG and Congressional interest, the Charg stated 
that such steps would reassure the international community 
that Hmong are not being mistreated upon return to Laos. End 
summary and comment. 
 
------------------------- 
Process must be bilateral 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Yong  agreed that US-Lao ties have been on an upward 
trend for a couple of years now, referring to increased 
mil-mil contact, assistance with unexploded ordinance and 
drug trafficking as clear examples of the improvement.  The 
Lao Hmong issue is the only negative element in the 
relationship, he continued.  Yong said the GOL greatly 
appreciated PDAS Witten,s very clear message to the Hmong in 
Petchabun that the US had no plans to resettle them.  Many of 
the Lao Hmong only fled to Petchabun out of a belief that 
they would get third-country resettlement, often misled by 
misinformation coming from the Hmong community and some other 
activists in the US according to Yong (he handed over a 
compilation of wire stories as examples). Both the GOL and 
RTG consider the Hmong in Petchabun to be illegal migrants 
and plan to implement a bilateral approach to returning them 
to Laos, he said. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Charg responded that the USG was willing to 
support voluntary returns, but that it would be important to 
avoid misperceptions and misinformation that might arise. 
The best way to do that was to include a respected outside 
organization, such as IOM.  If IOM were able to say that the 
returns were voluntary and returnees were well treated in 
Laos, this would be the most credible way to respond to 
detractors. 
¶5. (SBU)  Mentioning that a second group of Lao Hmong had 
been repatriated the day before, Yong said that the process 
envisaged by the GOL and RTG was that IOM could be present at 
the processing of departures in Petchabun and to the Lao 
border where they would be handed over to GOL authorities. 
He said that IOM could even come from the border to "welcome 
center" in Laos where they would stay for 2-4 weeks while 
identities were verified and plans made for their return to 
home villages in 90 percent of cases or to development 
villages for those with no family or village ties.  RMA 
Counselor noted that IOM did not yet have a formal agreement 
with either the RTG or GOL for any of this work and asked 
whether they would also be allowed to visit returnees 
periodically in Laos.  He stated that the USG would be 
prepared to finance such work by IOM. 
¶6. (SBU) Yong reverted to familiar Lao policy lines by 
stating that the sine qua non for the GOL and the RTG was to 
not make an international issue out of the Lao Hmong.  This 
must be handled through bilateral channels and any role for 
international organizations would be informal.  The best 
thing the US can do is to facilitate the returns, at which 
point the GOL will become more and more open.  The government 
can organize informal (read non-official) visits to 
 
returnees.  Moving onto the question of resettlement, Yong 
said that whatever country wishes to take Lao Hmong is free 
to do so.  The GOL condition is that they return to Laos and 
go through the processing mentioned above first. 
 
----------------- 
Nong Khai Killers 
----------------- 
 
¶7. (C)  Finally, Yong turned to the 158 Lao Hmong who have 
received UNHCR status and are being held in Nong Khai.  He 
said that the GOL would also accept the resettlement of those 
individuals under the same conditions mentioned above.  He 
then stated that UNHCR had created a problem with these 
individuals as some are criminals and engaged in killings in 
Laos.  In fact, several individuals were even responsible for 
the killings of foreigners, in particular the two Swiss 
citizens killed in 2004, led by the current leader of the 
group in Nong Khai.  In an ominous tone, Yong then explained 
that this was why some of those returned to development 
houses would need "a long period of healing" and would 
actually require GOL protection from retribution.  Since the 
GOL has not wanted to internationalize this situation, it has 
refrained from sharing this "bombshell" about the involvement 
in killings to others, as it would not want to see these 
individuals pursued by other countries.  This is why you need 
to understand, he concluded, that we cannot open up 
completely on this matter. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶8. (C)  Yong was responsible for handling the Lao Hmong file 
in Vientiane before coming to Geneva this spring.  By all 
accounts, he continues to be influential on the matter. 
While his initial comments were encouraging, as we scratched 
deeper, it became clear that there is a long row to hoe 
between here and agreement on a process.  However, he 
demonstrated a  clear willingness to engage further. 
GRIFFITHS