Report by Ger Vang, Fact Finding Commission

On November 8, 2004 at 6:00 a.m. at Mu Ban Nam Qhao, Ta Boun Khea Noy, Amphur Kha Khao, Petchabon Province, Thailand, Thai authorities arrested 400 Hmong refugees who recently came to Thailand seeking political asylum. They were arrested by Thai authorities and Chia Ger Yang, a Hmong villager at Petchabon, and are reported to be detained at Amphur Pakchom, Loei province, awaiting to be repatriated to Laos. These Hmong refugees have not been granted their refugee status yet.

The allegations of the arrest were that Mr. Chia Ger Yang, the Hmong villager at Petchabon, forced these 400 Hmong refugees to give him 70,000 baht. But they did not have that much money to give to him. He then reported them to authority and had the authorities arrest them. This allegation indicated that this issue is about people trafficking.

Since this is a human rights violation, the Fact Finding Commission would like to encourage local, national, and international media groups to get this issue out to the free world, and as well as the Embassy of the United States, Canada, France, Australia, and other governmental entities in Bangkok, Thailand to investigate this issue.

FFC, November 10, 2004 - Fact Finding Commission

1566 Huntoon Street - Oroville, CA 95965 - (530) 342-5571 Contact: Ed Szendrey
Georgie Szendrey
Ger Vang