SEA Game Attacks: Vietnam, Laos Military Kill 23 Lao Hmong Christians on Thanksgiving

"Lao military helicopters are reportedly delivering, on almost a daily basis, food, ammunition and supplies to the Lao Peoples Army (LPA) military camp in Pha Phai and elsewhere in Phu Bia mountain, Laos that is being used to attack Lao Hmong civilians and religious believers and political dissidents hiding in the jungles and mountain there in Laos, " said Vaughn Vang of the Lao Hmong Human Rights Council in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Vientiane, Laos, Chang Mai, Thailand, Washington, D.C. - November 26, 2009 - In apparent preparation for the upcoming SEA Games in Vientiane, Laos, in December, the Lao People’s Army ( LPA ) in Laos and the Vietnam People’s Army ( VPA ) have undertaken a major troop surge in key rural and mountainous provinces in Laos where Lao and Hmong civilians and religious believers, including Christians, have sought sanctuary. 

Twenty-three ( 23 ) unarmed Lao Hmong Christian civilians were recently killed by LPA and VPA soldiers in the early hours of Thanksgiving Day ( Vientiane Time ) during intense military attacks at the Phou Bia Mountain Area of Laos in Xieng Khouang Province as well as Vientiane Province by LPA and VPA soldiers. 

Two new battalions of LPA soldiers have been deployed to hunt and kill Lao Hmong Christian and animist believers seeking to practice their faith outside of the Lao government’s strict control.  Ordinary Lao Hmong civilians as well and other religious and political dissidents have come under increased attack in Laos as Hanoi and Laos undertake a significant troop surge in apparent preparation for the start of the Southeast Asia Games ( SEAG or SEA games ) in early December.

“Lao military helicopters are reportedly delivering, on almost a daily basis, food, ammunition and supplies to the Lao Peoples Army ( LPA )  military camp in Pha Phai and elsewhere in Phu Bia mountain, Laos that is being used to attack Lao Hmong civilians and religious believers and political dissidents hiding in the jungles and mountain there in Laos, ” said Vaughn Vang of the Lao Hmong Human Rights Council in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

Vang continued:  “Hanoi and the Vietnam Peoples Army and LPA troops are also using ethnic Hmong communist commanders to track, hunt and kill their own Hmong people at Phou Bia Mountain, including LPA communist deputy commander Lor Vue and LPA Deputy Commander Vang Yang.

Vaughn Vang explained:  “The LPA troops and commanders are intentionally targeting for military attack and starvation unarmed Lao and Hmong Christian and Animist groups of believers and civilian dissident groups that are largely comprised of women and children with very few male survivors left to defend themselves and their people and villages."

"The Lao military is using heavy machine guns, mortars, artillery, land mines and new battalions of soldiers from Hanoi’s VPA as well as regular Laotian LPA army troops to attack and kill the Lao Hmong Christians and Animist believers who seek to practice their faith outside the LPDR communist regime's strict control.  Also leading the attack against Lao Hmong in-hiding are village commander and head Nhia Lee and radio operator and LPA Army translator Kee Vang,” Mr. Vaughn Vang observed.

“Twenty-three ( 23 ) unarmed Lao Hmong Christian civilians were recently killed by LPA and VPA soldiers in the early hours of Thanksgiving Day ( Vientiane Time ) during intense military attacks at the Phou Bia Mountain Area of Laos in Xieng Khouang Province as well as Vientiane Province by LPA and VPA soldiers,” said Philip Smith, Executive Director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Policy Analysis ( CPPA ). 

“Many more Lao Hmong civilians, Christians and Animist believers are reportedly wounded or are trapped by LPA and Vietnam Army units and are being starved to death and hunted down.  Suspected political dissident groups in hiding are also under attack, including peaceful supporters of the 1999 Lao Students Movement for Democracy,” Smith stated.

Smith continued:  “Two new battalions of LPA soldiers with VPA advisers have been deployed in recent weeks to hunt and kill Lao Hmong Christian and aninimist believers seeking to practice their faith outside of the Lao government’s strict control at the Phou Bia Mountain area.”

The one-party, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic ( LPDR ) has been cited by the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom ( USCIRF ) and other organizations for religious persecution of Lao and Hmong religious believers, including Christians.
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1072587.html

In recent months and years, the LPDR Lao military regime has engaged in military attacks and atrocities against Lao Hmong civilians and political and religious dissident groups according to independent human rights organizations and journalists.
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1088802.html
http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/aidoc/ai.nsf/Index/ENGASA260042004
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA26/003/2007
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1082838.html
http://www.media-newswire.com/release_1090673.html

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Center for Public Policy Analysis
Washington, D.C.

Contact ( s ): 
Mr. John Smith or Mr. Juan Lopez
Tele.( 202 ) 543-1444

info@centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org

www.centerforpublicpolicyanalysis.org

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