PROSPECTS FOR A JOINT DEMARCHE ON MISSING HMONG

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENTIANE 000443 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS, DRL/IRF, PRM E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL KIRF TH LA SUBJECT: PROSPECTS FOR A JOINT DEMARCHE ON MISSING HMONG CHILDREN REF: VIENTIANE 396 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Ambassador Patricia M. Haslach, reason 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The "like-minded" Embassies in Vientiane have agreed that a joint demarche to the Lao government on the missing Hmong children should be the next step in ongoing efforts to secure the release of the group. The decision whether to deliver the demarche will depend on the outcome of ongoing discussions between the Lao and Thai governments: it will be called for if the Thai provide information on the children's deportation as expected and the Lao do not respond positively. Getting non-Vientiane embassies on board the joint demarche will add weight to the message. The Bangkok-based Canadians have signed on, and other missions in Bangkok, including the EU, Norwegians and New Zealanders, may also participate. End summary. Some progress -- maybe -------------- ¶2. (C) The Australian Ambassador convened the meeting of the like-minded group May 16 to discuss next steps on the missing Hmong children. In addition to the U.S. and Australian Ambassadors, the French Ambassador, UNDP ResRep, and German and Swedish Charges attended. The EU Charge, who has been a regular at these meetings, did not attend. The group reviewed the latest developments on the missing children, and concluded that recent discussions between the Lao and Thai governments offered some signs of progress, although the process had been excruciatingly slow. At least it appeared the Thai NSC had handed over to Thai MFA the information it had collected pertaining to the children's deportation, and MFA should be turning this information over to the Lao government very soon, perhaps as early as this week. ¶3. (C) Moreover, there were several other initiatives afoot to keep the Lao reminded of the continued importance of this issue. The Australian Foreign Ministry had given clearance for its Ambassador to participate in a joint demarche, and the Minister was prepared to send a letter to his Lao counterpart urging a resolution of the matter if the demarche failed. The UN had drafted a similar letter from the Secretary-General to the Lao President urging ("gently," as SIPDIS the UNDP ResRep qualified) both the Lao and the Thai to find 
a solution to the matter. The Ambassador noted that A/S Hill or DAS John would likely also raise the issue during their upcoming visit to Thailand. The German Charge said the children would likely be discussed (along with the recent massacre of Hmong civilians in Vientiane province) at the upcoming Council Working Group ("COASI") meeting of the EU. The Australians also passed on that the Lao FM had reportedly written instructions to the provinces to "resolve the issue" at the local level, perhaps paving the way for the children's quiet release in coming weeks. (In another development, following the meeting the Australian Ambassador informed us he had been granted a long-postponed meeting with the Lao FM late today, specifically to discuss the children.) Joint demarche as the next step -------------- ¶4. (C) Although there was some debate about timing and message, the like-minded group agreed that a joint demarche was the most reasonable next step. For the moment, the discussions between the Lao and Thai should be given time to move ahead; if the Thai delivered information on the deportation to the Lao this week or next, as expected, the Lao would need some time to respond. Their response would determine the need for the joint demarche. They could either release the children -- or at least give some sign they had "found them" -- or they could stall further. If the latter, the group concluded the joint demarche should be delivered. The most likely date for the demarche would be early June, VIENTIANE 00000443 002 OF 002 following the UN SecGen's visit to Bangkok May 26. Getting others on board -------------- ¶5. (C) The group felt that the greater the participation in the demarche, the deeper its likely impact on the Lao. The Australians and U.S. were committed, and the Canadian Ambassador in Bangkok had agreed to participate. During a visit to Vientiane last week, the EU Ambassador had expressed reluctance to participate in a demarche, but in subsequent conversations appeared more amenable. The French, Germans and Swedes generally supported the idea, but could not join without clearance from their home ministries. The group believed the UN ResRep should lead the demarche, but the ResRep was not convinced New York would approve. All felt the message of the demarche should not be antagonistic. What mattered was not so much tone as optics: the presence of Bangkok-based Ambassadors would remind the Lao that this was not a "Vientiane" issue but one of concern to many countries. ¶6. (C) To expand participation in the demarche, the group saw the need to approach other missions in Bangkok. The Australians felt the New Zealanders would go along, and agreed to try to enlist them. Likewise the Swedes believed the Norwegians and perhaps the Swiss would be willing to go along. Of more importance was the EU Ambassador: the presence of the EU would carry great weight, as the EU mission represented a number of countries with close relations to Laos and the EU was a major donor here. Comment -------------- ¶7. (C) The idea of a joint demarche was born from the visit of UNHCR Deputy High Commissioner Wendy Chamberlin in late March. That visit resuscitated activity on the children: Ambassador Chamberlin's well-crafted strategy succeeded in bringing the Lao and Thai together to talk about the missing children, although at nothing like the speed we would have hoped for. We understand from numerous sources, including Embassy Bangkok, that the Thai government has finally come up with the information the Lao have been requesting for months, and with the handover of this info (hopefully this week or next) the ball will be firmly back in the Lao court. ¶8. (C) Whether the Lao intend to use the Thai information as a fig leaf to disguise their needless detention of the children for nearly six months, or whether it is an excuse to drag out the process until the world forgets the issue, will become evident after they receive the information. If the former, the joint demarche won't be needed, as the Lao will have what cover they need to "find" the children and then return them to Thailand. If the latter, though, the demarche will be absolutely called for to convince the GoL that its detention of the kids is not being forgotten. End comment. HASLACH