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
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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
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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
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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