Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07VIENTIANE487
2007-06-11 10:55:00
SECRET//NOFORN
Embassy Vientiane
Cable title:
HMONG-AMERICAN LEADER PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO COUP
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHVN #0487/01 1621055 ZNY SSSSS ZZH P 111055Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1308 INFO RUEHBK/AMEMBASSY BANGKOK PRIORITY 7355 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
S E C R E T VIENTIANE 000487
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR LEGATT
BANGKOK FOR RSO
STATE FOR EAP/MLS (E. BESTIC)
STATE FOR DS/IP/ITA (G. MOODY)
STATE FOR DS/IP/EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2017
TAGS: ASEC LA PGOV PREL PTER
SUBJECT: HMONG-AMERICAN LEADER PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO COUP
PLOT, ASKS FOR PROTECTION
Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i. Mary Grace McGeehan for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
S E C R E T VIENTIANE 000487
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR LEGATT
BANGKOK FOR RSO
STATE FOR EAP/MLS (E. BESTIC)
STATE FOR DS/IP/ITA (G. MOODY)
STATE FOR DS/IP/EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2017
TAGS: ASEC LA PGOV PREL PTER
SUBJECT: HMONG-AMERICAN LEADER PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO COUP
PLOT, ASKS FOR PROTECTION
Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i. Mary Grace McGeehan for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Summary: The politics of the Hmong communtiies in both Laos and the United States are extremely complex. As a result, a conversation with even a well educated Hmong (or Hmong-American) leader involves exaggeration and guess work and often raises more questions than it provides answers. Nevertheless, a recent conversation with Hmong-American leader XXXXXXXXXXXX raises several issues that may be worth pursuing. XXXXXXXXXXXX also asks for police/FBI protection before agreeing to address a Hmong-American gathering in Fresno, California. Since he may be in possesison of important, time-sensitive information and seems to be willing to pass a positive message -- that Hmong-American support for attempts to destabilize the Lao Government violates U.S. laws -- the FBI may have interest in contacting him, and the Department may have an interest in supporting the dissemination of this message. XXXXXXXXXXXX asks the Department to write letters directly to Hmong groups in the United States to repeat this message. Please see our action requests in paragraph 13. End summary.
The Chao Fa
--------------
2. (S) A/DCM met with noted Hmong-American leader XXXXXXXXXXXX (strictly protect) three times during the week of the arrest of Hmong-American conspirators by the U.S. DOJ. XXXXXXXXXXXX , well known within the Hmong-American community XXXXXXXXXXXX in the United States XXXXXXXXXXXX , asked that Embassy Bangkok pursue an investigation into an investment in a company in Thailand that the Chao Fa group may be using to set up a base of operations to help support its activities in Laos.
3. (S) We understand the Chao Fa to be a group, originally set up in 1917 or so, espousing a more "pure" Hmong tradition, and a tradition more based on magic and spirits than that of the Neo Hom group led by General Vang Pao. The Chao Fa and Neo Hom have led very separate movements in opposition to the Government of Laos (GOL) over the years. Thus we view with concern reports from XXXXXXXXXXXX and elsewhere that the Chao Fa and Neo Hom may have started cooperating since the beginning of this year.
4. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX reported a new sense of confidence on the part of the Chao Fa since the Presidency of the "Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization" (UNPO) accepted the Hmong Chao Fa Federated State as a member during a UNPO meeting held at the European Parliament in Brussels February 1-3. The "state" envisioned for the Chao Fa appears to include 320,00 Hmong people living on approximately 50,000 square kilometers north of Vientiane -- all or parts of Houaphan, Xieng Khouang, and Sayaboury Provinces and the city of Luang Prabang. (Note: The political front of the Chao Fa is apparently the World Hmong People's Congress (WHPC) headquartered in New York City.)
5. (S) According to XXXXXXXXXXXX , Chao Fa recruiters visited California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan at the end of March and in early April looking for volunteers and promising that, now that the Hmong are recognized by UNPO, the USG will help them build a Hmong Nation in Laos. Apparently as part of this new level of confidence, earlier this year the Chao Fa invested in a Chinese company named "Borisat Wang Jing" ("Wang Jing Company") located in Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai Province in Thailand. The Chao Fa plan to use this company as a base from which they can enter Laos and undertake activities. XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that the current Chao Fa leader is Pa Kao Moun, who fled from Laos to Thailand after the change of government in Laos in 1975. Pa Kao Moun has remained in Thailand since 1975 and is now roughly 60 years old. (Note: his name would indicate he is a close relative of former Chao Fa leader Pa Kao Her who was assassinated in late 2002.) XXXXXXXXXXXX has heard that the Chao Fa leaders do not see the recent arrests of General Vang Pao and his group to have any implications for them or their future activities.
Neo Hom (United Front)
--------------
6. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX indicated that two leaders of General Vang Pao's Neo Hom organization in Thailand are XXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXX , both of whom have homes (apparently in northern Thailand) that can be used as bases of operation for the Neo Hom. In addition, XXXXXXXXXXXX identified a "Mr. Bird" in Chiangmai, Thailand, as having worked with General Vang Pao for many years. Mr. Bird, whose mother is Thai and father American, is head of a Hmong Chao Khao Foundation (Hmong Mountain People Foundation) based in Chiangmai.
7. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX passed along a rumor he had been told by a Hmong contact from Thailand (who had reportedly been told in turn by a Thai undercover officer) that there are as many as 500 Hmong-Americans currently in Thailand, apparently as part of planned Neo Hom operations. When pressed, XXXXXXXXXXXX admitted the number was probably exaggerated but judged that there were probably at least 20 operatives. XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed particular concern about being told by his own contacts two days earlier that, of the 8200 Hmong at the Huay Nam Khao holding camp in Thailand's Petchabun Province, as many as 1000 were prepared to cross back into Laos to (re)join the insurgency. Asked how the Neo Hom could be operating with such apparent impunity, XXXXXXXXXXXX said his contacts report regular payments to Thai military officers at the level of colonel and general.
A Third Group
--------------
8. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX mentioned to A/DCM for the first time that there is a third Hmong insurgent group which had broken off from the Chao Fa movement after the October 2002 assassination of Pa Kao Her. XXXXXXXXXXXX described this very small Thai-based group as being led by former Pa Kao Her secretary general Teng Yang.
Playing Rough
--------------
9. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed strong concern about methods being used by both Chao Fa and Neo Hom in the last few months. He referred to Neo Hom activists who visited the Huay Nam Khao holding camp in February and recruited ten Chao Fa supporters to return to Laos on a scouting mission. After spending two weeks in Laos, they reportedly returned to Huay Nam Khao to tell the activists there was no chance the general Hmong population in Laos would support an uprising -- too many had achieved economic or political success (with more Hmong now in government positions than had been the case in 1975 -- ranging from Politburo Member Madame Pany Yathorthou to cabinet members, governors, deputy governors, mayors etc.). The activists told the ten scouts they all needed to go to Bangkok to report this -- and the ten have not been seen since.
10. (S) XXXXXXXXXXX Xalso mentioned another contact in Laos who called him in the United States in April saying Chao Fa operatives had visited his home to recruit him to help ambush busses. They left him 40 "files" of information to be passed on to other likely supporters. He called XXXXXXXXXXXX to ask what to do. XXXXXXXXXXXX told him to burn the files and avoid further contact with the Chao Fa operatives. When XXXXXXXXXXXX arrived in Laos last week, he called the contact only to find his number had been disconnected, and the contact is nowhere to be found.
Direct Mail
--------------
11. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX assured A/DCM that, before leaving on this trip to Laos, he had stopped in Fresno and appeared on a local Hmong radio program XXXXXXXXXXXX to tell the audience (before the arrests of the General Vang Pao group) that actions against the GOL violated U.S. laws. He believes it important for the Department of State to send letters to all major Hmong organizations in the United States to repeat this message to them directly. XXXXXXXXXXXX remembered former EAP DAS Matt Daley delivering this message to a conference of Hmong Americans in 2004 with great impact. XXXXXXXXXXXX pointed out he appeared on radio programs and at Hmong-American gatherings after this conference to help repeat Mr. Daley's message.
Fresno
--------------
12. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX also told A/DCM he has heard from his family that he is being invited to address a gathering of Hmong Americans in Fresno when he returns to the United States. (Note: he departs Vientiane tonight -- June 11). However, he is unwilling to do so without protection from the local police and/or FBI. Since he appears to be willing to deliver to the Hmong American community a strong message against helping the insurgency, supporting him would appear to be in USG interests.
Action Requests
--------------
13. (S) We recommend that the Department take the following actions:
a) instruct Embassy Bangkok to coordinate with Thai authorities to check on the company named in para 5 (Borisat Wang Jing) and the several Hmong leaders currently living in Thailand mentioned in paras 5, 6, and 8.
b) consider the proposal for letters from the Department to the main Hmong organizations in the United States delivering the message stated by EAP DAS Daley in 2004: that support of attempts to overthrow the GOL violate U.S. laws.
c) pass on to the FBI XXXXXXXXXXXX 's request for protection if he addresses a gathering of Hmong Americans in Fresno California, a central location for General Vang Pao supporters. XXXXXXXXXXXX may be reached at phone number: (XXXXXXXXXXXX . XXXXXXXXXXXX may be able to provide valuable information to the FBI regarding the inner workings of these Hmong organizations which may assist the ongoing FBI investigation(s).
COMMENT
--------------
14. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX knows all of these players well -- he was a political advisor to General Vang Pao before 1975 and was briefly a senior official in the Neo Hom organization in the early 1980s before he broke with Neo Hom over tactics. It is of course likely that he is attempting a balancing act: using this opportunity to enhance his position within the Hmong-American community and furthering his own personal agenda while also attempting to keep the Hmong-American community within the confines of U.S. law. Nonetheless, the message he seems willing to deliver is a message we need repeated in the Hmong-American community, so the Embassy recommends the Department follow up on his information and suggestions.
MCGEEHAN
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
BANGKOK FOR LEGATT
BANGKOK FOR RSO
STATE FOR EAP/MLS (E. BESTIC)
STATE FOR DS/IP/ITA (G. MOODY)
STATE FOR DS/IP/EAP
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2017
TAGS: ASEC LA PGOV PREL PTER
SUBJECT: HMONG-AMERICAN LEADER PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO COUP
PLOT, ASKS FOR PROTECTION
Classified By: Charge d'affaires, a.i. Mary Grace McGeehan for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (S) Summary: The politics of the Hmong communtiies in both Laos and the United States are extremely complex. As a result, a conversation with even a well educated Hmong (or Hmong-American) leader involves exaggeration and guess work and often raises more questions than it provides answers. Nevertheless, a recent conversation with Hmong-American leader XXXXXXXXXXXX raises several issues that may be worth pursuing. XXXXXXXXXXXX also asks for police/FBI protection before agreeing to address a Hmong-American gathering in Fresno, California. Since he may be in possesison of important, time-sensitive information and seems to be willing to pass a positive message -- that Hmong-American support for attempts to destabilize the Lao Government violates U.S. laws -- the FBI may have interest in contacting him, and the Department may have an interest in supporting the dissemination of this message. XXXXXXXXXXXX asks the Department to write letters directly to Hmong groups in the United States to repeat this message. Please see our action requests in paragraph 13. End summary.
The Chao Fa
--------------
2. (S) A/DCM met with noted Hmong-American leader XXXXXXXXXXXX (strictly protect) three times during the week of the arrest of Hmong-American conspirators by the U.S. DOJ. XXXXXXXXXXXX , well known within the Hmong-American community XXXXXXXXXXXX in the United States XXXXXXXXXXXX , asked that Embassy Bangkok pursue an investigation into an investment in a company in Thailand that the Chao Fa group may be using to set up a base of operations to help support its activities in Laos.
3. (S) We understand the Chao Fa to be a group, originally set up in 1917 or so, espousing a more "pure" Hmong tradition, and a tradition more based on magic and spirits than that of the Neo Hom group led by General Vang Pao. The Chao Fa and Neo Hom have led very separate movements in opposition to the Government of Laos (GOL) over the years. Thus we view with concern reports from XXXXXXXXXXXX and elsewhere that the Chao Fa and Neo Hom may have started cooperating since the beginning of this year.
4. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX reported a new sense of confidence on the part of the Chao Fa since the Presidency of the "Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization" (UNPO) accepted the Hmong Chao Fa Federated State as a member during a UNPO meeting held at the European Parliament in Brussels February 1-3. The "state" envisioned for the Chao Fa appears to include 320,00 Hmong people living on approximately 50,000 square kilometers north of Vientiane -- all or parts of Houaphan, Xieng Khouang, and Sayaboury Provinces and the city of Luang Prabang. (Note: The political front of the Chao Fa is apparently the World Hmong People's Congress (WHPC) headquartered in New York City.)
5. (S) According to XXXXXXXXXXXX , Chao Fa recruiters visited California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan at the end of March and in early April looking for volunteers and promising that, now that the Hmong are recognized by UNPO, the USG will help them build a Hmong Nation in Laos. Apparently as part of this new level of confidence, earlier this year the Chao Fa invested in a Chinese company named "Borisat Wang Jing" ("Wang Jing Company") located in Chiang Saen in Chiang Rai Province in Thailand. The Chao Fa plan to use this company as a base from which they can enter Laos and undertake activities. XXXXXXXXXXXX noted that the current Chao Fa leader is Pa Kao Moun, who fled from Laos to Thailand after the change of government in Laos in 1975. Pa Kao Moun has remained in Thailand since 1975 and is now roughly 60 years old. (Note: his name would indicate he is a close relative of former Chao Fa leader Pa Kao Her who was assassinated in late 2002.) XXXXXXXXXXXX has heard that the Chao Fa leaders do not see the recent arrests of General Vang Pao and his group to have any implications for them or their future activities.
Neo Hom (United Front)
--------------
6. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX indicated that two leaders of General Vang Pao's Neo Hom organization in Thailand are XXXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXXX , both of whom have homes (apparently in northern Thailand) that can be used as bases of operation for the Neo Hom. In addition, XXXXXXXXXXXX identified a "Mr. Bird" in Chiangmai, Thailand, as having worked with General Vang Pao for many years. Mr. Bird, whose mother is Thai and father American, is head of a Hmong Chao Khao Foundation (Hmong Mountain People Foundation) based in Chiangmai.
7. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX passed along a rumor he had been told by a Hmong contact from Thailand (who had reportedly been told in turn by a Thai undercover officer) that there are as many as 500 Hmong-Americans currently in Thailand, apparently as part of planned Neo Hom operations. When pressed, XXXXXXXXXXXX admitted the number was probably exaggerated but judged that there were probably at least 20 operatives. XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed particular concern about being told by his own contacts two days earlier that, of the 8200 Hmong at the Huay Nam Khao holding camp in Thailand's Petchabun Province, as many as 1000 were prepared to cross back into Laos to (re)join the insurgency. Asked how the Neo Hom could be operating with such apparent impunity, XXXXXXXXXXXX said his contacts report regular payments to Thai military officers at the level of colonel and general.
A Third Group
--------------
8. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX mentioned to A/DCM for the first time that there is a third Hmong insurgent group which had broken off from the Chao Fa movement after the October 2002 assassination of Pa Kao Her. XXXXXXXXXXXX described this very small Thai-based group as being led by former Pa Kao Her secretary general Teng Yang.
Playing Rough
--------------
9. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX expressed strong concern about methods being used by both Chao Fa and Neo Hom in the last few months. He referred to Neo Hom activists who visited the Huay Nam Khao holding camp in February and recruited ten Chao Fa supporters to return to Laos on a scouting mission. After spending two weeks in Laos, they reportedly returned to Huay Nam Khao to tell the activists there was no chance the general Hmong population in Laos would support an uprising -- too many had achieved economic or political success (with more Hmong now in government positions than had been the case in 1975 -- ranging from Politburo Member Madame Pany Yathorthou to cabinet members, governors, deputy governors, mayors etc.). The activists told the ten scouts they all needed to go to Bangkok to report this -- and the ten have not been seen since.
10. (S) XXXXXXXXXXX Xalso mentioned another contact in Laos who called him in the United States in April saying Chao Fa operatives had visited his home to recruit him to help ambush busses. They left him 40 "files" of information to be passed on to other likely supporters. He called XXXXXXXXXXXX to ask what to do. XXXXXXXXXXXX told him to burn the files and avoid further contact with the Chao Fa operatives. When XXXXXXXXXXXX arrived in Laos last week, he called the contact only to find his number had been disconnected, and the contact is nowhere to be found.
Direct Mail
--------------
11. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX assured A/DCM that, before leaving on this trip to Laos, he had stopped in Fresno and appeared on a local Hmong radio program XXXXXXXXXXXX to tell the audience (before the arrests of the General Vang Pao group) that actions against the GOL violated U.S. laws. He believes it important for the Department of State to send letters to all major Hmong organizations in the United States to repeat this message to them directly. XXXXXXXXXXXX remembered former EAP DAS Matt Daley delivering this message to a conference of Hmong Americans in 2004 with great impact. XXXXXXXXXXXX pointed out he appeared on radio programs and at Hmong-American gatherings after this conference to help repeat Mr. Daley's message.
Fresno
--------------
12. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX also told A/DCM he has heard from his family that he is being invited to address a gathering of Hmong Americans in Fresno when he returns to the United States. (Note: he departs Vientiane tonight -- June 11). However, he is unwilling to do so without protection from the local police and/or FBI. Since he appears to be willing to deliver to the Hmong American community a strong message against helping the insurgency, supporting him would appear to be in USG interests.
Action Requests
--------------
13. (S) We recommend that the Department take the following actions:
a) instruct Embassy Bangkok to coordinate with Thai authorities to check on the company named in para 5 (Borisat Wang Jing) and the several Hmong leaders currently living in Thailand mentioned in paras 5, 6, and 8.
b) consider the proposal for letters from the Department to the main Hmong organizations in the United States delivering the message stated by EAP DAS Daley in 2004: that support of attempts to overthrow the GOL violate U.S. laws.
c) pass on to the FBI XXXXXXXXXXXX 's request for protection if he addresses a gathering of Hmong Americans in Fresno California, a central location for General Vang Pao supporters. XXXXXXXXXXXX may be reached at phone number: (XXXXXXXXXXXX . XXXXXXXXXXXX may be able to provide valuable information to the FBI regarding the inner workings of these Hmong organizations which may assist the ongoing FBI investigation(s).
COMMENT
--------------
14. (S) XXXXXXXXXXXX knows all of these players well -- he was a political advisor to General Vang Pao before 1975 and was briefly a senior official in the Neo Hom organization in the early 1980s before he broke with Neo Hom over tactics. It is of course likely that he is attempting a balancing act: using this opportunity to enhance his position within the Hmong-American community and furthering his own personal agenda while also attempting to keep the Hmong-American community within the confines of U.S. law. Nonetheless, the message he seems willing to deliver is a message we need repeated in the Hmong-American community, so the Embassy recommends the Department follow up on his information and suggestions.
MCGEEHAN