LAO HMONG: THAI MILITARY PROMISES FIRST

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003067

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR PRM/ANE, PRM/A AND EAP/MLS
GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2018
TAGS: PREF PHUM TH LA
SUBJECT: LAO HMONG: THAI MILITARY PROMISES FIRST
INFORMATION ON PETCHABUN GROUP

REF: A. (A) STATE 79734

B. (B) BANGKOK 1170 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: Ambassador Eric G. John, reasons 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary. Senior Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF)
officials have offered new transparency on the 6,000
remaining Lao Hmong at the army-run camp in Petchabun
province. In separate meetings with Ambassador and DCM,
newly-appointed Supreme Commander General Songkitti
Jaggabartra and Chief of Joint Staff General Ratchakrit
Kanchanawat both promised more information on the on-going
repatriations and associated vetting process. For the first
time, they offered to provide a list of those in the camp and
their status in the screening process. Military officials did
not object to a IOM-proposed project which would insert the
organization as a de facto third party monitor into the
return process now underway for Lao Hmong. The RTARF still
believes Lao military counterparts will object to a UNHCR
role, however.


2. (SBU) Comment: The new transparency by the Royal Thai
Armed Forces (RTARF) on the Lao Hmong at Petchabun (if it
lasts) is as welcome as it is unexpected. The UNHCR Executive
Committee meetings are presently being held in Geneva, and it
is possible that in preparation civilian RTG agencies
succeeded in wresting some policy control from the military.
(The RTG has been criticized at past editions of the ExCom
for their handling of the vulnerable group.) Also likely
contributing is the complete turn-over in people responsible
for the issue: Generals Songkitti and Ratchakrit both just
assumed their positions in the annual October military
reshuffle, and Ambassador has discussed the Lao Hmong issue
with new Prime and Foreign Ministers in the past few weeks.
Once details on the 6,000 remaining Lao Hmong at Petchabun
are received, post will advocate with the RTG for UNHCR
participation in a review of the cases in preparation for
possible future referrals for resettlement in the U.S. and
other countries. End Summary and Comment.

Songkitti - Ambassador: working on transparency
-------------- --


3. (C) Ambassador used the opportunity of his October 7
courtesy call on new RTARF Supreme Commander General
Songkitti Jaggabartra to raise the issue of the Hmon and push
for more transparency. The Supreme Commander promised to
share more information regarding RTG screening completed at
the army-run camp at Petchabun. The Thai military, National
Security Council, and Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the
Interior were working to develop a more transparent screening
process that Songkitti hoped would ease concern in the
international community and the U.S. Congress over the
repatriation of Hmong to Laos.


4. (C) Songkitti believed that his personal relationships
with leading Lao military leaders could lead to a more
flexible stance by the Lao government. The Supreme Commander
suggested his discussions with the Lao could lead to
initiatives targeted to improve the lives of Hmong returnees
to Laos and provide for a situation on the ground in Laos
that would entice more Hmong to return voluntarily to Laos.
Projects should focus on providing better housing,
educational opportunities, employment options, and social
services to the Hmong, Songkitti said. These focus areas
were key, as the Lao government needed to provide for better
integration into society for the Hmong. International aid,
joint development activities, and Royal Project initiatives
were avenues to implement his ideas, Songkitti told the
Ambassador.


5. (C) Songkitti told the Ambassador that he could not
predict Lao government reaction to possible international and
US assistance to Hmong returnees, but he predicted that the
establishment of a U.S. Defense Attache in Vientiane would
help to facilitate a more accommodative stance on the Hmong
issue by the Lao government.

Ratchakrit - DCM: we'll provide a list
--------------


6. (SBU) In a follow-up meeting on October 8, DCM and
RefCoord met with newly promoted RTARF Chief of Joint Staff
General Ratchakrit Kanchanawat similarly to urge greater
transparency in the treatment of the 6,000 remaining Lao
Hmong at Petchabun. The encounter, which featured an
audio-visual briefing on the issue before a retinue of 30

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army officers, produced an apparent breakthrough. For the
first time, the Thai military promised a list of all the Lao
Hmong who were in the camp during the RTARF's November 2007 -
January 2008 registration. In addition, Ratchakrit committed
to providing information on the results of the camp-level
screening process that was completed in March 2008. The names
of Hmong identified by the RTG's internal vetting as being
unable to return to Laos will be provided, opening for the
first time a window into the status of the Petchabun group.


7. (SBU) As a down payment on the commitment, the Thai
provided a list of names of the most recent (August 28)
movement of 128 Hmong returned to Laos in the on-going
repatriation process. To date, there have been a total of
1,673 people repatriated in eight movements. RTARF Border
Division head Lieutenant General Nipat Thonglek, head of the
RTG delegation to the bilateral border working group with the
Government of Laos (GOL),described a Sept. 11th visit to Ban
Pha Lak in Laos where about 60 families from Petchabun have
been resettled. According to General Nipat, "they are very
happy to be back." In a video interview that was part of the
audio-visual presentation, several adult Hmong returnees
carefully echoed the sentiment in Thai, and a classroom scene
showed apparently satisfied Hmong children. (Note: the Ban
Pha Lak village has been constructed by the GOL for returnees
without any other place to go. The RTG has not visited any
of the home villages where the majority of Petchabun Hmong
are resettled.) According to Nipat, the next voluntary
repatriation of an as-yet undetermined number of Hmong is
scheduled for the end of October. The Thai promised to
provide the names of returnees when available.


8. (SBU) DCM also advocated for an independent monitor in
the Lao Hmong repatriation process currently underway to
further improve transparency. Nipat stated that Thai military
"had no objection" to a proposed IOM project that provides
medical and nutritional assistance to voluntary returnees
staged at a nearby army barracks, and onward transportation
to the Lao border. DCM noted that the Laotian MFA had shown
increased flexibility by offering UNHCR an invitation to
visit Ban Pha Lak return site, and suggested that RTG now had
the policy space to provide UNHCR access to the returnees
temporarily sequestered at the army barracks. (UNHCR is not
pushing for access directly to Petchabun camp, concerned that
their presence would spur rumors of an impending large-scale
third country resettlement program.) Nipat described his Lao
military counterparts in the bilateral border committee as
still opposed to any UNHCR involvement in the return process.
However, Nipat suggested that a visit by the RTG Prime
Minister to Vientiane "may help bring more flexibility" on
the Lao side.


9. (SBU) Asked about plans for those Hmong at Petchabun
identified by the RTG as not able to return to Laos,
Ratchakrit quickly responded: "We will give them to you -
just like at Wat Tham Krabok!" (Note: in 2004-2005, the U.S.
resettled about 15,000 Lao Hmong who had congregated at the
temple in central Thailand.) DCM noted in return that the US
did not plan a group resettlement program as was done at Wat
Tham Krabok, but would consider individual cases for refugee
resettlement - if they were interviewed and referred by
UNHCR.

JOHN