LAO HMONG: DCM STRESSES USG POSITION ON HMONG,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 003074

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/04/2019
TAGS: PREF PHUM SMIG TH LA
SUBJECT: LAO HMONG: DCM STRESSES USG POSITION ON HMONG,
THAI CLAIM LAO WILLINGNESS TO COORDINATE CLOSELY

REF: A. BANGKOK 3044

B. STATE 122622

C. VIENTIANE 553

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James F. Entwistle, reasons 1.4
(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: The DCM, in a December 4 meeting with Royal
Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (RTARF) Director of Border
Affairs Lieutenant General Nipat Thonglek, emphasized USG
concern regarding plans to accelerate the return to Laos of
the Hmong at Phetchabun and Nong Khai. In particular, the
DCM stressed that the USG would react negatively to a forced
return of the Nong Khai population which has UNHCR "of
concern" status and the portion of the Phetchabun population
that the RTG itself had screened-in. Nipat said that, in
coordinating for the return with his Lao counterpart, he was
following a clear directive from the Thai government to
return the Hmong to Laos. Nipat said that the RTG had come
to the point where it felt compelled to move ahead with the
Lao government on the issue of the Hmong. Nipat had met
December 2 with his Lao counterpart, Brigadier General
Bouasieng Chamaphanh, Deputy Chief of Staff Department at the
Ministry of Defense, and agreed on a terms of reference for
the return of the Hmong. Nipat described what he considered
"good cooperation" on the part of the Lao in agreeing to
measures that would insure humanitarian treatment of the
Hmong, differentiating between the Nong Khai 158, which would
be in Vientiane for processing prior to third-country
resettlement, the Phetchabun "screened in," who would be
returned to a special location and also available for
monitoring and possible resettlement, and the bulk of the
Phetchabun group being returned as illegal economic migrants.
The date for the return had not yet been set, Nipat told the
DCM, but he implied it may be as much as a month away. Both
Nipat and, separately DPM Suthep with Ambassador, promised to
provide the U.S. with a list of individuals at the Phetchabun
camp which the Thai "screened-in."


2. (C) Comment: Nipat made clear that the all Hmong, at
Phetchabun and Nong Khai, will be included in the upcoming
return operation and we made clear that forcible return of
the screened-in Phetchabun group and the UNHCR-recognized
group at the Nong Khai IDC will have an effect on the
bilateral relationship. We will continue to push our
military contacts for the long-awaited Phetchabun screened-in
list and for greater clarity on when returns might begin.
Parsing Nipat's comments, it appears we have at least several
weeks and perhaps into the new year before the operation
begins but there are no guarantees. Nipat was clearly
interested to hear of our recent discussions with the GOL on
the Nong Khai population (Ref C) but was not willing to
repeat earlier RTG promises that the Nong Khai population
would only be moved after Phetchabun was empty. End Summary
and comment.

NONG KHAI HMONG TO GO TO VIENTIANE BEFORE RESETTLEMENT
-------------- --------------


3. (C) LTG Nipat said he had come to an agreement with
General Bouasieng that the 158 Hmong being held in the Nong
Khai Immigration Detention Center (IDC) would be returned to
Laos, transferred to Vientiane, and ready for resettlement to
third countries within thirty days of return to Laos. Nipat
said that General Bouasieng had stated that the Lao
government would provide a specific facility for the Nong
Khai Hmong to stay in while in Vientiane, and that it would
grant the U.S. and other parties access to this group during
the period of processing for resettlement.


4. (C) Nipat suggested that it would be helpful if the UNHCR
or the USG communicated plans for resettlement from Laos
directly to the Hmong at Nong Khai. This would go far in
facilitating the safe return of this group to Laos prior to
resettlement, Nipat said. The DCM told Nipat that many
concerns would need to be resolved by the Thai and the Lao
before the USG could consider such a request. Nipat told the
DCM that the RTG was committed to providing the U.S. with
complete information regarding plans for the return. The DCM
told Nipat that the USG had recently initiated a conversation
with the GOL regarding a plan to resettle the Nong Khai
population from Laos to third countries and expressed the

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hope that a hasty return of that population to Laos would not
derail that so far encouraging dialogue.

PHETCHABUN HMONG TO BE SEPARATED INTO TWO GROUPS
-------------- ---


5. (C) Nipat said that all of the 4,369 Hmong at Phetchabun
would be returned to Laos. That said, Nipat claimed that the
Lao government had agreed that those on the RTG "screened-in"
list -- numbering approximately 575 -- would be sent to a
particular area in Laos, but that the location had not yet
been determined. According to Nipat, Lao BG Bouasieng agreed
that the Phetchabun "screened-in" group would be available to
other nations for resettlement and to monitoring by
third-country diplomats while awaiting resettlement. Nipat
said that Bouasieng could be trusted, as he was the decision
maker on the Hmong issue for the Lao government. The DCM
underscored to Nipat that the RTG decision to return
"screened-in" Hmong to Laos was problematic for the USG.
Nipat said he knew that the U.S. could not support the
decision to return the Hmong but asked for "understanding" by
the U.S.

TIMING OF RETURNS NOT YET DETERMINED BY THAI AND LAO
-------------- --------------


6. (C) The DCM asked Nipat whether the two sides had agreed
on a timeline for the return. Nipat said the return would
be conducted in a "proper timeframe" but that there was no
agreement on a specific date. Nipat did give assurances that
no returns would be conducted in the next few weeks and noted
that he would have several more "logistical" meetings with
his GOL counterpart before the operation could begin. Nipat
said that the return of the Hmong from both Phetchabun and
Nong Khai would be conducted in one operation with no pause
or break. The Lao government had requested that all returns
be conducted in this way due to the level of assets,
transportation and otherwise, needed for the operation. The
DCM told LTG Nipat close consultation would be needed to
insure the protection of the Hmong and asked whether the Thai
had discussed the matter with UNHCR. Nipat said no
discussions had been held, but expressed hope that UNHCR
could assist.


7. (C) Nipat explained that staff from his RTARF Border
Affairs Division would be stationed in Laos when the return
of the Hmong was carried out in order to facilitate
"humanitarian treatment" of the Hmong once they were moved
across the Thai-Lao border at Nong Khai. Local Internal
Security Operations Command (ISOC) staff (likely Thai Army
personnel) would be in charge of moving the Hmong to
immigration at Nong Khai.

RTG TO CLARIFY "SCREENED-IN" LIST AND TO PROVIDE TO USG
-------------- --------------


8. (C) The DCM reiterated to Nipat the importance of the
long-standing USG request for the list names of the
"screened-in" Phetchabun population. LTG Nipat stated that
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had made clear the
importance of insuring protection for those on the list. As
such, Nipat's staff would next week work with representatives
of the Thai NSC and the task force administering the Huay Nam
Khao camp to check the names on the list. The RTG would
provide the list to the USG after "cleaning up the list."
Nipat claimed the list was problematic, as the staff at the
camp believed that the Hmong had on the whole provided
inaccurate information to Thai officials. For example, the
entire population of Hmong had used only "six or seven" last
names in identifying themselves to the camp staff.


9. (C) Separately, on December 4, the Ambassador raised the
USG request for the list of the "screened-in" Hmong at
Phetchabun with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban.
Suthep said he had recently discussed the list with Thai Army
Commander General Anupong Paochinda and assured the
Ambassador that the RTG would soon provide it to the U.S.
JOHN