Human Rigts Watch criticises Thai govt over Hmongs

"It is shocking that Thailand is even considering the return of refugees fleeing from political persecution, rights abuses and fighting in Laos," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The Thai government's threatened return of the Lao Hmong refugees shows a brazen contempt for the most basic principle of refugee law."

 The Thai-Lao border committee will meet from September 2-4 to decide the fate of Hmong refugees at a camp in Petchabun province.

Human Rights Watch called for the Thai government to accept offers from other countries to resettle some Hmongs and to allow others to remain in Thailand until their cases can be resolved.

The New York-based organization is particularly concerned because of previous forced repatriations by the Thai government earlier this year. In addition, it was because of the statement on August 16 by the Lao Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy rejecting the idea of independent monitoring of repatriations to Laos, claiming it was a bilateral issue between Thailand and Laos

According to its press release, the organization has received credible reports of abuse and detention of individuals repatriated to Laos from Thailand in the past. 

It criticized the Thai government of pressing the UNHCR to stop conducting refugee status determinations in Thailand in May.

"This has put thousands of Hmong asylum seekers in limbo and limited the protection provided by UNHCR. The suspension of refugee status determinations allows the Thai authorities to summarily classify Lao Hmong asylum seekers as illegal migrants," making them subject to arrest, detention and deportation."