New York Times reporter Thomas Fuller writes that there is still a small group of Hmong soldiers hiding in the jungles of Laos. During the Vietnam war the CIA recruited thousands of mercenaries to fight communism in Laos. Many of those mercenaries were left behind to fend for themselves when we withdrew from Southeast Asia. According to this Times report, some are still being persecuted today by the communist government of Laos.
Fuller interviewed a small group of these soldiers and their families. According to one:
" 'If I surrender, I will be punished,' said Xang Yang, a wiry 58-year-old still capable of crawling nimbly through thick bamboo underbrush. 'They will never forgive me. I cannot live outside the jungle because I am a former American soldier.' "
Here is Fuller's summary of the historical context and the current situation:
"The C.I.A. operation, from 1961 until 1975, became known as the secret war because, unlike in Vietnam, America’s military involvement in Laos was covert. Instead of sending American ground troops to prevent a Communist takeover here, the C.I.A. hired tens of thousands of mercenaries, most of whom were Hmong, a hill-dwelling ethnic minority.
Today, the number of Hmong veterans and their families who remain hidden in the jungle is somewhere in the hundreds to low thousands, estimates Amy Archibald, a spokeswoman for the United States Embassy in Vientiane, the capital.
Their plight, though little known, has received more attention in recent years, as human rights groups have issued reports condemning the Laotian government for attacking Hmong who worked with the Americans."
There is a slide show and a short video attached to the article.
Many former CIA fighters and their families have sought asylum in the U.S. Some have had difficulty obtaining asylum or green cards because of there status as "terrorists." In a related story, the Associated Press reports that there is a provision tucked into a bill before the congress today that would make it easier for the Hmong and Montagnard fighters to seek asylum in the U.S. The provision declares that the Hmong and Montagnards should not be considered terrorists. The "law that bars people who take up arms from asylum or green cards" would be changed so that the Hmong would not be lumped together with other "terrorist" groups who engaged in armed struggle against a government.
AP quotes Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont):
"Many of these people were our allies. They were there for us when we needed them, and we should not turn our backs when they need the safety of our shores. This reform is a step in the right direction, to bring our law more in line with our values."
See also:
Stephen Magagnini, "Hmong Say Law Maligns Them," Sacremento Bee, December 17, 2007.
Amnesty International Report 2007, Excerpt on Human Rights in Laos.
