- Published: 30/12/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
Thailand has breached international law by forcing 158 recognised Hmong refugees back to Laos along with thousands of asylum-seekers, the UN's refugee agency says.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insists the action was legal as the Hmong were not forced to leave Thailand.
Laos had ensured the safety of the 158 Hmong and their further resettlement in third-party countries, Mr Abhisit said.
The group, which had been held for three years in a detention centre in Nong Khai, was sent back on Monday despite offers of resettlement in other countries because of fears the deportees would be persecuted in Laos.
The forced repatriation of the 158 Hmong was part of the government's deportation of about 4,000 ethnic Hmong, classified as economic migrants, from Phetchabun province to Laos.
"We would express our dismay that they have gone ahead with the group of 158 people in Nong Khai who had been recognised as refugees by the UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees]," said the agency's spokeswoman, Ariane Rummery, adding that almost 90 were children.
"The forcible return of refugees to their country of origin is a violation of international customary law. It's a departure from Thailand's longstanding humanitarian practice as a major country of asylum in the region and that's a very grave example internationally."
But Mr Abhisit said only four of the 158 Hmong currently had "a special reason" to be considered as potential candidates for resettlement in third party countries.
Lt Gen Niphat Thonglek, director-general of the Supreme Command's Border Affairs Department, said the group left "voluntarily" on Monday night along with more than 4,000 Hmong asylum-seekers from Phetchabun.
Members of the larger group said they faced persecution in Laos for fighting alongside US forces in the Vietnam war.
But Thailand said they were economic migrants and did not allow the UNHCR to assess if any were political refugees.
The 158 Hmong in Nong Khai were properly screened by the UNHCR and found to be refugees in need of protection. But Thailand said they must return to Laos before they can take up offers of resettlement in Western countries.
"The Thai government has told UNHCR that it had received assurances from Laos that the group of 158 recognised refugees will be allowed to be resettled in third countries after their return to Laos," Ms Rummery said. "We certainly hope Thailand remains engaged in the issue..."
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/30216/un-slams-hmong-expulsion-as-illegal |
