If. Congress passes MFN, HR. 2132 and S. 1093, to grant MFN to the communist Lao regime, Congress will have overlooked much of the evidence presented by the Hmong people over the past twenty two years regarding atrocities and human rights violations committed against its former allies. The U.S. has a long-standing history of supporting allies. However support for this deplorable legislation is a slap in the face of all Hmong and ethnic who fought and shed blood for American interests.

II. The Communist Pathet Lao Drugs, Narcotics Trafficking And Corruption In Laos

During the Vietnam War, Prince Souphanouvong asked North Vietnam for 70,000 troops to fight against the U.S. Secret Army in Laos and to conquer Laos whenever the United States withdrew support from the democratic government of Laos. Even today, the communist Laos still depends on Vietnam’s troops in order to keep them in power. The North Vietnamese troops in Laos today are present in the country, posing as laborers The communists of Laos are still in power to kill and oppress their own people but they have no power to govern the country. The Vietnamese control the communist Pathet Lao government in Laos at every level. The corruption exists in every level of the Stalinist regime in Laos. Because the communist Lao government is controlled by the North Vietnamese, we believe that U.S. foreign aid goes to support the corrupt government officials. People go hungry, medicine and hospitals are in short supply and too few schools exist for the children.

Communist Pathet Lao use collaborators in the U.S. and other countries to smuggle drugs from Laos and other location into the United States.

On July 22, 1997, the Washington Post quoted that “foreign authorities are concerned about large shipments of heroin that cross from Laos and Thailand to Cambodia along the sea coast. The traffickers are using government planes, helicopters, military trucks, navy boats and soldiers to transport heroin” for exporting to international markets.

III. Human Rights Violations And Ethnic Cleansing Against The Hmong In Laos

The Hmong and other ethnic Lao were allies who served in the U.S. Secret Army in Laos during the Vietnam War. They fought against the communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese army to defend American interests in Laos. The Hmong interdicted the NVA on the Ho Chi Minh Trail as the NVA attempted to reinforce their troops in South Vietnam where half million American troops operated to help South Vietnam defend their country from communism. The communist Pathet Lao and 70,000 NVA troops never completed their conquest of Laos during that Vietnam conflict because the super power, America, assisted the freedom loving Hmong and Lao people during the war. Once the United States signed the Paris agreement and withdrew its support and its troops, the communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese Army took control of Laos in 1975, and began its ethnic cleansing policy against Hmong people. The communist Pathet Lao leaders who committed crimes and initiated the ethnic cleansing war against Hmong and other ethnic Lao are its communist central members and politburo, including Prince Souvanna Phouma, father of the destruction of Laos.

In October 1975, the Soviet backed North Vietnamese and communist Pathet Lao began using chemical warfare against Hmong villagers in the 2nd Military Region where Major General Vang Pao commanded and CIA operations took place.

In November 1975, the communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese Army launched the ethnic cleansing war against Hmong people in the Phou Bia (9,218ft) mountain area and around its foothills. The objective was to kill the Hmong people who were former U.S. allies and served in the U.S. Secret Army during the Vietnam War. In April 1978, a group of Hmong totaling about 5,000 at the Phou Ho mountain area were massacred by the communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese army. From the period of 1975 through 1978, the communist Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese army killed about 28,000 to 32,000 Hmong people including men, women, and children. Today, the extermination and persecution of the Hmong people is still going on in Laos even though the communist Pathet Lao higher level denies this when they are interviewed by reporters or journalists. The communist Pathet Lao officials and other authorities denied.

A great deal of testimony has been given over the years regarding atrocities against the Hmong people by Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese. Some recent examples are as follows: In January 16, 1997, the communist Pathet Lao killed five children and three adults in Mouang Ao area. On March 5, 1997, the communist Pathet Lao arrested five people: Cheng Vue, Yia Vue, Ya Xia Vue, Ger Vue, and Mrs. Chai Hue Vang. These people were arrested in Ban Nok, Xiengkhouang province. Cheng Vue and Yia Vue are now in jail, but the others disappeared. They may have been killed by the communist Pathet Lao. In April, 1997, the communist Pathet Lao troops opened fire at the flea market in Ban Khang Sy and several houses were burned down by the authorities. Later several Hmong villagers were arrested by communist Pathet Lao security forces and put in jail. The majority of the population in Ban Khang Sy who were afraid of persecution by the communist Pathet Lao, fled. On May 9, 1997, Mr. Ka Ge Moua, a representative of Hmong returnees in Ban Pha Thao, Vang Vieng, wrote a letter to a Hmong friend in the United States in September 1996. His letter stated that the communist government of Laos encouraged the lowland Lao to seize all the land given to the Hmong returnees. After this dispute with the communist government authorities, part of the land was given back to the returnees, however the rest of the land originally given to the returnees was taken by Lao villagers whom were encouraged by the communist Pathet Lao government. UNHCR representative and employees who are responsible for the well being of the returnees have remained silent and allowed this injustice to continue.

Outrageously, in the U.S. Congress, the United States House Subcommittee on Trade and the Senate Committee on Finance moved to provide Most Favored Nation trade status to the communist regime in Laos on July 15, 1997 (HR. 2132) and July 30, 1997 (S. 1093) respectively. This has raised considerable shock concern among the Hmong and Lao veterans and their families, over 55,000 strong, that the communist Pathet Lao will be encouraged to kill more of their former allies and families who remain in Laos. Today, two decades after communist Pathet Lao reign, the Pathet Lao still oppress and kill these Hmong and Lao veterans who were U.S. allies.