Laos: Military atrocities against Hmong children are war crimes

["F A B I O C C H I::" <eco_fabiocchi at tin.it>]

News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International

AI Index: ASA 26/004/2004        13 September 2004 

Laos: Military atrocities against Hmong children are war crimes


Amnesty International is horrified by recent reports, including video evidence 
and witness testimony, of an attack by Lao soldiers against a group of five 
children, four of them girls, in the Xaisomboune military zone on 19 May 2004. 

The children, aged between 13 and 16 years old and part of an ethnic Hmong 
rebel group, were brutally mutilated -- the girls apparently raped before being 
killed -- by a group of approximately 30-40 soldiers. The victims -- four 
girls, Mao Lee, 14; her sister Chao Lee, 16; Chi Her, 14; Pang Lor, 14; and Tou 
Lor, Pang Lor’s 15 year old brother -- were killed whilst foraging for food 
close to their camp. They were unarmed.

The attacks violate the most fundamental principles of international human 
rights and humanitarian law. These rapes and killings constitute war crimes. 
The Lao authorities must bring to justice those responsible for this atrocity 
and cease attacks on unarmed civilians. 

A witness, who has subsequently fled the country and been recognized as a 
refugee by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, reported hearing 
one of the soldiers saying: "Meo (Hmong). Your kael ni (mouth) allows you to 
speak. Your hin (vagina) allows you to breed". 

He then heard moans and a gunshot.

Mao Lee was shot in each breast and the other bodies were mutilated by what 
appears to be high-powered rifle shots fired at close range. One of the girls 
was disembowelled.

Several other members of the group were seriously injured with gun shot wounds 
but managed to return to their encampment. The rebels have little if any 
medicine and rely on traditional treatments using plants found in the forest.

The Lao authorities must, as a matter of utmost urgency, permit UN agencies and 
independent monitors unfettered access to those rebels who are recently 
reported to have ‘surrendered’. They must also permit humanitarian agencies to 
provide medical and food assistance to those injured as a result of this and 
other military actions against the rebels.


Background

The Hmong ethnic minority group in Laos was allied to the US during the Viet 
Nam war and its spill-over fighting in both Laos and Cambodia. The Hmong people 
have a long history of resistance and aspirations of independence from Lao 
government control. Following the creation of the Lao People’s Democratic 
Republic in 1975 and the fall of the former regime, as many as a third of the 
Hmong ethnic minority are believed to have fled the country. Most of these 
refugees resettled in the USA, but a large number spent many years in refugee 
camps in Thailand. 

Sporadic military resistance to the government has continued among some ethnic 
groups, predominantly Hmong. There are also continuing allegations of serious 
human rights abuses against those Hmong perceived as still being opposed to the 
Lao government.

There have been increasing concerns over the last two years at an apparent 
increase in Lao government military activity against rebel groups, who along 
with armed adult men also comprise a large number of women, children, elderly 
and sick. The upsurge in military activity followed increasing international 
concern at the situation, which was triggered by a number of journalists 
visiting rebel groups and reporting their plight. 

Credible sources have reported the deaths of scores of civilians, mainly 
children, from starvation and injuries sustained during the conflict. It is 
known that several of approximately 20 rebel groups with their families are 
surrounded by Lao military and prevented from foraging for food that they 
traditionally rely on to survive. Amnesty International has protested to the 
Lao authorities at what it believes is the use of starvation as a weapon of war 
against civilians.

Several hundred ethnic Hmong rebels are reported to have ‘surrendered' to the 
Lao authorities in recent months. UN agencies, diplomats and journalists have 
not been given access to these people and Amnesty International has received 
conflicting reports as to their reception and treatment by the authorities.

Amnesty International has also repeatedly condemned indiscriminate attacks by 
armed opposition groups that have reportedly killed and injured civilians in 
Laos. Amnesty International unequivocally condemns these acts and has and will 
continue to call upon the perpetrators to cease all activities that are in 
violation of human rights and international humanitarian law.


Laos in the AI Report 2004: 
http://amnesty-news.c.topica.com/maacDWkaa9WkEbdwzfYb/