PRESS RELEASE

New York, October 25th, 1998

Hmongs in the Lao PDR

Recently, there have been allegations that violations of human rights were being committed against the Hmong in Laos. Worse than that, some ill-perceived individuals even disseminated news that the Lao Government has carried out a systematic killing of Hmong civilians in the Special Zone as called in Lao " khet phiset", and forced many high ranking Hmong officials to resign from their governmental posts. These allegations are utterly false and groundless.

Since the liberation of the country in 1975, the Lao Government, within the limits of its capacity, has always striven to promote and protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of its multi-ethnic Lao people. It has dearly upheld the rule of law and at the same time, has exerted all possible efforts to consolidate the national unity and cohesion of the people. No less important, the Government has worked and continues to work to preserve and promote the fine customs and culture of all ethnic groups.

At present, representatives of ethnic and minority groups occupy different important posts in various organs of the Government, and are actively engaged in the socio-economic development of the country. To cite but one example, among the newly- elected 99 members of the National Assembly, 10% are of ethnic Hmongs. (Laos is composed of three main ethnic groups namely Lao Loum "Lowlanders", Lao Theung "Uplanders" and Lao Soung "Highlanders" to which the Hmongs belong)

Like in other developing countries the world over, despite the financial difficulties that the country is facing, the Lao Government has sought every means to upgrade the socio-economic situation of its population and in particular the minority groups living in remote or far-reaching areas. 

In order to translate this goal into reality, the Lao authorities have identified one of the most secluded and hard to access areas which is located at the intersection of three provinces namely Vientiane, Xiengkhouang and Borikhamsay. It is called "the Special Zone of Saysomboun". The main objective of the creation of this Special Zone is to provide the people who live in the area with an opportunity to benefit from the direct assistance of the Government and international organizations. The people living there and those who have come to settle in the special zone have the right to freely go in and out as they wish and there is no restriction whatsoever to the freedom of movement and residence nor any impediment to the operation of business activities in the said area. In other words, the Special Zone of Saysomboun has the same status as other provinces in Laos.

In an effort to gradually build the country into a State of Law, the National Assembly adopted the first Constitution of the Republic in 1991 and over the years, has enacted more than 40 laws and regulations. The country has also developed its judiciary system in order to ensure that the law is respected and the public order maintained. The State protects the legitimate rights and interests of its citizens of all ethnic groups including the Hmongs, and will take resolute measures, as it deems necessary when the national security is in jeopardy. In our country, whoever commits acts, which violate the laws and regulations of the country, regardless of the ethnic origin he or she emanates from, will all be punished, without exception according to the law