POLITICS: Young Hmong Americans Confront a Dark History

[Ian David]

POLITICS: Young Hmong Americans Confront a Dark History
By Ngoc Nguyen

SAN FRANCISCO, Jul 20 (IPS) - The Hmong American community was catapulted into the national spotlight when, on Jun. 4, 11 California residents were arrested for plotting to overthrow the government of Laos.

Among them was 77-year-old Vang Pao, who led a CIA-backed "secret army" of his tribesmen in Laos to aid U.S. soldiers against communist Laotian and Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War.

Vang Pao and his 10 co-conspirators were charged with violating the so-called Neutrality Act by planning an invasion of a country at peace with the United States. Justice Department officials say the men conspired to obtain AK-47 assault rifles, ground-to-air and anti-tank missiles, mines, rockets and other explosives.

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"My impression is the revival of betrayal of the U.S. toward the Hmong in Laos," she said. "They did pull out their troops and left the Hmong community to fend for themselves. This led to the human rights abuses in Laos, and at one point, there was a publicly announced genocide after the war when the Laos government hunted down Hmong, that's why so many of them fled."

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http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=38620