Last month, we started a three-part series of letters from Eddy Tang, a Lao American marine, chronicling his experience in Iraq on his first tour of duty. Soon after the posting of his letters, we unfortunately had to pull the piece because of the sensitivity of the individuals involved. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that we can bring Eddy’s stories to share with our readers. So, stay tuned.

As we move towards the end of summer and the beginning of the Buddhist lent, the news of events keep developing as it knows no cycle. Vang Pao and his co-conspirators will be arraigned and tried for allegedly attempting to mount an attack on Vientiane reminiscent of 9/11. It remains to be seen what verdict emerges from the trial. What remains clear is that this trial has complicated the Lao-Hmong relations in Laos and the efforts of Hmong expats to stop the repatriation of 8,000 Hmong refugees in Thailand to Laos. By the urging of the Hmong in the United States, 13 members of Congress sent King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand a letter to ‘’personally intercede to ensure that these and other Lao-Hmong remain in Thailand until they can be resettled in third countries’’. Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont declined the request, but pledges that the repatriation will be done gradually and in compliance with human rights standard and be supervised by a neutral member of ASEAN. Being that an ASEAN’s principle--and a long standing practice--is not to intervene in another member country’s domestic affairs, it appears Prime Minister Surayud’s promise is a mere fig leaf.

The Thais have expressed their intention to proceed with repatriation because no other country has stepped forward to accept the 8,000 Hmong refugees. The United States would have been the obvious choice for resettlement for these refugees; however, in 2005, the United States had already accepted 15,000 Hmong refugees from Thailand for resettlement and officials stated then that they would accept no more. The trial of Vang Pao and his co-conspirators may have further complicated this resettlement in a post-9/11 world.