The Traveler

HSOA,

Thanks for your advocacy work! In 2004, we did the long walk for freedom, the 1200 miles march from st. paul to DC, to bring attention to the plight of the secret war veterans in the jungles of laos, it is energizing to see HSOA taking on and standing up for justice and equality - keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

Dai Thao

We, the older Hmong generation, feel much relief when our young Hmong generation starts waking up now to realize what has been going on to their people since the last half century ago.

Let me tell your young generation a little bit about our life in Laos before the French-Indochina War, during that war, and after that war, and during the American-Indichina War that started in the early 60's.

I don't know much about Hmong in Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, and/or elsewhere but as I know our life in Laos wasn't easy at all since the first day our Great-Great-Great Grandparents moved into Laos. Because we were not welcomed there by the Low-Land-Lao so there were a lot obstacles ahead of us everywhere we set our feet to far worst than our fellow Hmong now living in the jungle of Laos. So to survive our daily life we had to live with swords, knives, bows, and guns, etc...

We, the Hmong , never had education but we really had experience of respecting each other, loving each other, helping each other, and saved each other. We obeyed the elders, the leaders, and spoke the same voices that made us survived our daily life.

Until the French took over Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia that called "Indochina" we then were much safer when the majority of Hmong joined on the side of French. Many of us were appointed by the French to be chiefs of local villages and local districts chiefs.

Because we were so helpful to the French at any causes so the French pursueded Low-Land-Lao through the King of Laos to recognize us as citizenship of Laos in the Constitution. Because of that a small number of Hmong then had the right to attend Lao school at basic level. For example: Touby Lyfoung, Touyer Lyfoung Toulia Lyfoung, and few others believed to be the first group. But beacuse of French so Touby, Touyer, and Toulia had exception to study at a higher level.

Later, because of French again, Touby moved to a step further positon as Mayor of Nong Het district, then to the Natinal Assembly, and then to the Ministry level in the Lao Government.

When we involved with the American on the Vietnam War in the early 60's Vang Pao was the right person for the American Government in Washington DC to do the job for them. And because Vang Pao was a trustfully person right on the beginning to the King of Laos and to the American Government so Vang Pao was quick promoted from Major to Lt. Colonel, then to full Colonel, then to Brigadier General, and then to Major General within 5 years. Vang Pao was not a CIA Secret Army General; he was a Laotian General in the Royal Lao Army but he was just happened to be an ethnic Hmong.

During the Vietnam War many of the Low-Land-Lao Generals who did nothing but corruptions were trying to assasinate Vang Pao a number of times because he was favored by the King and by the American Officials in Washington DC.

Vang Pao did not fight the war as a Hmong but as a citizen of Laos and he did not the war for the Hmong but for the country of Laos. There wasn't any Hmong sitting in the Central Lao Government to share and/or participating in deciding the future of Laos, and/or particularly in the Ministry of Defense. All decisions were made by 100% Low-Land-Lao Central Government Officials and we, the Hmong, just carried their orders that's all we did. We had never ever had or ahve any intention of dividing the country as rumoring in these days at all.

On the other hand, the Low-Land-Lao shouldn't ever forget that without the Hmong in the frontlines then I strongly believe that Laos fell to the Communist and/or Uncle Ho Chi Minh long time ago in the early 60's. And by now probably half of the Lao population are Vietnamese fathers just like Nou Hak and Kaison who ruled Laos since 1975.

Today I have nothing to say to the Low-Land-Lao people other than sorry for them. Flip-flop people like the Low-Land-Lao just let Vietnamese rules them until they are wiped out of the map. I am very sorry to say to the Low-Land-Lao people that traitors like you we, the Hmong, will not ever fight to defend your country like in tha past any more.

Well, kids, this is the true story about Hmong in Laos. So in this country when you learn more , know more you should make our Hmong stick together no matter what. Remember this sample word" we stick together we all survive, we separate we all die".
Nowadays Hmong future in this country will be up to your young generation, o.k.Please come together and speak out the same voice so that will be the only way we can help our other Hmong particularly the ones that stuck in Thailand and then move on to help our Hmong in Laos. But always remember we should love and help ourselves here first before we can help other at a distance away.

Thanks HSOA for giving me an opportunity to express my comment today. See you next time.

this is such an interesting and moving article. Thank you.

hi.. umm..i would like to learn more about the genocide. im doing a research paper on it and i can't really find any info on it..but..i'm trying
to make the gencode known to people. so if you could really help me out then thanx!

Hi, I am thinking about starting a project to help the Hmong people in Laos. I want to make everyone more aware of the issue and ask for the state of minnesota to help. Please let me know what I can do. Thank you.

Hi I wanted to learn about this organization and how you work. I also wanted to know if there is anything we can do to help. I live in texas and have a few friends who want to join in this effort as well. Please help us out. Thank you.

I am a student at San Jose State University in California. I am majoring in Social Work and would love to have a fundraiser for the New year celebrations we have in California and was wondering where I would be able to send the money that I raised to help the Hmong community back in laos or thailand?

Please. I am Hmong. I want to help so bad. I watched a video on Youtube and I cried hard, like I've never cried before. It broke my heart to watch it. I cry everday if my boyfriend and me get into a fight. Families cry everyday because they lose a family member every hour! I'm so pitiful! I want to help. I want this "secret war" people to go to Hell.

I know that God brought some of us Hmong to the Us for a reason. It is to educate us and so that we can bring hope to the hopelessness back in Asia. Those are our ancestors suffering. Continue to pray for peace and for God's will to be done for prayer is the most powerful weapon we have.