Both grave delegations return with more questions

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Describing their visit to the gravesite at the Wat Thamkrabok in Thailand, Michael Yang’s eyes open wide. “All day long, it had been a sunny day with no cloud in sight,” Yang recalls while excitedly raising his arms above his head. “Suddenly, after visiting the site where the graves had been dug up, the sky opened up and we were hit with typhoon like rain. In my mind, and consulting with the elders, that was a clear sign that the spirits were with us on our journey.” Along with 13 others from throughout the United States, Yang was part of the Hmong Grave Desecration National Delegation whose mission to Thailand was to investigate and seek answers on finding a “respectable solution” to the mass grave desecrations that occurred after more than 15,000 inhabitants left Wat Thamkrabok to immigrate to the United States in 2005. Continue Reading

Hmong killer guilty of lesser charge despite damaging evidence

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After a week-long trial in northern Wisconsin, a jury returned after only five hours of deliberation to find the defendant James Nichols guilty of second degree intentional homicide in the murder of hunter Cha Vang. Immediately after the verdict had been read, Vang’s family members expressed their confusion and frustration that Nichols had not been found guilty of first degree murder as the prosecutor had been seeking. Cha Vang’s brother, Yee Vang, told reporters that he was upset at the verdict, “I am angry, I am disappointed, I am frustrated and no matter what the result of this trial is, my brother will never come back.” Frustrated to the point of exhaustion, Pang Vue fainted outside the courtroom and quickly rushed to the local hospital. Touger Xiong, a community activist, read her prepared statement to the press:
“I have kept my silence because I have faith in the justice system in this new country I now call home. Continue Reading

St. Paul delegation reports on Hmong graves in Wat Tham Krabok

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A delegation to Thailand sponsored by St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman’s office reported October 10 on information and promises received in relation to desecration of Hmong graves at Wat Tham Krabok, and indicated that more steps need to be taken. Hmong community members at the meeting said those steps include a formal apology from the Thai government, a guarantee that no future desecration will occur, access to honor the dead who have been cremated, and identification of bodies still held by the Phaowana Songkhroa Foundation in Thailand. Over 50 community members, 20 of whom were family members affected by the desecration of the graves, and elected officials attended the October 10 informational meeting. Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman sent a delegation to Thailand consisting of Senator Mee Moua, Senator Larry Pogemiller, Mayor Coleman’s Policy Advocate Va-Megn Thoj and community advocate Yee Chang to seek answers regarding the exhumation of Hmong graves in the Wat Tham Krabok Temple in Thailand. Continue Reading

Celebrating champions

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In September, Ready 4 K’s Hmong Project hosted “Celebrating Champions” an event for 50 grandparents at the Community School of Excellence in Saint Paul. The event was an opportunity to show appreciation for the valuable role that grandparents play in raising grandchildren, while also teaching how to help better-prepare them for pre-school and kindergarten. “The celebration is to recognize Hmong grandparents’ effort, services, and the wisdom they give to their daughters, sons and grandchildren in education,” said Jesse Kao Lee, Hmong Project Manager, Ready 4 K.
The summit drew area health and education leaders to offer advice in Hmong on school readiness, quality child care, healthy families/communities, emergency response training, and early childhood findings within the Hmong community. The speakers included Dr. Alyssa Kaying Vang, Child Psychologist with Children’s Hospital and Dr. Zha Blong Xiong, Associate Professor with the University of Minnesota. The elders’ eyes lit up when local Hmong American comedian, Touger Xiong took the stage. Continue Reading

Two Hmong delegations travel to Thailand

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Controversy marks the visits of two delegations—one from St. Paul, including local Hmong leaders, and another from the Hmong Grave Desecration National Delegation—to talk to the Thai government about grave desecrations. It was in St. Paul where much of the international uproar over the late 2005 exhumations of 1,027 Hmong graves near the Wat Tham Krabok Buddhist monastery in Saraburi, Thailand – which occurred as 13,000 Hmong refugees had left for America – 4,000 of them to Minnesota – and the refugee camp was being closed. For two years, committees of elected officials, university professors and students, and local leaders met with the families of newly arrived Hmong refugees and their relatives here to learn about the desecration on video being sent from remaining families in Thailand. Continue Reading

The Hmong, Thailand and greed

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Thailand has held 149 Hmong people, including men, women, and ninety children in a two-room cell for the past nine months with no access to the outside. Their only access to drinking, cooking, and bathing water is a single stall toilet. Having done nothing wrong, the Hmong have been designated as political refugees, a status that has been certified by the United Nations. While third nations have agreed to accept the refugees for relocation, on August 21, Thailand decided that it would not allow these asylum seekers to leave. On September 20, Thailand announced that it will force an additional 8,000 Hmong refugees back to communist Laos. Continue Reading