the committee’s mission is to seek peaceful and just solutions to the desecration of hmong graves...
TRANSCRIPT
National Hmong Grave Desecration Committee
The Committee’s mission is to seek peaceful and just solutions to the desecration of Hmong graves in Thailand.
5TH ANNUAL NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF NHGDC, SEPT. 2ND THRU 4TH
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
THE ORIGINS OF THE HMONG
In Chinese’s history: Mentioned Hmong going back to the 2700 B.C.
Hmong began migrating into Southeast Asia around 1800s.
Most of them went to Laos, Vietnam and Thailand, but many remained in China
Built villages in the high ground of the mountains
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
HMONG: THE CIA WAR
Late 1950s – CIA’s Agent Bill Lair connected with the Hmong
General Vang Pao was asked to lead the covert war in Laos
Between 1960 and 1973 – the U.S. relied heavily on the Hmong soldiers, led by General Vang Pao to engage in direct combat with the North Vietnamese troops.
Hmong lost about 35,000 of lives, protecting the U.S.
Hmong blocked and disrupted the flow of the Vietnamese troops and war supplies along the Ho Chi Minh Trail
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HMONG: FLEEING LAOS
CIA War officially ended in 1973/1974Hmong leaders and soldiers fled to
Thailand for safetyMany families and soldiers were behind.Many fled to the Jungle of Laos
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THAILAND: REFUGEE CAMPS
Before the settlements in the Third CountriesNong KhaiNam PhongBan VinaiXiengKhamWat Tham KrabokWhitewaterNam Yao
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WAT THAM KRABOK
Est. 15,000 Hmong in the camp Funeral and burial site Most of the Hmong left the camp at the beginning of 2004 to the United States and
other countries
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HMONG GRAVES DIGGINGWat Thamkrabok, Thailand -
Thai foundations and workers have dug out hundreds of Hmong graves, dismembering the bodies, boiling the flesh, and removing the bones and tissues
Throwing the human tissues back to the opened graves and carried the bones away for unknown purpose, proven of videotape showing that late in 2005.
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
Video Clip of The GravesDownload the video clip and insert into
this slide.
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
CULTURE & RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Exhuming, removing or destroying of graves is a serious violation the fundamental human rights, including the rights to be free from discrimination, the rights to manifest one’s religion or belief.
Hmong religious belief - once someone is buried, the grave cannot be disturbed, desecrated, and the body cannot be moved/reburied at a different plot/ site.
Our belief: The spirits of the deceased ones would guide, support, or bless the living relatives with good fortunes otherwise, calamities and misfortune will occur to the living relatives.
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
DELEGATIONSThere were many delegations to
Thailand
September 2007November 2007July 2008August 2009April 2010
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
PROPOSED SOLUTIONSThai officials and Wat Thamkrabok to
allow the remaining bodies to be reburied at the old site of Wat Thamkrabok without the cost
The Foundations to be responsible for the returning the remaining bodies in good conditions without cost to the Hmong
To return the three (3) petrified bodies in good conditions without any cost
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS CONTINUE…
To rezone the rebury of Hmong graves to be a legal cemetery to protect future digging again.
The graves will be modernized with cemetery standards
To build a Memorial Park at Wat Thamkrabok
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
RESPONSESCommunication from the Thai Embassy
that:
Stop Graves Digging in ThailandReturn All of The Remaining BodiesDenial of Land requested in Wat
Tham Krabok
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GOALS & PLAN: HMONG GRAVES MEMORIAL PARK
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MEMORIAL PARK: Design Concepts
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MEMORIAL PARK: Design Elements
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MEMORIAL PARK: Concept Diagrams
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MEMORIAL PARK: Site Plan
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MEMORIAL PARK: Plaza
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MEMORIAL PARK: Monuments
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
MEMORIAL PARK: Building Design
PREPARED BY SOMXAI VUE, NHGDC
NHGDC Thank you!