INDIANAPOLIS (DHM, 9/11/04) — Disciples Home Missions (DHM) reports that the Hmong people, a hill trip in Northern Thailand and Laos, are in grave danger.

The Hmong are known for their close relationship with the United States, serving as paramilitary soldiers in Special Guerrilla Units during the Vietnam War.

After the war, the Pathet Lao sought to obliterate the Hmong, and thousands fled to find refuge in Thailand.

Earlier this year, the United States announced that it would give half of the 15,000 Hmong refugees at Wat Tham Krabok (a Buddhist temple in central Thailand) the opportunity to be resettled in the United States.

On August 25, however, an estimated 1,550 Hmong from Wat Tham Krabok were involuntarily relocated by the Thai government. Most of these were refugees who had not been accepted for resettlement by the United States.

Later that same day, this population was returned to the Wat.

The refugees report extreme fear of future efforts of being removed or repatriated to Laos.

Since the return to the Temple grounds, the fate of this population is extremely uncertain.

DHM asks Disciples to contact their Senators and Representative and ask them to contact the U.S. State Department and the Bush Administration to urge the U.S. government to intervene and press Thailand for:

* discussion and planning (rather than relocation and repatriation) for those Hmong that will be left behind after the resettlement of those that are coming to the United States.

* a durable solution for the remaining population that would include an integration plan that will grant full rights to work and the ability to travel within Thailand.