In a new show of "Samak Logic", on the 24th May the cerebrally challenged Thai PM Samak Sundaravej authorised troop action on the Hmong refugees at the Ban Huay Nam Khao camp in Thailand. What do you do when you have a community of genuine refugees who would rather die than be returned to the country from which they fled? According to Samak, you fire tear gas and pepper spray at them to force them onto the buses.
"In reaction to the Thai troops now deployed to the Hmong refugee camp, the Hmong refugees have laid down on the road and are refusing to move, waiting instead for the buses or trucks to run them over so they can die in Thailand instead of returning to Laos," stated Dr. Jane Hamilton-Merritt, Southeast Asia Scholar. http://www.tragicmountains.org
On May 16, eight members of the U.S. Senate wrote a letter appealing to Prime Minister Samak and U.S. Secretary of State Rice to grant asylum to some 8,000 Hmong refugees and not force them back to Laos. What good this will do, I have no idea. In light of recent history, I would be inclined to say there is very little that could convince Samak that human-rights are worth fighting for when the issues are staring him in the face. Not only is he breaking bread with famed human rights violators such as Than Shwe (Burma's top piggy), he is cooking a scrumptious meal for them. If he wears an apron for much longer, I fear Samak will become yet another example of Thailand's disposable democracy.
"Hooooo! Is that bacon I smell?"
If you are interested in the plight of the Hmong, which really, everyone should be, then take a look at the following two videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnvTjs3-Ytc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mi68GYu64k&watch_response
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