Secretary-General Deeply Concerned by Thailand’s Deportation of Lao Hmong Refugees

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned that the Government of Thailand has gone ahead with the deportation of 158 Lao Hmong refugees to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.  He is similarly concerned about the expulsion of a larger group of Lao Hmong, which included individuals the Thai Government had itself reportedly assessed to be in need of protection.  The Secretary-General regrets that these deportations have taken place in the face of appeals from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and despite the availability of third-country resettlement solutions for those recognized as refugees.  He urges the Governments of Thailand and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to take all necessary steps to respect the rights of those concerned and to facilitate humane solutions.

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For information media • not an official record