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Contact: Ed Szendrey edszendrey@factfinding.org
Georgie Szendrey gszendrey@graceunlimitedproduction.com
Ger Vang gvang@buttecaa.com

Freedom Fighters Captured - Leader Claims Surrender not Voluntary

Laos (FFC) In an interview on March 10, 2004 with Fact Finding Commission correspondents Yang Toua Thao, leader of the U.S. Secret Veterans in Luang Prabang Province, confirmed the people were captured by the LPDR government and had not voluntarily surrendered as had been reported.

He stated the 900 people from Ban Pang Ung, Luang Prabang Province, Phousavan, Xieng Khouang Province and Muang Mok, Borikhamxay Province have been under heavy attack by LPDR and SRV (Socialist Republic of Vietnam) troops. Faced with starvation they were forced to surrender to the communist troops.

Commander Thao confirmed to FFC that sources within the LPDR leaked information to the Secret Veterans attention that beginning March 4, 2004 the LPDR Government has increased its military buildup consisting of Lao and Vietnamese troops with the goal of wiping out the Secret Veterans in Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang Provinces by the end of June 2004.

Daily, MI-8 gunship helicopters made frequent stops from Vang Vieng to the military camps surrounding the veteran groups (TG 61.36 Lima Site 112, TG 55.36, TG 62.26 and TG 64.27).

Thao reported the LPDR warned the 900 individuals that were captured in late February not to tell the international groups their true identity that they are the Secret Veterans. He said they were warned anyone who speaks the truth to the international community upon contact will be imprisoned or executed. Reportedly LPDR authorities also warned the captive veterans and their families that in the event the international community made contact with those imprisoned and questioned them pertaining their surrender they should not tell the truth that they had been surrounded by communist troops and forced to surrender but rather agreed to surrender themselves voluntarily.

The Fact Finding Commission (FFC) conducted a number of research missions to investigate rumors of genocide against ethnic minorities in Laos. As a result of those missions FFC developed information sources in and out of Laos. FFC is a news service for select information regarding Laos and issues affecting the veterans of the U.S. Secret War in Laos worldwide. Look to www.factfinding.org for the FFCs report, which documents the presence of the Vietnamese Army in Laos and the use of chemical weapons by the Vietnamese and Pathet Lao military forces to genocide the 20 Secret War groups still in Laos.