Uneven Bars for Hmong Refugees
As the first Hmong American Olympian and the first Asian American woman to win gold in the all-around finals, Sunisa "Suni" Lee has soared to new heights! Americans and members of the Hmong diaspora around the world are overjoyed about Lee's Olympic accomplishments. In fact, today has been declared "Suni Lee Day" across Minnesota. Last year this time, Hmong refugees in the U.S. were facing a potential increase in deportations. Is that still the case today and how can we support them?
"Who else will love Hmong?"
In a Washington Post opinion piece, Phillipe Thao wrote about Lee's tight-knit Minnesota community. He said, "In the Hmong culture, we have a saying, 'Hmoob yuav tsum hlub Hmoob. Leej twg yuav hlub Hmoob?' The first sentence translates to, “Hmong have to love Hmong.” The second part asks, 'Who else will love Hmong?'" They have reasons to pose that question. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruited Hmong, a small ethnic minority, in Laos for a covert operation. It was called the "Secret War." Hmong risked their lives to "disrupt Communist supply lines and rescue American pilots." While no one agrees on an exact figure, at least 30,000 Hmong in Laos died during the war. By 1973, after their villages in Laos had been decimated, PBS says the U.S. ended Hmong relief efforts and the new regime in Laos declared them enemies of the state.
Nowhere to hide.
As enemies of the state, many Hmong in Laos were forced to work on state-run farms or attend re-education camps. Others fled to Thailand as refugees while those unable to emigrate are still persecuted. In 2007, The New York Times interviewed America's "forgotten soldiers" in the jungles of Laos. One of these soldiers, Xang Xang said, “They will never forgive me. I cannot live outside the jungle because I am a former American soldier.” In 2020, the Congress of World Hmong People reported attacks by the Laotian military against Hmong. In response, the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) again alerted the global community about the relentless persecution of Hmong and they asked the United Nations to investigate ongoing human rights abuses.
The ongoing "Secret War."
Between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. dropped more bombs on Laos than any other country and left nearly 80 million unexploded bombs. In Laos, the "Secret War" has not ended. Former President Barack Obama was the first sitting U.S. president to visit Laos. He pledged $30 million in aid, which boosted morale but did not help clear America's unexploded ordnances. The U.S.'s cluster bomb munitions, which are roughly the size of tennis balls, are inexpensive to drop but cost up to $1,000 to find and detonate. To put this into perspective, over just a 10 day period, the U.S. spent $130 million to bomb Laos. With 80% of the population working in agriculture, those remaining bombs pose grave risks to farmers and the country's economy.
Support refugee agencies. We should be able to answer, "Who else will love Hmong?'" with a resounding "All of us." In 2020, Hmong refugees in the U.S. worried about a possible increase in deportations. Over the past year, Asian American activists and politicians have been fighting for the Hmong community. Thanks to their advocacy, President Biden raised the refugee ceiling from the Trump administration's historically low maximums. As of this month, refugee agencies are preparing to welcome more people to the United States. Here are two state-based agencies that support Hmong refugees:
1) Wisconsin: The International Institute of Wisconsin helps refugees on every aspect of resettlement, including educational and social opportunities.
2) Minnesota: The International Institute of Minnesota assists unaccompanied minors and provides workforce development, education, housing and medical services.