HIGHLANDER REFUGEES FROM LAOS: BACKGROUND

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R002204200004-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 18, 2007
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: January 1, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

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Indochina Refugee Action Center
1424 Sixteenth Street NW, Suite 404
Washington, D.C. 20036
[phone]
HIGHLANDER REFUGEES FROM LAOS: BACKGROUND
1. Who are they?
Laos in 1975 consisted of less than three mill-ion
people, more than half of whom were of non-Lao minority
background. Since 1975, almost 300,000 have fled as refugees
to Thailand; over half have been hill people.
Of the 150,000 Highlanders who fled, about 60,000 remain
in refugee camps in Thailand. About 70,000 have resettled
in the United States and another 20,000 in other countries,
principally France, Australia and Canada.
The vast majority of these refugees are Hmong (formerly
known as Meo). There are also lu Mien (formerly known as
Yao), Khmu (also known as Lao Theung), Lahu and Tin peoples.
Each of these groups has distinct linguistic and cul-
tural heritages, but they shared a similar life style in
Laos--living in the hills and pursuing subsistence agri-
cultural and pastoral life styles--until the war years.
2. The Effects of War
During the French Indochina war which ended in 1954,
some of the Hmong and Iu Mien people were enlisted in the
fight against the Viet Minh.
In the early sixties, this prior affiliation with the
French led to an alliance with the U.S. The Highlander
armies of Vang Pao became the chief defense in Laos against
the full force of the North Vietnamese army. (The'lowland
Lao forces--communist and non-communist alike--managed to
avoid the brunt of this fighting.) The Highlanders fought
courageously and exacted a high price from the North Viet-
namese, but were bled white.
Although no exact figures were kept, Hmong/Highlanders
are estimated to have suffered 10,000 dead and seriously
wounded. By comparison, U.S. loses on this proportion in
the Vietnam war would have been in the neighborhood of eight
million.
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The wartime role of the Highlanders has led to continu-
ing systematic persecution in Laos. For several years after
the communist takeover in Laos, artillery, air strikes and
ground attacks were mounted against the Hmong and other
Highlanders; chemical weapons--called "yellow rain" by the
Hmong--were also used.
3. Resettlement: The Lack of an Appropriate Strategy
From their earliest days as refugees, Hmong and other
Highlander leaders indicated that their primary wish was to
remain together on the land.
Efforts to resettle in Thailand have not been success-
ful and, to avoid indefinite stagnation in the refugee camps
there, the Hmong/Highlanders opted for resettlement in the
Western world.
The bulk of Highlander refugees arrived in the United
States during 1980-81, the recent peak years for overall
refugee resettlement in the U.S. During the period of in-
flux, the Highlanders were lost amidst more numerous South-
east Asian groups; they were not. singled out for special
help, nor were they the beneficiaries of imaginative ap-
-proaches.
Federally supported resettlement agencies dispersed the
Highlanders across the country, most often to urban areas.
Language and job training were virtually ineffective and
have resulted in limited job placement. Such an approach
was destined to fail for agricultural peoples who wished to
stay together.
The Highlanders remain dependent and demoralized. They
have a strong work ethic and despise losing their economic
independence. As one former Hmong soldier said recently
after being denied an opportunity to work as a volunteer
apprentice, "For the Hmong, the only way off welfare will be
to hang ourselves."
The Highlanders' "despair of the future" has recently
become more visible in wholesale movements from initial
resettlement sites to other areas. This unique phenomenon
--known as "secondary migration"--is rapidly redistributing
this population from urban areas to rural.environs. The San
Joaquin Valley in California now has over 20,000 Highlanders,
chiefly in Merced, Fresno and Stockton. Other Hmong have
moved to places such as Arkansas, Oklahoma, North Carolina,
Alabama and Wisconsin in their quest for agricultural oppor-
tunities.
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Unless effective measures are taken soon, additional
migration will occur. To dampen this movement, existing
communities must be stabilized; at the same time, pressing
needs in the new impact areas (such as the Central Valley)
must be met.
4. The Challenge
A totally new strategy and approach for Hmong/High-
lander resettlement is essential. Whether in agricultural,
service, cottage and light industry or small business areas,
this group of refugees possesses innate strengths which can
be enhanced. Such strengths include:
? Homogenous and cohesive social structures with
an unusual proclivity towards group self help
and community building, e.g. willingness to
pool both labor and capital.
? Strong work ethic and willingness to perform at
entry-level agricultural and service jobs,
provided that realistic opportunities to pro
gress are perceived.
e Desire for independence, self-sufficiency, and
getting off welfare.
? Willingness to build their own shelters and
reclain unused or marginal farmland.
? Interest in learning English.
? Ability and desire to learn from Americans and
build working relationships.
? Strong performance of children in school.
Given these attributes, and, if we can look beyond
traditional resettlement models to new ideas and alternative
sources of support, it should be possible to rapidly move
this highly dependent group towards self-sufficiency-
Success is important for the Highlanders; it is also
vital to maintain public and Congressional confidence in the
U.S. domestic refugee program.
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r1111UNU YUYULH'r1UN13 IN Thr, UNl'1'r.U
California -- 25,500. Fresno: 8,500; Merced: 6,000; Stockton:
4,000; Santa Ana: 4,000; San Diego: 2,000; Banning: 600;
San Francisco: 400.
Minnesota -- 10,000, mostly in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Wisconsin -- 5,000 in Eau Claire, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Appleton,
Sheboygan, Madison, Wausau, Green Bay.
Illinois -- 3,000 in Chicago, Rockford, Belvidere, Kankakee, Ottowa,
Rochelle, Wheaton, Danville, Moline, Dixon, Joliet, Decatur.
Rhode Island -- 2,500 in the Providence area.
Michigan -- 2,000 in Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw, Richville, Grand
Rapids, Warren, Grand Ledge.
Colorado -- 1,800 in the Denver area, Boulder.
Pennsylvania -- 1,500 in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.
Utah -- 1,500 in the Salt Lake City area.
Washington -- 1,500 in the Seattle area, Spokane, Takoma.
Iowa -- 1,300 in the Des Moines area and other sites.
Oklahoma -- 1,200 in Tulsa, Lawton, Oklahoma City.
Kansas -- 1,200 in Kansas City.
Ohio -- 1,000+ in Toledo, Columbus, Akron.
Oregon -- 900 in Portland and environs.
North Carolina -- 650 in Marion, Morganton, Charlo`te.
Montana -- 600 in Missoula, Billings.
Massachusetts -- 600 in the Boston area, Fitchburg.
Connecticut -- 500 in Manchester and other communities.
Nebraska -- 500 in Omaha.
Georgia -- 400 in the Atlanta area.
Texas -- 400 in Fort Worth.
Alabama -- 250 in Selma.
Tennessee -- 250 in the Memphis area.
Arkansas -- 200 in Fort Smith and Little Rock.
New York -- 150 in Syracuse.
Virginia -- 70 in Alexandria, Arlington, Hampton.
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OTHER HIGHLANDER POPULATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES
Iu Mien, Lao Theung, Lahu and Tin peoples are other
Highlander minority groups from Laos resettling in this
country since 1975. There are approximately 10,000 of
these people, with the lu Mien being the largest of these
groups. They have. resettled primarily in Portland, Seattle,
and throughout California, in clusters. The Lahu, a very
primitive tribe with a population of about-200 -- who have
even more extreme needs -- have most recently clustered in
Visalia, CA.
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