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| Time Line of Events in the Hmong Graves Desecration Project:
December 16, 2005 Members of the Minnesota ( Sabo, McCollum, Dayton and Coleman) and Wisconsin (Kin, Green, Khol and Feingold) Congressional Delegation send letter to Secretary Rice inquiring about the grave desecration and urging state to examine the issue.
January 23, 2006 Congressman Sabo receives letter back from the Department of State, signed by Jeffery T. Berger- Assistant Secretary, Legislative Affairs. Berger thanks Sabo for his letter, saying they have discussed issue with Thai authorities, and saying the exhumations were in accordance with local traditions and were being done for reasons of water Sanitation.
March 2, 2006 Town Hall meeting and letter writing. See
Minnesota Public Radio for event.
March 9, 2006 Official Human Rights Program communication and individual communications transmitted to U.N. Special Rapporteurs on Religious Intolerance and Contemporary forms of Racism.
March 16, 2006 Copies of Communication and complaints sent to the United States Department of State March 30, 2006 Congressman Sabo sent letter to Secretary Rice saying he was disappointed with previous response and urging the Secretary to examine the information and include it in the 2006 International Religious Freedom Report
April 7, 2006 Copy of Communication and cover letter faxed to Department of State
April 20, 2006 The St. Paul City Council passed a resolution supporting the Hmong and urging the government of Thailand to investigate the exhumations and return remains to family members. Before the City Council meeting Mayor Chris Coleman held a press conference in conjunction with the Human Rights Program and a number of victims.
April 22, 2006 Kofi Annan (United Nations Secretary General) visited St. PaulMinnesota for the opening of a new center at Macalester College (his alma matter). While he was here Mayor Coleman spoke with him about the grave desecration issue. He stated that he had already heard about the issue and that he would be urging his people to look into it.
April 24, 2006 Hear Our Grief: Minnesotans Say no to Grave Desecration Rally at the Minnesota State Capitol. Minnesota House and Senate Passed a Resolution in support of the Hmong, with the support of Sen. Mee Moua. City of Minneapolis Proclaimed it “Minnesotans Against Grave Desecration Day”
April 27, 2006 Kofi Annan sent Mayor Coleman a letter thanking him for the hospitality and saying he would be asking the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to look into it.
May 16, 2006 Zong Khang Yang attended the Fifth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at the United Nations on behalf of the Hmong World Congress, about the issue of grave desecration.
May 17, 2006 The Thai delegation to the Fifth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues gave a statement responding to the speech of Zong Khang Yang about the grave desecration. This is the 1st time the government of Thailand has given any official statement. Stated this was being done for reasons of water contamination, and that the bodies had been respectfully reburied.
May 24, 2006 Human Rights Program sent a letter to Congressmen Lantos, Leach and Faleomavaega opposing a resolution honoring the King of Thailand on the anniversary of his 60th year on the throne. June 7, 2006 Resolution honoring the King of Thailand passed in the House on a Voice Vote.
June 14, 2006 Minnesota Representative Betty McCollum gives a Statement for the Record Concerning Desecration of Hmong Graves in Thailand. Urges the government of Thailand to stop any further destruction, outlines difficulties she has in her district because of the actions in Thailand.
June 19, 2006 Human Rights Program sent a letter to Her Excellency Ambassador Khunying Laxanachantorn Laohaphan, the Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations. Inviting her to come to Minnesota to discuss the issue.
June 20, 2006 Human Rights Program developed a questionnaire in order to garner more reliable information about the exhumations. It is currently being widely circulated.
July 6, 2006 Dr. Frey talked to Seth Sonnonstine from Senator Daytons office. Senator Dayton’s office forwarded the questionnaire to the U.S.Bangkok. Mr. Sonnonstine also told us that the State Department is considering including this case in the Annual International Report on Religious Freedom. The Human Rights Program also received an e-mail from Anthony Cardon, a staff person at the United Nations Office for the High embassy in Commissioner for Human Rights saying they had received our letter and questionnaire and that the Special Rapporteur for freedom of Religion had already been seized of this matter and was following it very closely.
July 11, 2006 The Human Rights program was notified via e-mail that Ellen R. Saurbrey, the Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, had received our letter and questionnaire and would be forwarding it to the Human Rights Bureau of the State Department.
July 17, 2006 The Human Rights Program received a letter from the United States Mission to the United Nations saying they had received our letter and questionnaire and suggesting we send it to the Bureau of International Organization Affairs at the State Department.
August 1, 2006 The Human Rights Program receives a letter from Senator Feingold, in which he continues to defend the government of Thailand. The Human Rights Program quickly responds with the facts.
To learn more about the Hmong Grave Desecration Project, visit the Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota. ____________ Source: Human Rights Program at the University of Minnesota | |
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