Wa Pao Xiong, veteran in the former CIA secret army, near Vang Vieng, Laos, July 4, 2006. His message to the world, “I am Wa Pao Xiong. Back then, I worked with the American and Vang Pao. I started working for them since 1962. In 1975, Vang Pao left the country and we were left being to carry the burden. They persecuted against us due to our background of services so we were force to fled into the jungle. We have been here for over 30 years now. Therefore, today is a very fortunate day that an American (Photographer Roger Arnold), a parent to us, is here to visit us. I am pleading to America, the international community and General Vang Pao to come save our lives so we will have a future. So please come to save us.”

This Hmong community have hidden in remote mountains of Laos for more than 30 years, afraid to come out. At least 12,000 are said to exist, with little food, scavenging in the jungle. Most have not seen the modern world. Since 1975, under the communists, thousands of reports evidence the Hmong have suffered frequent persecution, torture, mass executions, imprisonment, and possible chemical weapons attacks. Reports of these atrocities continue to this day. The Lao Government generally denies the jungle people exist or that any of this is happening. The Hmong group leader, Blia Shoua Her, says they are not part of the Hmong resistance and want peace. He claims they are just civilians defending their families, hoping to surrender to the UN.

Somewhere in Laos.

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