Alleged Coup Plot Leaves Hmong Americans in Limbo

(SAN FRANCISCO) Last Christmas, I met General Vang Pao at the Fresno International Hmong New Years celebration and asked him about the future of leadership in the Hmong community. Vang stressed the importance of unity, of not creating factions and fictitious leaders. Now he stands, along with nine others, accused of planning a coup against the government of Laos.

I believe Vang's intentions come from a tremendous sense of obligation to our people. Vang once led thousands of young Hmong men as part of the CIA's secret army in the war against communism in Laos. He made a promise then to defend Hmong homes. But three decades later, the notion of "home" remains elusive for hundreds of thousands of Hmong dispersed across America.

In the early years in the United States, many Hmong were sure that they would eventually go back "home." When Laos fell to communism 30 years ago, Hmong came to the United States as refugees to escape an ethnic cleansing campaign against them. America had pulled out of the wars in Southeast Asia, leaving a cease-fire agreement in Laos, but that did not guarantee peace for Hmong.

Still, many hoped that it would just be a matter of time until things went back to normal. The houses, the farms, the families even the pets they'd left so abruptly would be waiting for them.

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