Transcript Why Hmong in Wisconsin - National Hmong Caucus of the United

Hmong Immigration in
Wisconsin
Who, why and where are our Hmong Immigrants
in Wisconsin and the importance of reaching out
to them with the Gospel of Jesus Christ with an
open hearts, open minds, open doors
Who are
the
Hmong?
In Memory of Legions Lost and the
Soldiers of the Secret War in Laos.
Arlington National Cemetery
The Memorial
Inscription
Dedicated To
The U.S. Secret Army
In The Kingdom Of Laos
1961 - 1973
In Memory Of the Hmong And Lao Combat
Veterans And Their American Advisors
Who Served Freedom's Cause In
Southeast Asia. Their Patriotic Valor
And Loyalty In The Defense Of Liberty And
Democracy Will Never Be Forgotten
YOV TSHU TXOG NEJ MUS IB TXHIS
LAOS VETERANS OF AMERICA
May 15, 1997
The story of this Memorial is a story of sacrifice and patriotic valor by
American Advisors and Hmong and Lao combat soldiers in the jungles of Southeast
Asia during the Vietnam War.
Hmong highest rank military officer, General Vang Pao and his army, once
considered among the best of U.S. allies, helped the Administrations of U.S.
Presidents Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon in the "secret" Lao Theater during the
Vietnam War. The United States in its effort to combat communist insurgency in Laos,
recruited, armed, and trained ethnic minorities in Laos. Advised by the U.S. Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), General Vang Pao’s army of Hmong, Kmhmu, and Lao,
gathered military intelligence, rescued downed U.S. air crews, protected U.S. Air
Force navigational sites in Laos, and fought North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen
Giap’s ever increasing forces to a standstill in Laos for a decade.
When, after the fall of Laos, the communists took control, they launched a
genocidal campaign to punish or eliminate those who allied with the United States,
particularly those who had served in the U.S. Secret Army. Tens of thousands of
Hmong escaped across the Mekong River to Thailand and refugee camps. From there,
former soldiers and their families eventually were resettled in the United States. Once
here, the Hmong adjustment proved difficult, but few Americans knew of their
historical alliance with the U.S. adding to their resettlement problems
Because the campaigns waged by General Vang Pao and
General Giap were secret, most Americans knew little, if anything, of the
secret war in Laos. Not until almost 20 years after falling to the
communists did U.S. Government officials publicly admit the existence
and role of the "U.S. Secret Army" in the "secret" Lao Theater of
Operation of the Vietnam War. Appearing before Congress, in 1994, the
Honorable William E. Colby, former Director of the Central Intelligence
Agency, talked of the "heroism and effectiveness of the Hmong
struggle" and the critical role and sacrifice of the Secret Army. In part,
Colby said:
"For 10 years, Vang Pao’s soldiers held the growing North Vietnamese forces
to approximately the same battlelines they held in 1962. And significantly for
Americans, the 70,000 North Vietnamese engaged in Laos were not available
to add to the forces fighting Americans and South Vietnamese in South
Vietnam."
After Ambassador Colby’s acknowledgment, a handful of
Americans who knew well the Hmong alliance with the U.S. felt it timely
to seek official U.S. recognition for the soldiers of the Secret Army and
their American Advisors who died in Laos. Mr. Grant McClure, a former
U.S. Army Advisor to the Hmong, became the moving force behind the
idea of a permanent Memorial Monument at Arlington National Cemetery
to nationally and publicly honor the uncommon sacrifices of the (US)
Secret Army.
As a result, a Memorial Monument was
erected and dedicated acknowledging
the "secret war" in Laos – and the
Hmong, Lao, and American Advisors
who valiantly served freedom's cause
in the jungles of Southeast Asia and, in
so doing, died in the Lao Theater in the
Vietnam War.
Governor
Doyle leads
the unveiling
of the Lao,
Hmong, and
American
Veterans
Memorial
Governor Jim Doyle delivered the keynote address at the Lao,
Hmong, and American Veterans Memorial Dedication on July 15,
2006 in Sheboygan. The memorial is the first of its kind and will
honor the contributions of Lao and Hmong soldiers who fought
alongside the U.S. military during the Vietnam Conflict. The
Governor also presented a proclamation and lead the ribon-cutting
ceremony.
Lao Hmong Veteran
Memorial Day Parade, May 28, 2007
Appleton, Wisconsin
Hmong Immigrants
Refugee Resettlement
After the Vietnam War, Hmong were allowed to resettle in the United States
and other countries, with the majority coming to the US.
• First wave (1975-1978) – Under the Indochina Migration and
Refugee Assistance Act of 1975
• December, 1975 – First Hmong family to resettle in the US
• By 1978, 34,466 Hmong had resettled in the US, mainly of
families directly associated with the Secret Army.
• Second wave (1980 – 1990) – Under the Refugee Acts of 1980
for families of families directly involved with the Secret Army.
• Third wave (1992-1995) -- Attempt of closing down refugee
camps: repatriation or resettlement in the US
• Final wave (2004-2006) – Over 15,000 from Wat Tham Krabok
monastery, Thailand
Hmong American Population Today
• US Census 1990 – 94,439
• US Census 2000 – 186,310
• US Census 2010 – 260,073, with concentration in
four states:
• California =
91,224
• Minnesota =
66,181
• Wisconsin =
49,240
• North Carolina =
10,864
• Current Hmong Estimate =
450,000
Why Settled in Wisconsin?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1983 began the mass relocation and reunification of
families to Wisconsin
Economic support programs
Education—adult literacy programs (ESL, GED,
Technical training)
Family relocation and reunification
Jobs
$1 Home Buying Program (Milwaukee)
Farming opportunities
Immigration Issues
•
99% of Hmong Immigrants ancestry are refugees
and have permanent residence status or US born
• Most Hmong refugees are now neutralized US
citizens
• Still about 1% whose status are not refugees and
seeking asylum
• Issues are more prevalent with culture clash,
legal and social adjustment.
A Clash of Cultures
1. Domestic Violence
A Clash of Cultures: the Hmong Community Coping with Change
There are still many unanswered questions in the murder-suicide of a
Weston couple this week. Police say Chor Thao killed his pregnant
wife Pa Houa Tuesday morning, and stabbed himself to death later
that night after being chased by police. Investigators say the couple
was divorcing, and Chor’s resistance to that was probably a motive.
The Hmong community says violence isn’t part of their culture, but that
some Hmong families are struggling with a big change in culture.
August 31, 2007
A conference to address
Hmong domestic violence was
held at Wausau on July 11th,
2009.
Representatives from Wisconsin Coalition against Domestic Violence, District
Attorneys from Wausau area, and Hmong leaders from Wisconsin, Minnesota,
and California included Hmong International Leader Gen. Vang Pao were
participated in the conference to address domestic violence in the Hmong
community.
The discussions focused on the three Hmong couples killed from 2007 to
2009 in Wisconsin; Chor Thao killed his wife and later he killed
himself. Pheng Yang killed his wife and he is now serving his sentence
in jail. And Dan Xiong killed his wife and turned the gun to
himself. Based on the news for these cases, the husbands were the
killers. This has been labeled by the mainstream that Hmong men are bad.
Most of the killing cases involved when the wives were about to leave the
husband for another man.
2. Suicide and homicide
•
•
•
3 suicides by hanging in the 12 months
in Milwaukee
A mom who killed her 6 children (St.
Paul, MN 1998)
Among Christians and non-Christians
alike
3. Medicine
• The Spirit Catches You and You Fall
Down
A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the
Collision of Two Cultures
• Noncompliance to Medication
• The increase of mental illness, renal
failure and high blood pressure among
seniors
4. Legal Matters
• Legal system here does not seem to
serve justice to the Hmong culture.
• Child Discipline
• Issue of assaults with under age marriage
• Clash between families and respects
5. Single Parent Families
• The increase of Divorce Rate and
Child Support become prevalent
• Single parent households (7% in 2000)
The Hmong Response
 Hmong Mutual Assistance organizations
 Hmong Women Associations
 Hmong National Development
 Hmong Lao Veterans
 Hmong Cultural Center
 Hmong Adult Day Care Center
 Hmong 18 Council
Complication in culture clash
 The legal system takes precedence
 Hmong value system diminishing
 Family disintegration and distrust
 Limited resources and resistance
 Bottom line: The cultural norm that used to hold
and strengthen Hmong families is no long viable
here in the US. Neither culture (Hmong and
American) can be trusted fully
An Opportunity for the Gospel
The root issues can’t be resolved with our social service
organizations or the legal system
About one-tenth Hmong are Christians (45,000/450,000)
The Gospel is the power of salvation and basic
instructions of right living (Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 3:16)
We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves.
The church is a place of change which develops, renews and
nurtures life, its value and purpose. We have this obligation as
God’s witnesses and servants to these Hmong people so they
may come to know the Lord, as well as helping them to adjust
well in this country.