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Grave Desecrations

Background Information

History of the Hmong

The Hmong history at Wat Tham Krabok cannot be discussed without a short introduction to the Hmong history in Southeast Asia. The history of the Hmong dates back 5000 years when the Hmong were in China. From there, the community migrated to countries in Southeast Asia; Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. The Hmong community moved into the mountainous regions of those countries where they farmed and raised animals. Traditionally, they have been a self-sufficient, agrarian society, also skilled in handicrafts such as embroidery, silverwork, carpentry, and basket weaving. Read more...

Animism

A growing number of Hmong have converted to Christianity since the 1950s; by some estimates, fully one half of the Hmong in the United States are now Christians. For non-Christians, the Hmong belief system is based on animism and ancestral worship. Read more...

Other Grave Desecrations

Although the issue of grave desecrations is currently affecting Hmong families, other ethnic groups have experienced the violation of grave desecrations. Account shows that Baha’I, Native American, and Jewish graves have been exhumed in the past. Read more...

Timeline of Events

The Human Rights Program has been working since 2005 to stop the desecration of Hmong graves in Thailand. A timeline of the events of all parties working on the issue of Hmong grave desecration is included here. View timeline...

Videos

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