Fresno, California - Backers of Laotian general Vang Pao urged US President Barack Obama on Saturday to let him be buried with honors at Arlington National Cemetery, after military authorities rejected their request.
“We were very disappointed to hear that the request for the burial of General Vang Pao has been denied,” said the Memorial Central Committee organizing the Hmong veteran's funeral.
“We hope President Obama and the defense secretary will allow a burial waiver for General Vang Pao,” it added in a statement issued on behalf of “Vang Pao’s family, Hmong Americans, Vietnam war veterans and friends.”
Thousands of ethnic Hmong paid their last respects Friday to Vang Pao, who led a CIA-backed “secret army” in the Vietnam war, at the start of a six-day funeral service.
But the gathering was clouded with anger when it was announced that US authorities had refused a request for the 81-year-old Hmong veteran to be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Vang Pao led the Central Intelligence Agency-backed force that assisted the United States in Vietnam, during its ill-fated war with communist forces in the north of southeast Asian nation.
He died of pneumonia on January 6 in Fresno, one of the major hubs of the 250 000-strong Hmong community living in the United States, about 30-40,000 of whom live in the west coast state of California.
But Vang Pao, a fierce opponent of the communist government in Vientiane, was also a controversial figure.
In 2007, he was arrested in California on charges of plotting to overthrow a foreign government after an undercover agent tried to sell him weapons at a Thai restaurant.
Prosecutors dropped their charges in 2009. On Monday, a judge ended the case for the remaining 11 Hmong Americans accused in the case amid persistent questions over the government's evidence.
Pentagon spokesman Gary Tallman said the family's request for burial at Arlington National Cemetery “was thoroughly reviewed by a board comprised of senior military and civilian officials” but the board “unanimously recommended denial of the request for exception to policy.”
But the memorial committee said general Vang Pao served the United States valiantly.
“His exceptional service symbolizes the death of each soldier,” the statement said. “We strongly believe the right thing to do is to honor his contributions to the United States. He fought to protect America’s freedom, democracy, and justice.” - Sapa-AFP