Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) today called on the Laotian authorities to release two freelance journalists, Belgian reporter Thierry Falise and French cameraman Vincent Reynaut, who were arrested a week ago after preparing a report on the desperate situation of the Hmong ethnic minority and the frequent clashes between Hmong rebels and the armed forces.

The two journalists, who are normally based in Bangkok, "were just exercising their right to inform international public opinion about the situation of the Hmong minority," Reporters Without Borders said in a letter to foreign affairs minister Lengsavat Somsavat, who is also deputy prime minister. Urging him to intervene to obtain their immediate and unconditional release, the organisation said their detention violated Laos1 international commitments.

Reynaut and Falise, who is a regular contributor to the French news weekly L'Express and Belgian media, were arrested along with three or four Laotians on 3 or 5 June near the locality of Muang Soi, northeast of the capital. The Fact Finding Commission, a US-based pro-Hmong organisation, said an American citizen of Hmong origin, Naw Karl Mua, was killed at the time of their arrest.

The two journalists were reportedly taken first to Phonsavanh. Then they were transferred on 7 or 8 June to Vientiane, the capital, where it is believed they are being held in a police station. Falise1s wife went to Vientiane, but has not been allowed to see her husband. The Laotian authorities have confirmed their arrest, diplomat sources in Vientiane said.A recent report by Time Asia magazine highlighted the situation of the Hmong rebels, who were trained by the United States during the Vietnam war

A Belgian photojournalist and a French cameraman have been arrested in Laos while researching a story on ethnic Hmong rebels fighting the communist regime from their jungle hideouts. Belgian Thierry Falise and Frenchman Vincent Reynaut, both in their early 40s, are being held in Vientiane after being captured by the Lao military, the government con firmed to The Nation last night.

Details surrounding their cap ture last week are still sketchy. The pair were allegedly leaving Xhieng Khuang province, north of the cap ital, with several guides when they ran into Lao troops. Journalist sources in Bangkok said they had heard reports that one guide was killed and two others arrested. Meanwhile, the US-based Fact Finding Commission (FFC) said in a state ment that an American citizen, Naw Karl Mua, accompanying the pair was reported to have been killed. However, a spokesman for the US embassy in Laos said it had not received any information about the death of one of its nationals. The FFC also said three Lao cit izens were arrested with the two Europeans.

Government troops who cap tured the pair are believed to have taken possession of video and still cameras, possibly with film of rebels who have waging a long-run ning war with Lao and possibly Vietnamese troops in restricted areas in the country?s mountainous north. Falise is a well-known photojournalist, who has been based in Bangkok since 1991. He contributes regularly to the French magazines L?Express, VSD and Marie-Claire. Reynaut is a freelance photog rapher, also based in Bangkok.

Falise?s wife and a European diplomat have reportedly been in Vientiane for several days attempt ing to secure their release, sources said yesterday. Diplomatic sources in Vientiane told AFP they were informed on Monday about the arrests by the Lao foreign ministry.

They told us that they were arrested but did not tell us on what charge,? a Western diplomat in the capital said. But hopes of a quick release for the pair, who are believed not to have had journalist visas, are now waning. Correspondents who know the men say they were following up a story that ran last month in Time magazine, which pub lished exclusive photos and inter views with a large group of Hmong hilltribe people who have been fighting the Lao government since the mid 70s. The Lao Government confirmed to The Nation last night that the two men had been detained and were being held in the capital.

A spokesman for the govern ment said a statement would be released today outlining the cir cumstances of their capture and detention. Thousands of Hmong, a tribal hill people, were recruited by the CIA to fight in support of US forces during the prolonged Vietnam con flict that spilled over into Laos and Cambodia.

The rebels have never been com pletely wiped out despite assistance from Vietnam, which officially maintained a military presence in Laos until 1989. Diplomats have said, however, that Vietnamese and Lao soldiers have been actively fighting the Hmong in the northern mountains of Laos in recent years.
ETX.