[Tlc] L-soccer politics

[justinm at ucr.edu]

Forwarded from Hjorleifur Jonsson.
Thanks,
justin

Mien people in the US and elsewhere were planning for a "World
Cup" soccer tournament, meaning Mien teams from US, France,
Thailand, Laos, China, and maybe Vietnam. This was to be held
in Chiangmai or Chiangrai, Thailand, in 2010, but the plans
fell flat. Lao authorities did not allow for the possibility
of a Mien team (it would have been quite special, since the
Mien in the US are all (more or less) from Laos). Below is the
official letter from the Lao authorities, that I found on a
Mien website, it may be of some interest regarding the
rhetoric and practice of identity:

November 28, 2007

Dear Mr. Chin,

It is my pleasure to get to know you through the letter that
you wrote to my former Ambassador Mr. Phanthong Phommahaxay on
November 15, 2007. Through the letter, I also learn that you
have the intention to bring about the initiative to organize
the first ever Yao World Cup Soccer in NorthernThailand in
July 2010.

In organizing such ever first event, you have the willingness
to bring Yao soccer players from various countries, including
from Laos, to joy the competition. In this regard, I would
like to make the clarification that in Laos, our people are
living in harmony and solidarity. To build a strong national
sportive team, we select the best players from different
ethnic groups to joint hands, thus we have no separated ethnic
group soccer teams in the country,neither the Yao. Therefore,
your intention to extend the invitation to the sole Yao soccer
players in Laos to participate in the event will not be the
common sense of the Lao people.

I hope that the short clarification above will help you to
understand more about the fact of the country of Laos and to
realize the unity of the Lao people from different ethnic groups.

Sincerely yours,

Phomma Sidsena
Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Laos
2222 S Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008

______________
Dr. Justin McDaniel
Dept. of Religious Studies
2617 Humanities Building
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
951-827-4530
justinm at ucr.edu
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