Mien - Numbers

Mien		English
Yietc		1
I		2
Buo		3
Biei		4
Biaa		5
Juqv		6
Siec		7
Hietc		8
Nduoh		9
Ziepc		10
Ziepc Yietv		11
Ziepc Nyeic		12
Ziepc Faam		13
Ziepc Feix		14
Ziepc Hmz		15
Ziepc Luoqc		16
Ziepc Cietv		17
Ziepc Betv		18
Ziepc Juov		19
Nyeic Ziepc		20
Nyeic Ziepc Yietv		21
Nyeic Ziepc Nyeic		22
Nyeic Ziepc Faam		23
Nyeic Ziepc Feix		24
Nyeic Ziepc Hmz		25
Nyeic Ziepc Luoqc		26
Nyeic Ziepc Cietv		27
Nyeic Ziepc Betv		28
Nyeic Ziepc Juov		29
Faah Ziepc		30
Feix Ziepc		40
Hmz Ziepc		50
Luoqc Ziepc		60
Cietv Ziepc		70
Betv Ziepc		80
Juov Ziepc		90
Yietc Baeqv		100
Nyeic Baeqv		200
Faam-Baeqv		300
Feix Baeqv		400
Hmz Baeqv		500
Luoqc Baeqv		600
Cietv Baeqv		700
Betv Baeqv		800
Juov Baeqv		900
Yietc Cin		1000
Yietc Waanc		10000
Ziepc Waanc		100000
Yietc Baeqv Waanc		1000000

Iu Mien in the war in Laos

In the 1960s, when the Cold War was occurring between the United States and the Soviet Union with an arms race this caused political unrest in Southeast Asia. The United States spread the free world government system into Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. At the same time, the Soviet Union had spread the communist system into Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia as well. The people within those three countries also divided and ran by two government systems. Civil war broke out. Vietnam divided into two countries, North Vietnam and South Vietnam; North Vietnam was run by a communist regime led by Ho Chi Minh. South Vietnam was led by the elected Vietnamese President and supported by the United States government. The Vietnam War began. At the same time, Laos and Cambodia also had two government systems, one supported by the United States and the other supported by Soviet Union Socialist Republic. The civil war began as Vietnam War. The cold war in South East Asia has interrupted the lives of Iu Mien society and changed them forever. The United States government sent Central Intelligent Agency (CIA) and military advisors into Laos in support of the Royal Lao government to fight against communists Pathet Lao. They recruited Iu Mien people as their soldiers to fight against the Lao Communist regime. The war had caused many Iu Mien casualties along with other tribes. Iu Mien soldiers were armed with American-made weapons and dressed in American military uniforms and also funded by American taxpayer dollars. Over a 15-year period, more American bombs were dropped by American planes over Laos than World War I and World War II combined. Lao citizens became refugees all over Laos. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided aid to the refugees.

By 1975, the Pathet Lao communists had gained complete control over Laos. They captured the Royal Lao high-ranking government officials and sent them to a concentration camp. The majority of them starved to death. The others were sentenced to death by firing squad and others suffered from illness due to malnutrition and also died in the concentration camp. The majority of former elected government officials, ministries, governors, mayors, government workers, and all educators were sent to concentration camps for re-education. In most cases, the Lao communist soldiers, armed with Soviet-made or Chinese-made AK-47s, forced them to work from dawn to dark without food and many starved to death. The majority of Iu Mien was among the Lao communist's enemies due to the involvement with the U.S. CIA operation during the war in Laos. Iu Mien began fleeing the Laos communist regime in mid-1975 into Thailand. These escapes mostly began late at night. While Laos communist troops were sleeping whole villages would be packed their personal belongings, valuable items, silver bars, jewelry, and food. Everyone had to carry their personal belongings on their backs and walk barefoot. The journey began by walking on a terrain trail and it took about a month to reach the Thai border. During the journey, Iu Mien refugees had encounters with many dangerous consequences. Some stepped on land mines set up by the Laos communist troops and lost their lives without proper burial by their loved ones. They encountered bandits armed with semi-automatic weapons, who took all valuable items from the refugee families. Furthermore, Iu Mien lost many lives by crossing monsoon flooded river. Many family members drowned while crossing the rising river during monsoon season. When the Iu Mien refugees made it to the Thai border, they faced Laos communist persecution. However, the Thai border patrol troops stopped them at the Thai and Lao border. From time to time, the Thai defense Minister closed the border and did not allow refugees to enter Thailand within a certain time.

The refugee camps were funded and set up by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and enforced by Thai authorities. The refugee camps were barbed with metal wire and guarded by Thai soldiers 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. No refugees were allowed to go out of the refugee camp. The living conditions were very poor. There was no running water. There was no clean water to drink or for a shower. Personal hygiene was poor and caused illness. The food was distributed from the UNHCR program but had to go through the Thai authorities before it reached the needy refugees. By that time, the food got to refugee families were so limited. All refugees were starving and cause malnutrition as well as all kind of illness and lost many lives during their stay in the refugee camp.

In 1976, the western governments sent their embassy personnel to interview Lao refugees and process legal documents to allow them to settle in western countries. From 1976 to 1995, 40,000 thousand plus Iu Mien refugees were settled in the United States of America. The majority of Iu Mien people in the U.S. today live in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and North Carolina. Few lives scatter all over the United States due to follow jobs, pursue education, and marriage which has to move to close to family members. The Iu Mien people today are spreading out to the western hemisphere. About 1,500 plus were settled in France. About 400 Iu Mien people were settled in Canada. Few families were settled in Australia and New Zealand. A couple of families had settled in Demark. Each time the Iu Mien migrated into a new country, they have to leave many fellow Iu Mien people behind. The majority of Iu Mien people still remain in China. At least 2 to 3 million Iu Mien are living in China. 500,000 thousand plus Iu Mien are living in Vietnam. About 50,000 thousand plus Iu Mien people are living in Thailand and about 30,000 thousand plus are still remaining in Laos

Iu Mien Migration from China to Vietnam

No known record indicates what year the Iu Mien had entered Vietnam because of the constant fear of persecution by the Chinese emperor. The method of slash and burn used throughout mountainous regions in China led to a drought which caused the Iu Mien people to migrate to Vietnam. They saw Vietnam as an opportunity to build new villages and cultivate forests for farming. The Iu Mien population gradually migrated into Vietnam, in the province called “Moung Lai.” The lands had rich natural soil. The Iu Mien people were able to produce enough food to support their families. However, the local people persecuted the Iu Mien. When one of the local people died, they brought the dead body to an Iu Mien village and put it in front of the Iu Mien hut house door late at night. At dawn the next morning, the Iu Mien found a dead body in front of their doorstep. They reported this to the local authorities. The local authorities and local people accused the Iu Mien people of murdering the victim. They charged Iu Mien people with all of the wealth they had. In some cases, they charged the Iu Mien capital punishment by hanging to death for a crime that they did not commit. The local government imposed a high tax on Iu Mien families. Each year when a family couldn't afford to pay tax, the local government would force the Iu Mien people to sell a child to pay the tax due. The Iu Mien families were deteriorated by the government's action and no longer be able to continue to live in Vietnam. They were searching for a new place again. During the 1600s and 1800s, the Iu Mien people found Laos and Thailand. They gradually migrated to Laos and Thailand.