The Montagnard Foundation reports that Vietnamese Security forces are continuing with repression of Degar Montagnard Christians and human rights defenders inside the central highlands. The Government of Vietnam also has continued to defy and ignore the 2002 Concluding Observations of the United Nations Human Rights Committee regarding the “serious violations” confronting the Degar Montagnards ((UN doc: CCPR/C/SR.2031) and allow independent human rights monitors into the central highlands and end the regime of martial law thus ceasing killings, Christian persecution, torture, coercive sterilizations and confiscation of the Montagnard’s ancestral lands. The Montagnard Foundation notes the Jesuit Refugees Service reported in January 2003, about 80 Montagnard men, women and children who tried fleeing Vietnam were arrested by Cambodian police and forcibly handed over to Vietnamese border police. Many were savagely beaten and sources report executions and detention camps of refugees inside Vietnam. Persecution of the Degar Montagnards is also documented in the 200 page April 2002 Human Rights Watch report “Repression of Montagnards” (http://store.yahoo.com/hrwpubs/vietrepofmon.html). On 21 January 2003 Human Rights Watch released a further report, “Vietnam: New Assault on Rights in Central Highlands, Crackdown on Indigenous Montagnards Intensifies”. On 18 December 2002 Amnesty International Report also published a report “No Sanctuary: Plight of the Montagnard Minority” ASA 41/011/2002.). At the European Parliament Hon. Marco Pannella MEP of the European Parliament and founder of the Transnational Radical Party asked the European Commission on 19 February 2003 to investigate the continuing persecution of the Montagnards by the government of Vietnam. 

ARREST AND TORTURE OF MONTAGNARD CHRISTIANS BY OFFICER NGUYEN TRUONG THUAT AND PHAM HUU NHAT: On 24 February 2003, at around 7am security officials arrested five Montagnard Degars from the hamlet of Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, DakLac province for suspicion of supporting MFI, practicing Christianity and gathering names of Degars who want to join an NGO in Consultative status with the UN which promotes the enforcement of human rights all over the world through nonviolent means (the Transnational Radical Party).  Their names are listed as followed: Y-Phan Buon Krong who was born in 1950, Y-Be Nie who was born in 1945, Y-Pen Buon Ya who was born in 1970, Y-Glen Buon Krong who was born in 1976 and Y-Gun Hwing who was born in 1974. All of them were handcuffed and beaten severely with clubs and rocks in front of their relatives until they were unconscious. Security forces attempted to cripple Y-Phan Buon Krong and Y-Glen Buon Krong by smashing their knees repeatedly with a big rock.  All five of them were then taken to the prison at Buon Don District. The names of the Vietnamese security officials who tortured them were: 

• Officer Nguyen Truong Thuat and Officer Pham Huu Nhat. 

Both of these Vietnamese security agents were sent by authorities from the Central government in Hanoi. The Montagnard Foundation requests measures be taken to charge these security force members with crimes against humanity. Further examples of the ongoing brutality (including arrests, torture and execution) are listed below in the March 2003 situation report with hundreds of Degar Montagnard now in Vietnamese government prisons.

 TORTURED AND EXECUTED: Vietnamese authorities tortured and executed Y-Su Nie a Degar Montagnard Christian, after injecting him with lethal chemicals on 31 January 2003. He was from Buon Mbhao village, Mdrak district, Dak Lac province and had been in prison since 15 November 2002 when soldiers arrested him for being a Christian and land rights advocate. He was taken to Buonmathuot prison and tortured by beatings and electric shock. Eventually he succumbed and had been routinely taken out of prison to publicly denounce Kok Ksor and Christians in front of Montagnard villagers to try to force them from supporting the Montagnard Foundation.  On January 30, 2003 they handcuffed him and told him he “would soon die, but because the Vietnamese government is merciful we will allow you to see your family one last time”. They then injected him with a chemical and released him. When Y-Su Nie saw his family he cried and told them “the government let me come to see you for only a few moments because the police has injected poison in my body”. The next day on January 31, 2003, Y-Su Nie died at 10:00 PM. He was buried on 2 February 2003. 

VILLAGES SURROUNDED BY SOLDIERS: 30 January 2003 – 150 armed soldiers surrounded the village of Buon Kwang, district of Krong Buk, province of Daklak and cordoned off the village preventing villagers from leaving or entering. The villagers cannot attend their crops nor can they go out to work or find food for their families.  Currently reports from the central highlands indicate soldiers are being sent to many Degar villages all over the Central Highlands.  

BEATEN AND PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST: Kok Ksor’s mother H’ble Ksor is now suffering increased medical problems from the broken ribs she received after being beaten by Vietnamese security forces on 7 May 2001. The reason she was beaten was because she refused to denounce her son. While her sons read the denouncements of Kok Ksor given to them by the police on Vietnamese television she however, refused and they threatened to kill her. Eventually the police beat her and she was admitted to hospital for 3 days with broken ribs. She is still under house arrest in Bon Broai village of Ayun Pa, Gia Lai province where the police continually threaten her. It is common practice by the Vietnamese government to arrest, threaten and torture relatives of those who they consider political opponents. She is now suffering pain and cannot leave her village as security forces are watching her activities. Ksor H’ble is over 80 years old and never did anything to criticize the Vietnamese government 

THREATS OF EXECUTION: On January 30, 2003, the Vietnamese government officials summoned the villagers at Buon Hra and Buon Cuoi villages, district of Krong Ana, Daklak province, at 10 AM and told them that “our government forbids you people from worshiping God.  If you do not stop, we will imprison or kill you”.  They also told the people that if the United States attacks Iraq they will kill all Degar Montagnards.  The Montagnard villagers report they do not understand these threats. 

ARRESTS, TORTURE AND IMPRISONMENT

• On January 29, 2003, the Vietnamese government officials arrested two Degars for suspicion of supporting an NGO in Consultative status with the UN which promotes the enforcement of human rights all over the world through nonviolent means (the Transnational Radical Party). Their names are: Y. Thim Eban, (aged 57 years) from Buon Kdun, district of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak and Y-Seo Buon Ya, (aged 29 years) from Buon Kdun, district of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak.  Their whereabouts is unknown.

• On February 12, 2003, the Vietnamese security force arrested the Degar Montagnard N’Gran for carrying a hand phone. The government believed that he used the phone to speak to Degar Montagnards who live in the United States.  He is now imprisoned at the prison facility in Buonmathuot and his physical condition is unknown.  He was born in 1964 and he was living at the village of Buon Dak R’la, district of Dak Mil when he was arrested.

• On February 13, 2003, the Vietnamese security police arrested Y-Dhem Nie (aged 36 years) around 10 PM because he had been providing food to other two Degars hiding in the jungles.  Y-Dhem Nie is from Buon Ea Kao, district of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak.  His whereabouts is unknown.

• On February 14, 2003, the security force arrested Y-Suar (aged 33 years) who from Buon Jun Yuh village, district of Dak Mil, Daklak province.  He is now imprisoned at the prison facility in Buonmathuot and his physical condition is currently unknown. 

• On February 17, 2003, husband and wife, Y-Yan Buon Ya (aged 37 years) and H’Powel Nie (aged 31 years) escaped into the jungles to avoid arrest by Vietnamese security forces.  In doing this, the couple left their two children at home.  Their names are H’Nong Nie (aged 9 years old) and Y-Le Nie (aged 6 years old). They are now worrying about their children and what the Vietnamese government will do to them as they cannot go back to the village because the Vietnamese government has threatened to kill them upon arrest.

• On January 24, 2003, the security officials arrested Y-Grok Adrong  (aged 44 years) from the hamlet of Buon Hdok, district of Krong Ana, Dak Lac province for practicing Christianity. He was taken to the prison facility at the old radio station in Buonmathuot for torture and imprisonment.

• On January 28, 2003, at around 12 o’clock noon the security officials arrested Y-Nen Buon Ya (aged 24 years) and Y-Ne Buon Ya (aged 27) both from the hamlet of Buon Buor, district of Cu Jut, Dak Lac province for suspicion of supporting MFI and gathering the names of Degars who want to show support for joining the Transnational Radical Party.  He was tortured severely by beating and electric shock whilst at the prison in the district of Cu Jut.

• On February 12, 2003, at around 10 AM the Vietnamese Cong An (security officials) arrested Y- Mul Buon Ya (aged 39) from the hamlet of Buon Cu Dlue, district of Cu Jut, Dak Lac province.  He was arrested because of supporting MFI and gathering the names of Degars who want to join TRP.  He was taken to the prison in Cu Jut district for torture and imprisonment.

• On the same day of February 12, 2003, at around 12 o’clock noon the Cong An arrested Y- Ngoan Buon Ya (aged 41 years) from the hamlet of Buon Nui, district of Cu Jut, Dak Lac province.  He was arrested for the same reason as Y-Mul Buon Ya above and was taken to the prison in Cu Jut district for torture and imprisonment.

• On February 13, 2003, at around 3 AM the security officials arrested Y-Uen Buon Krong (aged 27 years) from the hamlet of Buon Buor, district of Cu Jut, DakLac province.  He was arrested for the same reason cited above and was taken to the prison in the district of Cu Jut.

• On February 22, 2003, at around 11 AM the security officials arrested Y-Dhun Eban (aged 42) from the hamlet of Buon Krue, district of Krong Ana, Dak Lac province.  He had been hiding from being arrested by Vietnamese security officials. He was arrested and taken to the prison at the old radio station in Buonmathuot for torture and imprisonment.

• The next day February 23, 2003, the security officials arrested Y-Dhun Eban’s sister H’Nget Eban and her husband Y-Lia Ken because they had helped Y-Dhun Eban to hide from arrest.  H’Nget Eban and  her husband Y-Lia Ken are both 28 years old from the hamlet of Buon Krue, district of Krong Ana, Dak Lac province.  Both were taken to the prison at the old radio station in Buonmathuot for torture and imprisonment.

• On February 24, 2003, the security officials arrested Y-Gedion Nie (aged 42) from the hamlet of Buon Tong Ju, district of Krong Ana, Dak Lac province because of suspicion of having contact with MFI and gathering the names of Degars Christians who want to join TRP.  He was taken to the prison facility at the old radio station in Buonmathuot for torture and imprisonment.

• On February 27, 2003, the security officials arrested Y-Put Hdok, from the hamlet of Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, Dak Lac province under suspicion of supporting MFI and gathering names of Degar Christians who want to join the TRP.  He was beaten up severely with clubs stoned with rocks by police.  His whereabouts is unknown.

Related articles:

http://hrw.org/reports/2002/vietnam/

http://www.jesref.org/alerts/kh30206e.htm