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OVER 50 MONTAGNARD
REFUGEES TRAPPED ON CAMBODIAN BORDER WHILE VIETNAMESE ARMY &
CAMBODIAN POLICE HUNT THEM DOWN
In an undisclosed
location a group of over 50 Montagnards or Degar people are hiding in
terrible conditions along the jungle (border) areas of the
Cambodian/Vietnamese border. The Montagnard Foundation has just
received specific information these men, women and children are
starving, sick and exhausted. They are pleading for help from
the UNCHR and international community. To make matters worse
the Cambodian authorities are arresting Montagnard refugees and
handing them to Vietnamese police for cash bounties.
These Montagnard
Christian refugees risk being shot by Vietnamese soldiers. If
arrested they will be imprisoned and beaten. One of the preferred
methods of torture by Vietnamese police and army is electric shock
torture.
Recently on
July 21, 2003 Mr. Son Chhay, a
Member of the Cambodian Parliament of the Sam Rainsy Party, called on
the President of the National Assembly, Cambodian Prince Norodom
Ranariddh to investigate and put an end to these human rights
violations against Montagnard refugees. Mr. Son Chhay demanded the
Cambodian government “answer, clarify, and stop immediately the
activities that violate human rights by the Cambodian authorities
because it is inhumane and violates the 1951 International Refugee
Treaty, of which
Cambodia is a signatory.”
He also confirmed the Vietnamese government is offering Cambodian
authorities bounties of $66 for turning over Montagnard refugees to
Vietnamese authorities.
Human Rights Watch,
Amnesty International, the US State Department have all confirmed
these human rights violations against Hill tribe Montagnards, many of
whom are Christians. In April 2003 Human Rights Watch reported an
“escalation of repression”, facing the Montagnards inside Vietnam
and released “secret” Vietnamese government documents ordering this
repression
http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/04/vietnam042103.htm. In May 2003
the US International Commission for Religious Freedom stated, “The
increased repression of religious freedom has been reportedly
sanctioned at the highest levels of the Vietnamese government.”
The situation facing these and other
Montagnards is at a crisis point as the Cambodian border is patrolled
by Vietnamese soldiers while inside Vietnam Montagnard villages
remain under martial law where soldiers persecute them for practicing
Christianity. Untold numbers of Montagnards have been beaten,
tortured and others murdered in what appears part of a sophisticated
form of ethnic cleansing by Vietnam. The Montagnard Foundation
urgently requests that:
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The UNHCR and international community
please take urgent action and try to save the lives of these 52
Montagnards. It is the duty of UNHCR in Cambodia, according to the
1951 Convention on the Protection of Refugees to get food, water,
medicines and protection to these unfortunate persons before the
Vietnamese authorities get hold of them.
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The government of Cambodia, the United
Nations, democratic Governments and foreign donors should do their
utmost (everything humanely) possible to protect Montagnard
refugees fleeing Vietnam, namely by re-establishing the UNHCR
refugee camps in Ratannakiri and Mondolkiri Province and ensuring
Vietnam does not continue to defy the concluding observations
issued by the 2002 UN Human Rights Committee by refusing
international monitors access to the Central Highlands.
Unless urgent protection is granted these
and other Montagnards are likely going to be arrested, tortured or
killed.
The situation of Degar refugees in Cambodia
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