Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the US State Department have all recently confirmed 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 and expressing their freedom of expression.  Untold numbers of Montagnards have been beaten, tortured and others murdered in what appears a sophisticated form of ethnic cleansing by the Vietnamese authorities who view Christianity, freedom of expression and criticism of the authorities as a threat. This August and September various forms of violence and repression of fundamental rights (atrocities) include the incidents below. 

Vietnamese and Cambodian Police arrest Montagnards for helping refugees. In September 2003 a joint patrol of 15 Vietnamese police and 20 Cambodian Police arrested and beat four Cambodian Montagnards who were trying to provide food to a group of 50 Montagnards who had fled Vietnam. The four Montagnards were fined 2,500,00 Reils each and had all their supplies and money stolen. It is unknown what has happened to the refugees hiding in the jungles but only 17 now remain with the other refugees either having been arrested or perhaps died of starvation.  

Confiscation of Bibles, beatings and Montagnard woman raped by Police Officer Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh. On August 18, 2003, the Vietnamese government sent Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh, a police officer, with 100 Vietnamese soldiers from Daklak province to the village of Buon Yang Reh, district Krong Bong, province of Daklak to repress the Montagnard (Degar) Christians in this area.  The commander of this group was Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh who cooperated with the Degar police at Krong Bong district. Their names are as followed:  Y-Tir, Y-Phon Eban, Y-Dap Eban, Y-Juel Eban, Y-Lik Nie and Y-Dhan Knul.  They forced their way into H’Duen Buondap’s housse and searched her house thoroughly.  They confiscated the Bibles and hymn books found there and stole 150,000 VND.   This was not enough and Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh forced H’Duen Buondap in her room and raped her while his soldiers were with him in the house and also were the family members of H’Duen.  After that the officers searched each and every house in the village and beat up villagers who resisted their cruel and inhuman action because they are Christians. 

Arrest and Disappearance: On August 18, 2003, at the village of Buon Kram, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak, the police arrested Y-Thiep Enuol, who was born in 1985 and took him to their office in Buonmathuot.  His family is now worrying for his wellbeing because they don’t know what the Vietnamese authorities will do to him.   

Arrest and torture by Police Officer Major Nguyen Van Phuc. On August 20, 2003, Major Nguyen Van Phuc, a police officer from the district of Buon don, province of Daklak, arrested Y-Lum Buon Ya who was born in 1983 at 7:00 o’clock in the morning at the village of Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don.  Y-Lum was beaten up so severely by the police because the police accused him of feeding a refugee named Y-Kre Buon Ya who was hiding in the area.  When his mother went to see him at the prison in Buonmathuot, she saw her son’s face was swollen up until she couldn’t see his eyes.  Now his mother doesn’t know where the government has moved Y-Lum Buon Ya. 

Beatings, arrest and electric shock torture of entire village: On August 21, 2003 a group of 30 soldiers and 10 police officers, called group #113, surrounded the house of Y-Pho Eban at the village of Buon Cuoi in order to arrest and imprison him because they suspected him feeding Degar refugees who were hiding in the area.  Because it was at mid night, and his wife and children cried and shouted that which caused the other villagers to wake up.  Then, the soldiers and police began to beat up Y-Pho and his family with their rifles AK-47 and stung them with their stung-gun.  The names of the people that the soldiers and police beat up and shocked with electric gun are as followed:

1. H’Luin Eban, who was born in 1970 and she was pregnant

2. Y-Chui buon Krong, who was born in 1982

3. Y-Kun Buondap, who was born in 1992

Because of the crying and shouting, the whole people of the village woke up and went to the place and they beat the police car (license plate # 47C2133).  So, the soldiers and police withdraw from the village at that night.  But, on August 22, 2003, the government sent 3 truckloads of the soldiers and police to Buon Cuoi to arrest all the villagers of that village.  Until now we haven’t heard any news of that village yet. 

Arrest, torture and Imprisonment by Police named Bui Quang Thuan: On August 2, 2003, a policeman from the city of Buonmathuot, named Bui Quang Thuan, went to the village of Buon Kdun and arrested Y-Tao Eban, who was born in 1979, accusing him of hiding and feeding Y-Jon Enuol who was hiding in the area.  Because Y-Tao Eban denied this, Bui Qiang Thuan paid some Montagnards working for the police (named Y-Kren Nie who was born in 1945, Y-Diam Eban who was born in 1960, Y-Hoc Eban who was born in1952, Y-Jam Eban who was born in 1958, Y-Sot Buon Ya who was born in 1956, Y-Wik Nie who was born in 1945, Y-Suai Enuol who was born in1945 and Y-Hue Buon Ya who was born in 1946) to beat up Y-Tao Eban severely.  Then, the policeman Bui Quang Thuan took Y-Tao Eban to his office in the city of Buonmathuot.  Here, Bui Quang Thuan forced Y-Tao Eban to sign a paper saying that he had bought a gun to fight against the Vietnamese government after beating and electric shocking him until he was unconscious. Then Bui Quang Thuan made a paper saying that he had confessed that he had bought a gun. The Vietnamese government then sent police to arrest 11 people from Buon Kdun and put them in prison in order to force them to sign paper saying that Y-Jon enuol had bought a gun too to fight with the Vietnamese government.  Their names are listed below: 

1. Y-Nam Nie, born in 1986, was arrested and imprisoned on August 3, 2003

2. Y-Gun Eban, born in 1972, was arrested and imprisoned on August 4, 2003

3. Y-Wer Enuol, born in 1973, was arrested and imprisoned on August 4, 2003

4. Y-Huan Enuol, born in 1983, was arrested and imprisoned on August 5, 2003

5. H’Nge Nie, born in 1963, was arrested and imprisoned on August 6, 2003

6. Rmah H’En, born in 1981, was arrested and imprisoned on August 6, 2003

7. H’Gir Eban, born in 1976, was arrested and imprisoned on August 7, 2003

8. H’Tanyan Enuol, born in 1981, was arrested and imprisoned on August 7, 2003

9. Y-Duol Buonya, born in 1975, was arrested and imprisoned on August 8, 2003

10. H’Bi Nie, born in 1960, was arrested and imprisoned on August 8, 2003

11. H’Prin Enuol, born in 1978, was arrested and imprisoned on August 18, 2003

On August 6, 2003, the Vietnamese officials arrested and imprisoned 3 people whose names are listed below for supporting MFI and the Transnational Radical Party, an NGO in Consultative status with the United Nations.

1. Y-Kuang Ecam, born in 1972, from the village of Buon Ecam, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak

2. Y-Huen Eban, born in 1977, from the village of Buon Ecam, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak.

3. Y-Bhun Buonya, date of birth unknown, from the village of Buon Hra Ea Tla, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak. 

The Montagnard Foundation urgently requests the International community, the United Nations, democratic Governments and foreign donors: 

• Pressure Vietnam to cease this persecution and to stop defying the concluding observations issued by the 2002 UN Human Rights Committee by refusing international monitors access to the Central Highlands where our people are suffering.

• Take action to protect the refugees who are trapped along the Cambodian border.

• To pressure Vietnam to take legal action against the Police officers – Major Nguyen Vinh Chinh, Major Nguyen Van Phuc and Policeman Bui Quang Thuan for their crimes against Montagnards.

Unless urgent protection is taken these and other Montagnards are going to suffer and may even be killed.