VIETNAMESE
POLICE TORTURE AND KILL MONTAGNARD PASTOR AND OTHER CHRISTIANS WHO REFUSE
TO FOLLOW THE STATE RECOGNIZED RELIGION
BACKGROUND: In
2003 the US State Department estimated in its International Religious Freedom
Report that approximately 350,000 ethnic minority people in the Central Highlands
were Protestants. As of today Hanoi continues to try to control religion with
brutal repression. Human Rights Watch stated on May 28, 2004 “Hundreds
of demonstrators were wounded and many were killed on April 10 and 11 on key
bridges and roadways leading into Buon Ma Thuot, the provincial capital of
Dak Lak, and in commune centers in Gia Lai and Lam Dong provinces. Vietnamese
government forces, and civilians acting on their behalf, beat and killed dozens
of Montagnards during the demonstrations.” The Montagnard victims below
rejected demands by authorities to join the officially recognized Protestant
Church.
POLICE TORTURE CHRISTIAN TO DEATH, (SKULL CRACKED)
AND ATTEMPT TO FAKE SUICIDE: On May 14, 2004 Vietnamese police went
to the village of Plei Blang “3”, commune of Ia To “B-14”,
district of Ia Grai, province of Gialai to arrest Puih Hyi age 40 because
he was a preacher for Degar Christians who did not want to follow the officially
recognized Protestant Church. Puih Hyi was fearful police would torture him
so he escaped to the jungle. 14 days later, on May 28, 2004 he went back home
because he could not cross the Cambodian border as Vietnamese and Cambodian
police sealed the border off and would arrest and possibly kill him.
On May 29, 2004 the Vietnamese police arrested him at his
house, handcuffed him and beat him from his house along the way to the police
station in the district of Ia Grai. The police asked him where other Degar
people have been hiding but he did not know. So the police beat him and tortured
him repeatedly until they broke his skull and he died on May 31, 2004 in Ia
Grai district. Then the police tore up his shirt, made a rope and hung him
like he had committed suicide. At around 8:00 PM on the same day, the police
told the family of Puih Hyi to pick up his body to take home for burial. The
police told his family that he had hung him self with his own shirt but the
family examined the body and found out that his skull was smashed. His family
buried Puih Hyi on June 1, 2004. Witnesses who had examined his body verify
this information.
ARRESTED, TORTURED: IS HE DEAD OR ALIVE?
At approximately 8:00 AM on May 14, 2004 the Vietnamese police arrested a
Degar Christian, “Rcom Mrin” age 42, at his village of Plei Khop,
commune of Ia To “B-14”, district of Ia Grai, province of Gialai.
The reason for his arrest was that he refused to follow the officially recognized
Protestant Church. The police handcuffed him and beat him. Blood was coming
out of his nose, mouth and ears. He is now imprisoned in the district of Ia
Grai and we don’t know if he is alive or dead.
ARRESTED, TORTURED: IS HE DEAD OR ALIVE? On
May 22, 2004 the Vietnamese police arrested a Degar Christian, “Rahlan
Mrih” age 40, at his village of Plei Hluh, commune of Ia To “B-14”,
district of Ia Grai, province of Gialai. The reason for his arrest was also
that he refused to follow the officially recognized Protestant Church. The
police handcuffed him and beat him along the way to the district of Ia Grai.
Blood was also reported coming out of his nose, mouth and his ears. He is
imprisoned in the district of Ia Grai and we don’t know if he is alive
or dead.
2000 SOLDIERS HUNT FOR REFUGEES: It has
been reported to MFI from sources inside Vietnam that the Vietnamese government
has sent more than 2,000 troops to the area of the villages of Plei Kte, Plei
Hluh, Plei Khop and Plei Kyiom, commune of Ia To “B-14”, district
of Ia Grai, province of Gialai in order to hunt the Montagnard Degar Christians
hiding in the area.
THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION CALLS ON THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY:
