BACKGROUND: The indigenous Montagnards (Degar) Peoples have suffered decades of persecution by the communist government of Vietnam, namely; confiscation of their ancestral lands, religious repression, torture, killings and unjust imprisonment. On 10 January 2005 Human Rights Watch stated, “in the weeks leading up to Christmas, police were busy rounding up and arresting dozens of Montagnard Christians and detaining them at district and provincial police stations and prisons throughout the region." Human Rights Watch has also recorded the names of 188 Montagnards who had received harsh prison sentences of up to thirteen years since 2001 for their Christian religious activities, participation in peaceful protests, or for attempting to flee to Cambodia.

On 1 February 2005 the Asia News/Agency reported that Vietnam was releasing six political and religious prisoners as part of an amnesty of thousands of detainees to mark the Lunar New Year. Among the six were Catholic priest Nguyen Van Ly, political dissident Nguyen Dan Que, Huynh Van Ba, a member of the outlawed Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam and another dissident Nguyen Dinh Huy. During this time however, the Vietnamese authorities have stepped up persecution of the Montagnard Degar people, which is more evidence of racism directed against the Montagnards. The following is an account concerning three of our people who were sentenced to long prison terms for “undermining national security and unity”. In reality the only crime these Montagnards did was to participate in peaceful demonstrations asking for protection of their rights as indigenous peoples. The information came direct from Montagnard Foundation members inside Vietnam.

UNJUST INPRISONMENT OF MONTAGNARD DEGAR PEOPLE: On 24 January 2005, around 7am, four army trucks of soldiers and military police from Dak Doa District and prison camp T-20, took three Montagnard prisoners to a secret trial at Ha Bau communal committee. The trial did not take place at the provincial court and most of the prisoner’s family members were denied access. The prisoners were found guilty and sentenced to long prison terms as detailed below.

1. Ksor Hlun (36), sentenced to 11 Years Imprisonment, from Plei Ring village, Ha Bau commune, Dak Doa District, Gia Lai Province - in custody since 7 April 2004.

2. Ksor Wung (36) was sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment, from Plei Dup village, Ha Bau commune, Dak Doa District, Gia Lai province - in custody since 7 April 2004.

3. Ksor Thup (46) was sentenced to 10 Years Imprisonment, from Plei Dop village, Ha Bau commune, Dak Doa District, Gia Lai province - in custody since 24 April 2004.
   During the trial many soldiers and police from the prison camp T-20 had surrounded the commune. We were able to identify some of them below:

   • Le Ngoc Tuoi - from Gia Lai Province police.

   • Thanh - from Dak Doa District police.

   • Manh - from Dak Doa District police.

   • Cuong - from Dak Doa District police.

   • Dang Van Tuan - chief police from Ha Bau commune.

MONTAGNARDS UNJUSTLY SERVING PRISON TERMS DENIED MEDICAL TREATMENT: Three Montagnards prisoners at Ha Nam prison in Ha Nam Province, Northern Vietnam are currently very sick but have been refused medical treatment. Their names are as follows:

• Bom (Jona)

• Ksor Poi

• Lat

Their families are worrying for their lives and it has been reported that they are suffering severe conditions in prison. It is feared they may die if medical treatment is not immediately granted.

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATIONS CALLS ON:

• The international community to urge Vietnam to immediately provide medical treatment to Montagnard Prisoners such as the three identified in this report.

• The United States government and the European Union to review its trade and aid implications with Vietnam and withdrawal such aid and monetary benefits until such a time as Vietnam releases all Montagnard prisoners and ceases persecuting the Montagnard Degar people.

• The international community to urge Vietnam to immediately release Montagnard Prisoners who have been imprisoned for practicing Christianity, for participation in peaceful protests, or for attempting to flee to Cambodia.

• The international community to urge Vietnam to abide by the 2002 Concluding Observations of the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the “serious violations” facing the Montagnard peoples (UN doc: CCPR/C/SR.2031) and that Vietnam allow human rights monitors access to the central highlands.

Unless urgent action is taken many more Montagnards are going to suffer and die and eventually the whole race of Degar will be disappeared from the face of this earth.