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CAMBODIA POLICE
CONTINUE TO SELL MONTAGNARD REFUGEES TO
VIETNAMESE POLICE:
FULL
INVESTIGATION DEMANDED AS CAMBODIAN OFFICIAL
NAMED
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BACKGROUND: Since 2001
thousands of Montagnards have fled to Cambodia to escape
persecution by the Vietnamese government. On 10 January 2005
Human Rights Watch stated "The Vietnamese government's
mistreatment of Montagnards continues unabated," (Vietnam: New
Evidence of Torture, Mass Arrests of Montagnards: Cambodia Slams
Door on New Asylum Seekers). Human Rights Watch also stated the
“UNHCR and key governments must make it clear in no uncertain
terms to the Cambodian government that asylum seekers must not
be arrested and summarily returned to Vietnam."
URGENT: The Montagnard
Foundation has received information that Cambodian police
continue to arrest and forcibly return Montagnard asylum seekers
back to Vietnamese police for cash bounties. The latest
incidents below involve a total of 21 Montagnard Degar refugees
who were arrested and deported. The bounty paid by Vietnamese
government for these refugees to Cambodian police was 5 million
Vietnamese Dong, (approximately $335 US).
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On or about 2 February 2005:
Six Montagnard Degar people were arrested and handed over to
Vietnamese police. Information received reported they were
arrested at Dat village in Ratannakiri Province, Cambodia.
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On or about 29 November 2004:
15 Montagnard Degar people were arrested and handed over to
Vietnamese police. Information received reported they were
arrested at Dat village in Ratannakiri Province, Cambodia.
The name of the Cambodian Police
officer in charge of the arrests, deportations and who received
the cash payments from Vietnamese authorities is:
The Montagnard Foundation
President Kok Ksor states; “Human rights Watch has already
confirmed many of our people have been tortured and imprisoned
when they are returned to Vietnam and the international
community needs to protect our people now.” Australian based
advisor to the Montagnard Foundation Scott Johnson states, “I
have personally interviewed Montagnard torture victims in
Cambodia and refugees in the United States and believe “the
UNHCR, international donors, including the US and Australian
governments need to clearly take a stand on what is happening.”
The Montagnard Foundation calls on:
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The United States, European
Union, Australian Government, UNHCR, Cambodian Government
and other interested parties immediately conduct an
investigation into this incident involving Major Mao Son.
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The UNHCR and donor nations
to urgently protect the Montagnard Refugees in Cambodia and
ensure they are not forcibly deported against their will and
that Vietnam and Cambodia abide by the UN Refugee
Convention.
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The international community
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.
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