Indigenous Population Forum Statement May 2006 Delivered By President Of Montagnard Foundation on 22 May 2006

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The indigenous Montagnard or Degar Peoples have suffered decades of persecution by the communist government of Vietnam , namely; confiscation of their ancestral lands, religious repression, torture, killings, unjust imprisonment, discrimination and violations of their civil and political rights. Vietnam today remains on the US State Department's “Watch list” of nations who violate religious freedom and Degar Christians have been tortured for their faith, and forced to renounce Christianity while refugees who flee to Cambodia have been forcefully returned to Vietnam without any kind of protection.

In regards to our history the French who was the first to colonize our homeland. Before they left Indochina in 1954, the French asked Degar people's leaders if they wanted to stay separate – or to be with Vietnam . Our leaders decided then to be with Vietnam because they believed they would be treated at equal citizens. But in reality, the communists have never treated our people humanely.

The April 2004 crackdown against our people, of which the US State Department puts figures of those killed in “double digit” figures has never been investigated. Vietnam has a history of covering up human rights abuses and continually defies the concluding observations of the 2002 UN Human Rights Committee, by restricting access to the Central Highlands. Security forces continue to arrest and torture Degar people. As I speak now over 350 of our people still remain in Vietnam 's prisons because of simply asking their human rights to be respected, for spreading Christianity or for fleeing to Cambodia .

On April 24, 2006 one of these 350 imprisoned brothers was tortured and murdered in Ha Nam prison. Siu Lul was his name and he died four days after authority started beating him and denying him food and water.

A few days after Siu Lul's death, news reports appeared in the press quoting that the UNHCR had “no serious concerns” on the resettlement of our people who had been returned from Cambodia . And while we thank the UNHCR for helping our people we greatly fear for the 350 Degars who remain in Vietnamese prisons.

Vietnam states it will now not retaliate against Degar returnees and the UNHCR appears optimistic about this. Thus we ask, why doesn't Vietnam release all the 350 Degar prisoners? After all these people committed “identical acts” as those who Vietnam states it will now not retaliate against. In any case none of our prisoners would have been imprisoned, if they had lived in a free society.

In conclusion the situation facing the indigenous Degar people is a dire situation as indigenous peoples faced some 200 years ago under invading colonialism. The underlying problems facing our race namely lack of Indigenous land rights and religious freedom must be somehow protected. For our over 350 prisoners who are currently suffering in Vietnam's brutal prison system, I make an urgent appeal here to the UN and to the entire international community to pressure Vietnam to release them, before they too die like our brother Siu Lul.

On behalf of the Degar peoples inside Vietnam 's central highlands I sincerely thank you.