VIETNAMESE FOREST MINISTRY OFFICIALS ATTACK MONTAGNARD DEGARS IN ORDER TO CONFISCATE AND SELL THEIR FARMLANDS: A MONTAGNARD BABY NAMED “SIU H’GAI” SPRAYED WITH CHEMICAL MACE

 

BACKGROUND: The indigenous Montagnard Degar Peoples have suffered decades of persecution by the government of Vietnam , namely; confiscation of their ancestral lands, Christian religious repression, torture, killings and imprisonment. In May 2006 the US State Department has continued to maintain Vietnam on the “watch list” of countries that are the worst violators of religious freedom. To date over 350 Degar prisoners remain in Vietnamese prisons for charges involving standing up for human rights, for spreading Christianity or for fleeing to Cambodia . For decades the Montagnard Degar people have had their ancestral lands confiscated by authorities, a discriminatory practice that forces these peoples into poverty and malnutrition. Our sources inside the Central Highlands reported the incidents below also stated baby was screaming in it's mothers arms for a long time.

Vietnamese Forest Ministry officials named: Trung, Chinh, Quyen , Nam and fifth official whose name is unknown brutally attacked two Montagnard Degar families in order to force them to leave their farmlands. These officials are part of a plan to intimidate Montagnards in order to drive them off their lands so the officials can sell or distribute the lands to new Vietnamese settlers arriving in the region. The officials used chemical-mace on the victims including spraying a baby only a few months old.

On May 1, 2006 at approximately 1 o'clock PM , a Degar Montagnard named Kpa Ju and his wife arrived at their ancestral fields to seed their rice. While his wife prepared the rice seeds, Kpa Ju walked around to checking his fields when he was suddenly attacked by the five Vietnamese Forest Ministry officials above. The five officials beat and kicked him until he fell down, then they sprayed some kind of chemical liquid on his face and eyes. His wife saw the attack and ran toward him and the Vietnamese officials ran off. Kpa Ju was severely hurt and could not open his eyes due to the chemical sprayed in this eyes for a long time afterward. Kpa Ju is 48 years of age, from Ploi Poi “B” village, Ia Ale commune, Cu Se District, Gialai Province.

On April 18, 2006 , Rmah Suan age 28, from the village of Ploi Poi “B”, Ia Ale commune, Cu Se District, Gialai Province, with his wife Siu H'Blaih and their three children Siu Anuan (age 5), Siu H'Biap (age 3) and Siu H'Gai who is only a few months old were at their rice fields approximately 7 km far from their village. At approximately 7 o'clock in the morning Rmah Suan was planting rice while his wife and children were cooking rice at their nearby farm hut. The five Vietnamese Forest Ministry officials named Trung, Chinh, Quyen , Nam and fifth official's name was unknown , arrived and told Rmah Suan “You cannot plant rice on this land because it belongs to the government”. Rmah Suan responded that, this land belonged to his great-great grand parents and his family has lived on this farmland for generations. He responded, “Why does it now suddenly belong to the government?”

The five officials then threw the basket of rice seeds on the ground and attacked Rmah Suan by punching and kicking him until he was bleeding from his nose, ears, mouth. Rmah Suan passed out unconscious and the officials sprayed him with some kind of chemical liquid in his face and eyes. The officials they went to the hut where his wife and children were and beat his wife and sprayed the chemical liquid in all their faces including the baby who is only a few months old. They threatened the wife to get off these lands and left her there with the children screaming from being sprayed with the chemicals.

 

This land confiscation issue is one of the underlying problems confronting the Degar Montagnard people and the Vietnamese government has continued to act in a discriminatory and repressive way concerning this issue. The problem is escalating and the reports of the many ways the government officials and civilians cheat the Montagnards from their lands is commonplace and been continuing for decades. If Degars are mistreated and then complain to government officials, they are then accused of being against the government, or for following “outside forces” and punished. The Montagnard people only desire that their people be treated equally and that Vietnamese officials do not persecute them and cheat them.

 

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION CALLS ON CONCERNED EMBASSIES IN VIETNAM AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO:

• Urgently try to ensure some medical personnel can get to the victims in this report and especially ensure the welfare of the baby is adequately taken care of.
  


• Urgently taken necessary steps with the Vietnamese government to address the ongoing discrimination and corruption by officials who threaten attack and steal Montagnard Degar lands.
  


• Urgently pursue a permanent humanitarian presence in the Central Highlands monitor the human rights situation by UN and international agencies and international NGOs.