MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION ASKS CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD TO PRAY THAT VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES RELEASE MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER FROM PRISON: THREE MONTAGNARD DEGAR CHILDREN ARE ABANDONED

 

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 merely standing up for human rights, for spreading Christianity or for fleeing to Cambodia . Vietnamese soldiers continue with a campaign of brutal repression and religious persecution is a key factor of Vietnam 's policy of control and repression. The information below was received direct from the Central Highlands .

 

IMPRISONED FOR REFUSING TO JOIN OFFICIAL CHURCH

 

On May 23, 2006 a Vietnamese police officer named, Lt. Colonel Le Hoang Phong , arrested two Degar women named Rahlan H'Riem and her mother in law named Nay H'Brek and imprisoned them at Krong Pa District prison because they refused to join the official government recognized Church headed by “Siu Kim”. Rahlam H'Riem's three children are now abandoned without adults to look after them. They are the family members of Nai Phoan, age 29, a Degar who came to the United States as a refugee in March 2005 and now lives in Charlotte , North Carolina . His family, (details below), still reside in Vietnam and are from Bon Tang village, Phu Can Commune, Krong Pa District, Gialai Province.

1. Nai H'Brek, age 48 (his mother)
2. Rahlan H'Riem, age 29 (his wife)
3. Rahlan H'Huong, age 11 (his son)
4. Rahlan Khuong, age 8 (his son)
5. Rahlan Cin, age 5 (his son)

 

CONTINUOUS HARRASSMENT

The Vietnamese police from Krong Pa district, Tran The Chanh , summoned and interrogated Rahlan H'Riem at his office in the district three times, on November 4, November 15 and November 16 of 2005. He told Rahlan H'Riem that she must stop worshiping God and follow Siu Kim and his church or he will put her in prison. Rahlan H'Riem responded him that she will not follow Siu Kim or his church because it is not the matter of Siu Kim or his church. The matter is The Lord God and her Savior Jesus Christ. She said without the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the religion is in vain.

Another Vietnamese police officer from Krong Pa district, Lt. Colonel Le Hoang Phong , also summoned and interrogated her at his office in the district three times on March 8, March 9 and May 23 of 2006. Each time, he had threatened to imprison her if she does not follow the official government recognized Church headed by Siu Kim. She responded each time that she doesn't want to follow Siu Kim or his church because he cannot save her soul. She only worships God and her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and only Jesus has the power to save her soul.

Because of her refusal, Lt. Colonel Le Hoang Phong arrested Rahlan H'Riem and her mother in law Nai H'Brek and put them in prison at the district of Krong Pa ever since. The three children are on their own without adults to care for them and cry for their mother and Grandmother .

 

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION CALLS ON:

• Christians around the world to please pray for these three children so that merciful God may soften the heart of the Vietnamese authorities to release the children’s mother and Grandmother.
  


• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to urgently request Vietnamese authorities to release these two women and ensure the three children are adequately cared for.
  


• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to urgently pressure Vietnam to release all of the estimated 350 Degar Prisoners of conscience from Vietnamese prisons.
  
• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to continually pursue a permanent humanitarian presence in the Central Highlands to monitor human rights there by UN, international agencies and international NGOs.