BACKGROUND: The indigenous Montagnard Degar Peoples have suffered decades of persecution by the Vietnamese communist government, 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 their human rights, for spreading Christianity or for fleeing to Cambodia. Vietnamese security forces continue arresting and torturing House Church Montagnards throughout the Central Highlands.

ARRESTED FOR POSSESSING CELL PHONES: WIVES & CHILDREN ALSO HELD

2 September 2006 the Vietnamese police arrested our six Christian Brothers below for possessing cells phones and imprisoned them in Phu Yen province prison. The Montagnards questioned the police as to “why only Montagnards have their cell phones confiscated while ethnic Vietnamese did not?” The police ignored them and then imprisoned the prisoner’s wives and children at the communal office at Ia Hlom. Some of the children became ill but the police refused to permit them to leave.

150 SOLDIERS AND POLICE OCCUPY FIVE VILLAGES

While the above 6 prisoners were held in prison and their wives and children held in custody, approximately 150 soldiers and police occupied and sealed off the five villages below threatening to kill any Montagnards who try to flee. The five villages occupied and sealed off are:

TWO MONTAGNARD GIRLS ARRESTED AND IMPRISONED

30 August 2006 the Vietnamese police arrested two Montagnard girls named H’Yon Buonya (born June 28, 1981) and H’Dion (born November 27, 1984) and imprisoned them at the prison in Buonmathuot, Daklak Province for previously possessing cell phones. On 29 August 2006 these Montagnard Degar students, were kicked out of school for possessing mobile cell phones. They are from the village of Buon Tara Puor, Krong Pac District, Daklak province but had been attending the school of Truong Dai Hoc Kinh Te, in Saigon majoring in economics.

MONTAGNARD STUDENTARRESTED AND IMPRISONED

2 August 2006 the Vietnamese police arrested Y-Phuoc Nie, (born in 1983) a Montagnard Degar student who was attending the college in Buonmathuot City, Daklak province and imprisoned him at Buonmathuot because he possessed a cell phone. He was from Buon Krak village, Ea Drong commune, Krong Buk district, Daklak province.

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION CALLS ON:

• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to urgently investigate details of Nai BluK's arrest and ensure he is released and receives medical treatment.
  
• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to urgently demand Vietnam release all 350 Degar Prisoners of conscience identified in the Human Rights Watch report of 14 June 2006 . For a list of prisoners see website:
  http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/14/vietna13542.htm
  
• Concerned Embassies in Vietnam and the international community to pursue a permanent humanitarian presence in the Central Highlands to monitor human rights there by US, UN, international agencies and NGOs.
  
• The United States Congress to insist that human rights conditions are directly linked to the United States granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to Vietnam .