URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION NEEDED FOR MONTAGNARD DEGAR TORTURE VICTIMS OF CHRISTMAS 2006 PERSECUTION MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION PLEADS FOR EMBASSIES, RED CROSS AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN AGENCIES TO HELP THESE VICTIMS AND GET MEDICAL HELP TO HUNDREDS OF MONTAGNARD PRISONERS IN VIETNAM’S PRISONS

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. To date over 350 Degar prisoners remain in Vietnamese prisons for standing up for their human rights, for spreading Christianity or for fleeing to Cambodia. Vietnamese soldiers continue with a campaign of repression against the Montagnard Degar population and villages throughout the central highlands are subjected to occupation and brutal harassment from security police and soldiers. The information below was received direct from the Central Highlands and indicates clearly that Christian persecution in Vietnam is entrenched in Vietnamese communist government policy.

MONTAGNARD PRISONER ON VERGE OF DEATH AFTER RELEASE

January 2007: Montagnard man named Sip (born 1973) from the Village of Ploi Do, Xa Cu-A commune, Thanh Pho Plei Ku district, Gia Lai province was previously sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for participating in the prayer vigil on Easter 2004 which resulted in a crackdown by security forces. Recently due to prolonged mistreatment, torture and beatings received in custody Sip has been released to his village as authorities feared he will die in custody. However, the Security police (Cong An) have told him if he regains his health he will be returned to serve out his prison term. Sip is currently crippled from his maltreatment and is unable to walk. He also suffers health problems related to his pancreas and has heart complications. It is feared he will soon die and he requires urgent medical attention.

12^th GRADE MONTAGNARD STUDENT WHO ENDURED 14 DAYS OF TORTURE AND ALMOST DIED IN CUSTODY - HAS BEEN ARRESTED AGAIN

28 December 2006 at approximately 11pm five Vietnamese government officials arrested (for the 2^nd time in recent months) a female Montagnard 12^th grade student named H’Nga Adrong and imprisoned her at Cu Jut commune where she remains. She was born in 1986 and is from Buon U Village, Ea Tling commune, Cu Jut District, Dak Nong province. The three names of the security police who arrested her are: 1) Nguyen Van Khoan, 2) Nguyen Xuan Thang and 3) Duong. The Montagnard Degar student H’Nga Adrong had recently survived 14 days of torture when on 12 November 2006 she had been arrested by Vietnamese security forces for possessing a cell phone and taken to the prison in the commune of Cu Jut.  In prison she was beaten and kicked her until she was unconscious and had forced cold water down her throat. After 14 days of repeated abuse she almost died and the authorities released her without medical attention. Her family fearing security police would arrest her again were forced to take her to a private clinic where they had to pay $1,500.00 (U.S amount) for medical treatment. She was also expelled her from school. H’Nga Adrong almost died during November 2006 imprisonment and her current welfare is of urgent concern.

CATHOLIC PRAYER MEETING ATTACKED: 65 BEATEN AND 10 NEED URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTIONS

12 December 2006 approximately 2,000 Catholics from the province of Kontum, communes of Dak To, Kon Braih, Ngoc Hoi Thi Tran Kontum, and Dak Ha met and prayed together at the village of Ploi H’mong K’tu. Many villagers arrived around 12 noon, but had not started prayer services as they were waiting for the other villagers to arrive. Vietnamese government police and soldiers then attacked them, beating the unarmed Christians with sticks and batons. Crowds of men, women, and children were driven into a ditch while children screamed and cried. Elderly men and women were beaten and many were dragged by police and soldiers to a river called Pak Ko. Sixty-five (65) villagers suffered injuries and a man named A Theo, born 1966, from the village of Ploi Dak Kang, commune of Xa Po Ko, district of Dak To, Kontum province was beaten unconscious. The 10 villagers below suffered serious wounds and are in need of urgent medical assistance:

1. A Gem, born 1975, from village of Ploi Dak Kang, commune Po Ko, district Dak To, province Kontum.
2. A Woih, born 1983, from village of Ploi Dak Kang, commune Po Ko, district Dak To, province Kontum.
3. A Le, born 1988, from village of Ploi Dak Kang, commune Po Ko, district Dak To, province Kontum.
4. A Cuen, born 1987, from village of Ploi Dak Kang, commune Po Ko, district Dak To, province Kontum.
5. A Ta, born 1990, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.
6. Kuong, born 1987, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.
7. A Huin, born 1987, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.
8. A Hoang, born 1986, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.
9. A Huong, born 1983, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.
10. A H’not, born 1986, from village of Ploi H’drom, commune Dak To Re, district Kon Braih, province Kontum.

CATHOLIC & PROTESTANT MEETING ATTACKED: PREACHER BEATEN

November 30, 2006 Protestant villagers from the province of Dak To and the communes of Kon Braih, Dak Ha, Ngo Hoi joined the Catholics of Kontum province to pray together at the village of Ploi H’mong K’tu. Christians arrived on all types of transportation and the total estimate of the people there was 1500 men, women, and children. As the Montagnard Christians were praying Vietnamese police and soldiers from Dak Ha District attacked them dispersing the praying Christians. 15 villagers were punched, kicked and beaten with bamboo sticks and a preacher named A Tik was seriously injured. The Vietnamese police and soldiers warned the Montagnard Degar Christians not to gather to pray ever again. 41 motorbikes, tractors and vehicles belonging to the Christians were confiscated and have not been returned.

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION CALLS ON:

• Concerned Embassies, the Red Cross and other international humanitarian agencies to try to urgently ensure medical attention is given to the victims here and seek to get medical help to hundreds of other Montagnard prisoners inside Vietnam’s prisons who suffer abuse and maltreatment.


• Concerned Embassies and the international community to urgently demand Vietnam to release the student named H’Nga Adrong as she has recently suffered severe torture by authorities and to release all 350 Degar Prisoners as identified in the Human Rights Watch report of 14 June 2006. http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/14/vietna13542.htm
  


• Concerned Embassies and the international community to pursue a permanent humanitarian presence in the Central Highlands by US, UN and international NGOs in order to address the underlying causes of the persecution of the indigenous Montagnard Degar peoples.