To the kind attention of:
U.S.-Vietnam Congressional Caucus
Rep. Lane Evans
2211
Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington , DC 20515
Rep. Rob Simmons
215
Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
16 January 2006
MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION ASKS US VIETNAM CONGRESSIONAL
CAUCUS (CONGRESSMEN ROB SIMMONS AND LANE EVANS) NOT
TO ABANDON MONTAGNARDS FOR TRADE IN WTO
Dear Hon. Congressman Lane Evans and Hon.
Congressman Rob Simmons
I am writing you today concerning the relationship
your Congressional caucus has with the Vietnamese Government
and in relation to Vietnam 's bid to enter the World
Trade Organization (WTO). This issue is of utmost importance
for the well-being of hundreds of our peaceful indigenous
people who have been unjustly imprisoned by the Government
of Vietnam since February 2001. I also stress we do
not harbor ill-feelings toward progress in Vietnam,
but cry out to you for help on behalf of our constituents
in Vietnam who have suffered torture, persecution for
being Christian and for standing up for their basic
human rights. Our people merely want freedom from being
repressed and thus we respectfully ask that the fate
of our over 300 prisoners and the ongoing persecution
against our people be raised with Vietnam in your discussions.
We would like our prisoners of conscience to be released
before Vietnam is granted such status with the WTO.
As you may know, the Montagnard Degar people who have
inhabited Vietnam's Central Highlands for centuries,
have been suffering intense discrimination and persecution
by the Vietnamese when over 40,000 Montagnards served
alongside our American brothers. During that war, our
people the Montagnards largely sided with the US military
actively supporting the effort to stop the victory
of communist forces that, they knew, would have oppressed
our civil liberties, starting with the right to religious
freedom, their indigenous rights, and the right to
our ancestral lands. This religious, social and political
oppression has deteriorated after the fall of South
Vietnam in 1975, especially since our people decided
to stand up for their rights and organize peaceful
mass demonstrations in the central highlands to demand
the Vietnamese Government respect their basic rights.
Both in 2001 and on Easter 2004 the largely peaceful
demonstrations, carried out by the Montagnard Degar
people, in coordination with the Montagnard Foundation
have been followed by a crackdown of the Vietnamese
authorities and deployment of security forces in the
Central highlands, who have killed many of our people
and conducted a widespread campaign of arrests, tortures
and intimidation that is far from over.
Despite some cosmetic gestures by the Vietnamese authorities
almost all the Montagnards imprisoned since 2001 for
peacefully demonstrating for their rights, for fleeing
to Cambodia or for practicing Christian beliefs remain
in Vietnamese prisons. This widespread repression has
been documented by numerous sources, including the
US State Department which had led to Vietnam being
designated as a Country of Particular Concern in 2005
for violating religious freedom.
Congressman Simmons and Congressman Evans,
With this letter I wish to respectfully request if
you can use your influence in the US Vietnam Congressional
Caucus to help secure the release of all our Montagnard
Degar prisoners arrested following the 2001 and 2004
demonstrations. I am attaching to this letter a detailed
report by us which confirms and expands on the information
on Montagnard Degar prisoners already confirmed by
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Many
of these people have been beaten and tortured.
We are not asking you to abandon your goals of having
relations with Vietnam and we do not want progress
between US and Vietnam to be stifled however, we ask
that you remember the sacrifice our people made during
the Vietnam War. We know the world of politics and
world trade is complex but we cry out in desperation
to you in order that you may use some of your influence
to help our people who suffer in prison. Attached is
our report list of over 300 prisoners with over a hundred
photos. Can you also please contact me and let us know
if any efforts are being undertaken by your caucus
to help the Montagnard Degar people? Sincerely and God Bless,
Kok Ksor
President of the Montagnard Foundation
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