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 New Assault on Rights in Central Highlands

21 January 2003

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20 April 2003

 

THE CURRENT SITUATION OF DEGAR PEOPLE

IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

OF VIETNAM

Special Report on current arbitrary arrest and torture

 

 

BODIES FLOATING IN THE GIA LAI RIVER: AND MORE ARRESTS AS VIETNAM STEPS UP REPRESSION 

 

Vietnam steps up repression inside the Central Highlands in anticipation of World Wide demonstrations which will be conducted outside Vietnamese Embassies in cities around the world on September 21, 2002. See: http://www.radicalparty.org/. Organized by the Transnational Radical Party (a human rights and democratic organization with Consultation Status to the United Nations) there will demonstrations protesting Vietnam’s war on democracy and continuing human rights violations in capital cities around the world such as Rome, Brussels, Moscow, Pretoria, Madrid, Paris and Washington DC. The Montagnard Foundation will lead the Washington DC demonstrations with over 500 recent refugees who were granted asylum in the United States. Over 70 Members of the European Parliament has signed the petition concerning the demonstration. Word of the demonstrations has reached the impoverished and oppressed  central highlands and the Degar/Montagnard people face now increased acts of torture and brutalities conducted by Vietnamese security forces.

 

UNEXPLAINED BODIES

Montagnards from inside Vietnam report human bones remains along Cambodia/Vietnam border and many dead bodies floating in the rivers. Vietnamese security forces state they will kill Montagnard/Degar people and now thousands of our Montagnard people currently missing or hiding in the jungles. Reports are emerging of summary executions conducted by Vietnamese soldiers and it is now COMMON KNOWLEDGE that in Cambodian and Vietnamese border that Vietnamese security forces state they will execute Montagnards fleeing Vietnam RIGHT ON THE SPOT without any question. There are also no international monitors in the region because Vietnam has sealed the area from international scrutiny.

 

KILLINGS AND ATTACKS BY CONG AN 

The Vietnamese government has sent hundreds of their security forces dress as civilians into the Central Highlands in order to monitor activities of Degar/Montagnard people in the area.  Recently the Vietnamese officials had made public threats promised to the villagers stating they will destroy our people like they did to the Muslim Champa people centuries ago.  Vietnamese civilians also are encouraged to commit acts of brutality against the Degars and Degar/Montagnard people cannot defend themselves because they are protected by the army and government security forces.  Some example include:

On August 25, 2002, at 11:00 PM one of the Vietnamese Cong An (security force) members dressed as a civilian tried to steal chicken from Y-Preo Nie's home at Buon Hok, commune Cu Mgar, Daklak province.  Y-Preo woke up and shouted to let his neighbors know, but the Cong An hacked him with machete on his head and killing him one hour later.

On the same day and the same time August 25, 2002, another Vietnamese Cong An dressed as a civilian went to Y-Khul Ayun's home at Buon Hok, commune Cu Mgar, Daklak province, asked him for money.  He told the Cong An, that he doesn't have money and the Cong An hacked him with machete on both of his arms and he was seriously wounded.

Both of these cases, the families of the victims do not dare to report to the government officials for being afraid that the government will accuse them of resisting against the government and then they will be tortured and imprisoned by the officials.

ARRESTS: The following is the list of Degars who have just been arrested by the Vietnamese government and whose whereabouts are unknown or have been kept in brutal prisons:

  1. Y-Ho Eban, from Buon Buor, district of Cu Jut, province of Daklak, was arrested on September 5, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown.

  2. Y-Uen Hlong, from Buon Kbu, district of Cu Jut, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 30, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown.

  3. Ama Hlat, from Buon Kbu, district of Cu Jut, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 30, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown.

  4. Y-Ro Hmok, from Buon Kbu, district of Cu Jut, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  5. Y-Blung Knul, from Buon Ea Tieu, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown.

  6. Y-Het Nie Kdam, from Buon Ea Tieu, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  7. Y-Khuong Nie, from Buon Ea Tieu, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  8. Y-Mlang Nie, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  9. Y-Muel Buon Ya, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  10. Y-Kuen Nie, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  11. Y-Kan Buon To, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  12. Y-Hon Buon Ya, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  13. Y-Liem Buon Ya, from Buon Cu Mil, district Kron Bong, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 28, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  14. Y-Dien Ya, from Buon Tong Ju, district of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 27, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  15. Y-Jien Ya, from Buon Tong Ju, district of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 27, 2002, his whereabouts is unknown. 

  16. Y-Rin Nie, from Buon Sut Hluot, district Cu Mgar, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 18, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  17.  Y-Ner Eban, from Buon Sut Hluot, district Cu Mgar, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 18, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  18. Y-Ku Buon Krong, from Buon Sut Hluot, district Cu Mgar, province of Daklak, was arrested on August 18, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  19.  Siu Hyin, from Plei Ken Hmek, district of Cu Se, province of Gia Lai, was arrested on July 12, 2002 he is now imprisoned at T-20 Pleiku. 

  20.  R’mah Pol, from Plei Betel, district of Cu Se, province of Gia Lai, was arrested on June 18, 2002 he is now imprisoned at T-20 Pleiku. 

  21. Y-Suom Hmok, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  22. Y-Bhiah Hmok, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  23. Y-Ing Hmok, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  24. Y- Rol Kbuor, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  25. Y-Wet Nie, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  26. Y-Guoi Nie, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  27. Y-Chon Hmok, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  28. Y-Tring Kbuor, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  29. Y-Wang Mlo, from Buon Cuor Knia, district of Buon Don, province of Daklak, was arrested on June 16, 2002 he is now imprisoned at Radio Station Buonmathuot. 

  30. R’mah Hyuh, from Plei Betel, district of Cu Se, province of Gia Lai, was arrested on June 6, 2002 he is now imprisoned at T-20 Pleiku. 

 

ELECTRIC SHOCK TORTURE 

On August 25, 2002, four Cong-An (Vietnamese security forces) Tuan, Hung, Lai and Binh went to the village of Plei Djrong, district of Dak Doa, province of Gia Lai, and arrested two Montagnards named Bum and Anglok. At 7:00 PM the Cong An took them to district headquarters where they tortured them by beatings and electric shock torture until they both were unconscious for hours.  After two days of enduring torture in prison by Cong An forces they were released.  On the same day, the police from the commune of Hdok went again to their village to arrest them but Bum and Anglok had fled into the jungles to hide. 

 

POISONING OF MONTAGNARDS 

On August 25, 2002, the villagers of Buon Jung, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak, got together for funeral.  They sent some of their people to the market in Buonmathuot to purchase beef to cook and eat together.  After eating the meat, all 42 of them became sick because the meat was poisoned by the Vietnamese meat seller.  All had the same symptoms of sickness which made them unable to open their mouth while their hands and legs were shaking and they had difficulty in breathing.  It appears now that the Vietnamese civilian population is also destroying the Degar peoples.  Such criminal acts are unforgivable and we the Degar people cannot believe that the international community continues giving aid and money to the Vietnamese government.  Their names of the 42 poison victims are listed below: 

1. Y-Dhien Nie  2. Y-Ran Nie   3. Y-Nen Nie  
4. Y-Dran Nie  5. Y-Yu Nie  6. Y-Bhieo Eban
7. H’Rum Eban 8. H’On Nie  9. Y-Uon Nie 
10. Y-Dha Nie     11. Y-Ngi Knul   12. Y-Juong Nie     
13. Y-Blem Nie   14. Y-Hwic Buon Ya 15. Y-Blul Nie
16. Y-Nguoi Knul  17. Y-Nguoi Knul    18. Y-Amuoi Eban
19. Y-Er Nie  20. Y-Hwu Nie 21. Y-Gro Nie
22. H’Rum Eban 23. Y-Khim Nie 24. Y-Phai Eban
25. H’On Nie  26. Y-Blon Eban 27. Y-Greng Krol
28. Y-Uon Nie 29. Y-Duong Nie  30. Y-Bhiat Nie   
31. Y-Dha Nie   32. Y-Sor Nie 33. Y-Khec Nie
34. Y-Khol Buon Ya 35. H’Lo Lun Nie 36. Y-Krul Nie
37. Y-Canli Nie 38. H’Ner Eban 39. H’Duin Eban
40. Y-Blim Buon Ya 41. Y-Thomas Nie 42. Y-Ni Knul
           

In the name of our imprisoned leaders, our Christian pastors who remain in jail, our children who suffer malnutrition, our women who are forced to attend coercive meetings in order to get sterilized, our ancestors who died at the hands of the communist regime, our farmers who have been forced off our lands and driven from our ancestral villages, our entire race who face today systematic persecution, we the Montagnard Foundation denounce Vietnam’s brutality toward our indigenous people.  

 

As long as Vietnam is supplied with foreign aid and monetary incentives the Vietnamese government will continue suppressing human rights and killing our indigenous people. The Montagnard Foundation however, asks the US government, the European Union, the World Bank, the IMF and Asian Development Bank and all peace loving nations of the world to please try to end the persecution of our race and get Vietnam to open our homelands to international monitors in order to protect one of the oldest races of people in Asia.

 

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