PROTESTANT LEADERS REPORT DESTRUCTION OF CHURCH IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, BUT CANNOT CONFIRM DEATHS

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 06 HANOI 000900

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DRL, PRM, INR
NSC FOR EAST ASIAN DIRECTORATE
SECDEF FOR ISA/EAP STERN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/9/2021
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREF PREL PINR VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN
SUBJECT: PROTESTANT LEADERS REPORT DESTRUCTION OF CHURCH IN CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, BUT CANNOT CONFIRM DEATHS

REF: A) HANOI 763 B) HANOI 673 C) HANOI 598

D) HANOI 247 E) PHNOM PENH 599 F) PHNOM PENH 571


1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY POLITICAL COUNSELOR JAMES BRUNO;
REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D).


2. (C) SUMMARY: VIETNAMESE PROTESTANT CHURCH SOURCES WITH
EXTENSIVE LINKS TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS INFORM US THAT
RESIDENTS OF GIA LAI PROVINCE, PARTICULARLY, FACE DIFFICULT
CONDITIONS, WITH HEAVY POLICE AND SECURITY PRESENCE
THROUGHOUT THE PROVINCE. THEY SAID THEIR CHURCH CONTACTS
REPORT FOUR CHURCH MEMBERS MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND AT
LEAST 20 HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE EARLY
FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS. THEY CONFIRM A CHURCH WAS
DESTROYED IN GIA LAI PROVINCE IN EARLY MARCH, BUT THEY ARE
NOT AWARE OF ALLEGATIONS THAT A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN
A RAID ON A CHURCH, AS ALLEGED BY REFUGEES IN CAMBODIA
(REF F). SINCE EMBASSY AND CONGEN OFFICERS CONTINUE TO BE
PROHIBITED FROM TRAVELING TO THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS,
PROTESTANT CHURCH LEADERS WITH EXTENSIVE LINKS TO FELLOW
CHRISTIANS IN THE HIGHLANDS PROVIDE ONE OF THE FEW MEANS WE
HAVE OF LEARNING OF EVENTS THERE. THOUGH BY NO MEANS
COMPREHENSIVE, THESE SOURCES HELP PROVIDE SOME PERSPECTIVE
ON THE WIDE-RANGING ALLEGATIONS CIRCULATING ABOUT EVENTS IN
THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. END SUMMARY.

ATTACK ON CHURCH IN GIA LAI
--------------
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3. (C) IN ORDER TO TRY TO OBTAIN CLARIFICATION AND/OR
CONFIRMATION OF THE CHARGES MADE BY MONTAGNARD REFUGEES WHO
HAVE FLED TO CAMBODIA (REFS E AND F),EMBASSY AND CONSULATE
HO CHI MINH CITY POLOFFS HAVE CHECKED WITH LONG-STANDING
CONTACTS IN THE VIETNAMESE PROTESTANT RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES
WHO HAVE BEEN AMONG OUR MOST RELIABLE CONTACTS ON THE
HIGHLANDS IN THE PAST. (THESE SOURCES INCLUDE LEADERS BOTH
OF THE "TIN LANH" EVANGELICAL CHURCH THAT WAS JUST
RECOGNIZED IN THE SOUTH AND THE UNDERGROUND HOUSE CHURCHES
THAT ARE UNRECOGNIZED. LARGE NUMBERS OF PROTESTANT
CHRISTIANS IN THE HIGHLANDS TEND TO BELONG TO HOUSE
CHURCHES THAT HAVE A HISTORIC AFFILIATION WITH THE SOUTHERN
"TIN LANH" MOVEMENT.) THE REPORTS WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM
THESE SOURCES ARE FRAGMENTARY BUT HELP PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT
TO REPORTS FROM OTHER SOURCES.


4. (C) THESE SOURCES CONFIRM, AS REPORTED REF E, THAT A
CHURCH IN GIA LAI PROVINCE WAS ATTACKED IN THE SECOND WEEK
OF MARCH, BUT THEIR ACCOUNTS DIFFER DRAMATICALLY FROM THOSE
REPEATED SECOND-HAND BY THE ETHNIC JARAI REFUGEES IN
CAMBODIA. (ACCORDING TO REF F "UNCONFIRMED REPORTS, POLICE
KILLED 12, WOUNDED 60 AND ARRESTED 74 JARAI DURING THE RAID
ON THE CHURCH.")


5. (C) ACCORDING TO A PROTESTANT CHURCH LEADER BASED IN HO
CHI MINH CITY WHO HAS EXTENSIVE LINKS AMONG HOUSE CHURCHES
IN THE HIGHLANDS THROUGH HIS "CHURCH-PLANTING MINISTRY"
NETWORK, SOLDIERS DEMOLISHED A CHURCH IN PHU NHON DISTRICT,
ABOUT 50 KILOMETERS SOUTH OF PLEIKU (CAPITAL OF GIA LAI
PROVINCE) MARCH 10. THE STORY TRACKS IN SOME WAYS WITH REF
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PAGE 04 HANOI 00900 01 OF 06 170851Z
F ACCOUNT: POLICE TRIED TO ARREST A PASTOR THERE, AND LARGE
NUMBERS OF VILLAGERS (PERHAPS MORE THAN 100) CLASHED WITH
POLICE AND SOLDIERS TO PREVENT THIS. TEAR GAS WAS USED TO
DISPERSE THE CROWD, AND THE POLICE USED ELECTRIC PRODS.
ACCORDING TO TWO SOURCES WE HAVE CHECKED WHO HAVE HEARD
ACCOUNTS OF THIS EVENT FROM THEIR CONTACTS IN GIA LAI, NO
ONE WAS KILLED IN THIS INCIDENT, THOUGH MANY VILLAGERS WERE
INJURED, AND "A NUMBER" OF PERSONS WERE DETAINED. AFTER
THE CLASH, POLICE TORE DOWN THE CHURCH. (THE FIRST REPORT
OF A CHURCH ATTACK IN MARCH WAS MADE BY THE RESIDENT AP
CORRESPONDENT, WHO LEARNED OF IT DURING THE TRAVEL OF PRESS
GROUP TO THE HIGHLANDS. SHE TOO DID NOT RECEIVE REPORTS OF
ANY KILLINGS AT THE CHURCH.)


6. (C) OUR CHURCH CONTACTS ARE NOT AWARE OF AN ATTACK ON
CHURCHES IN PLEI LAO, XA NINH HOA, HUYEN CHU SE IN GIA LAI
PROVINCE, AS ALLEGED BY THE REFUGEES IN CAMBODIA TO UNHCR
(AS SUGGESTED BY THE REFUGEES IN CAMBODIA). IT IS POSSIBLE
THERE WAS ANOTHER ATTACK ON A CHURCH MARCH 10, THOUGH WE
CANNOT CONFIRM THIS FROM OUR CONTACTS HERE.


7. (S) COMMENT: ALTHOUGH OF COURSE OUR CONTACTS' LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE OF ALLEGED DEATHS AT A CHURCH IN THE CENTRAL
HIGHLANDS DOES NOT PROVE OR DISPROVE THE CHARGES, THEIR
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS NOTABLE BECAUSE TWO OF THE CONTACTS WE
CHECKED WITH ARE OUR BEST SOURCES FOR DEVELOPMENTS IN
ETHNIC MINORITY REGIONS OF VIETNAM. THESE TWO VIETNAMESE
PASTORS BOTH TRAVEL WIDELY AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED AND DETAINED SEVERAL TIMES. ONE OF THEM HAS BEEN
INFORMED REPEATEDLY BY SECURITY OFFICIALS THAT HE IS
PROHIBITED FROM GETTING A PASSPORT AND THUS BANNED FROM
LEAVING THE COUNTRY. THESE ARE THE SOURCES WHO "BROKE THE
STORIES" ABOUT THE ONGOING ARRESTS AND DETENTIONS OF HMONG
CHRISTIANS IN THE NORTHWEST OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, AS
WELL AS THE CHURCH DEMOLITIONS IN BINH PHUOC PROVINCE A
YEAR AGO. ONE OF THE TWO, AS WELL, WAS INFLUENTIAL IN
HELPING BRING TO LIGHT THE DOCUMENTS ON REPRESSION OF
PROTESTANTS THAT WERE PUBLISHED BY FREEDOM HOUSE LATE LAST
YEAR. THUS, WHILE IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE THEY ARE "OUT
OF THE LOOP" ON THIS CHARGE, IT GIVES US PAUSE THAT THEY
HAVE NOT HEARD OF DEATHS IN THE ALLEGED CHURCH INCIDENT.


8. (S) COMMENT (CONT'D): FURTHERMORE, AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR
THAT GIVES US PAUSE IS THAT MONTAGNARD SOURCES FROM
CAMBODIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA BOTH REPORT PRECISELY THE SAME
NUMBERS OF ETHNIC JARAI KILLED, WOUNDED AND ARRESTED, AS
CITED IN PARA 4 ABOVE. A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION, OF COURSE,
IS THAT A PRIMARY SOURCE RELAYED AN ACCOUNT DIRECTLY BOTH
TO HIS CAMBODIAN COUNTERPARTS, AS SUGGESTED IN REF F, AND
TO CONTACTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. HOWEVER, NORMALLY IN AN
INCIDENT SUCH AS THE ONE DESCRIBED, WIDELY VARYING RUMORS
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PAGE 03 HANOI 00900 02 OF 06 170851Z
CIRCULATE ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF THOSE AFFECTED. IN THIS
CASE THERE ARE VIRTUALLY IDENTICAL REPORTS COMING FROM BOTH
CAMBODIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT WE ARE NOT HEARING SUCH
REPORTS FROM OUR CONTACTS INSIDE VIETNAM. WE WILL KEEP
CHECKING ON THIS ISSUE, BUT FOR THE MOMENT WE BELIEVE THAT
WHILE WE CAN CORROBORATE THAT AT LEAST ONE CHURCH WAS
DESTROYED IN GIA LAI, WE MUST CONSIDER THE REPORTS OF
DEATHS AT A CHURCH AS UNCONFIRMED, UNLESS WE RECEIVE
CORROBORATING EVIDENCE. END COMMENT.

PORTRAIT OF PROTESTANT CHURCHES IN THE HIGHLANDS
-------------- ---


9. (C) ONE PROMINENT PROTESTANT CHURCH LEADER IN HCMC WHO
HAS ACTIVE ONGOING LINKS TO HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS IN THE
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS TOLD POLOFF THAT PROTESTANT CHRISTIANS IN
THE HIGHLANDS PROVINCES OF GIA LAI AND DAKLAK HAVE LITTLE
ROOM TO OPERATE AT PRESENT. MOST CHURCHES ARE STILL ABLE
TO FUNCTION, BUT THEY ARE WATCHED CLOSELY, AND POLICE AND
SECURITY FORCES ARE OUT IN FORCE, PARTICULARLY IN GIA LAI.
HE SAID THAT WHILE A FORMAL CURFEW DOES NOT EXIST, POLICE
GUARD VILLAGES CLOSELY IN GIA LAI, AND PERSONS ARE NOT ABLE
TO MOVE AROUND FREELY; THEY ARE REQUIRED TO REMAIN IN THEIR
HOME VILLAGES. NORMALLY, HE SAYS, THERE IS LARGE-SCALE
MOVEMENT BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE BORDER, SINCE THERE ARE
APPROXIMATELY 25,000 EDE AND JARAI MINORITY PERSONS WHO
LIVE IN CAMBODIA AND TRAVEL RELATIVELY FREELY OVER WHAT IS
NORMALLY A QUITE POROUS BORDER. (NOTE: ANOTHER INDEPENDENT
SOURCE ALSO NOTED THERE IS GENERALLY FREE MOVEMENT ACROSS
THE BORDER.) OUR SOURCE SAID HIS CHURCH CONTACTS IN GIA
LAI TELL HIM THAT AFTER THE FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS,
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PAGE 04 HANOI 00900 02 OF 06 170851Z
PERSONS OF DIFFERENT ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS WERE SEPARATED
SO THEY WOULD NOT MIX. HE KNEW OF FOUR HIGHLANDS CHURCH
LEADERS IN GIA LAI WHO WEREARRESTED FOR HAVING
PARTICIPATED IN THE FEBRUARYDEMONSTRATIONS. HE HAD HEARD
REPORTS OF LARGER UMBERS BUT COULD NOT VERIFY THESE.


10. (C) THE CMC-BASED PROTESTANT LEADER SAID THAT IN THE
HIGHANDS, MOST CHURCHES CONTINUE TO BE AFFILIATED WITHTHE
CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY ALLIANCE (CMA) NETWORK F "TIN LANH"
CHURCHES, THOUGH AT LEAST FIVE PASTRS IN GIA LAI INFORMED
THEIR CMA COLLEAGUES THEYWERE WITHDRAWING TO AFFILIATE
WITH A "DEGA" CHURC COMMITTED TO A SEPARATIST "DEGA" STATE
FOR ETHNC MINORITIES. ACCORDING TO THIS SOURCE, ON
FEBRARY 2, AN ARMED GROUP OF FOUR JARAI ETHNIC MINORIT
MEMBERS CAME TO THE HOME OF KSOR BRAU, ONE OF TE TWO
MINORITY PASTORS ELECTED TO THE EXECUTIVE CUNCIL OF THE
RECENTLY RECOGNIZED CM CHURCH IN THE SOUTH, THREATENING TO
KILL HIM IF HE DID NOT AFFILIATE WITH THE SEPARATIST DEGA
MOVEMENT. BRAU WAS NOT AT HOME, AND DID NOT RETURN FOR A
COUPLE DAYS. HE HAS NOT BEEN THREATENED SUBSEQUENTLY,
ALTHOUGH THE HCMC PASTOR SAID THIS INCIDENT REVEALED DEEP
FISSURES AMONG MINORITIES IN THE AREA. THE HCMC PASTOR
SAID HIS CONTACTS IN GIA LAI BELIEVE THESE FOUR PERSONS
WERE "LINKED" TO LEADERS OF A U.S.-BASED MONTAGNARD
ORGANIZATION, THOUGH THIS COULD NOT BE PROVEN. (NOTE: THE
PASTOR WAS FAMILIAR WITH U.S.-BASED GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBED IN VITRIOLIC TERMS BY THE VIETNAMESE PRESS.) THE
HCMC PASTOR SAID MANY PROTESTANTS WERE WORRIED THE
SEPARATIST/AUTONOMY AGENDA OF SOME MINORITIES WAS AND WOULD
CONTINUE TO PROVOKE A STRONG REACTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

REPORTS ABOUT FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS
--------------


11. (C) SIMILARLY, AN EXPATRIATE LEADER LINKED WITH THE
WORLD EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP WHO REGULARLY VISITS VIETNAM
AND MEETS WITH HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS, INCLUDING SOME FROM
THE HIGHLANDS, TOLD POLOFF THAT THE NETWORK OF PROTESTANT
CHURCHES IN THE HIGHLANDS IS ONE OF THE FEW ELEMENTS OF
"CIVIL SOCIETY" PRESENT IN THE AREA. THOUGH HIS CONTACTS
HAD TOLD HIM THE CHURCHES INSTITUTIONALLY WERE LARGELY
UNINVOLVED IN THE FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS, SIGNIFICANT
NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL CHURCH MEMBERS AND SOME LEADERS
PARTICIPATED. HE SAID HIS CHURCH CONTACTS IN THE HIGHLANDS
WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR "RADICALIZATION" OF
THE MONTAGNARD CHURCHES BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME POVERTY IN
THE REGION, THE LOSS OF TRADITIONAL LANDS TO ETHNIC
VIETNAMESE AND OTHER SETTLERS, WIDESPREAD SOCIETAL
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MINORITY PEOPLES, AND LONG-STANDING
FRUSTRATION WITH TREATMENT BY CENTRAL AUTHORITIES,
INCLUDING HARASSMENT OF CHURCHES.
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PAGE 03 HANOI 00900 03 OF 06 170852Z


12. (C) THIS EXPATRIATE SOURCE SAID HIS CONTACTS IN GIA LAI
HAD INFORMED HIM THAT THE FEBRUARY 2 DEMONSTRATION IN
PLEIKU HAD BEEN A "PITCHED BATTLE." THE DEMONSTRATORS,
MANY OF THEM ARMED WITH KNIVES AND BAGS OF ROCKS, ATTEMPTED
TO DESTROY THE POST OFFICE, AND SOME DEMONSTRATORS AND
POLICE REPORTEDLY WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. HIS CONTACTS HAD
HEARD REPORTS OF FOUR DEMONSTRATORS KILLED IN THESE
DEMONSTRATIONS IN PLEIKU, BUT THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM THIS.
BY CONTRAST, HIS CONTACTS SAID BUON ME THUOT IN DAKLAK
PROVINCE NEVER TURNED SO VIOLENT.


13. (C) THE EXPATRIATE SOURCE SAID HIS CONTACTS SAID AT
LEAST TWENTY MINORITY CHRISTIANS WHO HAD PARTICIPATED IN
THE DEMONSTRATIONS WERE PICKED UP SHORTLY AFTER. HE SAID
THE POLICE HAD TAKEN EXTENSIVE VIDEOTAPE OF THE
DEMONSTRATIONS AND USED THIS TO IDENTIFY THE PARTICIPANTS.
HE SURMISED THIS WAS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT HAD DRIVEN
SOME OF THOSE TO FLEE, SINCE THOSE INVOLVED IN THE
DEMONSTRATIONS CLEARLY FEARED THEY WOULD BE PICKED UP.


14. (C) THIS EXPATRIATE SOURCE SAID ETHNIC MINORITY CHURCH
LEADERS WERE CAUGHT IN A DIFFICULT SPOT, SINCE THEY WANTED
TO BROADEN THEIR OWN SPACE TO OPERATE, BUT SOME FACED
PRESSURE TO EMBRACE A SEPARATIST AGENDA THAT WOULD CAUSE
THE AUTHORITIES TO CRACK DOWN. HE RELAYED AN ACCOUNT OF
FEBRUARY 2 EVENTS IN THE BUON ME THUOT AREA OF DAKLAK
PROVINCE THAT TYPIFIED THIS DILEMMA. ON THAT DATE, THREE
CHRISTIAN LEADERS WERE CALLED BY AUTHORITIES TO A MEETING
IN BUON ME THUOT AND THEN ASKED TO TRY TO SPEAK TO A CROWD
OF ABOUT 400 PROTESTERS. AFTER MEETING WITH AUTHORITIES,
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PAGE 04 HANOI 00900 03 OF 06 170852Z
THE PASTORS ATTEMPTED TO SPEAK TO THE CROWD, MANY OF WHOM
WERE CHANTING SLOGANS ABOUT LAND GRIEVANCES, BUT THEY WERE
SHOUTED DOWN. RECOGNIZING THE FUTILITY OF THE SITUATION,
THE PASTORS LEFT THE CITY TO RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.
SHORTLY THEREAFTER, HOWEVER, A RUMOR CIRCULATED IN BUON ME
THUOT THAT THE PASTORS HAD BEEN ABDUCTED.

DANES CONTINUE TO WORK IN DAKLAK
--------------


15. (C) AN INTERESTING EXCEPTION TO THE PROHIBITION OF
WESTERN DIPLOMATIC ACCESS TO THE HIGHLANDS IS THAT AFFORDED
THE DANISH EMBASSY, WHICH HAS A HALF-DOZEN ADVISORS BASED
IN BUON ME THUOT WORKING ON AGRICULTURAL AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. A DANISH EMBASSY POLOFF (WHO SPENDS
HALF HER TIME ON AID QUESTIONS) VISITED DAKLAK APRIL 1-3 AS
PART OF A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED EVALUATION TRIP TO SEE
PROJECTS SHE SUPERVISES. SHE MET WITH HER COUNTERPARTS
THERE, WHO PROVIDED READOUTS ON THE FEBRUARY 2
DEMONSTRATIONS IN BUON ME THUOT, SAYING THERE WERE ROUGHLY
500 LARGELY RURAL ETHNIC MINORITY PROTESTERS WHO CAME INTO
TOWN FOR THE DEMONSTRATIONS. POLICE SOON MOVED TO BLOCK
OFF THE STREETS ONCE THIS GROUP ASSEMBLED, PREVENTING
CURIOUS LOCAL RESIDENTS FROM BEING ABLE TO WITNESS THE
PROTESTS.


16. (C) THE DIPLOMAT TOLD EMBOFF THAT, DURING HER TRIP, SHE
WAS ABLE TO HAVE ROUTINE MEETINGS WITH HER COUNTERPARTS,
SUCH AS THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S
COMMITTEE, BUT WHENEVER SHE ATTEMPTED TO RAISE QUESTIONS ON
OTHER SUBJECTS, SUCH AS THE FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS, HER
INTERLOCUTORS QUICKLY CHANGED THE SUBJECT. (COMMENT:
WHILE WE CERTAINLY WILL CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR ACCESS TO THE
HIGHLANDS, THE "POTEMKIN" NATURE OF THE DANES' VISIT
UNDERSCORES HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO OBTAIN INFORMATION IN
THESE PROVINCES WHEN UNDER THE CLOSE WATCH OF PROVINCIAL
"HOSTS." END COMMENT.)


17. (C) THE DANISH DIPLOMAT SAID SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO
SCHEDULE A TRIP OUTSIDE OF BUON ME THUOT DURING HER VISIT
(IT WAS "TOO SHORT NOTICE" FOR LOCAL OFFICIALS, SHE WAS
TOLD). SHE SAID ONE OF HER INTERLOCUTORS, THE VICE CHAIR
OF THE PROVINCIAL PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, HAD JUST RETURNED
FROM A LONG-SCHEDULED TRIP IN EARLY MARCH TO DENMARK. SHE
SAID SHE WAS SURPRISED HE HAD AGREED TO GO, BUT IT SEEMED
FROM HER VISIT HE WAS SECURE IN HIS POSITION, AND HE IS
WIDELY BELIEVED TO BE SOON PROMOTED TO CHAIR OF THE
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE, WITH THE CURRENT CHAIR MOVING UP TO BE
HEAD OF THE PROVINCIAL COMMUNIST PARTY. (COMMENT: LIKE THE
DANES, WE BELIEVE CERTAIN OFFICIALS WILL "TAKE THE FALL"
FOR EVENTS IN THE HIGHLANDS, AND OTHERS SUCH AS THIS DEPUTY
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PAGE 03 HANOI 00900 04 OF 06 170852Z
CHAIRMAN, WHO ARE POLITICALLY "INSULATED" FROM THE FALLOUT
WILL BE PROMOTED TO FILL THEIR PLACES. END COMMENT.)


18. (C) THE DANE SAID THAT SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES IN BUON
ME THUOT DO NOT SEE ANY SIGNS OF TENSION -- AND ONE WOULD
NOT NOTICE ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY IN THIS CITY. SHE
SAID THERE WAS NO VISIBLE EXTRA POLICE PRESENCE OR "WANTED
POSTERS," AND SHE SAID HER COLLEAGUES RESIDENT THERE SAID
THE SITUATION HAD VERY QUICKLY RETURNED TO NORMAL
APPEARANCES SHORTLY AFTER THE EARLY FEBRUARY
DEMONSTRATIONS. THAT SAID, SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO VISIT
OUTLYING REGIONS OF THE PROVINCE AND ADMITTED SHE COULD NOT
SPEAK TO CONDITIONS THERE.


18. (C) ONE INTERESTING BIT OF LOCAL COLOR WAS PROVIDED BY
HER WITNESSING OF A HALF-HOUR TELEVISION PROGRAM ON
VIETNAMESE TELEVISION ABOUT THE FEBRUARY UNREST. SITTING
IN A RESTAURANT JUST FIFTY METERS FROM "LIBERATION SQUARE"
IN BUON ME THUOT, WHICH IS MARKED BY THE TANK THAT
"LIBERATED" THE TOWN, SHE SAID THE LARGELY VIETNAMESE
DINNER CROWD WATCHED THE PROGRAM ON THE EVENING NEWS
INTENTLY. WHEN THE VIETNAMESE TV JOURNALIST INTERVIEWED
ONE ETHNIC MINORITY PERSON WHO "CONFESSED" HE HAD ONLY
PARTICIPATED IN THE DEMONSTRATIONS BECAUSE HE WAS DRUNK AND
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING, THE WHOLE RESTAURANT ERUPTED
INTO DISBELIEVING LAUGHTER, WITH PATRONS JOKING "THEN IT
WAS ONLY AN ACCIDENT." THE TV PROGRAM SHOWED VIDEO FOOTAGE
OF THE FEBRUARY DEMONSTRATIONS, INCLUDING ONE SCENE
(DESCRIBED ABOVE) OF A MINISTER SPEAKING TO A CROWD, URGING
THEM TO DISPERSE. THE PROGRAM (WHICH RAN AT LEAST TWICE ON
NATIONAL NEWS PROGRAMS) ALSO INCLUDED AN INTERVIEW
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PAGE 04 HANOI 00900 04 OF 06 170852Z
ALLEGEDLY WITH THE HALF-BROTHER OF A PROMINENT MONTAGNARD
LEADER (BASED IN SOUTH CAROLINA) WHO IS RECORDED AS SAYING
THAT HIS HALF-BROTHER HAD CALLED HIM FROM THE U.S. AND
URGED THAT HE HELP ORGANIZE DEMONSTRATIONS, BUT HE HAD
REFUSED. IN ADDITION, THE PROGRAM MADE FAMILIAR
ALLEGATIONS (WHICH WE HAVE SEEN IN PRINT ELSEWHERE) THAT
THE FULRO NETWORK OF FORMER GUERRILLAS IN THE HIGHLANDS
HELPED ORGANIZE THE RECENT DEMONSTRATIONS.


19. (C) SHE ALSO NOTED THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES HAD BUSED
IN HUNDREDS OF ETHNIC MINORITY PERSONS FOR A "LIBERATION
DAY" CELEBRATION IN THE TOWN, AND SHE WITNESSED SCENES OF
WRANGLING AND MISCOMMUNICATION AT THE HOTEL DESK BECAUSE
VIRTUALLY NONE OF THE MINORITIES SPOKE VIETNAMESE OR
APPEARED TO HAVE STAYED IN SUCH A HOTEL (A RELATIVELY NICE
STATE-RUN FACILITY) BEFORE. SHE COMMENTED THAT THIS
REVEALED A BIT OF THE STAGED "POTEMKIN VILLAGE" ASPECT TO
VIETNAMESE COMMEMORATIONS IN THE TOWN.

OFFICIAL PRESS' VIRULENT REACTIONS TO HIGHLANDS EVENTS
-------------- --------------


20. (C) SINCE THE DEMONSTRATIONS BROKE OUT IN THE CENTRAL
HIGHLANDS IN LATE JANUARY-EARLY FEBRUARY, THE VIETNAMESE
GOVERNMENT'S REACTION HAS BEEN ALMOST REFLEXIVELY VITRIOLIC
AGAINST THE U.S. AND ITS ALLEGED SUPPORT FOR U.S.-BASED
MONTAGNARD GROUPS IN "FOMENTING THE UNREST." VIETNAM HAS
BEEN ADAMANT IN REFUSING OUR REPEATED REQUESTS TO VISIT THE
REGION, AND THE STATE-CONTROLLED PRESS HAS SPEWED FORTH
DIATRIBE AFTER DIATRIBE. (THE GVN ALSO HAS REFUSED ACCESS
TO OTHER NON-U.S. DIPLOMATS WHO DO NOT DEAL WITH ONGOING
AID PROJECTS IN THE AREA.)


21. (SBU) MANY OF THE STATE-RUN MEDIA ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN
HARSH EDITORIALS ALLEGING U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN THE
HIGHLANDS, THOUGH A FEW HAVE PROVIDED SOME INTERESTING
INSIGHTS INTO DEVELOPMENTS THERE. FOR EXAMPLE, THE "LABOR"
TRADE UNION DAILY REPORTED MARCH 27 THAT THE BREWING
TROUBLES IN THE HIGHLANDS EXTEND BACK SEVERAL MONTHS,
CLAIMING THAT "HUNDREDS" OF YOUNG ETHNIC MINORITY PEOPLE
HAD SET UP A NO-GO ZONE NEAR PLEIKU LAST OCTOBER.
VILLAGERS IN CHUSE DISTRICT SOUTH OF PLEIKU WERE REPORTEDLY
PRESSURED BY THREE ALLEGED RINGLEADERS OF THE
DEMONSTRATIONS TO "ACT AS A HUMAN SHIELD" IN PREVENTING
OFFICIALS INTO THE AREA IN EARLY FEBRUARY. THE PAPER
ALLEGED THE THREE -- SIU PUOH, SIU THUC AND KPA THAP --
WERE ARRESTED MARCH 10 IN THE VILLAGE OF PLEI LAO IN GIA
LAI AS THEY CONTINUED TO "INCITE VILLAGERS TO PROVOKE
EXTREMELY SERIOUS DISTURBANCES." (NOTE: THIS WAS THE FIRST
GVN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WE ARE AWARE OF THAT THE UNREST
CONTINUED INTO MARCH. END NOTE.)
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PAGE 03 HANOI 00900 05 OF 06 170852Z


22. (C) ADDITIONALLY, ON APRIL 10 VIETNAMESE MEDIA REPORTED
THAT SEVEN YOUNG PEOPLE, ALLEGEDLY MOSTLY "TEENAGE
DROPOUTS," WERE DETAINED IN DAKLAK PROVINCE REPORTEDLY FOR
USING "POISON GAS" AND OTHER CHEMICALS TO POISON HUNDREDS
OF SCHOOLCHILDREN. THE "PEOPLE'S ARMY" PAPER CLAIMED "THE
POISONING CASES WERE ACTS OF ORGANIZED CRIMINALS AIMED AT
CAUSING INSTABILITY, SABOTAGE AND CONFUSION AMONG PEOPLE."
NEWS ACCOUNTS OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS HAVE REPORTED THAT SOME
500 PERSONS, MOSTLY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND TEACHERS, HAVE
FALLEN SICK SINCE FEBRUARY WITH SEVERE STOMACH AND HEAD
PAINS AFTER SUSPECTED CHEMICAL POISONING AT SCHOOLS IN SIX
DISTRICTS OF DAKLAK. (SUBSEQUENTLY OTHER VIETNAMESE MEDIA
ACCOUNTS HAVE SUGGESTED THE SICKNESSES MAY BE FROM BACTERIA
IN THE WATER SUPPLY.) INTERESTINGLY, THE "POISONING" STORY
FIRST CIRCULATED ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO FROM EXPATRIATE
MONTAGNARD SOURCES WHO ALLEGED CHEMICAL POISONING OF SCHOOL
CHILDREN BY THE VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES. (COMMENT: IT IS
HARD FOR US TO COME UP WITH A CREDIBLE MOTIVATION WHY
VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES WOULD SO SUCH A THING. END
COMMENT.)

COMMENT: PUTTING THE HIGHLANDS EVENTS IN CONTEXT
-------------- ---


23. (C) COMMENT: THERE IS NO DISPUTING THAT VIETNAMESE
POLICE AND SECURITY FORCES HAVE MOVED INTO THE HIGHLANDS
WITH A HEAVY HAND, AND MULTIPLE SOURCES CONFIRM THAT LARGE,
UNDETERMINED NUMBERS OF ETHNIC MINORITY PERSONS HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED AND DETAINED, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED IN
THE SOMETIMES-VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS IN GIA LAI. THOUGH
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PAGE 04 HANOI 00900 05 OF 06 170852Z
OUR INFORMATION IS INCOMPLETE, IT CERTAINLY APPEARS AT
LEAST SOME, AND PERHAPS LARGE NUMBERS, OF THOSE ARRESTED
WERE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT BY THE
AUTHORITIES, INCLUDING DEMANDING RETURN OF TRADITIONAL
LANDS TO MINORITIES.


24. (C) COMMENT (CONT'D): IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES, WE BELIEVE
IT WAS REASONABLE FOR UNHCR IN CAMBODIA TO ASSUME THE
GROUPS OF ALLEGED LEADERS OF THESE DEMONSTRATIONS HAD WELL-
FOUNDED FEARS OF ACTION BY THE AUTHORITIES IF THEY RETURNED
TO VIETNAM AT THIS TIME. GIVEN THEIR APPARENT FULRO
CONNECTIONS AND ROLE IN ORGANIZING THE DEMONSTRATIONS IN
EARLY FEBRUARY, THESE PERSONS REASONABLY ASSUME THEY WOULD
BE DETAINED OR ARRESTED IF THEY WOULD RETURN. WE WOULD
NOTE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THERE MAY BE SUBSEQUENT "WAVES"
OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS FLEEING TO CAMBODIA IN ORDER TO ALSO SEEK
REFUGEE STATUS. GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR A "PUSH-PULL"
PHENOMENON THAT COULD ENCOURAGE SUBSEQUENT GROUPS TO
TRAVEL, WE THINK IT ADVISABLE TO LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT ANY
SUBSEQUENT ACCOUNTS TO ENSURE OTHERS ARE GENUINE REFUGEES.
(SEPTEL WILL DISCUSS THIS ISSUE FURTHER.)


25. (S) COMMENT (CONT'D): CONCERNING SOME OF THE CHARGES
MADE BY VARIOUS EXPATRIATE MONTAGNARD GROUPS, WE CAUTION
THAT WE NEED TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT EACH CHARGE ON ITS OWN
MERITS. IN READING ACCOUNTS OF ONE GROUP'S PROLIFIC
LITERATURE OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE NOTED THAT SOME
CHARGES ARE VERIFIABLY TRUE, WHILE OTHERS SEEM EXAGGERATED.
GIVEN THAT EMBASSY AND CONGEN OFFICERS ARE UNABLE TO TRAVEL
TO THE AREA AND CHECK OUT THESE REPORTS, IT IS EXCEEDINGLY
DIFFICULT FOR US TO SEPARATE VERIFIABLE FACTS OF POLICE
HEAVY-HANDEDNESS FROM UNCONFIRMED REPORTS OF MASS KILLINGS.
AT THIS TIME, WE CANNOT MAKE DEFINITIVE JUDGMENTS.


26. (S) COMMENT (CONT'D): WE WOULD CAUTION THAT CERTAIN
CHARGES SEEM EXTRAORDINARY. ACCORDING TO AN APRIL 6
REUTERS ACCOUNT, A PROMINENT U.S.-BASED MONTAGNARD LEADER
WAS QUOTED APRIL 6 IN GENEVA AS URGING THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY TO "PUT AN END TO THE LAST 26 YEARS OF GENOCIDAL
PRACTICES" BY THE VIETNAMESE IN THE HIGHLANDS. HE WENT ON
TO SAY THAT THREE ETHNIC MINORITY PERSONS SURVIVED GVN
ATTEMPTS TO CRUCIFY THEM IN DECEMBER, AND ALLEGED ANOTHER
MINORITY PERSON WAS TORTURED TO DEATH BY ELECTRIC CATTLE
PRODS IN MARCH. THIS IS THE FIRST WE HAVE EVER HEARD OF A
SUPPOSED ATTEMPTED CRUCIFIXION, AND THIS CHARGE -- LIKE
OTHERS CIRCULATED BY THIS GROUP ABOUT SUPPOSED GVN
POISONING OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN DAKLAK AND ATTEMPTS TO
FORCIBLY STERILIZE MINORITY PEOPLE AS PART OF A "GENOCIDAL"
CAMPAIGN -- SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE, GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT
THE NATURE OF THE SOMETIMES HEAVY-HANDED VIETNAMESE
AUTHORITIES. THIS IS NOT TO DOWNPLAY THE MUCH MORE
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CREDIBLE REPORTS WE HAVE RECEIVED FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES
ABOUT HARSH TREATMENT BY POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICIALS.
HOWEVER, AS OUR MAIN EXPATRIATE SOURCE FROM THE WORLD
EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP (ONE OF OUR MOST RESPECTED AND
PLUGGED-IN SOURCES ON HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENTS HERE) SAID
DURING OUR LAST MEETING WITH HIM: "EXTRALEGAL ABDUCTIONS
AND BEATINGS ARE BAD ENOUGH, BUT SOME OF THE OTHER CHARGES
ARE UNSUBSTANTIATED." OUR ASSESSMENT FOR THE MOMENT IS
THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE TO CONFIRM THE
MORE EXTREME CHARGES.


27. (C) COMMENT (CONT'D): AS OUR EMBASSY, THE DEPARTMENT
AND EMBASSY PHNOM PENH CONTINUE TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE
OVER THE NEXT WEEKS, WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THE
FOLLOWING POINTS. NONVIOLENT PROTEST AS A FORM OF
POLITICAL EXPRESSION IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RIGHT
THAT WE AFFIRM AND DEFEND. UNDOUBTEDLY SOME OF THOSE IN
THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WERE VOICING LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCES
NONVIOLENTLY. HOWEVER, WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE USE OF
VIOLENCE IN SUCH PROTEST. IN THE CURRENT SITUATION IN THE
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS, IT IS NEITHER RIGHT NOR EFFECTIVE; IN
FACT, IT IS HIGHLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND THREATENS TO
PROVOKE TOUGHER SECURITY MEASURES IN THE AREA. FOR THE
SAME REASONS, WE ALSO MUST REITERATE -- TO ALL SIDES IN
THIS ISSUE -- OUR OPPOSITION TO SECESSIONIST ATTEMPTS IN
THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. THE GVN'S HISTORICAL NERVOUSNESS
ABOUT SECESSION IN THIS AREA IS WELL-FOUNDED, AND AS A
PRACTICAL MATTER, SUCH ATTEMPTS ARE IMPRACTICAL AND
UNWORKABLE. WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO REITERATE PUBLICLY AND
PRIVATELY THAT WHILE NONVIOLENT PROTEST IS AN
INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED RIGHT, VIOLENT AND SECESSIONIST
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ACTIONS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. END COMMENT.
PETERSON

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