DECEMBER 2002 GASSING INCIDENT IN LAI CHAU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 000541 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR DRL/IRF, DRL, EAP/BCLTV PASS TO US COMMISSION FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM KIRF PINS VM HUMANR ETMIN RELFREE SUBJECT: DECEMBER 2002 GASSING INCIDENT IN LAI CHAU ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Reports of a gas attack on Hmong Protestants in Lai Chau province on December 29, 2002 appear to have a basis in fact. However, the gas appears to have been something like pepper spray or tear gas rather than more lethal poison gas as claimed in some reports. There are no confirmed deaths as a result of this attack. End summary. ¶2. (SBU) Two Protestant evangelists have shared with Embassy reports they have gathered from various sources regarding a single gassing incident that took place on December 29, 2002 in Hoi Huong hamlet of Dien Bien district of Lai Chau. It appears that 23 local officials, primarily police, came to the building where the Hmong had gathered to worship. One source said that when the authorities tried to confiscate the worshipers' Bibles and songbooks, the women and children in the congregation left (apparently with some of the Bibles and songbooks),leaving 90 men. The authorities then withdrew an unknown distance. Then there were two "explosions," immediately followed by some unknown hot gas, which caused burning sensations in the mouth, nose, and eyes, as well as difficulty breathing. ¶3. (SBU) According to one source, four men were hospitalized as a result of the gas, but all were out of the hospital by some time before February 19. Accounts differ on whether the victims included women. One source has claimed one woman miscarried after the attack. ¶4. (SBU) When asked on January 29 about reports of a gas attack, the Lai Chau provincial People's Committee's Chief of Chancery confirmed, "co su viec" ("there was something") but stressed that what actually happened was "completely different" from international reports. However, he refused to elaborate or to answer any more questions and referred inquiries to the province's International Cooperation Department (ICD). Subsequent attempts to telephone the ICD and the hospital where some gassing victims were reportedly taken have been unsuccessful. ¶5. (SBU) After two Hmong eyewitnesses recounted the episode to the Evangelical Church of Vietnam (North),church officials in Hanoi arranged for a meeting with the Ministry of Public Security, which reportedly promised to investigate the incident. However, as of February 26, there had been no response. ¶6. (U) The two sources separately provided Embassy copies of a report apparently written by Hoi Huong residents within about two hours of the gassing. They allegedly compelled three local officials involved in the incident to sign as witnesses. The following is Embassy's informal translation. Quote: Socialist Republic of Vietnam Independence - Freedom - Happiness A Report by Witnesses Today, 29 December 2002 at about 9:00 AM, we citizens of Hoi Huong hamlet, Muong Nha commune, Dien Bien District, Lai Chau province, went to the house of Vu Say So to pray and worship. The reason is because we are Protestant Christians belonging to the Evangelical Church of Vietnam based at 2 Ngo Tram Street in Hanoi. At that time, a whole team of officials of Dien Bien District Lai Chau, implementing Plan 184, came into the house. There were 23 people in this Plan 184 working delegation. At the same time we were about to start our worship service, someone released a hot gas into the house. It had a hot smell and it penetrated our mouths, noses, and eyes, and it made us all collapse. Also at that time, three cadres came down the road from Dien Bien or Da Dong. Six people who saw them were Vu A Tu, Sung A Vu, Vu A Lan, Vu Pha Sang, Vu Thi Lu, and Vu Sua Se. These six people heard the explosion set off by the three cadres, who then helped each other out of the building covering their faces and noses, laughing. They were Vu Da Chu (illegible) of Dien Bien district, Tra A Pao of Dien Bien district police, and Lo Van Tien, Dien Bien district Youth Union official. They were seen laughing, Pao covering his mouth, Tien holding his head high. Meanwhile other cadres were outside or in the house next door. At this time Mr. Vu Sung So, who was outside, saw three cadres leave the house and run away. Those who were strongly affected by the gas include: Giang Thi My, Mua A Khoi, Sung Thi Do, Vu Thi Senh, Lau Thi Chu, Lau Thi Mua, Vang Thi Do, Vu Thi Lia, and Mua Thi My. There were other people affected as well. The people named became very sick and were taken to the Ban Khoan Hospital (in) Muong Nha commune. If after this something bad happens, injury or death, then the 184 working delegation (or unit) must bear responsibility for the people sickened by the hot gas, and must compensate them. We wrote this report before 11:15 a.m. the same day. Report prepared by Lau Phai Senh (signature) Representative of the village Vu A Cong (signature) Witnesses (signatures) Vu Thi Lu Vu A Lau Sung A Vu Vu A Da (or Dia) Vu A Tu Affirmed by village chairman Vu Nha Ca (signature) Working group (or unit) 184 (signatures) Vu A Chu Chang A Pao Lu Van Tien End quote. ¶7. (SBU) Comment. This incident underscores the mix of rumor and fact that complicate balanced reporting on religious freedom and practice in remote parts of Vietnam. What may have been GVN crowd control techniques to break up what appeared to local officials an illegal gathering under Vietnam's strict regulations on assembly led to unsubstantiated and apparently untrue international reports of poison gas and Christian martyrs. One of the most important factors preventing a more accurate picture of what really happened is the GVN's own self-defeating lack of transparency. BURGHARDT