UNHCR VISITS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS RETURNEES

UNCLAS HANOI 001184

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND PRM, BANGKOK FOR REFUGEE
COORDINATOR, GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM PREF VM CB
SUBJECT: UNHCR VISITS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS RETURNEES

Reftels: Hanoi 991 and previous


1. (SBU) Summary: UNHCR Officer-in-Charge for Vietnam Vu
Anh Son has begun a visit to ethnic minority returnees in
the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. He reported to
Poloff that he has been able to travel freely and met with
many of the 35 individuals voluntarily returned from
Cambodia. Allegations made by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of
mistreatment of returnees are "not true." All the returnees
he has visited own land, and many were given rice upon their
return. End Summary


2. (SBU) Son informed Poloff that he received his
permission to travel through the MFA on the afternoon of May
17, and went to Pleiku on May 18. He expects to remain in
the Central Highlands until May 21. When he arrived in Gia
Lai, he was closely monitored by authorities, but after
discussing the reason for his visit and showing that he "is
not a threat," he managed to put the local officials at
ease. Son reported that he has been able to travel without
restriction. The local authorities' permissiveness has been
"more than I expected," Son said.


3. (SBU) Son noted that, so far, he has been allowed to meet
privately with "a number of returnees," including some of
those specifically mentioned in Human Rights Watch's (HRW)
May briefing paper. (Note: HRW alleged that at least four
returnees had been interrogated and beaten by police upon
their return, and that at least eight are confined to their
homes. The HRW briefing paper did not give names, but
specified communes and districts of the alleged victims.
Son told Poloff he had been provided with the names of these
alleged victims through UNHCR's office in Phnom Penh. End
Note.) The accounts he received from returnees are "totally
different" from HRW's allegations, and the HRW claims are
"not true." While several returnees were required to
"consult with authorities," they were only told that they
must follow the laws of Vietnam, Son said.


4. (SBU) Son recounted that he had heard a number of "quite
positive stories" from returnees. Several have been
provided 20 kg of rice by authorities upon their return, and
all had family plots of land measuring at least 1 ha. "They
are not rich, but okay compared to some people in Central
and Northwest Vietnam." Son promised a more complete brief
upon his return to Hanoi.


5. (SBU) Comment: We are relieved that the GVN has finally
relented and allowed a UNHCR visit to the returnees.
Hopefully this will be the first step towards more
systematic monitoring. However, we view Son's experience as
a piece of the elephant, rather than the definitive take on
the situation. Authorities in the Central Highlands are
adept at showing a positive face to outsiders, and some of
our own sources have suggested HRW clams of travel
restriction may be true in some instances (reported Septel
from Ho Chi Minh City). End Comment.
BOARDMAN


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