UNHCR MAKES SECOND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS VISIT

UNCLAS HANOI 001683 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 ETMIN HUMANR SUBJECT: UNHCR MAKES SECOND CENTRAL HIGHLANDS VISIT Reftel: Hanoi 1184 and previous ¶1. (SBU) UNHCR Officer-in-Charge for Vietnam Vu Anh Son made a second visit to ethnic minority returnees in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. He told Poloff that the June 22-25 trip went "very well" and that he has now met with 35 of the 40 individuals voluntarily returned from Cambodia. Son reported being escorted only by two officials from the Provincial People's Committee during his trip. He said that none of the returnees reported abuses, and that the five returnees in the most recent group spent only two days being instructed on government policies and their rights before returning home, down from five days for the first returnees (reftel). The Vietnamese press carried accounts of the visit, which described the individuals as having been "invited by negative elements to unlawfully leave the country," but that they now vowed never to do as again. ¶2. (SBU) Son noted that he had met with a returnee whom some foreign ethnic-minority "advocates" had claimed was arrested in late May. The individual said that he had not been arrested, but rather asked by local authorities to participate in "making some propaganda" to dissuade others from going to Cambodia. Aside from this example, Son said he found the local authorities very aware of the attention focused on the returnees and were treating them extremely generously as a result. Many were given rice by authorities, and some said they had been offered cows free of charge. ¶3. (SBU) Son had requested the visit on June 14 and received permission to travel on June 21. "I was very surprised that the authorities approved the visit so quickly," he said. Son added that, upon his return to Hanoi, he received a call from the MFA asking when he plans to make a third trip. Son noted that he does not plan to make another visit until more individuals have returned from Cambodia. ¶4. (SBU) Comment: We are pleased to see that the GVN is becoming more comfortable with UNHCR monitoring visits. We will continue to support this trend and encourage the Government to allow an international participant on future visits. End comment. BOARDMAN