UNHCR READOUT OF GIA LAI VISIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002245

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 HUMANR ETMIN
SUBJECT: UNHCR READOUT OF GIA LAI VISIT

Refs: A. Hanoi 2055 and previous; B. Phnom Penh 1439

Summary
--------------


1. (SBU) A UNHCR team visited two villages in Gia Lai
Province August 23-25 to assess conditions in these
locations and to interview returnees. They reported that
conditions are generally fair and noted that there were no
signs of systematic intimidation by local authorities. The
UNHCR officials further observed that the GVN seems to be
making an effort to improve conditions for returnees. From
local observations they conclude that there are significant
social and economic costs for people "misled into crossing
the border." Taking these considerations together, the
UNCHR team said there may be justification for taking a more
skeptical approach when reviewing refugee petitions. UNHCR
also expressed concern at a growing number of cases reported
from Dak Lak Province and have requested a visit to the
area. The number of "refuseniks" remaining in Cambodia is
down to six persons but this group seems intent on creating
a "political crisis" by forcing their involuntary
repatriation. The team also reported that they investigated
possible micro-projects in the Central Highlands and
concluded that water projects are unnecessary. UNHCR will
instead focus on health, education and vocational training
projects. End Summary.

Conditions in Gia Lai Province
--------------


2. (SBU) On August 26, Hasim Utkan, UNHCR Regional
Representative for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam,
Assistant Regional Representative for Operations Bernard
Quah and UNHCR Vietnam Chief of Mission Vu Anh Son provided
a summary of their August 23-25 visit to Gia Lai Province to
Pol/C and PolOff and separately to the Hanoi diplomatic
community. After meetings in Pleiku with the Provincial
People's Committee, the UNHCR team visited Doc Co and Krong
Pa Districts to assess the conditions in these locations and
to interview returnees. The UNHCR officials made the
following observations:

-- Local authorities were open and helpful in guiding the
team to requested locations and in arranging interviews with
returnees. Although the interviews were monitored, the
UNHCR team did not feel that the people interviewed were
afraid to speak candidly with them. (Note: The team had
requested private interviews, but this request was declined.
End Note.) In general, the UNHCR representatives viewed the
relationship between returnees and local authorities as more
relaxed than on their previous visit and noted that there
were no signs of systematic intimidation of returnees.

-- Doc Co District in Gia Lai's southwest is readily
accessible by secondary paved roads. It is situated only 30
km from the border in a well-cultivated region with
extensive rubber plantations. Formal border posts were
established in the area six months ago. The estimated cost
for residents of this area to cross the border illegally is
200,000-250,000 Dong (about USD 17).

-- In Doc Co, the UNHCR team met with a family that had
reportedly been beaten upon their return to Vietnam, but saw
no evidence of physical abuse. The family categorically
denied mistreatment. They claimed they were misled into
leaving Vietnam and were glad to be back, but refused to say
who had misled them. Their chief complaint was that that
they no longer held any land, as one member of the family
who remained behind had sold the family plot. The Chairman
of the village People's Committee told the UNHCR officials
that this family would have land allocated in the next
distribution.

-- Krong Pa District, in Gia Lai's southeast, is more remote
and very difficult to reach by motor vehicle. (Note: The
UNHCR team members were unable to ford the last river before
reaching their target village, but the local authorities
accompanying them were able to invite the returnees down to
meet with the team. End Note.) The estimated cost for
residents of this area to cross the border illegally is 1.5
million Dong (about USD 100).

-- Outside Krong Pa, the team met with three returnees who
also claimed they had been misled into leaving Vietnam by
promises of more money and opportunity in Cambodia. One of
the three said he immediately petitioned to be returned to
Vietnam after seeing the conditions in Cambodia. The other
two stated they had been promised the opportunity to make
money across the border to buy more cows and had sold their
original animals to pay their way. They returned when they
found themselves "stuck in the center of Cambodia with no
cows at all." Their chief concern was asking for assistance
in regaining their identification cards. The local People's
Committee Chairman promised to help them.

UNHCR's Conclusions
--------------


3. (SBU) The UNHCR team assessed the conditions for
returnees in Gia Lai as generally fair, although the Krong
Pa area is poorer than the region around Doc Co. Housing is
adequate with good electricity and water resources. Local
authorities have assisted returnees with allotments of
kerosene, rice and salt. According to UNHCR, returnee
concerns are raised in open and frank discussions with local
authorities, and the authorities are responsive to their
concerns. The UNHCR representatives also noted:

-- There are specific instructions from the GVN that appear
to have filtered down to authorities at all levels in the
region to treat returnees no differently than other citizens
of Vietnam. Local leaders seem to obey these instructions
and also seem well informed about individual returnees and
their conditions.

-- People in the area are "gullible because they are not
well-educated" and are therefore easily misled by stories
and rumors of better lives elsewhere. However, only a
handful of people in Gia Lai have left their respective
communities, and they do not seem to have consistent reasons
for doing so.

-- There are significant social and economic costs for
people crossing the border that are now causing people to
think twice about leaving. This realization may well prove
decisive in reducing the refugee problem from the Central
Highlands, the UNHCR representatives assessed.


4. (SBU) The UNCHR team concluded from the trip that the GVN
is making an effort to improve conditions for returnees in
the Central Highlands and that UNHCR may be justified in
taking a more skeptical approach when reviewing refugee
petitions in Cambodia. The team called for more foreign
missions to travel to the region to help verify and report
their findings there. They also noted with pleasure that
Vietnam's MFA is now actively requesting and supporting such
visits.

Dak Lak Province
--------------


5. (SBU) On a more negative note, the UNHCR team expressed
concern at the rising number of cases reported from Dak Lak
Province. Of 30 recent Vietnamese ethnic minority arrivals
in Cambodia, 24 reportedly came from Dak Lak. UNHCR has
requested permission to visit the area in the near future to
investigate this phenomenon.

Refuseniks
--------------


6. (SBU) The UNHCR team also reported that the number of
"refuseniks" in Phnom Penh (those ethnic minority Vietnamese
who are eligible for but do not accept resettlement) has now
dropped to only six persons from the original 350 (Ref B).
However, despite this success in reducing the overall
numbers, this final group of six refuseniks seems intent on
creating a "political crisis" over their status by forcing
their involuntary repatriation and will not accept any
proposed solution. UNHCR is now seeking alternatives to
avoid this, but could not offer any concrete ideas in this
regard.

Micro-projects
--------------


7. (SBU) In addition to assessing local conditions, the
UNHCR team used their visit to investigate possible micro-
projects, which UNHCR committed itself to seek funding for
under the Vietnam-Cambodia-UNHCR Tripartite Memorandum of
Understanding. Up until their visit, they had considered
establishing projects in four sectors: water, health,
education and vocational training. However, they have
concluded that water projects are unnecessary given the
adequate supplies in the region and will now focus on the
other three sectors.

Comment
--------------


8. (SBU) Based on UNHCR's two trips to Gia Lai Province, it
appears that the returnees are no worse for wear and that
the GVN has taken steps to facilitate their reintegration.
This is a positive development that should be encouraged to
continue, and UNHCR and others will undertake further
monitoring missions to the region to assess progress. For
our part, the Embassy and ConGen HCMC will send a team to
Gia Lai September 6-9 and will debrief UNHCR and interested
embassies. End Comment.

MARINE