This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

041614Z Mar 02

2002HOCHI00203 - UNCLASSIFIED
 
 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ1686

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      DODE-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    ED-01    FBIE-00  UTED-00  
      VC-00    HHS-01   H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    L-00     
      VCE-00   MOFM-05  MOF-01   AC-01    NSAE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   
      OPIC-01  PA-00    PC-01    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     
      SP-00    SSO-00   STR-00   TEST-00  TRSE-00  USIE-00  EPAE-00  
      PMB-00   DSCC-00  PRM-00   DRL-02   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   
      SWCI-00    /017W
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FM AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6046
AMEMBASSY HANOI IMMEDIATE 
INFO USMISSION GENEVA 
ASEAN COLLECTIVE
NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HO CHI MINH CITY 000203 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT. FOR EAP/BLCTV, EAP/PD 
DEPT. ALSO FOR PRM AND DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PGOV PINS SOCI PREL KIRF VM CB HUMANR ETMIN
SUBJECT:  VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS: REFUGEES WHO 
RETURNED ON THEIR OWN AND SOME WHO NEVER MADE IT ACROSS 
 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00203  01 OF 03  041656Z 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY:  DURING A MARCH 1-3 TRIP TO THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS, CONGENOFFS MET WITH VILLAGERS IN TWO DAK LAK 
COMMUNITIES AND VISITED A PROTESTANT WORSHIP HOUSE IN ONE 
OF THE COMMUNITIES.  SEVERAL OF THE VILLAGERS WERE ETHNIC 
MINORITY VIETNAMESE RETURNEES FROM CAMBODIA -- TWO OF WHOM 
HAD RETURNED ON THEIR OWN, PRIOR TO UNHCR REPATRIATION. 
ONE FAMILY HAD BEEN TURNED BACK TO VIETNAM AT THE BORDER. 
NONE CLAIMED ANY MISTREATMENT AT THE HANDS OF VIETNAMESE 
AUTHORITIES UPON THEIR RETURN, THOUGH ONE SAID OTHER 
VILLAGERS HAD TAUNTED HER.  THERE WAS ONE DETAILED 
COMPLAINT ABOUT A LAND DISPUTE.  BECAUSE THE VILLAGERS DID 
NOT SPEAK MUCH VIETNAMESE, CONGENOFFS HAD TO RELY ON THE 
VILLAGE CHIEF AND A VILLAGE INTERPRETER TO HELP WITH 
TRANSLATION.  END SUMMARY. 
 
THE RETURNEE WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD 
 
¶2.  (U) IN DAK LAK PROVINCE, CG EMI LYNN YAMAUCHI AND FSN 
POL/ECON ASSISTANT MET WITH Y THAT, AN ETHNIC MNONG BHER 
MALE.  HE HAD RETURNED TO YUN YUH VILLAGE ON FEBRUARY 16, 
2001, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM UNHCR (WHOSE FIRST GROUP OF 
REPATRIATES TO VIETNAM RETURNED ON FEBRUARY 19).  THE 
VILLAGE CHIEF AND ANOTHER VILLAGER WHOSE RELATIVES WERE 
STILL IN CAMBODIA ALSO ATTENDED THIS MEETING. 
 
¶3. (SBU) ACCORDING TO Y THAT, HE WAS "LURED AWAY BY BAD 
PEOPLE" AND CROSSED THE BORDER TO CAMBODIA, 15 KM AWAY. 
THE "BAD PERSON'S" NAME WAS MA CHEL.  HE HAD LEFT HIS 
COFFEE FIELDS, WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN BEHIND. Y THAT STAYED 
IN THE MONDOLKIRI CAMP, BUT AS FAR AS HE KNEW, HIS CAMP HAD 
RECEIVED NO VISITORS FROM VIETNAM, CAMBODIA, OR THE U.S. 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00203  01 OF 03  041656Z 
NOW THAT HE WAS BACK IN YUN YUH, HE WAS HAPPY.  HIS FRIENDS 
CAME TO VISIT HIM AND HE WAS TREATED WELL UPON HIS RETURN. 
Y THAT SPORTED A CRISPLY-IRONED, PINK SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRT, 
KHAKI SHORTS, AND NUMEROUS TATTOOS ON HIS FOREARMS.  HE 
OFFERED TO SHOW CONGENOFFS HIS HOME, WHICH WAS MODEST, BUT 
FULL OF "FRIENDS".  THE COFFEE TABLE FEATURED FAMILY PHOTOS 
UNDER THE GLASS TOP. 
 
¶4. (U) Y SER, THE VILLAGE CHIEF SINCE 1987, RESPONDED TO 
QUESTIONS FROM THE CG.  HE STATED THAT ECONOMIC AND LIVING 
STANDARDS HAD BEEN IMPROVING IN YUN YUH UNTIL AROUND 1999. 
THE VILLAGE MAINLY CULTIVATES COFFEE AND HAS NOT STARTED TO 
DIVERSIFY ITS CROPS.  IT HAS A POPULATION OF 811, OF WHOM 
"750 ARE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE THEIR OWN WORSHIP HOUSE". 
THERE IS NO RESIDENT PASTOR, WHICH IS WHY THEIR WORSHIP 
HOUSE CANNOT BE CALLED A CHURCH.  THE VILLAGE HAD HAD A 
PEACEFUL, "NORMAL" CHRISTMAS, WITH LARGE ATTENDANCE AT THE 
WORSHIP HOUSE SERVICES. 
 
¶5. (U) ACCORDING TO VILLAGE CHIEF Y SER, 64 VILLAGERS - 
INCLUDING ENTIRE FAMILIES - HAD LEFT YUN YUH LAST SPRING. 
HE DISCOVERED THIS WHEN PEOPLE DID NOT SHOW UP FOR WORSHIP 
SERVICES AND FROM "CAMBODIAN TRADERS WHO HAD TOLD (HIM) 
THEY HAD SEEN SOME OF (HIS) PEOPLE OVER IN CAMBODIA."  Y 
SER SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO HINT OF PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THEIR 
DEPARTURE.  WHILE HE HAD HEARD THAT OTHER VILLAGES "HAD 
LOST" PEOPLE, HE BELIEVED HIS VILLAGE HAD LOST THE MOST. 
YUN YUH VILLAGE HAS ELECTRICITY AND IRRIGATION.  THERE IS 
AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WITH INSTRUCTION IN VIETNAMESE BY 
VIETNAMESE KINH TEACHERS. 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  00203  01 OF 03  041656Z 
¶6. (U) CONOFFS HAD SPLIT OFF FROM THE CG AND DPO, AND WERE 
FOLLOWED BY FOUR "VILLAGERS" WHO REMAINED WITH THEM FOR THE 
TWO-HOUR VISIT.  ALTHOUGH THE FOUR MEN APPEARED TO BE 
VILLAGERS, IT SEEMED THEY MIGHT ALSO VILLAGE SECURITY 
OFFICERS.  IN RESPONSE TO CONOFFS' QUESTIONS ABOUT 
RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, THESE VILLAGERS SAID THEY WERE 
PROTESTANTS.  BASED ON SUBSEQUENT INTERACTION, CONOFFS SAW 
NO REASON TO DOUBT THAT.  WHEN CONOFFS ASKED TO SEE THEIR 
PLACE OF WORSHIP, THEY WERE LED TO A BARN-LIKE STRUCTURE 
CONTAINING 24 BENCHES, AN ALTAR WITH A SIMPLE CROSS, BIBLES 
IN THE LOCAL DIALECT, AND CHRISTIAN SONGBOOKS.  THE 
VILLAGERS EXPLAINED THAT 120 HOUSEHOLDS WERE PROTESTANT. 
SEVEN HUNDRED WORSHIPPERS ATTENDED SERVICES EVERY SUNDAY; 
14 HOUSEHOLDS WERE CATHOLIC AND TRAVELED TO A NEARBY TOWN 
TO ATTEND SERVICES.  WHEN ASKED ABOUT CHRISTMAS 2001, THE 
VILLAGERS SAID THERE WERE "NO PROBLEMS." 
 
"I'M PRETTY SURE I MADE IT TO CAMBODIA" 
 
¶7. (U) ALSO IN DAK LAK PROVINCE, CONGENOFFS VISITED BUON 
SUT M'GRU VILLAGE, COMPRISED OF ETHNIC EDE AND VIETNAMESE 
KINH.  ACCORDING TO THE VILLAGE CHIEF OF 27 YEARS, MA HONG, 
NINE PEOPLE WERE TURNED BACK AT THE CAMBODIAN BORDER BY 
VIETNAMESE SOLDIERS.  ONE GROUP WAS A DIVORCED WOMAN AND 
HER CHILD; THE OTHER GROUP WAS A WIFE (WHOSE HUSBAND HAD 
ALREADY GONE TO CAMBODIA) AND HER FIVE CHILDREN.  THE SUT 
M'GRU VILLAGE CHIEF SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO BEATINGS, NO 
VIOLENCE AT THE BORDER.  HE SAID HE FELT SORRY FOR THE 
RETURNEES, WHO HAD "BEEN LURED AWAY BY BAD PEOPLE."  DURING 
HIS TENURE AS VILLAGE CHIEF, THE POPULATION HAD INCREASED 
FROM 300 TO THE CURRENT 1001.  SUT M'GRU HAS BEEN 
ELECTRIFIED SINCE 1994.  IT HAS AN ELEMENTARY AND JUNIOR 
HIGH SCHOOL WITH VIETNAMESE KINH AND EDE TEACHERS.  MA HONG 
EXPECTS THE ETHNIC MINORITY LANGUAGE BILINGUAL PROGRAM TO 
BEGIN NEXT YEAR.  MOST VILLAGERS FOLLOW TRADITIONAL TRIBAL 
PRACTICES OF WORSHIPPING THE GODS OF WATER, GOOD HARVESTS, 
ETC.  MA HONG NOTED THAT WHILE THERE WERE "JUST A FEW 
PROTESTANT HOUSEHOLDS," THEY WORSHIPPED AT HOME. 
 
¶8. (SBU) DPO SPOKE THROUGH A VILLAGE INTERPRETER WITH AN 
EDE WOMAN WHO SAID SHE HAD TRIED TO GET TO THE CAMPS IN 
CAMBODIA, BUT HAD GOTTEN LOST ON THE WAY.  THE CONVERSATION 
- TRANSLATED FROM EDE TO VIETNAMESE AND THEN ENGLISH - TOOK 
PLACE IN A COMFORTABLE, LARGE WOODEN HOUSE WHERE THE WOMAN, 
WHO IS ONE OF TWELVE CHILDREN, WAS SURROUNDED BY FAMILY 
MEMBERS.  THE WOMAN'S NAME WAS A MI THOI.  SHE SAID SHE 
WENT TO CAMBODIA BECAUSE A "BAD PERSON" HAD TOLD HER THAT 
IF SHE COULD JUST GET ACROSS THE BORDER, SHE WOULD BE GIVEN 
MONEY AND THE CHANCE TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE IN A NEW 
COUNTRY.  SHE SAID SHE CROSSED INTO CAMBODIA BUT COULD NOT 
FIND THE CAMPS.  AFTER SPENDING TWO WEEKS IN THE WOODS, SHE 
RETURNED TO SUT M'GRU.  A MI THOI SAID SHE WAS ON HER OWN 
THE WHOLE TIME, EXCEPT FOR HER 6-YEAR OLD SON, WHOM SHE HAD 
TAKEN WITH HER.  SHE SAID SHE WAS DIVORCED AND A 
PROTESTANT, BUT DID NOT INDICATE THIS WAS A FACTOR IN HER 
DECISION TO LEAVE THE VILLAGE FOR CAMBODIA.  DPO LATER 
LEARNED A MI THOI HAD NO EDUCATION, SINCE HER FAMILY HAD 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00203  02 OF 03  041657Z 
BEEN TOO POOR WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER. 
 
¶9. (SBU) A MI THOI REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT HER FAMILY 
HAD WELCOMED HER BACK AND THAT SHE WAS VERY HAPPY TO BE 
WITH THEM AGAIN.  STILL, SHE APPEARED QUITE SAD.  SHE SAID 
HER FAMILY AND THE WHOLE VILLAGE HAD HELPED HER SINCE HER 
RETURN.  ASKED FOR SPECIFICS, SHE SAID HER FAMILY HAD GIVEN 
HER A HOUSE OF HER OWN.  THE ONLY PROBLEM SHE MENTIONED WAS 
RELATED TO A FEW "BAD VILLAGE OFFICIALS" WHO THOUGHT SHE 
WAS RICH BECAUSE OF HER NEW HOUSE AND WERE CAUSING HER 
DIFFICULTIES.  A MI THOI DID NOT SEEM AFRAID TO SPEAK UP 
AND ANSWERED SEVERAL QUESTIONS AT LENGTH AND WITH EMOTION. 
DPO BELIEVES THE VILLAGE INTERPRETER PROBABLY SUMMARIZED 
ANSWERS RATHER THAN TRANSLATING ALL THE DETAILS, BUT 
GENERALLY PROVIDED AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF A YOUNG WOMAN 
LEADING A VERY DIFFICULT LIFE WHO DECIDED TO TRY FOR 
SOMETHING BETTER AND FAILED. 
 
UNSCRUPULOUS LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND LAND CONFISCATION? 
 
¶10. (U) CG (ACCOMPANIED BY FSN POL/ECON ASSISTANT AND 
VILLAGE CHIEF MA HONG) VISITED THE WIFE (WHOSE HUSBAND HAD 
ALREADY GONE TO CAMBODIA) AND HER FIVE CHILDREN.  THE 
HUSBAND'S NAME IS Y-DHEC EBAN.  THE WIFE'S NAME IS H'DRO 
ADUONG.  ACCORDING TO THE WIFE, HER HUSBAND LEFT FOR 
CAMBODIA LAST AUTUMN.  THE TIMELINE IS UNCLEAR, BUT SOME 
TIME LATER, THE FAMILY CAME HOME ONE NIGHT TO FIND THE 
ELECTRICITY CUT OFF.  UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANT, THEY 
DECIDED TO TRY TO FOLLOW THEIR FATHER TO CAMBODIA, BUT WERE 
TURNED BACK AT THE BORDER.  H'DRO ADUONG GREW MORE RETICENT 
AT THIS POINT, EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARED THE VILLAGE CHIEF 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HO CHI  00203  02 OF 03  041657Z 
WAS REASSURING HER IN THEIR NATIVE EDE LANGUAGE. 
 
¶11. (SBU) THE FAMILY'S ELDEST DAUGHTER HOWEVER, WHO 
APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 20-YEARS OLD, WAS FIDGETING AND 
CLEARLY ANGRY ABOUT SOMETHING.  SHE HAD ENGAGED IN A 
RUNNING DISCUSSION WITH HER MOTHER IN ETHNIC EDE SINCE THE 
CG'S ARRIVAL.  SHE SAID HER NAME WAS A ME PHIAN.  IN 
RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS, SHE CLAIMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN LAND 
PROBLEMS WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES OVER THE LAST 20 
MONTHS.  AFTER RUMMAGING IN A CUPBOARD, SHE PRODUCED COPIES 
OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS SEEKING RETURN OF LAND THAT HER FATHER 
(Y-DHEC EBAN) CLAIMED THE VILLAGE CHIEF AND CU SUE COMMUNE 
PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE HAD UNLAWFULLY CONFISCATED AND SOLD FOR 
THEIR OWN PROFIT.  A SEPARATE DOCUMENT WAS A LETTER OF 
COMPLAINT TO THE VILLAGE POLICE, ALLEGING THAT BECAUSE OF 
THE LAND DISPUTE, SIX OTHER ETHNIC MINORITY VILLAGERS HAD 
COME TO BEAT Y-DHEK EBAN'S WIFE.  THEY INJURED HER SO BADLY 
THAT SHE HAD TO GO TO THE DAK LAK PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL FOR 
EMERGENCY TREATMENT.  BOTH DOCUMENTS INDICATE THE 
PETITIONER (Y-DHEK EBAN) HAD PRESENTED HIS CASE SEVERAL 
TIMES TO THE COMMUNE COMMITTEE. 
 
¶12. (SBU) WHEN CG LATER ASKED A PROVINCIAL OFFICIAL WHETHER 
SHE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE CASE, THE OFFICIAL RESPONDED YES. 
ACCORDING TO THIS OFFICIAL, THE FAMILY IS RIGHT ON CERTAIN 
POINTS, BUT WRONG ON OTHERS.  THEN THE OFFICIAL VOLUNTEERED 
RETURNED ON THEIR OWN AND SOME WHO NEVER MADE IT ACROSS 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00203  03 OF 03  041657Z 
THAT THE ETHNIC MINORITY VILLAGERS OFTEN DO NOT UNDERSTAND 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS - "EVEN THOSE THAT GIVE THEM GREATER 
PRIVILEGES AND BENEFITS THAT THE REST OF US (VIETNAMESE 
KINH) DO NOT HAVE." 
 
¶13. (SBU) RETURNING TO THE ELDEST DAUGHTER A ME PHIAN, SHE 
SAID THE FAMILY HAD DEPARTED ON DECEMBER 24 FOR THE 
CAMBODIAN BORDER.  SHE WAS NOT CERTAIN WHEN THEY HAD 
RETURNED, BUT THE VILLAGE CHIEF RECKONED IT WAS 8-9 DAYS 
AFTER THAT.  CG ASKED HOW THE FAMILY HAD BEEN TREATED SINCE 
THEIR RETURN.  A ME PHIAN RESPONDED WITH A NEUTRAL SHRUG, 
BUT COMPLAINED THAT SOME DRUNKEN VILLAGERS HAD TAUNTED AND 
SCARED THE FAMILY LATE ONE NIGHT.  THE VILLAGE CHIEF THEN 
INTERRUPTED TO SAY THAT THE POLICE RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY 
AND TOOK THE ROWDIES TO THE COMMUNE STATION AND TOLD THEM 
NOT TO DO IT AGAIN.  A ME PHIAN DID NOT CONTRADICT THIS. 
ASKED IF THE BROKEN CLOCK WITH A THREE-DIMENSIONAL PICTURE 
OF THE LAST SUPPER MEANT THE FAMILY WAS PROTESTANT OR 
CATHOLIC, SHE REPLIED THEY WERE PROTESTANT.  SHE GAVE NO 
INDICATION THAT SHE THOUGHT THIS HAD PLAYED A ROLE IN 
EITHER THE LAND OR BORDER-CROSSING ISSUES. 
 
¶14. (SBU) COMMENT: A ME PHIAN'S FEARLESSNESS IN PRESENTING 
US THE LAND DOCUMENTS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE VILLAGE CHIEF 
(WHO MIGHT WELL HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE "CORRUPT LOCAL 
OFFICIALS" REFERRED TO IN THE WRITTEN ALLEGATIONS) WAS 
IMPRESSIVE.  SHE HAD RECEIVED NO SCHOOOLING, AND IN FACT, 
THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION AMONG THE RETURNEES WE MET 
WAS FOURTH GRADE.  EVEN THE VILLAGE CHIEF TOLD US THAT HIS 
IDEA OF "FAR AWAY" WAS ANYTHING BEYOND 60 METERS.  DAK LAK 
MARKED THE FIRST TIME WE HAD HEARD A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HO CHI  00203  03 OF 03  041657Z 
HINT OPENLY AT RESENTMENT TOWARD ETHNIC MINORITIES FOR THE 
SPECIAL BENEFITS THEY ARE ENTITLED TO.  IT WAS ALSO THE 
ONLY DETAILED "LAND PROBLEM" WE HEARD ABOUT ON THIS TRIP. 
SEPTEL WILL FOLLOW ON THIS LAST SUBJECT.  YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED