VZCZCXRO7022
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0315 1000410
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090410Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH PRIORITY 0136
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1646

UNCLAS PHNOM PENH 000315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/MLS AND PRM 
BANGKOK FOR REFCOORD TIM SCHERER 
HO CHI MINH CITY FOR TIM SWANSON 
GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF CB VM
SUBJECT: QUIET, SMOOTH CAMBODIAN DEPORTATION OF EIGHT 
MONTAGNARDS 
 
REF: 07 PHNOM PENH 1458 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Eight Montagnard Vietnamese citizens departed a 
UNHCR site in Phnom Penh by minivan headed for the 
Cambodia-Vietnam border on April 9, 2008 as part of a forced 
repatriation.  All eight persons came to the UNHCR Cambodia 
after May 1, the cutoff date for Montagnard arrivals to be 
considered for U.S. resettlement if UNHCR denied them refugee 
status.  One of the deported individuals was female, seven 
were male, all were adults. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The early morning deportation went quietly and 
without incident.  Poloff was on site during the departure, 
along with several UNHCR staff and approximately 10 Ministry 
of Interior (MOI) Immigration Department officials.  There 
were no media or NGO representatives on site.  Poloff could 
see into the compound when the eight persons prepared to 
board the vehicle; at least two appeared to be happily saying 
their goodbyes to other Montagnard individuals and UNHCR 
staff.  As the minivan pulled out of the compound, each one 
of the deported individuals waved goodbye, many of them 
smiling.  Three MOI officials accompanied the Montagnards to 
the Vietnamese border, where they were to be turned over to 
the Vietnamese authorities. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) UNHCR staff told poloff that Vietnamese officials 
will "process" the Montagnards' arrival this afternoon.  They 
will then begin a drive directly to their home provinces in 
the Central Highlands -- a journey that can take as long as 
24 hours.  The individuals are therefore expected to arrive 
in their home villages late in the day on April 10. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) This is not the first forced repatriation of 
Montagnard individuals who arrived in Cambodia after the May 
1 cutoff date.  During a recent meeting with DCM Piper 
Campbell and UNHCR Deputy Regional Representative Giuseppe de 
Vincentis and UNHCR Cambodia Country Representative 
Thamrongsak Meechubot, Meechubot stated that a deportation of 
two such individuals had taken place in late February, along 
with one individual who arrived before May 1 but was 
departing voluntarily.  Given that the post-May 1 arrivals 
had not been eligible for U.S. review after denied refugee 
status by the UNHCR, the UNHCR presumed Embassy Phnom Penh 
would not be interested in the repatriation proceeding.  The 
DCM stressed our continued interest and stated that it would 
be best if Emboffs continue to be made aware of and monitor 
the departure proceedings.  UNHCR agreed to involve us in all 
departure proceedings in the future. 
MUSSOMELI