Torture of Degar Montagnard Christian reported as fact in foreign media;Victim has now fled to Cambodia as entire village has been threatened.
by Michael Ireland
August 17, 2007
SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA (ANS) -- Allegations of torture of a Montagnard Degar Christisn are now being taken seriously following a report in a Cambodian newspaper.
According to the Montagnard Foundation, Human Rights Watch Refugee policy Director Bill Frelick now takes as fact a report in a Cambodian newspaper claims that a Degar Christian has been tortured by Vietnamese government forces.
The article titled "UNHCR Mum on Montagnard Torture Allegations" by Douglas Gillison, published in the Cambodian Daily on Friday, August 10, 2007, describes how the UN High Commissioner for Refugees confirmed the circumstances of the statements made by the Montagnard Foundation, but declined to discuss the actual torture allegations of Y-Phuc Buon Krong.
The article did, however, report that Human Rights Watch Refugee Policy Director Bill Frelick said his organization now takes the reported torture as fact and quoted him saying: "We have sources in the Central Highlands that have independently confirmed this incident." He wrote: "We are extremely concerned about continuing reports of threats, harassment, and even detention and beatings of Montagnards visited by international delegations."
The Montagnard Foundation (MFI) has further re-confirmed from various sources that Vietnamese security forces had gone into the village of Buon Cuor Knia prior to the UNHCR officials arriving there and threatened the villagers beforehand that if they say anything negative to foreigners when they arrive in the village that they will be arrested, tortured and imprisoned.
MFI says the entire village was deeply frightened when the UNHCR officials arrived in company of security forces and further the security forces later prevented UNHCR from meetings the villagers.
"We re-confirm the entire meeting was a scheduled attempted 'set up' by Vietnamese security forces to hoodwink the UNHCR, MFI states.
"In this testimony you can hear how torture is conducted in Vietnam and how beatings and forced deportations of over 100 Montagnards have occurred," the organization, which is dedicated to the preservation of the Indigenous People of the Central Vietnam, has said.
In a media advisory, the Montagnard Foundation "calls on the international community to investigate the appalling situation particularly as Vietnam hinders monitors in the region. A permanent diplomatic solution is needed as Degar Montagnards report they are afraid to speak to foreigners or UNHCR officials."
MFI says that on June 26, 2007, a UN representative entered the village of Buon Cuor Knia in Dak Lak province in the company of Vietnamese government security forces to conduct interviews of three mothers of Degar Montagnard men who had previously fled to Cambodia. The names of the sons in question who fled to Cambodia are Y-No Buon Krong, Y-Phor Mlo, and Y-Dream Kbuor.
During the interview, MFI says the UN officials asked the three women why their sons had fled to Cambodia. The women however, were only able to cry aloud in grief. Seeing the women crying a Degar man named Y-Phuoc Buon Krong stepped forward to assist. Y-Phuoc Buon Krong is also from Buon Cuor Knia village, commune Ia Bar, district Buon Don in Dak Lak province and is the half-brother of Y-No Buon Krong (one of the men the UN official was asking the three mothers about).
Y-Phuoc Buon Krong told the UN representative that the three men had fled to Cambodia because of inhuman treatment by the Vietnamese government. Then, one of the Vietnamese security officers who were escorting the UN official interjected stating "how would you know, you're an outsider." Y-Phuoc Buon Krong replied "what do you mean I don't know? They are my brother and friends."
The security officer remained silent, and later when he was alone Y-Phuoc gave the UN official a written report of human rights violations committed by the Vietnamese government against the Degar people.
ARRESTED, BEATEN, TORTURED WITH CHEMICAL MACE
The next day the security forces arrested Y-Phuoc Buonkrong and took him to their headquarters in Buon Don District where they tortured him by kicking him and beating him until he was unconscious. The security forces repeatedly sprayed a burning chemical substance to his face and eyes, forcing him to admit to crimes against the government.
MFI says Y-Phuoc was tortured in custody for two days before they released him. Back at his village, he remained in bed unable to stand due to injuries and pain from the torture inflicted by the security forces. Y-Phuoc Buonkrong feared for his life as the security forces had threatened him with more torture, so he fled his village when his health recovered and crossed the border towards Cambodia where he managed to reach the UNHCR in Cambodia.
SECURITY FORCES THREATEN VILLAGERS NOT TO SPEAK TO UNHCR: THREE WOMAN DETAINED BY POLICE AND HIDDEN
On hearing that Y-Phuoc Buonkrong had left his village for Cambodia, the Vietnamese government sent troops to surround the village of Buon Cuor Knia to search for him. On July 18, 2007 security forces stationed themselves in his village for two days and threatened the entire village not to get in touch with any United Nations officials or other foreigners less they will be arrested and imprisoned for between 10-20 years.
Security forces also detained the three women (mothers of Y-Dream, Y-Phor and Y-No) of Buon Cuor Knia village and prevented foreigners (presumably more UN officials) from later interviewing them. The security police told the foreigners that the three women were not home and send them away.
MFI reports that on July 21, 2007 security forces also entered the nearby village of Buon Dha where approximately 123 security police and soldiers men surrounded them keeping tight surveillance on the villagers and threatening them not to speak to the UN representative or any foreigner.
The Montagnard Foundation has therefore urgently called on concerned Embassies, US State Department, European Commission, United Nations, Red Cross and other international humanitarian agencies to investigate Y-Phuoc Buonkrong's situation and ensure he is protected by the UNHCR and ensure the three Degar women detained by Vietnamese security forces are not persecuted in Vietnam.
MFI also asks these and other international humanitarian agencies "demand Vietnam release and account for all Degar prisoners including the 350 identified in the Human Rights Watch report of June 14, 2006. "
The US State Department, European Commission, United Nations and other peace loving nations are being asked to seriously review their diplomatic and economic relations with Vietnam, given "the flagrant disregard for human rights and broken promises continually made by Hanoi."
MFI is also requesting the US State Department to place Vietnam back on the 'Country of Particular Concern' watch list for committing ongoing religious persecution against Christian house churches.
The organization says it pledges "peaceful means of advocacy in the spirit of democracy and international cooperation. MFI does not seek independence but prays that all Degar Montagnard people, whether they are Protestant, Catholic or animist will one day live freely as equal citizens within Vietnam."
Torture of Degar Montagnard Christian reported as fact in foreign media;Victim has now fled to Cambodia as entire village has been threatened.
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