Montagnards Tortured and Forced to Join Government Church by Vietnamese Authorities

MONTAGNARD DEGAR CHRISTIANS TORTURED AND FORCED TO JOIN GOVERNMENT (ECVN) CHURCH BY VIETNAMESE AUTHORITIES
32 MORE CHRISTIANS ARRESTED IN DECEMBER AND NOVEMBER 2005

7 December 2005 Spartanburg S.C. USA

BACKGROUND: The indigenous Montagnards (Degar) Peoples have suffered decades of persecution by the communist government of Vietnam, namely; confiscation of their ancestral lands, torture, killings, unjust imprisonment and religious repression. In fact in December 2005 the US State Department has continued to maintain Vietnam on the “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations that are the worst violators of religious freedom in the world. To counter the increasing international condemnation of their human rights abuses and in particular religious persecution the Vietnamese communist authorities have started forcing Montagnard Degar Christians to join the official government controlled religious group called “ECVN” - Evangelical Church of Vietnam. Details of recent violations of religious freedom and human rights in Vietnam have been received from Montagnard Foundation sources inside Vietnam and listed below.

1 - Dieu Duy Den age 43 from the village of Ap 5, commune of Tho Son, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 5, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason of the arrest is because he preaches gospel at his village.

2 - Dieu Nhong age unknown, from the village of Bon Bu Rpe, commune Dak Nhao, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 5, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason of the arrest is because he preaches gospel at his village.

3 - Dieu Noi age 49, from the village of Bon Bu Ndor, commune Dak Rteh, district of Dak Rlap, province of Dak Nong. He was arrested on December 5, 2005 and sent to the prison in Dak Nong province. The reason is because he is a simple Christian belonging to a church not recognized by the Vietnamese government.

4 - Dieu Muc age unknown, from the village of Bon Bu Ndor, commune Dak Rteh, district of Dak Rlap, province of Dak Nong. He was arrested on December 5, 2005 The reason is because he is a simple Christian belonging to a church not recognized by the Vietnamese government.

5 - Dieu Lik age 34, from the village of Bon Diang Rhac, commune Dak Nhao, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 4, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason is because he preaches gospel to people at his village.

6 – Kpa Kre age 40, from the village of Plei Du Pah, commune of Ia Ko, district of Cu Se, province of Gialai. The security forces have been chasing to capture Kpa Kre in the jungles for a while because he was going around preaching gospel to people and finally they captured him on December 4, 2005. The security forces savagely tortured him by boxing, kicking, beating with batons until he was unconscious and his body was covered with blood. He is now in the prison facility in Cu Se district.

7 - Dieu Kai age 32 from the Vvillage of Bon Dak Mbrai, commune Son Lang, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 3, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason is because he is a simple Christian belong to a church not recognized by the Vietnamese government.

8 – Dieu Mbrung age 35 from the village of Bon Dak Mbrai, commune Son Lang, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 3, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason is because he is a simple Christian belong to a church not recognized by the Vietnamese government.

9 - Dieu Phon age 36 from the village of Bon Dieng Rhac, commune Dak Nhao, district of Bu Dang, province of Binh Phuoc. He was arrested on December 3, 2005 and sent to the prison in Bu Dang district. The reason is because he preaches gospel to people at his village.

10 – H’Jer Nie (female) age 35, from village of Buon Ea Kjoh, commune of Ea Drong, district Krong Buuk, province of Daklak. She was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Krong Buk on December 1, 2005 because she had been leading Christian women at her village to pray and worship God.

11 – Y-Bhun Mlo age 41, from the village of Buon Ea Kjoh, commune of Ea Drong, district of Krong Buk, province of Daklak. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Krong Buk on December 1, 2005 because he has been leading congregations to pray and worship God at his village.

12 – Siu Anou age 53, from the village of Plei Luh Ngo, commune Ia Hru, district of Cu Se, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in Cu Se district on November 30, 2005 because he has been leading the Christian in his village to study the Bible and did not want to sign the blank document.

13 – Siu Blong age 42, from the village of Plei Tao Klah, commune of Ia Hru, district of Cu Se, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in Cu Se district on November 30, 2005 because he has been leading the Christian in his village to study the Bible and did not want to sign the blank document.

14 – Siu H’Mang (female) age unknown, from village of Plei Brel, commune of Ia Yeng, district of Ayun Pa, province of Gialai. She was arrested and sent to unknown prison on November 25, 2005 because of refusing to sign blank documents and refusing to join the ECVN.

15 – H’Tir Mlo (female) age 47, from village of Buon Ea Kjoh, commune Ea Drong, district of Krong Buk, province of Daklak. She was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Krong Buk on November 24, 2005 because she refused to sign a blank document, refused to join the ECVN and because she talked to her husband on the phone, Y-Sik Nie, who is living in the United States.

16 – Y-Blo Nie Buondap age unknown, from village of Buon Ea Kjoh, commune of Ea Drong, district of Krong Buk, province of Daklak. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Krong Buk on November 24, 2005 because he has been leading congregations to pray and worship God at his village.

17 - Nhin age unknown, from village Plei Djrong, commune of A Dok, district of Dak Doa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Dak Doa on November 23, 2005 because of being a Christian and refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

18 – Nay Cham age 33, from village of Bon Croh Ponan, commune of Ia Hiao, district of Ayun Pa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison T-15 at Plei Bong, province of Gialai on November 23, 2005 because he refused to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

19 – Nhunh age 27, from village of Plei Djrong, commune of A Dok, district of Dak Doa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Dak Doa on November 23, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

20 – Siu Krim age 40, from village of Bon Croh Ponan, commune of Ia Hiao, district of Ayun Pa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison T-15 at Plei Bong, province of Gialai on November 23, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

21 – A-Chie age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

22 – A-Blong age 43, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign paper and not joining ECVN.

23 – A-Grip age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

24 – A-Chuo age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

25 – A-Huen age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

26 – A-Jup age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

27 – H’Jum (female) age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN and also because her husband is living in the United States.

28 – A-Yiu age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Xa Thai on November 12, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN. His son A-Pyaih has also been imprisoned in Thanh Hoa Province.

29 – Siu Luar age 40, from the village of Bon Tang, commune of Phu Can, district of Krong Pa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in the district of Krong Pa on November 7, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

30 – Rahlan Lua age 41, from the village of Bon Tuat, commune of Ia Sie, district of Krong Pa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to prison in Ha Nam on December 14, 2001. He was released in March of 2005 but re-arrested again and sent him to unknown prison on November 5, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

31 – A-Groh age unknown, from the village of Plei Grak, commune of Ia Sier, district of Xa Thai, province of Kontum. He was arrested and sent to prison in Thanh Hoa province on November 4, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

32 – Ksor Crun age 47, from the village of Bon Tuat, commune of Ia Siem, district of Krong Pa, province of Gialai. He was arrested and sent to unknown prison on November 3, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN.

Degar people below were brutally tortured and then returned home because of being Christian

1 – Siu Ju, age unknown, from the village of Plei Betel, commune of Ia Hru, district of Cu Se, province of Gialai was arrested and sent to the prison in Cu Se district on December 2, 2005 because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN. The security forces savagely tortured him by boxing, kicking, beating with batons until he was unconscious and his body was covered with blood. Then, they took him home December 4, 2005 because they did not want him to die in the prison. He is now suffering from the beatings but does not want to go to hospital for afraid of being killed by doctors as it is a common threat amongst our people that authorities will poison them in hospital.

2 – Rmah Hih, age unknown, from the village of Plei Tomong, commune of Ia To, district of Ia Grai B-14, province of Gialai, had been through the same situation above because of refusing to sign a blank document and refusing to join the ECVN. He was arrested and sent to an unknown prison on November 12, 2005. After the security forces had savagely tortured him, they took him home on November 28, 2005 and now he is suffering from the brutal beatings and afraid to go to the hospital for the same reason mentioned above.

Note: The blank document that the police want the prisoners to sign was a completely blank paper with nothing written on it. The reason for this is because the police can write or type on the signed paper with any incriminating made up confession for the purpose of prosecuting these people in a court of trial. This is a very immoral and dangerous trick by the government to hurt its own citizens in this manner.

Over the years thousands of Degar people have been put through the same kind of treatment above but we just can’t acquire information on every case because the Vietnamese government uses various means to prevent communications leaving the Central Highlands to the outside world. On behalf of the Degar Christians in the Central Highlands, we humbly ask all Christians in the world not only pray for Degar people but for those who manage to go into the Central Highlands to gather reliable information and distribute it to the outside world.

THE MONTAGNARD FOUNDATION URGENTLY CALLS ON:

1. The United States Government, the European Union, the United Nations and all other peaceful nations to insist Vietnam ceases all religious persecution before Vietnam be granted entry into the World Trade Organization.

2. The United States Government and the European Union, the United Nations, and all other peaceful nations to insist all Montagnard Degar Prisoners are fully accounted for and released from Vietnamese Prisons before Vietnam be granted entry into the World Trade Organization.

3. The United States Government, the European Union, the United Nations, and all other peaceful nations insist Vietnam abide by the 2002 Concluding Observations of the UN Human Rights Committee regarding the “serious violations” facing the Montagnard peoples (UN doc: CCPR/C/SR.2031) and allow human rights monitors access to the central highlands as a precondition to Vietnam gaining entry into the World Trade Organization.