US embassy cable - 04HANOI1007

UNCLAS HANOI 001007 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PINS, PGOV, VM, HUMANR, ETMIN 
SUBJECT: GVN "CLOSES" CENTRAL HIGHLANDS TO FOREIGNERS, 
INCLUDING U.S. DIPLOMATS 
 
Ref: A.  HCMC 391    B.  Hanoi 692 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Embassy and ConGen officers, who had been 
told the Central Highlands were "closed" to foreigners after 
demonstrations there turned violent, were stopped by police 
from traveling to the Central Highlands town of Buon Ma 
Thuot, in the province of Dak Lak, on April 10.  Police 
stopped ConGen HCMC vehicle at a toll station and informed 
Mission Officers that they would not be allowed to proceed 
to the region as the situation was "not suitable" for 
foreigners.  Some Vietnamese travelers were also reportedly 
stopped.  We have not been informed officially by MFA of 
these restrictions, however, and have asked to meet to 
discuss.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Septel from ConGen will report additionally on 
Easter weekend disturbances in the Central Highlands (ref 
a), and septel from Embassy will comment on their 
significance and implications. 
 
3.  (U)  On the morning of Saturday, April 10, Mission 
Officers were informed by officials from the Ho Chi Minh 
City External Relations Office (ERO) that they must postpone 
their previously-scheduled trip (ref b) to the Central 
Highlands provinces of Dak Lak, Gai Lai, and Kon Tum, and 
that their appointments in the region (which had been 
confirmed on the afternoon of April 9) had all been 
cancelled for now.  The ERO official added that the entire 
Central Highlands region was "closed to foreigners for 
security reasons."  After consulting with Mission 
leadership, missionoffs attempted to travel overland to the 
Central Highlands to assess the situation firsthand. 
 
3. (SBU) Missionoffs proceeded as far as the town of Dong 
Xoai in Binh Phuoc province, about 2 1/2 hours from HCMC and 
2 hours from Dak Lak province, where they were stopped by 
police at a toll station.  Called into the toll station's 
office, they were met by two police officers who identified 
themselves as provincial immigration police.  The police 
noted that Missionoffs had already been told by the ERO that 
they could not travel to the Central Highlands.  Saying that 
the region was "not suitable" for foreigners, they politely 
but firmly informed Missionoffs that they would not be 
allowed to proceed.  The police did note that Vietnamese 
citizens "with a reason to travel" to Dak Lak province were 
being allowed to continue, but said that other Vietnamese 
visitors were being asked to delay their trips.  The police 
claimed that vehicles traveling from the region had shown 
signs of damage from rocks thrown by ethnic minority persons 
on the roadside.  After Missionoffs began driving back to 
HCMC, police followed them for several miles. 
 
4. (SBU) On the morning of April 11, Missionoffs inquired 
about purchasing tickets for a flight to the Central 
Highlands town of Pleiku, in Gia Lai province.  Vietnam 
Airlines ticket agents informed officers that foreigners 
were not being allowed to fly to Buon Ma Thuot or Pleiku, 
although they were allowed to fly to Dalat, in the Central 
Highlands province of Lam Dong.  Travel by air for 
Vietnamese citizens did not appear to be restricted.  The 
MFA told DCM on April 10 that the missionsoffs "cannot and 
should not" even try to take a flight to Pleiku. 
 
5.  (U)  As of COB April 12, the MFA has not formally 
informed Embassy of new restrictions on our in-country 
travel.  We have requested an appointment to discuss ASAP. 
BURGHARDT