US embassy cable - 04HANOI1076

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PREF, VM, HUMANR, ETMIN 
SUBJECT:  CENTRAL HIGHLANDS:  BLAME UNHCR 
 
REF:  STATE 82712 
 
1.  (SBU)  Summary.  The GVN officially blames UNHCR for 
having caused the April 10-11 demonstrations in the Central 
Highlands by "organizing" illegal crossings of Montagnards 
and granting them asylum.  Ambassador sharply criticized 
this "farfetched" notion, stressing the local conditions in 
the Central Highlands that had caused unhappiness, and 
stressing the legal mandate of UNHCR, which the RCG itself 
had an obligation to support and respect.  The MFA promised 
to "try" to facilitate a trip to the Central Highlands by 
missionoffs within the next week.  It is striking that the 
GVN has clearly decided not to attempt to blame the U.S., 
or even specifically groups in the U.S., for the recent 
troubles.  End Summary. 
 
Back to normal 
-------------- 
 
2.  (U)  In a meeting on April 14 with Assistant Foreign 
Minister and Americas Department Director General Nguyen 
Duc Hung, Ambassador delivered reftel talking points on the 
Central Highlands, highlighting "intense" U.S. and 
international interest and concern.  AFM Hung admitted 
"disturbances" on April 10 and 11 in the three provinces of 
Dak Lak, Dak Rong, and Gia Lai, in which groups of 
Montagnards had been "incited" to oppose local authorities 
and engage in acts of violence, leading to clashes with 
public security officials.  He said he did not have 
information on injuries, deaths, or arrests, but promised 
to "try" to obtain such information.  He further claimed 
attacks on and destruction of public offices in "a number 
of districts."  He claimed that local authorities 
"persuaded" demonstrators to return home and that the 
situation had now "returned to normal" and that "order has 
been restored." 
 
UNHCR's fault 
------------- 
 
3.  (SBU)  AFM Hung attributed the causes of the 
demonstrations to "interference," notably due to the 
attempts of the UNHCR representative in Cambodia to 
organize "illegal border crossings" without the knowledge 
of the RCG.  He noted that the RCG itself viewed such 
actions as a violation of its sovereignty and as "illegal 
people smuggling," and therefore had ordered the closure of 
the UNHCR office in Rattanakiri.  In anticipation of 
imminent flight out of Vietnam, Hung further claimed, many 
Montagnard families had recently sold their houses and 
land, and there were even rumors that U.S. airplanes would 
even come to the Central Highland to pick up people wishing 
to leave.  AFM Hung reaffirmed GVN policy of "national 
unity" and promotion of democracy, human rights, and 
religious freedom. 
 
4.  (SBU)  Ambassador called the allegations against UNHCR 
as an "insult" to an organization that was fulfilling its 
legal mandate, which the RCG had an obligation to assist as 
a signatory to the Refugee Convention.  He noted that in 
fact only a small number of Montagnards had been able to 
cross the border and made it with difficulty to Phnom Penh 
to request asylum.  He called it "farfetched" that the 
UNHCR office had the slightest role in inciting these 
demonstrations.   He complained that there have been 
repeated reports over the past year of efforts by Cambodian 
officials to catch Montagnards seeking asylum in Cambodia 
and returning them to Vietnam, often in cooperation with 
Vietnamese security offices and often in return for bounty 
payments, he continued.  He warned the GVN against 
encouraging the RCG to avoid its international 
responsibilities and obligations. 
 
5.  (SBU)  AFM Hung claimed that, while Vietnamese laws 
were not "perfect," the GVN would still enforce its laws 
about crossing without permission; freedom of movement was 
only valid for internal travel.  Ambassador stressed that 
such crossings were a legal matter for Cambodia, not 
Vietnam. 
 
Long-time problem; access needed 
-------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  Ambassador emphasized that the situation in the 
Central Highlands would remain difficult for a long time, 
due to unhappiness over land tenure, income disparities, 
discrimination, and interference with religious practice, 
which made many Montagnards wish to seek asylum.  He noted 
that the USG was willing to cooperate to ensure orderly 
programs for those who did wish to leave, and that escape 
across the border remained an "escape value" for those who 
could not leave otherwise, an option the GVN should allow. 
 
7.  (U)  Ambassador urged renewed access to the Central 
Highlands.  AFM Hung said that since the situation was 
"normal," people were free to go there again.  Ambassador 
said that another Embassy/ConGen team would try to go again 
within a week in that case; such a reporting trip would 
help greatly better to understand the situation and to re- 
institute openness and reciprocity.  He noted that, when 
there was no access, people tend to believe the worst.  AFM 
Hung promised to "try" to ensure access for the Mission 
team by "creating conditions" for them to go. 
 
8.  (U)  Ambassador reiterated USG respect for Vietnam's 
sovereignty, and AFM Hung acknowledged that the USG did not 
support the Dega movement, and that its position on 
Vietnam's sovereignty was "clear."   He added that the GVN 
recognized USG "restraint" and "understanding." 
 
9.  (SBU)  Comment:  Unlike 2001, the GVN has clearly 
decided against laying the blame at the door of the U.S., 
and in this discussion at least did not even belabor the 
role of US-based groups.  The attack on UNHCR is misguided 
and troubling, however, but demonstrates once again the 
perceived GVN need to have an outside enemy to blame for 
internal problems. 
BURGHARDT