US embassy cable - 04HANOI2608

UNCLAS HANOI 002608 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR S/CT, DS, EAP/BCLTV, EAP/RSP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, ASEC, LA, VM, ETMIN 
SUBJECT: "BANDIT" GROUPS RAID NEAR LAOS BORDER 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  We have confirmed reports of clashes 
between Vietnamese Border Army troops and small groups of 
armed Hmong in western Nghe An province that have left two 
dead since late July.  The GVN published the story in the 
newspaper but has declined to discuss it with us.  End 
Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The September 16 issue of Quan Doi Nhan Dan (The 
People's Army Daily newspaper) carried a story on "recent 
activities by illegal armed intruders" in Ky Son District, 
Nghe An Province.  AFP also had a September 16 report on the 
same subject.  According to the Quan Doi Nhan Dan story, 
"groups of armed individuals" had entered the district and 
either stolen food or forced local residents to sell them 
food on five separate occasions (note: AFP reports eight 
occasions.  End note.) since July 26, 2004.  The intruders 
exchanged fire with Border Army forces, killing one officer 
in late July.  (The newspaper identified the Border Army 
officer as Va Ba Giai, Control Team Leader, Border Check 
Unit 551.  An official at the Ky Son district People's 
Committee confirmed for us the details of the newspaper 
report, adding "skirmishes happen from time to time here.") 
 
2. (U) The "criminals" identified in the QDND report were 
armed with AK-47 and SKS small arms, and carried 
"communication equipment" (NFI).  Their rice purchases were 
as high as 400 kilograms.  Incidents occurred on July 26, 
August 8, August 18, and September 3.  On September 11, an 
"augmented" Border Army force killed one "criminal" 
(identified as Gia Ba Va, aged 18) and captured three 
others, then captured another group of three.  The six are 
now in detention at the Border Army headquarters. 
 
3. (SBU) The Ky Son district People's Committee official we 
talked to (who declined to give his name) called the groups 
"bandits from Laos" and said they had been entering Vietnam 
illegally because of pressure from the Lao army.  The AFP 
report quoted Border Army sources saying the groups were 
"rebels." 
 
4. (SBU) Comment: GVN interlocutors are not talking to us 
about this issue yet, possibly because of the sensitivity 
and the involvement of Laos.  The local Ky Son official was 
willing to talk to us because the USG funds a large crop 
substitution project in the area through UNODC, but he would 
not go so far as to give us his name.  The communes in the 
district of Ky Son where these incidents occurred are 
entirely Hmong, as are the areas just on the other side of 
the border in Laos.  The names of both the "criminal" and 
the Border Army officer who were killed are Hmong.  End 
Comment. 
MARINE