US embassy cable - 04HANOI3392

UNCLAS HANOI 003392 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PREF, KIRF, VM, CB, CTERR, ETMIN, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: GVN Warns of Christmas Unrest in the Central 
Highlands 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Assistant Foreign Minister and Americas 
Department Director General Nguyen Duc Hung called in the 
Charge December 24 to warn of a "plot" to cause unrest in 
the Central Highlands -- specifically the provinces of Dak 
Lak, Kon Tum and Gia Lai -- and encourage ethnic minorities 
to cross the border into Cambodia en masse on or around the 
Christmas holiday.  The plotters are the Montagnard 
Foundation (headquartered in North Carolina), remaining 
FULRO elements and UNHCR officials.  The GVN wants religious 
adherents to be able to celebrate Christmas in peace and is 
attempting to stop the unrest before it starts, promising 
leniency to those involved who turn themselves in. 
Otherwise, the GVN will deal "severely" with those involved. 
The GVN would consider USG cooperation to stop these 
activities to be "counterterrorism cooperation" in Vietnam. 
End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) Assistant Foreign Minister and Americas Department 
Director General Nguyen Duc Hung called in the Charge 
December 24 to warn of a "situation of concern" in the 
Central Highlands.  A/DCM accompanied.  According to 
information the GVN has received, the Montagnard Foundation 
(based in North Carolina), together with remnants of FULRO 
and "UNHCR staff in Cambodia," are conspiring to "disturb 
the peace" and interfere with peaceful religious activities 
on and around the Christmas holiday.  Most seriously, these 
elements will attempt to "deceive" ethnic minorities in the 
Central Highlands -- specifically those living in the border 
areas of Dak Lak, Kon Tum and Gia Lai Provinces -- and 
"incite them" to cross the border en masse into Cambodia, 
AFM Hung said 
 
3. (SBU) GVN law enforcement agencies had learned of this 
plot from communications by telephone and radio among 
plotters in the United States, Vietnam and Cambodia.  This 
is truly "terrorism" and a "disruption of the peace," AFM 
Hung stressed, and the plotters seek to "encroach" on the 
life and property of religious adherents -- specifically 
Protestant believers -- in the Central Highlands. 
 
4. (SBU) Local authorities and law enforcement officials 
have been in touch with religious groups and the people of 
these provinces to warn them of this plot and to encourage 
them to remain calm and not to believe or follow the 
"scheme" of the plotters.  The GVN has also announced that 
those who have been involved in these "conspiracies" will be 
treated leniently if they turn themselves in; otherwise, 
those who remain "stubborn" will be dealt with "severely," 
AFM Hung said.  The intention of the central Government and 
local authorities is to maintain "peaceful and happy" 
conditions for believers to celebrate Christmas, AFM Hung 
added. 
 
5. (SBU) While the GVN understands that the USG does not 
support the Dega or other "separatist movements," Vietnam 
nonetheless urges the USG not to "involve itself" with the 
activities of the Montagnard Foundation and others and to 
cooperate with the GVN to stop "bad elements" from "causing 
trouble."  The GVN considers cooperation with the USG in 
this regard to be "counterterrorism cooperation" in Vietnam. 
 
6. (SBU) The Charge noted that the UNHCR's alleged 
involvement in these activities seemed highly irregular; the 
USG respects and works closely with the UNHCR.  AFM Hung 
responded that the GVN is certain that both "high-level" 
officials and local staff are involved.  In response to the 
Charge's urging that local authorities and law enforcement 
officials deal with violators of the law in a manner 
respectful of human rights, AFM Hung said that those who are 
caught will be "dealt with within the framework of the law." 
The GVN is attempting to have a "dialogue" with those who 
are or might be involved.  There has not yet been a movement 
of people towards the border, AFM Hung concluded. 
 
BOARDMAN