US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY1590

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 001590 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, SOCI, PREL, PGOV, PREF, KIRF, VM, ETMIN, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: CHRISTMAS IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS 
 
REF:  A) HANOI 3392 B) HCMC 1587 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  According to contacts in the Catholic and 
Protestant communities, Christmas services in the Central 
Highlands provinces of Gia Lai and Kontum were numerous and 
peaceful, although under heavy police and military scrutiny.  In 
contrast, Protestant services in Dak Lak province were sharply 
limited.  Our contacts echoed the GVN's allegation that some 
Montagnards in the U.S. were attempting to organize Christmas 
protests and a mass cross-border migration to Cambodia.  With few 
exceptions, Christmas celebrations were conducted freely elsewhere 
in Southern and Central Vietnam.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) On December 24, the GVN notified Embassy and ConGen of a 
"Montagnard Foundation plot" to cause unrest in the Central 
Highlands over Christmas and said it would deal severely with 
perpetrators (reftels).  ConGen has been in ongoing contact with 
Catholic leaders, the GVN-recognized Southern Evangelical Church 
of Vietnam (SECV) and unrecognized Protestant House church 
leaders.  They told us that there was a heavier than usual police 
and military presence throughout the Central Highlands.  In Gia 
Lai Province, one contact estimated that approximately 100 
Montagnards were detained.  Most were released after police 
questioning, although a few may still be in custody.  Our contacts 
heard reports of sporadic border crossings into Cambodia, but 
could not confirm any incidents. 
 
3. (SBU) Despite the tension over possible unrest, Protestant and 
Catholic contacts in Gia Lai and Kontum told us that their 
congregations observed Christmas without police harassment or 
interference.  The Kontum Catholic diocese (which covers Gia Lai 
and Kontum) said its Christmas celebrations this year were 
"magnificent."  Diocesan officials noted that they secured 
permission from provincial authorities to hold additional services 
at fourteen temporary locations (4 in Kontum, 10 in Gia Lai) to 
meet demand. 
 
4. (SBU) In Gia Lai, the GVN-recognized Southern Evangelical 
Church of Vietnam (SECV) held services for over 75,000 -- mostly 
Montagnard -- followers.  Our SECV contact told us that SECV 
Christmas services were held at 16 recognized churches and another 
440 "meeting points."  He added that the provincial government 
will recognize a 17th SECV church in the province on December 30. 
Other contacts told us that unrecognized house churches in Kontum 
and Gia Lai also were able to hold Christmas services without 
incident. 
 
5. (SBU) In Dak Lak Province, Catholic services were unimpeded. 
Local officials permitted Protestant services only at the four 
recognized SECV churches.  Police were widely deployed in 
Montagnard-majority villages and prevented other Protestant 
worshipers from congregating.  One source added that the phone 
lines of many house church pastors in Dak Lak were cut.  A second 
house church leader text messaged us that in the days before 
Christmas there were signs of impending unrest in a number of 
Montagnard villages.  As a result, he texted, local authorities 
"blocked the church from organizing Christmas" there. 
 
Was there a Montagnard Foundation "plot"? 
------------------------------------------ 
 
6. (SBU) Protestant community contacts said that the "Montagnard 
Foundation" was involved in organizing unrest and a mass cross- 
border migration of ethnic minorities.  One of our contacts, who 
helps establish house churches in Dak Lak, said that the 
Montagnard Foundation encouraged Dak Lak Montagnards to flee to 
Cambodia, promising resettlement in the United States.  Another 
contact told us that in Gia Lai, former members of FULRO and other 
"Dega" separatists were attempting to organize Christmastime 
protests but were detained by police.  (Note:  FULRO is the 
acronym for the insurgency that operated in the Central Highlands 
until 1992 and sought to create an independent Montagnard state. 
End Note.)  Our Gia Lai contact explained that the Montagnard 
Foundation is capitalizing on the frustration and alienation of 
the ethnic minority community in the Highlands. 
 
Services normal elsewhere in the South and Center 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
7. (SBU) Catholic officials said that services were packed 
throughout southern and central Vietnam with no reported 
incidents.  Protestant house church leaders told us that, barring 
a handful of exceptions, they heard of no reports of serious 
police harassment of the thousands of house church Christmas 
services in southern and central Vietnam. 
 
Comment 
------- 
8. (SBU) The clampdown on ethnic minority Protestants in Dak Lak 
is not unexpected in light of the GVN's indications of planned 
unrest. (More surprising is its sharing this information with us 
in advance.)  We also note that none of our religious contacts in 
the region contradicted GVN allegations of impending trouble or of 
Montagnard Foundation involvement.  Provincial officials in Gia 
Lai and Kontum demonstrated considerable confidence in allowing 
unimpeded Christmas celebrations in the face of possible unrest. 
In Gia Lai, the Protestant Community has firewalled itself from 
the "Dega" movement and established a working relationship with 
provincial officials.  In contrast, Dak Lak's provincial 
government remains the most hardline compared to other Central 
Highlands provinces and there is little constructive dialogue 
between officials and Protestant leaders to ease tension. 
 
WINNICK