US embassy cable - 02HOCHIMINHCITY131

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HO CHI MINH CITY 000131 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, PRM, DRL/IRF, AND 
EAP/PD/MSPEER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KIRF, PREF, PREL, PGOV, SOCI, VM, CB, ETMIN, HUMANR, RELFREE 
SUBJECT: "DEGA PROTESTANTISM" AND THE U.S. CONNECTION 
 
REF: A. (01) HCMC 1134 B. (01) HCMC 1079 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: AN ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER FROM GIA 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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LAI PROVINCE RECENTLY DESCRIBED TO POLOFF A COMPLEX WEB 
OF SHIFTING LOCAL ALLIANCES AMONG THE ETHNIC GROUPS IN 
VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.  MIXING RELIGION WITH 
POLITICS, IT INCLUDES STRONG CONNECTIONS TO ETHNIC 
MINORITY EXILES IN THE U.S.  ANOTHER ETHNIC MINORITY 
LEADER FROM DAK LAK PROVINCE SAID THAT DIFFERENCES OF 
OPINION CONCERNING MINORITY PERSONS FROM THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS SEEKING REFUGE IN CAMBODIA HAS MADE THE SPLIT 
BETWEEN THE "DEGA PROTESTANTS" AND MAINSTREAM 
PROTESTANTS IN THE AREA MORE RANCOROUS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) THE ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER FROM GIA LAI 
PROVINCE ESTIMATED 30 PERCENT OF ETHNIC MINORITY PEOPLE 
("MONTAGNARDS") IN GIA LAI PROVINCE SUPPORT THE NOTION 
OF AN AUTONOMOUS "DEGA (ETHNIC MINORITY) STATE" IN THE 
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.  AMONG THIS 30 PERCENT, HOWEVER, 
THERE ARE SERIOUS DIVISIONS. 
 
3. (SBU) WHAT THE ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER TERMED "THE 
POLITICAL GROUP" IS LARGELY SUPPORTIVE OF KOK K'SOR, 
CURRENTLY RESIDING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.  KOK K'SOR 
PROCLAIMED HIMSELF PRESIDENT-IN-EXILE OF AN INDEPENDENT 
DEGA STATE IN SEPTEMBER 2000.  WHAT THE ETHNIC MINORITY 
LEADER TERMED "THE RELIGIOUS GROUP" SUPPORTS K'SOR, 
INSOFAR AS HE PROMOTES PROTESTANTISM AS THE DEGA STATE 
RELIGION.  A THIRD GROUP, WHICH HE SAID IS NEITHER 
POLITICAL NOR RELIGIOUS, IS COMPOSED OF "OPPORTUNISTS" 
WHO USE PROMISES OF DEGA AUTONOMY OR INDEPENDENCE TO 
BUILD THEIR PERSONAL FIEFDOMS.  THIS THIRD GROUP WOULD 
BE UNIMPORTANT, ACCORDING TO THE ETHNIC MINORITY 
LEADER, EXCEPT THAT THEY PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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PERSUADING PEOPLE TO DEPART VIETNAM FOR UNHCR CAMPS IN 
CAMBODIA -- OFTEN PROMISING RESETTLEMENT TO THE U.S. 
 
4. (SBU) THE ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER CONFIRMED THAT THE 
TOP ORGANIZER OF THE "POLITICAL GROUP" WAS A PERSON 
NAMED JANA YBONR (ALSO KNOWN AS BOME) WHO WAS CONVICTED 
OF DESTABILIZING PUBLIC SECURITY AND SENTENCED TO 12 
YEARS' IMPRISONMENT IN SEPTEMBER (SEE REFTELS).  HE 
SAID SEVEN PERSONS STILL FORM THE CORE LEADERSHIP OF 
THE POLITICAL GROUP, AND THAT ALL SEVEN  STILL RESIDE 
IN VIETNAM.  THE CURRENT HEAD OF THE GROUP IS A WOMAN 
NAMED H'JIP (ALSO KNOWN AS AMI SARA).  HE SAID SHE 
RESIDES IN PHU NHUON DISTRICT OF GIA LAI PROVINCE, BUT 
RECENTLY WENT INTO HIDING IN DAK LAK PROVINCE AND IS A 
FUGITIVE FROM VIETNAMESE POLICE.  (NOTE: THE ETHNIC 
MINORITY LEADER EXPLAINED THAT AMONG THE EDE AND GIA 
RAI MINORITY GROUPS, ADULTS USUALLY CARRY AT LEAST TWO 
NAMES - THEIR BIRTH-NAME AND THE NAME THEY ACQUIRE UPON 
THE BIRTH OF THEIR FIRST CHILD.  FOR EXAMPLE, AMI SARA 
MEANS "MOTHER OF SARA," AND AMA CHAM MEANS "FATHER OF 
CHAM."  END NOTE.) 
 
5. (SBU) THE HEAD OF THE "RELIGIOUS GROUP," ACCORDING 
TO THE ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER, IS AMA CHAM, WHO 
CURRENTLY RESIDES AT ONE OF THE UNHCR CAMPS IN 
CAMBODIA.  THE MINORITY LEADER SAID THAT MOST OF THE 
ORGANIZERS OF THE RELIGIOUS GROUP HAVE GONE TO 
CAMBODIA.  HE SAID THIS GROUP OF "DEGA PROTESTANTS" 
SPLIT FROM THE MAINSTREAM PROTESTANTS IN THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS (WHO MOSTLY FOLLOW MISSIONARIES AND PASTORS 
OF THE CHRISTIAN AND MISSIONARY ALLIANCE OR CMA) TO 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
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SUPPORT AN INDEPENDENT DEGA STATE LED BY KOK K'SOR. 
RECENTLY, HOWEVER, THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS GROUPS 
"ARGUE AND FIGHT AMONG THEMSELVES."  THE DEGA 
PROTESTANTS INSIST THAT PROTESTANTISM MUST BE THE STATE 
RELIGION, AND ALL CITIZENS OF A DEGA STATE MUST BE 
PROTESTANT, ACCORDING TO THIS ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER. 
MEANWHILE, THE POLITICAL GROUP WANTS AND NEEDS A 
BROADER BASE OF SUPPORT. 
 
6. (SBU) THE ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER SAID THAT SIMILAR 
DIVISIONS EXIST WITHIN THE MONTAGNARD COMMUNITY IN THE 
UNITED STATES.  THERE ARE THOSE WHO SUPPORT AN 
INDEPENDENT DEGA STATE, AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO DESIRE 
ONLY TO ADVOCATE FOR BETTER TREATMENT OF ETHNIC 
MINORITIES IN VIETNAM.  AMONG THOSE WHO SUPPORT AN 
INDEPENDENT STATE ARE BOTH THOSE WHO ACCEPT KOK K'SOR 
AS HEAD OF A GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE AND THOSE WHO REJECT 
HIM.  AMONG K'SOR SUPPORTERS ARE THOSE WHO SEEK BROAD- 
BASED SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO SEEK PARTICIPATION LIMITED 
ONLY TO BAPTIZED PROTESTANTS.  (NOTE: THE LEADER SAID 
HE IS AWARE OF THESE DIVISIONS WITHIN THE U.S.-BASED 
COMMUNITY THROUGH FREQUENT PHONE CONVERSATIONS WITH 
RELATIVES IN THE U.S.  END NOTE.) 
 
7. (SBU) ANOTHER ETHNIC MINORITY LEADER FROM DAK LAK 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HO CHI  00131  02 OF 02  080617Z 
PROVINCE TOLD POLOFF THAT SINCE THE GVN RECOGNIZED THE 
SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM IN APRIL 2001, 
PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES HAVE SOUGHT OUT MAINSTREAM 
PROTESTANT PASTORS TO HELP MAINTAIN ORDER WITHIN THE 
ETHNIC MINORITY COMMUNITIES.  THIS ETHNIC MINORITY 
LEADER, WHO IS HIMSELF AN ORDAINED PROTESTANT PASTOR, 
SAID THAT MAINSTREAM PASTORS ARE WILLING TO COOPERATE 
WITH THE GOVERNMENT.  THEY TELL THEIR CONGREGATIONS NOT 
TO RUN TO CAMBODIA.  IN CONTRAST, DEGA PASTORS EXHORT 
THEIR FOLLOWERS TO CROSS THE BORDER TO UNHCR CAMPS. 
THE SPLIT BETWEEN DEGA PROTESTANTS AND MAINSTREAM 
PROTESTANTS HAS BECOME MORE ACRIMONIOUS OVER THIS 
ISSUE, HE ASSERTED. 
 
8. (SBU) COMMENT: ANY MOVES TOWARD AN INDEPENDENT DEGA 
STATE IN VIETNAM'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WOULD BE STRONGLY 
RESISTED BY THE GVN.  IN NUMEROUS PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND 
PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS, VIETNAMESE OFFICIALS STRESS THE 
IMPORTANCE OF STABILITY AND UNITY.  THE SEVERAL 
MINORITY LEADERS WE HAVE SPOKEN TO ALL WANT BETTER 
TREATMENT FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES IN VIETNAM.  BUT WHEN 
RELIGION MIXES WITH "SEPARATIST" POLITICAL GOALS, THE 
GVN SEES ONLY THE PROBLEM OF ENSURING STABILITY AND 
POLITICAL UNITY -- NOT A QUESTION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF. 
YAMAUCHI 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED