US embassy cable - 05HANOI671

UNCLAS HANOI 000671 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND PRM, BANGKOK FOR REFUGEE COORDINATOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PREF, VM, CB, ETMIN, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: MONTAGNARD RETURNEES ARRIVE IN VIETNAM 
 
Reftel: Hanoi 215 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  Two groups of ethnic Montagnard returnees 
have arrived in Vietnam from Cambodia and returned to their 
home villages.  These are the first to return under the 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Vietnam, 
Cambodia and the UNHCR in January (Reftel).  Local 
authorities have reportedly questioned some of the 
Montagnards upon their return, but the GVN has pledged to 
halt this practice.  The UNHCR has not requested to visit 
the returnees.  End Summary. 
 
2. (SBU) The two groups of Montagnards consisted of nine 
returnees who returned on March 11 and a further thirteen on 
March 18.  Vu Anh Son (protect), Officer in Charge of the 
UNHCR's Hanoi office, told Poloff March 18 that UNHCR 
officers had been able to observe the transfer of the 
Montagnards from Cambodia to Vietnam, but could not continue 
with the returnees to their home villages in Gia Lai 
Province.  All the returnees came voluntarily, and when one 
individual changed his mind shortly before boarding the bus 
in Phnom Penh, he was immediately taken off the list, Son 
reported.  The next group of returnees is expected in early 
April. 
 
3. (SBU) After returning to Vietnam, some of the Montagnards 
in the March 11 group telephoned compatriots still in UNHCR 
camps to complain that they had been questioned by local 
authorities.  When Son brought this up with MFA officials in 
Hanoi, they pledged to look into the allegations immediately 
and ensure that future returnees are not interrogated. 
Separately, the MFA's spokesman stated this week that the 
returnees will not be punished for having "illegally crossed 
the border." 
 
4. (SBU) Son indicated that the UNHCR, Vietnam and Cambodia 
will likely hold a tripartite meeting in April to discuss 
technical details of further Montagnard returns.  Vietnam 
has reportedly complained to the UNHCR that it is not 
receiving adequate notice about the travel of returnees, and 
also that the process of resettlement abroad for Montagnards 
in Cambodia is proceeding too slowly.  The UNHCR will likely 
bring up the issue of monitoring visits to the returnees 
during this meeting, Son reported. 
BOARDMAN