US embassy cable - 05HANOI1184

UNCLAS HANOI 001184 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND PRM, BANGKOK FOR REFUGEE 
COORDINATOR, GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, PREF, VM, CB 
SUBJECT: UNHCR VISITS CENTRAL HIGHLANDS RETURNEES 
 
Reftels: Hanoi 991 and previous 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  UNHCR Officer-in-Charge for Vietnam Vu 
Anh Son has begun a visit to ethnic minority returnees in 
the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.  He reported to 
Poloff that he has been able to travel freely and met with 
many of the 35 individuals voluntarily returned from 
Cambodia.  Allegations made by Human Rights Watch (HRW) of 
mistreatment of returnees are "not true."  All the returnees 
he has visited own land, and many were given rice upon their 
return.  End Summary 
 
2.  (SBU) Son informed Poloff that he received his 
permission to travel through the MFA on the afternoon of May 
17, and went to Pleiku on May 18.  He expects to remain in 
the Central Highlands until May 21.  When he arrived in Gia 
Lai, he was closely monitored by authorities, but after 
discussing the reason for his visit and showing that he "is 
not a threat," he managed to put the local officials at 
ease.  Son reported that he has been able to travel without 
restriction.  The local authorities' permissiveness has been 
"more than I expected," Son said. 
 
3. (SBU) Son noted that, so far, he has been allowed to meet 
privately with "a number of returnees," including some of 
those specifically mentioned in Human Rights Watch's (HRW) 
May briefing paper.  (Note: HRW alleged that at least four 
returnees had been interrogated and beaten by police upon 
their return, and that at least eight are confined to their 
homes.  The HRW briefing paper did not give names, but 
specified communes and districts of the alleged victims. 
Son told Poloff he had been provided with the names of these 
alleged victims through UNHCR's office in Phnom Penh.  End 
Note.)  The accounts he received from returnees are "totally 
different" from HRW's allegations, and the HRW claims are 
"not true."  While several returnees were required to 
"consult with authorities," they were only told that they 
must follow the laws of Vietnam, Son said. 
 
4. (SBU) Son recounted that he had heard a number of "quite 
positive stories" from returnees.  Several have been 
provided 20 kg of rice by authorities upon their return, and 
all had family plots of land measuring at least 1 ha.  "They 
are not rich, but okay compared to some people in Central 
and Northwest Vietnam."  Son promised a more complete brief 
upon his return to Hanoi. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment: We are relieved that the GVN has finally 
relented and allowed a UNHCR visit to the returnees. 
Hopefully this will be the first step towards more 
systematic monitoring.  However, we view Son's experience as 
a piece of the elephant, rather than the definitive take on 
the situation.  Authorities in the Central Highlands are 
adept at showing a positive face to outsiders, and some of 
our own sources have suggested HRW clams of travel 
restriction may be true in some instances (reported Septel 
from Ho Chi Minh City). End Comment. 
BOARDMAN 
 
 
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