US embassy cable - 05HANOI1865

UNCLAS HANOI 001865 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF, PREL, PHUM, VM, ETMIN, HUMANR 
SUBJECT:  GVN RESPONDS TO CRITICISM ON RETURNED MIGRANTS 
 
REF: A. Phnom Penh 1162 B. Hanoi 1848 C. Hanoi 1829 D. State 
133110 E. Phnom Penh 1178 
 
1. (SBU) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Americas 
Department Deputy Director General Pham Van Que called in 
Acting DCM July 22 to respond to the Ambassador's demarche 
July 21 (Ref B) and the State Department Spokesman's 
statement on the repatriation of ethnic minority Vietnamese 
migrants from the Central Highlands. 
 
2. (SBU) Que said the GVN is aware of the concern of some 
organizations and individuals regarding the return of the 
migrants from Cambodia to Vietnam.  The Governments of 
Cambodia and Vietnam carried out the repatriation of the 94 
migrants July 20, Que confirmed.  The original intent was to 
return 107 individuals, he said, but six had been allowed to 
stay at the last minute, and seven had been found to be 
Cambodian citizens.  The 94 returnees will be well treated, 
Que said, and will not face punishment for illegally 
crossing the border.  Further, local Vietnamese 
representatives of UNHCR will be allowed to visit the area 
and the migrants (and have already visited the area three 
times recently) and the chief representative of UNHCR in 
Bangkok will also be allowed to visit them. 
 
3. (SBU) Que explained that Vietnam is trying to avoid a 
repeat of the experiences of the 1970s and 1980s when 
Vietnamese citizens crossed the border in large numbers and 
were kept indefinitely in refugee camps, not able to 
resettle or return to Vietnam.  Eventually, those citizens 
were brought back under the "comprehensive program of 
action" which was very successful; that is the model for 
current Vietnamese treatment of its returned citizens. 
 
4. (SBU) The Acting DCM made the point to Que that the 
United States and the International Community are focused on 
the issue of an international monitoring presence in the 
Central Highlands to ensure that the returnees do not face 
persecution or abuse.  He encouraged the GVN to accept as 
soon as possible UNHCR's request to station an expatriate as 
the Chief of Mission in Hanoi.  He passed on copies of the 
letters sent by the High Commissioner for Refugees to the 
Vietnamese UN Mission in Geneva and to Foreign Minister 
Nguyen Dzy Nien proposing an Italian candidate for the 
position and asked Que to forward them to the relevant 
offices for quick and favorable consideration.  Que agreed 
to forward the letters.  The Acting DCM also asked Que to 
support the USG's request to have USG personnel visit the 
returnees in the Central Highlands soon.  Que was 
noncommittal. 
 
MARINE