US embassy cable - 05HANOI2245

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002245 
 
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, HUMANR, ETMIN 
SUBJECT:  UNHCR READOUT OF GIA LAI VISIT 
 
Refs: A. Hanoi 2055 and previous; B. Phnom Penh 1439 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) A UNHCR team visited two villages in Gia Lai 
Province August 23-25 to assess conditions in these 
locations and to interview returnees. They reported that 
conditions are generally fair and noted that there were no 
signs of systematic intimidation by local authorities.  The 
UNHCR officials further observed that the GVN seems to be 
making an effort to improve conditions for returnees.  From 
local observations they conclude that there are significant 
social and economic costs for people "misled into crossing 
the border."  Taking these considerations together, the 
UNCHR team said there may be justification for taking a more 
skeptical approach when reviewing refugee petitions.  UNHCR 
also expressed concern at a growing number of cases reported 
from Dak Lak Province and have requested a visit to the 
area.  The number of "refuseniks" remaining in Cambodia is 
down to six persons but this group seems intent on creating 
a "political crisis" by forcing their involuntary 
repatriation.  The team also reported that they investigated 
possible micro-projects in the Central Highlands and 
concluded that water projects are unnecessary.  UNHCR will 
instead focus on health, education and vocational training 
projects.  End Summary. 
 
Conditions in Gia Lai Province 
------------------------------ 
 
2. (SBU) On August 26, Hasim Utkan, UNHCR Regional 
Representative for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, 
Assistant Regional Representative for Operations Bernard 
Quah and UNHCR Vietnam Chief of Mission Vu Anh Son provided 
a summary of their August 23-25 visit to Gia Lai Province to 
Pol/C and PolOff and separately to the Hanoi diplomatic 
community.  After meetings in Pleiku with the Provincial 
People's Committee, the UNHCR team visited Doc Co and Krong 
Pa Districts to assess the conditions in these locations and 
to interview returnees.  The UNHCR officials made the 
following observations: 
 
-- Local authorities were open and helpful in guiding the 
team to requested locations and in arranging interviews with 
returnees.  Although the interviews were monitored, the 
UNHCR team did not feel that the people interviewed were 
afraid to speak candidly with them. (Note:  The team had 
requested private interviews, but this request was declined. 
End Note.)  In general, the UNHCR representatives viewed the 
relationship between returnees and local authorities as more 
relaxed than on their previous visit and noted that there 
were no signs of systematic intimidation of returnees. 
 
-- Doc Co District in Gia Lai's southwest is readily 
accessible by secondary paved roads.  It is situated only 30 
km from the border in a well-cultivated region with 
extensive rubber plantations.  Formal border posts were 
established in the area six months ago.  The estimated cost 
for residents of this area to cross the border illegally is 
200,000-250,000 Dong (about USD 17). 
 
-- In Doc Co, the UNHCR team met with a family that had 
reportedly been beaten upon their return to Vietnam, but saw 
no evidence of physical abuse.  The family categorically 
denied mistreatment.  They claimed they were misled into 
leaving Vietnam and were glad to be back, but refused to say 
who had misled them.  Their chief complaint was that that 
they no longer held any land, as one member of the family 
who remained behind had sold the family plot.  The Chairman 
of the village People's Committee told the UNHCR officials 
that this family would have land allocated in the next 
distribution. 
 
-- Krong Pa District, in Gia Lai's southeast, is more remote 
and very difficult to reach by motor vehicle. (Note: The 
UNHCR team members were unable to ford the last river before 
reaching their target village, but the local authorities 
accompanying them were able to invite the returnees down to 
meet with the team.  End Note.)  The estimated cost for 
residents of this area to cross the border illegally is 1.5 
million Dong (about USD 100). 
 
-- Outside Krong Pa, the team met with three returnees who 
also claimed they had been misled into leaving Vietnam by 
promises of more money and opportunity in Cambodia.  One of 
the three said he immediately petitioned to be returned to 
Vietnam after seeing the conditions in Cambodia.  The other 
two stated they had been promised the opportunity to make 
money across the border to buy more cows and had sold their 
original animals to pay their way.  They returned when they 
found themselves "stuck in the center of Cambodia with no 
cows at all."  Their chief concern was asking for assistance 
in regaining their identification cards.  The local People's 
Committee Chairman promised to help them. 
 
UNHCR's Conclusions 
------------------- 
 
3. (SBU) The UNHCR team assessed the conditions for 
returnees in Gia Lai as generally fair, although the Krong 
Pa area is poorer than the region around Doc Co.  Housing is 
adequate with good electricity and water resources.  Local 
authorities have assisted returnees with allotments of 
kerosene, rice and salt.  According to UNHCR, returnee 
concerns are raised in open and frank discussions with local 
authorities, and the authorities are responsive to their 
concerns.  The UNHCR representatives also noted: 
 
-- There are specific instructions from the GVN that appear 
to have filtered down to authorities at all levels in the 
region to treat returnees no differently than other citizens 
of Vietnam.  Local leaders seem to obey these instructions 
and also seem well informed about individual returnees and 
their conditions. 
 
-- People in the area are "gullible because they are not 
well-educated" and are therefore easily misled by stories 
and rumors of better lives elsewhere.  However, only a 
handful of people in Gia Lai have left their respective 
communities, and they do not seem to have consistent reasons 
for doing so. 
 
-- There are significant social and economic costs for 
people crossing the border that are now causing people to 
think twice about leaving.  This realization may well prove 
decisive in reducing the refugee problem from the Central 
Highlands, the UNHCR representatives assessed. 
 
4. (SBU) The UNCHR team concluded from the trip that the GVN 
is making an effort to improve conditions for returnees in 
the Central Highlands and that UNHCR may be justified in 
taking a more skeptical approach when reviewing refugee 
petitions in Cambodia.  The team called for more foreign 
missions to travel to the region to help verify and report 
their findings there.  They also noted with pleasure that 
Vietnam's MFA is now actively requesting and supporting such 
visits. 
 
Dak Lak Province 
---------------- 
 
5. (SBU) On a more negative note, the UNHCR team expressed 
concern at the rising number of cases reported from Dak Lak 
Province.  Of 30 recent Vietnamese ethnic minority arrivals 
in Cambodia, 24 reportedly came from Dak Lak.  UNHCR has 
requested permission to visit the area in the near future to 
investigate this phenomenon. 
 
Refuseniks 
---------- 
 
6. (SBU) The UNHCR team also reported that the number of 
"refuseniks" in Phnom Penh (those ethnic minority Vietnamese 
who are eligible for but do not accept resettlement) has now 
dropped to only six persons from the original 350 (Ref B). 
However, despite this success in reducing the overall 
numbers, this final group of six refuseniks seems intent on 
creating a "political crisis" over their status by forcing 
their involuntary repatriation and will not accept any 
proposed solution.  UNHCR is now seeking alternatives to 
avoid this, but could not offer any concrete ideas in this 
regard. 
 
Micro-projects 
-------------- 
 
7. (SBU) In addition to assessing local conditions, the 
UNHCR team used their visit to investigate possible micro- 
projects, which UNHCR committed itself to seek funding for 
under the Vietnam-Cambodia-UNHCR Tripartite Memorandum of 
Understanding.  Up until their visit, they had considered 
establishing projects in four sectors:  water, health, 
education and vocational training.  However, they have 
concluded that water projects are unnecessary given the 
adequate supplies in the region and will now focus on the 
other three sectors. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (SBU) Based on UNHCR's two trips to Gia Lai Province, it 
appears that the returnees are no worse for wear and that 
the GVN has taken steps to facilitate their reintegration. 
This is a positive development that should be encouraged to 
continue, and UNHCR and others will undertake further 
monitoring missions to the region to assess progress.  For 
our part, the Embassy and ConGen HCMC will send a team to 
Gia Lai September 6-9 and will debrief UNHCR and interested 
embassies.  End Comment. 
 
MARINE