US embassy cable - 05HOCHIMINHCITY1073

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001073 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, SOCI, SNAR, PHUM, KHIV, VM, CNARC, HIV/AIDS 
SUBJECT: RIOT AT HCMC DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  An October 2 riot in a HCMC juvenile 
rehabilitation center for drug users and sex workers 
resulted in the escape of approximately 800 detainees.  Most 
of the detainees have returned to the center, some 
voluntarily, some involuntarily.  Authorities reported to us 
that fewer than ten detainees were injured as the result of 
the riot. The incident appears to have resulted from a fight 
between rival gangs, but may also have been part an escape 
plan.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) On October 2 at 1930h, a riot broke out involving 
approximately 800 of 1,500 detainees at Youth Rehabilitation 
Center No. 2 (one of the 05/06 centers for treatment of drug- 
users and sex workers) in Hamlet 3, Pham van Coi Commune, in 
Cu Chi District.  The detainee drug user population at this 
facility consists of students, jobless, and petty criminals 
who have other records with the police. 
 
3. (U) According to Thanh Nien ("Youth") newspaper, 
approximately 800 detainees were involved in the two-hour 
riot, which caused significant property damage, injured an 
undetermined number of other detainees, and culminated in 
the rioters' escape from Center No. 2. The riot resulted 
from a fight that allegedly started between two rival groups 
within the facility.  As the number of detainees involved in 
the fight rose, the situation became too violent to be 
controlled by the center's guards.  The detainees then broke 
windows, doors and gates to escape.  When more than 100 riot 
police from Cu Chi District and other areas of HCMC arrived 
at 2130h (two hours after the riot started), 798 detainees 
had left and only 684 remained at Center No. 2.  By noon the 
next day, approximately 500 detainees were recaptured, but 
almost 300 remained at large.  Major Tra Van Lao, Deputy 
Director of Cu Chi District Police, who was present at the 
scene, commented in the press that it was impossible to say 
the escape was not premeditated, given its size and the 
severity of the incident. 
 
4. (SBU) Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, director of the center, and 
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thach, director of HCMC's Social Evil 
Prevention and Control Bureau, would only tell PolOff that 
the police are investigating the case.  However, Ms. Nguyen 
Thi Thanh Mai (strictly protect), a ConGen contact at the 
HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs 
(DoLISA), confirmed the news story was correct.  Mai stated 
that as the detainees at Center No. 2 also came from areas 
outside of HCMC, it is taking the police and local 
authorities more time to find them.  The HCMC police are 
contacting authorities in the hometowns of the missing 
detainees to enlist their help in the search.  Mai said that 
fewer than ten people were injured in this incident. 
 
5. (SBU) Dr. Le Truong Giang, Chairman of HCMC AIDS 
Committee, told PolOff October 12 the incident was organized 
by drug-user "group leaders."  USAID contacts confirmed that 
the center is for detainees aged 18 and younger, but some of 
the leaders were as old as 25 and had been detained for long 
periods.  The HCMC AIDS Committee said that all detainees 
were being returned to Center No. 2, but that the government 
is implementing a new screening process to separate gang 
leaders into in higher security facilities.  Giang added 
that the government offered a "forgiveness program" to the 
escapees, guaranteeing there would be no additional 
punishment or time added prison terms if they cooperate and 
return immediately.  Those who do not cooperate will have 
their sentences extended upon their capture.  According to 
Giang, in the past 3-4 days over 500 escapees or their 
families called the center to arrange for returns. 
 
6. (SBU) COMMENT:  Mai of DOLISA told us this incident was 
unique to Center No. 2, and has not occurred at other 
facilities.  However, this was the second riot at Center No. 
2.  On September 25, 170 detainees were involved in another 
incident, and eleven were injured.  According to Mission 
contacts, the October 2 riot and escape was planned based on 
the "lessons learned" during the first event.  Furthermore, 
USAID contacts in Hanoi reported that in May 2005 
approximately 300 residents escaped from the Giang Minh drug 
rehabilitation facility run by the Youth Union in Hai Phong. 
 
7. (SBU) COMMENT, CONTINUED: Dr. Giang noted that there is a 
very low ratio of staff (including janitors and kitchen 
workers) to detainees (approximately one to ten) at all the 
rehabilitation centers, so it is virtually impossible to 
prevent a breakout. 
 
WINNICK