Appeal to the United States Presidency to investigate an arbitrary arrest of an innocent Khmer Krom woman.

Below is an article published by Khmer Kampuchea Krom Federation:

On Thursday April 22, 2010 Mrs. Tran Thi Chau (also known as Mrs. Trung, and her husband is ThachPhola), a Khmer-Krom woman who lives in Phum Phno Leur (No Lua commune), Khum Amouk Bey(Nhi Truong village), Srok Phno Dach (Cau Ngang district), Khet Preah Trapang (Tra Vinh province) wasarrested by the unknown Vietnamese agents while she was on her way to a wedding. They abruptlyarrested her without any warrant or legal ground.

Mrs. Tran Thi Chau’s arrest is based on the land-grab dispute with the Vietnamese authorities at the NhiTruong market where a piece of land that she ancestrally owns. The Vietnam authorities have tried tocoerce her and her family to transfer it to them, but she has refused and now the authorities have resultedto kidnapping and imprisonment in order to achieve their goal.

On May 7, 2010, her son-in-law was also arrested because he tried to stop the Vietnamese authorities tousing tractor to confiscate his mother-in-law’s land.

Since Mrs. Chau and her son-in-law have been arrested, the Vietnamese authorities have refused any ofher family members to visit them. Their whereabouts and health condition are currently unknown.

In this regards, we would like to ask for your assistance to:

•Help to investigate and monitor the situation of Mrs. Tran Thi Chau and her son-in-law, who are currently facing prison for simply exercising their basic right in peacefully demand for the return of their confiscated lands.

•Urge Vietnamese government to immediate release Mrs. Tran This Chau and her son-in-law without any conditions.