The Montagnard Foundation presented the following report on the Easter massacre conducted by Vietnamese authorities. The information came directly from Montagnards inside Vietnam’s central highlands who at great risk to themselves and their families report these atrocities with the hope the international community will investigate and protect them.

On 11 May 2004 Mr. Kok Ksor President of the Montagnard Foundation attended the Vietnam Human Rights Day held in the US Senate Building. Meeting with Senators and Representatives the details of hundreds of victims were supplied to them in the hope concrete action will be taken to investigate and halt further human rights abuse against the Montagnard Degar people.

On 12 May 2004 Mr. Kok Ksor also attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Populations at the UN Headquarters in New York and met with several NGOs and Governmental representatives to provide detailed information on the worrying repression currently going on in the Central Highlands of Vietnam.

The following report documents names of victims and details of killings by Vietnamese security forces over Easter.

Vietnamese security forces and military forces have conducted extensive operations throughout the Central Highlands committing human rights abuses and threatening to execute Montagnards who report details of the Easter massacre to the Montagnard Foundation or foreigners. In a speech to the opening session of Vietnam's National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also called for authorities to combat plots and hostile forces among the Montagnard peoples.

The persecution inside Vietnam is real and increasing and, unless the international community intervenes with a permanent presence in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, many more Montagnards will suffer and die. The report is just the tip of the iceberg and the Montagnard Foundation vows we will continue advocating for our people until Vietnam ceases the persecution of our peoples.

Click here to read the report

Source: Montagnard Foundation