International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #941 Washington DC 20006-1846
www.www.persecution.org / Email: icc@www.persecution.org
Vietnam: Reports Coming In From Massacre
Reports from Nine Villages So Far-251 Killed
For Immediate Release
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(4/29/04) The Washington-DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern www.www.persecution.org, has learned through our sources that the situation of the Christians in the Central Highlands of Vietnam is still desperate. Vietnamese authorities have a stranglehold on the area, and villages are in a state of total lockdown. Communications have been almost entirely. The intensity of the information lockdown is indicative of the extent of the suffering inflicted on the Highland peoples.
Vietnamese authorities are doing everything in their power to make this story go away. Realizing that not allowing any press into the area only fueled the media spotlight, they have now allowed controlled press tours of some areas. These tours are reminiscent of the legendary Potemkin village tours of Soviet times. In another tried and true tactic, Vietnamese authorities are seeking to discredit the demonstrations as instigated from the outside. Another way to view the peaceful Easter demonstration is this: The Highland peoples are desperate after so many years of intense persecution that they were willing to suffer brutal repression to have attention applied to their increasingly bleak situation. The Montagnard people have peacefully demonstrated before with deadly results and they knew the nature of the beast they were dealing with and what they were getting into. They knew the crackdown would be swift and deadly.
Reports have come in from at least nine villages so far indicating 251 total deaths thus far. This is not a complete list, and it is coming in piecemeal. We will update you with new numbers and names as we are apprised.
Buon Dha Prong city of Buonmathuot, province of Daklak 54 dead
Buon Emap district of Cu Mgar, province of Daklak 50 dead
Buon Krang, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 7 dead
Buon Niet, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 3 dead
Buon Pu Hue, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 6 dead
Buon Ega, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 22 dead
Buon Ebung, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 12 dead
Buon Ea Tieu, district of Krong Ana, province of Daklak 28 dead Buon Sut Mdrang province of Daklak 57 Dead
ICC implores all interested parties to immediately call your elected representative and ask them to press for complete press freedom in the Central Highlands as well as to pressure Vietnamese authorities to stop persecuting the people of Vietnams Central Highlands.
ICC is a Washington-DC based human rights organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC delivers humanitarian aid, trains and supports persecuted pastors, raises awareness in the US Church regarding the problem of persecution, and is an advocate for the persecuted on Capitol Hill and the State Department. For additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441
