At least six dead, 22 detained amid claims homes and a church were destroyed
In this file photo, Montagnards demonstrate in Freedom Plaza in Washington DC on 21 June 2005 against alleged human rights abuses against them committed by the Vietnamese government. Vietnamese security forces are hunting a small group of insurgents, said to be Montagnards, who authorities say attacked police stations and took hostages on June 11, leaving at least six people dead. (Photo: AFP)
Vietnamese security forces have fanned out across Dak Lak province in this country’s Central Highlands where they are hunting down a small group of insurgents who authorities say attacked police stations and took hostages over the weekend, leaving at least six people dead.
However, sources outside of Vietnam said the insurgents are Christian Dega who were protesting repressive tactics by local authorities, including the destruction of a church. A crackdown followed and the situation escalated.
Official sources said 22 people had been rounded up and charged in regards to the attack launched in Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur Communes of Cu Kuin district. The dead included commune officials and police officers while several more, including civilians, were wounded.
"Police and relevant forces in Dak Lak province are hunting for the remaining suspects, who were among dozens of armed people that gunned down a number of police officers and locals at two police stations," said Lieutenant General To An Xo, from the Ministry of Public Security.
Two hostages were freed and a third escaped.
Video sent to UCA News showed soldiers armed with semi-automatic weapons firing at will into compounds from where insurgents appeared to be firing back. Photos published by state-run Tuoi Tre News showed three men in police custody.
"Security forces had launched a counter offensive"
According to state newspapers, VnExpress and Cong Thuong, the attack was launched at dawn on the morning of June 11, when about 40 people wearing camouflage vests divided into two groups, then attacked the two police stations.
Dispatches from VnExpress and Cong Thuong also said a pickup truck had been stopped and the driver shot dead. However, both stories were deleted from their websites shortly after posting.
Sources from with the Vietnamese diaspora community in the West said the group was made-up Dega people who are considered a part the Montagnard hill tribes. One source said Vietnamese security forces had launched a counter offensive in response to protests.
A statement released in the United States around the same time as the Vietnamese authorities reported the initial Sunday morning attacks urged the US and other countries to stand behind them.
“The Dega people are not against the Vietnamese government, and we do not destroy the Vietnamese government, but we are against terrorists. The people who have come to our land are terrorists organized by the Vietnamese government,” it said.
It said those, “terrorists ... have arrested us, beat us up, tortured us. They have destroyed our houses. They have destroyed our church.” It also said Dega farmland had been confiscated and their crops cut down while Dega people had been kidnapped “and sold to other countries.”
Montagnards fought alongside US and allied troops during the Vietnam War and many have converted to Christianity. Land disputes with local communist authorities are not uncommon in the sensitive Central Highlands and some living abroad have campaigned for independence.
Seven farmers were arrested in November after a dispute over land use involving a coffee and durian plantations and a state-owned company.
According to Radio Free Asia, when word of the incident reached authorities, they sent 20 vans and up to 500 police officers to the scene to rescue the three men and arrest 25 local people.
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