Communist regimes like Vietnam have never been known for their tolerance
of religion but recently in 2003 Hanoi has escalated the persecution of its
hill tribe Christians to an unprecedented level. In the Central Highlands of
Vietnam the indigenous Montagnards or Degar Peoples are facing arrest,
beatings, torture and even murder at the hands of Vietnamese security forces.
This persecution did not go unnoticed this month in a damming report released
by the US International Commission For Religious Freedom that stated, the
increased repression of religious freedom has been reportedly sanctioned at the
highest levels of the Vietnamese government.
Today in Vietnam the Montagnard’s ancestral homelands are currently sealed off
from international observers as secret police enforce a campaign to crush the
spread of Christianity. This repression is the culmination of years of systematic
persecution of Vietnam’s highland peoples who were once allied with American
forces during the Vietnam War. Over 40,000 Montagnards had served alongside US
troops during that conflict where their loyalty and fighting prowess became
legendary. It was however, a loyalty not appreciated by the victorious
communists.
The Montagnards have been repressed by Vietnam for decades. This has got to
stop, reported Human Rights Watch in April 2002. But the persecution has not
stopped. One year later in April 2003 Human Rights Watch reported an
escalation of repression, with the release of secret government documents
ordering further repression of Christians. Churches have been destroyed while
authorities force Montagnards to renounce Christianity. Human Rights Watch and
Amnesty International have also documented hundreds of political prisoners and
even killings of Montagnard refugees who have tried fleeing to Cambodia. In
fact, the Vietnamese/Cambodian border is patrolled by soldiers, where Cambodian
authorities hunt down and sell refugees to Vietnamese police for bounties.
On the diplomatic front, the Vietnamese government has tried to hijack the
Human Rights Commission by accusing those who speak in the UN against this
brutality, of being terrorists. Kok Ksor, a committed Montagnard Christian
and president of the US-based Montagnard Foundation has not only been declared
a terrorist last year by Hanoi but has had his relatives in Vietnam tortured
in retaliation for speaking out. Hanoi even demanded the United Nations kick
the rights group that sponsored him to speak at the UN - the Transnational
Radical Party - out of the UN for good, as a warning to other groups who try
bringing such issues to world attention. Kok Ksor has however vowed, We will
continue letting the world know how the Vietnamese communist government is
committing genocide against our people. Courageously the Transnational Radical
Party also has refused to buckle under threats from Hanoi.
But how does this persecution relate to foreign policy of the United States?
Well for starters, the Montagnards were loyal allies to the US military during
the Vietnam War. Thus the question arises - Is there a historical debt owed to
these people by the United States?
Certainly many Vietnam Veterans think so. Some Special Forces veterans have
launched a lobbying effort and website (Green Berets 4 Human Rights at
www.gb4hr.net/) to assist in the passing of the Vietnam Human Rights Act.
Having fought alongside the Montagnards these Green Berets understand what
loyalty means. The act was re-launched this year in Congress by Rep. Chris
Smith along with 30 bi-partisan colleagues The legislation calls for the halt
of US non-humanitarian aid to Vietnam unless the Vietnamese government makes
significant progress in improving human rights for all Vietnamese citizens.
President Bush’s administration too, has recognized the duty owed to the
Montagnards and last year granted asylum to over 900 Montagnard refugees who
had escaped the persecution in Vietnam.
But there are others in the United States who have forgotten or deliberately
ignored the debt owed to the Montagnards.
Senator John Kerry is one of these. Last year he placed a hold on the original
Vietnam Human Rights bill from coming for a vote to the Senate floor. While the
House of Representatives had voted overwhelmingly in favor of it (410-1)
Senator Kerry buried the act, along with the hopes and dreams of thousands of
Montagnards and Vietnamese people. Unfortunately Kerry demonstrated that human
rights are secondary concerns when it comes to doing business with Hanoi. The
astounding thing about this is that Kerry himself is a Vietnam Veteran. He is
also currently seeking the Democratic nomination for President.
True, the United States however, has strategic interests in dealing with
Vietnam. Trade is one and the US/Vietnam Trade Council has lobbied very hard
for entry into Vietnam’s markets. Vietnam’s ports and it’s strategic position
in the South China Sea, not to mention offshore oil interests too have all had
a hand in influencing US foreign policy with Hanoi.
For the Montagnards in Vietnam however, this is little comfort
On March 13, 2003 a Montagnard was shot and wounded by Vietnamese security
forces while washing at a rivers edge. A few days later the police returned his
battered corpse to his family. Human Rights Watch reported his skull had been
crushed from apparent beatings whilst in custody.
On February 27, 2003 the villagers in Dak Lac province were paraded in front of
three executed Montagnards - whose eyes had been cut out. The authorities
threatened the villagers not to follow Christianity - or else. Over the past
year Human Rights Watch documented numerous incidents where authorities conduct
mass ceremonies forcing Montagnards to renounce Christ, sometimes while
drinking sacrificed animal’s blood.
One thing is certain - no civilized nation treats its indigenous citizens in
such a barbaric manner. It should also be certain that civilized nations today
do not contribute further to such barbarity by collaborating with repressive
nations like Vietnam.
Referring to America’s role with Vietnam Rep. Frank Wolf, R VA, recently
commented on those who worship at the shrine of trade. A courageous
statement, he was hitting out on those who abandon justice in favor of trade.
He was condemning those who practice economic prostitution with repressive
governments like Vietnam.
And thus the United States must consider the debt owed to the Montagnards and
to all the oppressed people of Vietnam. Particularly now, after the Iraq
conflict has officially ended, for there exists the opportunity for the United
States to change the destiny of not only Arab-Western relations for
generations, but the destiny of the world. Potential future allies will be watching
America and its role in upholding ideals and standing by the oppressed peoples
of the world. For the Montagnard’s sake, lets hope today’s leaders cast down -
the idols worshipped at the shrine of trade.