Reuters
PHNOM PENH -- Ethnic minority asylum seekers protested in the Cambodian capital on Friday against the forced return of their friends and relatives to neighboring Vietnam.
Around 60 Montagnards, the mainly Christian tribespeople from Vietnam's Central Highlands, stormed out of their refugee camp in Phnom Penh to stage the demonstration triggered by the repatriation of 28 refugees. The four-hour protest ended when 40 riot police armed with automatic rifles, batons and shields arrived on the scene and threatened to break up the rally.
"We do not want to go back to Vietnam because they will imprison us. Some of our friends are dying in Vietnam's jails," Kosal Xuan, 21, told Reuters. The group, including children and woman carrying babies, shouted, "Freedom, freedom!" One of their banners said: "Demonstration! We have the right to ask for freedom and justice."
Vietnam's government, accused of rights abuses against the Montagnards who sided with the Americans during the Vietnam War, has given assurances that returnees will not face discrimination. Some 450 Montagnards are in United Nations holding centers in Phnom Penh while their refugee claims are being processed. A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said 28 had been repatriated to Vietnam early on Friday.
"They are upset that their friends have to go back to Vietnam," UNHCR spokesman Toshi Kawauchi said at the scene of the protest.
The Montagnards fled to Cambodia in 2001 following anti-Vietnamese government demonstrations in the Central Highlands over their ancestral lands and religious freedoms.
Around 60 Montagnards, the mainly Christian tribespeople from Vietnam's Central Highlands, stormed out of their refugee camp in Phnom Penh to stage the demonstration triggered by the repatriation of 28 refugees. The four-hour protest ended when 40 riot police armed with automatic rifles, batons and shields arrived on the scene and threatened to break up the rally.
"We do not want to go back to Vietnam because they will imprison us. Some of our friends are dying in Vietnam's jails," Kosal Xuan, 21, told Reuters. The group, including children and woman carrying babies, shouted, "Freedom, freedom!" One of their banners said: "Demonstration! We have the right to ask for freedom and justice."
Vietnam's government, accused of rights abuses against the Montagnards who sided with the Americans during the Vietnam War, has given assurances that returnees will not face discrimination. Some 450 Montagnards are in United Nations holding centers in Phnom Penh while their refugee claims are being processed. A spokesman for the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said 28 had been repatriated to Vietnam early on Friday.
"They are upset that their friends have to go back to Vietnam," UNHCR spokesman Toshi Kawauchi said at the scene of the protest.
The Montagnards fled to Cambodia in 2001 following anti-Vietnamese government demonstrations in the Central Highlands over their ancestral lands and religious freedoms.
8 comments:
Let them stay and become Cambodian Citizen.
Why is everybody want to suck on Khmer's blood?
Get the fuck outta here, you troublemakers!
Well, Cambodia is not a buffer zone for wicked neighbors like Yourn and Siam. From a point of view of a Samaritan, Cambodia should solve her internal issues and people first, rather than following some Westerners' ideas to deploy these useless people in order to attract aid.
Thais are like an owl, while Yourns are like worms. Remember current territorial issues. These two evils are suck!
We do not want to go back to Vietnam because they will imprison us. Some of our friends are dying in Vietnam's jails
lol
These Vietnamese stayed in Cambodia for years. You idiotic Khmers always complain about the Thai refugee camps. Right now you did exactly as you complaint to these Vietnamese.
What a hypocrite you are!
That was the war time mate, idiot Siamese lol!
These guys are victims of ethnic and racial discrimination in their own ancestral land. As ancient blood relative to these people, and as family of the global community, we Cambodia, as a nation that brand ourselves "Buddhist" and compassionate have a moral obligation to the safety of these refugees.
I find it very hard to believe that Khmer people who have gone through the nightmare of fleeing for their safety and finding refuge would turn their back against these people.
Unless of course, maybe you're Viet Cong, cause you got everything to lose from the truth being lose by these refugee. After all, this is a nation that is suppose to take part in the U.N security council. Look at its human rights record.
So, as a Khmer I provide unconditional support to the Montagnard people, who by the way are not Vietnamese, but a group of dispossess and discriminated indigenous people. If you respect Khmer Krom rights and wants our people to live in peace, you will understand that these people are suffering from the same cause as our brothers and sometimes even worse because their numbers are smaller they have nobody to rely on.
True Kon Khmer have hearts.
True Kon Xmer have greed.
True Human Being, have compassion.
Unlike the salvage Thai who sent the Hmong back to be tortured, and kill by the communist monsters of Laos, I am sure we Khmer will find a solution for these refugee that will not linger to hunt our conscious later.
Well, then why don't you monkeys in Cambodia offering them refuge. You always criticize other people but never look at yourself in the mirror, you Hypocrite!
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