US officials to visit Vietnam
HANOI - A senior U.S. official will visit the troubled Central Highlands as
part of his weeklong trip to Vietnam, the US Embassy said
Thursday.
Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and
Migration Arthur Dewey arrived in Hanoi from Beijing on
Wednesday and will stay through Aug. 19.
The Central Highlands were the site of mass protests in February
2001 by ethnic minority villagers over land-rights issues and
religious repression. Many of them are Protestant.
Known collectively as Montagnards, dozens of them have been
imprisoned for participating in the peaceful demonstrations that
drew thousands to the capitals of Daklak and Gia Lai provinces.
Nearly 1,000 ethnic minorities then fled to neighboring Cambodia -
which closed its doors to refugees last year - to escape a
government crackdown. The United States accepted about 900
refugees for resettlement last June.
Human rights groups have condemned the continuing government
repression of ethnic minority members. Travel to the area remains
highly restricted.
Agence France Presse - August 15, 2003.
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