WRITTEN QUESTION E-1180/03 by Marco Pannella (NI), Emma Bonino (NI),Marco Cappato (NI), Gianfranco Dell'Alba (NI)and Benedetto Della Vedova (NI) to the Commission. Secret Vietnamese prison set up next to the Cambodian border for the detention of Montagnards repatriated after having requested asylum; cases of arrest, torture and disappearance.
Date: 2003-04-01
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU relations, Viet Nam, cooperation agreement (EU), ethnic group, penal institution, political violence, protection of minorities, religious group, right to justice

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/339

The Commission Delegation and the Member States embassies in Indonesia monitor the human rights
situation in this country in a thorough and continuous manner and report regularly to the Council Group
on Human Rights. The latest such report was prepared in spring 2002.

Human rights are a central plank in the enhanced political dialogue between the Union and Indonesia. The
Commission’s Country Strategy Paper (2002-2006) and National Indicative Programme (2002-2004) for
Indonesia puts a strong emphasis on the promotion of good governance and on the strengthening of the
judicial system and of human rights. Community-supported programmes in these important areas are
either ongoing or under preparation.

(2004/C 88 E/0345)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1180/03

by Marco Pannella (NI), Emma Bonino (NI),
Marco Cappato (NI), Gianfranco Dell’Alba (NI)
and Benedetto Della Vedova (NI) to the Commission

(1 April 2003)

Subject: Secret Vietnamese prison set up next to the Cambodian border for the detention of Montagnards

repatriated after having requested asylum; cases of arrest, torture and disappearance

Various independent observers have reported that the Vietnamese government has set up a secret prison
on the border with Cambodia in Mokdeng district, Pleiku province, where the 773rd military division and
the 721st military brigade are detaining 28 Montagnard (Degar) refugees repatriated by Cambodia.

On 12 February 2003, the Vietnamese police arrested, and took to the prison in Buonmathuot, N’Gran (39
years old, from Buon Dak R’la, Dak Mil district, Dak Lac province) because he was in possession of a
mobile phone which, according to the government, was used to maintain contacts with Montagnards in
the US; his physical condition is unknown.

On 13 February 2003, at about 10 p.m., the Vietnamese police arrested Y-Dhem Nie (36 years old, from
Buon Ea Kao, Buonmathuot district, Dak Lac province) because he had given food to another two Degars
who were in hiding in the jungle; his whereabouts and condition are unknown.

On 14 February 2003 the police arrested, in Buonmathuot, Y-Suar (33 years old, from Buon Jun Yuh, Dak
Mil district, Dak Lac province); his physical condition is unknown.

On 17 February 2003 Y-Yan Buon Ya (37) and H’Powel Nie (31), a married couple, fled into the jungle to
avoid being arrested by the security forces, leaving at home their two children H’Nong Nie (9) and Y-Le
Nie (6).

On 22 February 2003, at about 11 a.m., the Vietnamese police arrested and took to Buonmathuot prison
Y-Dhun Eban (42, from Buon Krue, Krong Ana district, Dak Lac province), who had gone into hiding to
avoid arrest. On the following day his sister H’Nget Eban and her husband Y-Lia Ken, both 28 years old,
were arrested and taken to Buonmathuot prison because they were suspected of having given assistance to
Y-Dhun Eban.

In view of the foregoing detailed information, would the Commission state:

1. whether it

intends to ask the Vietnamese Government

to explain why Montagnards are being

systematically arrested and maltreated by the security forces?

2. whether it intends to ask the Vietnamese authorities to grant international agencies such as UNHCR
and other NGOs full and immediate access to Vietnam’s Central Highlands and the regions on the
Cambodian border, where there is systematic abuse of human rights, as requested by the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights in its conclusions of 27 June 2000 and whether,
if the
Vietnamese government continues to deny such access, the Commission intends to denounce the
cooperation agreement signed with Vietnam, which is clearly conditional on respect for human rights
and democracy in Vietnam?