Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Government set to send back group of Montagnards

Government set to send back group of Montagnards

Police vehicles sit outside a house where Montagnard asylum seekers have been staying in Phnom Penh. Post staff
Police vehicles sit outside a house where Montagnard asylum seekers have been staying in Phnom Penh. Post staff

Government set to send back group of Montagnards

The Cambodian government is set to return a group of Montagnard refugees to Vietnam today after rejecting their claims for asylum, the UN refugee agency has confirmed.

The 13 are part of the more than 200 Montagnards – a mostly Christian minority from Vietnam’s central highlands – who fled to Cambodia in 2014 and 2015. Only a handful now remain in Phnom Penh.

“UNHCR will facilitate the return of these rejected asylum-seekers to Viet Nam on a voluntary basis – as we have done for more than 120 Montagnard asylum-seekers since July 2015,” said spokesperson Vivian Tan in an email. “In general, we do not intervene with asylum cases unless we disagree with the decisions.”

The Cambodian government granted refugee status to an initial 13 Montagnards, who were sent to the Philippines, but since then authorities have deemed three to be refugees.

A further 50 Montagnards fled Cambodia for Thailand in April. Since then, Montagnards have been returned “voluntarily” in small groups to Vietnam.

However, Grace Bui, of the Montagnard Assistance Project, questioned whether they were truly “volunteers”.

“We heard from a couple of them before – they are being watched 24 hours, they can’t go anywhere,” Bui said, adding that others had been arrested.

“I thought the UN was going to fight for them, but I guess not,” Bui said.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • Struggling Battambang artist dreams of staging full-scale gallery exhibition

    Leav Kimchhoth, a 55-year-old artist from Battambang province, is a familiar face to locals and tourists alike on the streets of the riverside in Phnom Penh. The one-armed painter and illustrator often hawks his work near the night market on weekends and public holidays. He

  • Five-year-old Hanuman dances his way into hearts of Cambodia

    A young talent from a new-established settlement has emerged, captivating the online world with his mesmerising performances of the traditional Cambodian monkey dance. Roeun Kakada is a five-year-old prodigy who has taken the social media sphere by storm with his exceptional dance skills and dedication

  • Fresh Covid warnings as Thai hospital fills

    A senior health official reminds the public to remain vigilant, as neighbouring countries experience an increase in Covid-19 cases, with the latest surge appearing to be a result of the Omicron XBB.1.5 sub-variant. Or Vandine, secretary of state and spokeswoman for the Ministry of Health,

  • New Law on Taxation comes into effect

    Cambodia has enacted the eagerly-awaited new Law on Taxation, which aims to improve the national tax regime’s compliance with present and future international standards and economic conditions; encourage accountability, effectiveness and transparency in the collection process; and promote investment in the Kingdom. King Norodom