King urges protection of Montagnards

King urges protection of Montagnards

CAMBODIA: Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk has urged the government and United Nations to protect any Vietnamese Montagnards seeking refuge in the kingdom, after violent protests in their homeland last weekend.

Cambodia has stepped up security along its border with Vietnam to prevent any ethnic minority Montagnards fleeing into Cambodia, after security forces quashed the weekend demonstrations in the Central Highlands.

"Today, I call on the Royal Government of Cambodia and the UN to protect the Montagnards and not to expel, or let be expelled, from Cambodia, these unfortunates seeking shelter in our home," Sihanouk said in a brief message posted in French on his website on Wednesday.

According to Human Rights Watch, thousands of Montagnards attempted on Saturday to enter Buon Ma Thuot, the capital of Vietnam's Dak Lak province, to protest religious persecution and land confiscation.

Clashes erupted when police used tear gas, electric truncheons, and water cannons to prevent the demonstrators from entering the city, arresting dozens of people, the New York-based group said.

It said it had received eyewitness reports of protesters being beaten to death by security forces outside the city and unconfirmed reports of police casualties. --AFP