,,iii #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #eib ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,december #a1 #bjad ,mr4 ,burr submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,recognizing the contributions of the ,montagnard indigenous tribespeople of the ,central ,highlands of ,vietnam to the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces during the ,vietnam ,war1 and condemning the ongoing violation of human rights by the ,government of the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam4 ,whereas the ,montagnards1 sometimes referred to as ,dega1 are the indigenous tribespeople living in ,vietnam's ,central ,highlands region2 ,whereas the ,montagnards were driven into the mountains by invading ,vietnamese and ,cambodians in the #ith century2 ,whereas ,french ,roman ,catholic missionaries converted many of the ,montagnards in the #aith century and ,american ,protestant missionaries subsequently converted many to various ,protestant sects2 ,whereas1 during the #aifjs1 the ,united ,states ,mission in ,saigon1 the ,central ,intelligence ,agency 7,,cia71 and ,united ,states ,army ,special ,forces1 also known as the ,green ,berets1 trained the ,montagnards in unconventional warfare2 ,whereas an estimated #fa1jjj ,montagnards1 out of an estimated population of #a1jjj1jjj1 fought alongside the ,united ,states and the ,army of the ,republic of ,vietnam 7,,arvn7 forces against the ,north ,vietnamese ,army and the ,viet ,cong2 ,whereas the ,central ,intelligence ,agency1 ,united ,states ,special ,forces1 and the ,montagnards cooperated on the ,village ,defense ,program1 a forerunner to the ,war's ,strategic ,hamlet ,program and estimated #dc1jjj ,montagnards were organized into ,civilian ,irregular ,defense ,groups 7,c,i,d,gs7 to provide protection for the areas around the ,c,i,d,gs' operational bases2 ,whereas1 at its peak1 the ,c,i,d,gs had approximately #ej operational bases1 with each base containing a contingent of two ,united ,states ,army officers and ten enlisted men1 and an ,,arvn unit of the same size1 and each base trained #bjj to #gjj ,montagnards1 or strikers2 ,whereas another #ah1jjj ,montagnards were reportedly enlisted into mobile strike forces1 and various historical accounts describe a strong bond between the ,united ,states ,special ,forces and the ,montagnards1 in contrast to ,vietnamese ,special ,forces and ,,arvn troops2 ,whereas the lives of thousands of members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces were saved as a result of the heroic actions of the ,montagnards1 who fought loyally and bravely alongside ,united ,states ,special ,forces in the ,vietnam ,war2 ,whereas1 after the fall of the ,republic of ,vietnam in #aige1 thousands of ,montagnards fled across the border into ,cambodia to escape persecution2 ,whereas the ,government of the reunified ,vietnamese nation1 renamed the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam1 deeply distrusted the ,montagnards who had sided with the ,united ,states and ,,arvn forces1 and subjected them to imprisonment and various forms of discrimination and oppression after the ,vietnam ,war ended2 ,whereas1 after the ,vietnam ,war1 the ,united ,states ,government resettled large numbers of ,montagnards1 mostly in ,north ,carolina1 and an estimated several thousand ,montagnards currently reside in ,north ,carolina1 which is the largest population of ,montagnards residing outside of ,vietnam2 ,whereas the ,socialist ,republic of ,vietnam currently remains a one-party state1 ruled and controlled by the ,communist ,party of ,vietnam 7,,cpv71 which continues to restrict freedom of religion1 movement1 land and property rights1 and political expression2 ,whereas officials of the ,government of ,vietnam have forced ,montagnards to publicly denounce their religion1 arrested and imprisoned ,montagnards who organized public demonstrations1 and mistreated ,montagnards in detention2 ,whereas the ,government of ,vietnam's restrictions on foreigners' access to the ,central ,highlands region complicate accurate reporting of human rights violations against the ,montagnards1 including the hundreds of ,montagnards who have reportedly been imprisoned since #bjja and ,montagnards who have fled to ,thailand seeking asylum in a third country2 ,whereas some ,montagnard ,americans have complained that ,vietnamese authorities either have prevented them from visiting ,vietnam or have subjected them to interrogation upon re-entering the country on visits2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state's #bjac ,country ,reports on ,human ,rights ,practices and #bjac ,international ,religious ,freedom ,report reference the mistreatment of ,montagnards as an example of the detention of ethnic minorities in ,vietnam and references reports from followers of the unsanctioned ,church of ,christ that local authorities in the ,central ,highlands provinces had harassed and persecuted them2 ,whereas1 in ,march #bjad1 the ,unrepresented ,nations and ,peoples ,organization 7,,unpo7 submitted an alternative report to the ,united ,nations ,committee on ,economic1 ,social1 and ,cultural ,rights summarizing the alleged violations of the economic1 social1 and cultural rights of ,vietnam's ,montagnard1 ,hmong1 and ,khmer ,krom2 ,whereas the ,unrepresented ,nations and ,peoples ,organization report states that the ,government of ,vietnam has denied ,montagnards of their right of self-determination2 imposed discriminatory policies2 curtailed religious freedom2 impeded access to an adequate standard of living2 limited access to health care and education2 infringed on the ,montagnards' cultural rights2 and1 in two recent cases1 arrested and imprisoned ,montagnards purportedly for their religious beliefs2 ,whereas the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom's #bjad ,annual ,report states that the ,government of ,vietnam controls all religious activities through law and administrative oversight1 severely restricts independent religious practice1 and represses individuals and religious groups it views as challenging its authority1 including independent ,protestant house churches in the ,central and ,northwest ,highlands2 and ,whereas the ,united ,states ,commission on ,international ,religious ,freedom recommends that ,vietnam be designated as a ,country of ,particular ,concern 7,,cpc7 and that access to ,priority #a refugee resettlement authority should be increased for individuals from ,vietnam facing a well-founded fear of persecution3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 recognizes the contributions of the ,montagnards who fought loyally and bravely with ,united ,states ,armed ,forces during the ,vietnam ,war and who continue to suffer persecution in ,vietnam as a result of this relationship2 7#b7 condemns actions taken by the ,government of ,vietnam to suppress basic human rights and civil liberties for all its citizens2 7#c7 urges the ,government of ,vietnam to allow human rights groups access to all regions of the country and to end restrictions of basic human rights1 including the freedom of religion1 land and property rights1 freedom of movement1 and access to an adequate standard of living2 and 7#d7 urges the ,president and ,congress to develop policies that support ,montagnards and other marginalized ethnic minority and indigenous populations such as the ,khmer ,krom and the ,hmong in ,vietnam and reflect ,united ,states interests and commitment to upholding human rights and democracy abroad4