,,iii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session   
,s4 ,,res4 #cfi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,octob] #bb1 #bjai,mr4
 ,burr 7= himself & ,mr4 ,tillis7       
submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0     
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign        
,relations  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+ !  
contributions ( ! ,montagn>d indig5\s   
tribespeople ( ! ,c5tral ,highl&s (     
,vietnam to ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces 
dur+ ! ,vietnam ,w>1 & condemn+ ! ongo+ 
violation ( human rights by ! ,gov]nm5t 
( ! ,sociali/ ,republic ( ,vietnam4     
,:]eas ! ,montagn>ds are an indig5\s    
tribespeople liv+ 9 ,vietnam's ,c5tral  
,highl&s region2 ,:]eas ! ,montagn>ds 7 
driv5 into ! m\nta9s by invad+          
,vietnamese & ,cambodians 9 ! #i?       
c5tury2 ,:]eas ,fr5* ,roman ,ca?olic    
mission>ies conv]t$ _m ( ! ,montagn>ds 9
 ! #ai? c5tury & ,am]ican ,prote/ant    
mission>ies subsequ5tly conv]t$ _m to   
v>i\s ,prote/ant sects2 ,:]eas1 dur+ !  
#aifjs1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,mission 9      
,saigon1 ! ,c5tral ,intellig5ce ,ag5cy  

7,,cia71 & ,unit$ ,/ates ,army ,special 
,=ces1 also kn[n z ! ,gre5 ,b]ets1 tra9$
 ! ,montagn>ds 9 unconv5tional w>f>e2   
,:]eas an e/imat$ #fa1jjj ,montagn>ds1  
out ( an e/imat$ population (           
#a1jjj1jjj1 f\ght alongside ! ,unit$    
,/ates & ! ,army ( ! ,republic (        
,vietnam 7,,arvn7 =ces aga9/ ! ,nor?    
,vietnamese ,army & ! ,viet ,cong2      
,:]eas ! ,c5tral ,intellig5ce ,ag5cy1   
,unit$ ,/ates ,special ,=ces1 & !       
,montagn>ds coop]at$ on ! ,village      
,def5se ,program1 a =]unn] to ! ,w>'s   
,/rategic ,hamlet ,program1 & an e/imat$
 #dc1jjj ,montagn>ds 7 organiz$ into    
,civilian ,irregul> ,def5se ,gr\ps      
7,c,i,d,gs7 to provide protection = !   
areas ar\nd ! ,c,i,d,gs' op]ational     
bases2 ,:]eas1 at its peak1 ! ,c,i,d,gs 
_h approximately #ej op]ational bases1 )
 ea* base conta9+ a cont+5t ( two ,unit$
 ,/ates ,army (fic]s & t5 enli/$ m51 &  
an ,,arvn unit ( ! same size1 & ea* base
 tra9$ #bjj to #gjj ,montagn>ds1 or     
/rik]s2 ,:]eas ano!r #ah1jjj ,montagn>ds

 7 report$ly enli/$ into mobile /rike   
=ces1 & v>i\s hi/orical acc\nts describe
 a /rong bond betwe5 ! ,unit$ ,/ates    
,special ,=ces & ! ,montagn>ds1 9       
contra/ to ,vietnamese ,special ,=ces & 
,,arvn troops2 ,:]eas ! lives ( ?\s&s ( 
memb]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces 7  
sav$ z a result ( ! h]oic actions ( !   
,montagn>ds1 :o f\ght loyally & bravely 
alongside ,unit$ ,/ates ,special ,=ces 9
 ! ,vietnam ,w>2 ,:]eas1 aft] ! fall ( !
 ,republic ( ,vietnam 9 #aige1 ?\s&s (  
,montagn>ds fl$ across ! bord] into     
,cambodia to escape p]secution2 ,:]eas !
 ,gov]nm5t ( ! reunifi$ ,vietnamese     
nation1 r5am$ ! ,sociali/ ,republic (   
,vietnam1 deeply di/ru/$ ! ,montagn>ds  
:o _h sid$ ) ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ,,arvn   
=ces & subject$ !m to imprisonm5t &     
v>i\s =ms ( discrim9ation & oppression  
aft] ! ,vietnam ,w> end$2 ,:]eas1 aft] !
 ,vietnam ,w>1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,gov]nm5t
 resettl$ l>ge numb]s ( ,montagn>ds1    
mo/ly 9 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 & an e/imat$     
sev]al ?\s& ,montagn>ds curr5tly reside 

9 ,nor? ,c>ol9a1 :i* is ! l>ge/         
population ( ,montagn>ds resid+ outside 
( ,vietnam2 ,:]eas ! ,sociali/ ,republic
 ( ,vietnam curr5tly rema9s a "o-p>ty   
/ate1 rul$ & controll$ by ! ,communi/   
,p>ty ( ,vietnam 7,,cpv71 :i* cont9ues  
to re/rict fre$om ( religion1 movem5t1  
l& & prop]ty rights1 & political        
expression2 ,:]eas (ficials ( !         
,gov]nm5t ( ,vietnam h =c$ ,montagn>ds  
to publicly d5\nce _! religion1 arre/$ &
 imprison$ ,montagn>ds :o organiz$      
public demon/rations1 & mi/reat$        
,montagn>ds 9 det5tion2 ,:]eas "s       
,montagn>d ,am]icans h compla9$ t       
,vietnamese au?orities ei!r h prev5t$ !m
 f visit+ ,vietnam or h subject$ !m to  
int]rogation ^u re-ent]+ ! c\ntry on    
visits2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's    
#bjah ,c\ntry ,reports on ,human ,rights
 ,practices 7#bjah ,human ,rights       
,report7 docum5ts t1 despite ,vietnam's 
significant economic gr[?1 "s indig5\s &
 e?nic m9ority communities b5efit$      
little f improv$ economic conditions1   

ev5 ?\gh su* communities =m$ a majority 
( ! population 9 c]ta9 areas1 includ+ ! 
,nor?we/ & ,c5tral ,highl&s & portions (
 ! ,mekong ,delta2 ,:]eas ! #bjah ,human
 ,rights ,report /ates t1 al?\gh        
,vietnamese law prohibits discrim9ation 
aga9/ e?nic m9orities1 su* social       
discrim9ation 0 long/&+ & p]si/5t1      
notably 9 ! ,c5tral ,highl&s2 ,:]eas !  
#bjah ,human ,rights ,report docum5ts t 
l& rights prote/]s h report$ regul>     
in/ances ( gov]nm5t au?orities          
physically h>ass+ & intimidat+ !m at l& 
expropriation sites ar\nd ! c\ntry1 or  
arre/+ local resid5ts = caus+ public    
disord]2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates         
,commission on ,int]national ,religi\s  
,fre$om 7,,uscirf7 ref]5ces 9 its #bjai 
,annual ,report 7! #bjai ,,uscirf       
,report7 ! acc\nts ( ,montagn>ds be+    
publicly b]at$ & humiliat$ = _!         
affiliation ) ! unrecogniz$ ,evangelical
 ,*ur* ( ,*ri/2 ,:]eas ! #bjai ,,uscirf 
,report docum5ts t "o-qu>t] ( prison]s (
 consci5ce 7 m9ority religi\s gr\ps1    

includ+ ! ,montagn>ds2 ,:]eas ! #bjai   
,,uscirf ,report e/imates t #aj1jjj     
individuals 9 ! ,c5tral ,highl&s are    
refus$ ,,id c>ds1 h\sehold regi/ration1 
& bir? c]tificates by local au?orities 9
 retaliation = refus+ to r5\nce _! fai?2
 & ,:]eas ,,uscirf has recomm5d$ e ye>  
s9ce #bjjb t ,vietnam be designat$ a    
,c\ntry ( ,p>ticul> ,conc]n 7,,cpc7 "u !
 ,int]national ,religi\s ,fre$om ,act ( 
#aiih 7,public ,law #aje-bib7 due to    
sy/ematic1 ongo+1 egregi\s violations ( 
religi\s fre$om3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x  ,t ! 
,s5ate-- 7#a7 recognizes ! contributions
 ( ! ,montagn>ds :o f\ght loyally &     
bravely ) ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ ,=ces dur+
 ! ,vietnam ,w> & :o cont9ue to suff]   
p]secution 9 ,vietnam z a result ( ?is  
relation%ip2  7#b7 condemns ongo+       
actions by ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,vietnam to    
suppress basic human rights & civil     
lib]ties = all its citiz5s2  7#c7 calls 
on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,vietnam to all[ human 
rights gr\ps access to all regions ( !  
c\ntry & to end re/rictions ( basic     

human rights1 includ+ ! "r = ,montagn>ds
 to practice _! ,*ri/ian fai? freely1 ! 
"r to l& & prop]ty1 fre$om ( movem5t1 ! 
"r to reta9 e?nic id5tity & culture1 &  
access to an adequate /&>d ( liv+2 &    
7#d7 urges ! ,presid5t & ,congress to   
develop policies t support ,montagn>ds &
 o!r m>g9aliz$ e?nic m9ority & indig5\s 
populations 9 ,vietnam & reflect ,unit$ 
,/ates int]e/s & commitm5t to uphold+   
human rights & democracy abroad4