Dega People's Independence Movement

Updated: 11/07/17.
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BAJARAKA Uprising — 1950s-1964

Y-Bham Enuol, leader of the Dega Liberation Movement
from 1958 until his murder in 1975.

1958: The Dega community leaders launched a political movement known as BAJARAKA to unite the tribes against south Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem’s repressive and genocidal policies. BAJARAKA is a combination of the key letters of the major Dega tribes: Bahnar, Jarai, Rhade, and Koho. Y-Bham Enuol, a Ede (Rhade) man, lead BAJARAKA. The goal of this movement was to make the P.M.S.I. (Pays Montagnard du Sud Indochinois) a separate nation with Dega self-governance that lived in peace with the country of Vietnam. The Dega people wanted to recover, by peaceful ways, our ancestral territories and restore our independence and right to self-determination. The movement did not view Vietnamese people as enemies. It also did not disput other people’s territories.

September 15 1958: BAJARAKA organized a peaceful demonstration. Instead of peacefully resolving the grievances of BAJARAKA, Ngo Dinh Diem brutally shut down the movement and murdered the demonstrators with support from the U.S. military. The army sent military tanks.

All seven BAJARAKA leaders were arrested and sentenced to six years of imprisonment. The leaders were:

1. Mr. Y-Bham Enuol
2. Mr. Paul Nur
3. Mr. Nay Luet
4. Mr. Y-Thih Eban
5. Mr. Sip Siu
6. Mr. Y-Ju Eban
7. Mr. Touneh Yoh

They were sent to Dalat and put in underground solitary cells for three months.

During this time other Dega community leaders were deceived by Ho Chi Minh of North Vietnam into aligning themselves with his cause. North Vietnamese leaders agreed to return Dega territory to the Dega people. The leaders of the Dega guerilla movement in the jungles, including Nai Der, Nai Phin, R’com Briu, Y-Bih Aleo, Y-Ngong Nie Kdam, had no choice but to accept the offer of Ho Chi Minh.

During the Second Indochina War, Ho Chi Minh had two fronts:

1. Mat Tran Giai Phong Mien Nam Vietnam or “The Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam”.
2. Mat Tran Giai Phong Tay Nguyen or “The Front for the Liberation of Central Highlands” (FLCH).

An important note: FLCH in alliance with Ho Chi Minh of North Vietnam was not the same organization as FLHPM-FULRO under Y-Bham Enuol. Although both groups desired the same goal of Dega independence, they were separate political-militant groups.

After North Vietnam’s victory in 1975, North Vietnam placed governance of the Central Highlands and the Dega people under their direct control and authority. They did not honor their agreement to restore Dega autonomy in exchange for Dega alliance. Instead, brutal repression continued with the Communist regime like it did with the “Democratic” regime of former South Vietnam.

After the Vietnamese Civil War, Dega leaders who were in alliance with Ho Chi Minh since the First and Second Indochina War were sent home for retirement. The reason given was because the FLCH leaders did not have the ability to work. The new government did not want Dega leaders to claim what Ho Chi Minh agreed to. The Dega leaders of FLCH died shortly after returning home.

November 26, 1958: The leaders of BAJARAKA were taken to Hue and put in the criminal section of the prison.

1959: Y-Bham Enuol and Paul Nur were released from imprisonment. Y-Bham Enuol resumed his campaign for Dega independence. Three months later he was arrested again and taken to police headquarters in Buon Ama Thuot. He was sentenced to imprisonment for 7 years. There he was reportedly tortured with electric shocks. He was released a year early under American CIA advisement.

February 12, 1964: All seven leaders of BAJARAKA were released with convincing from the American Embassy. South Vietnam immediately appointed Paul Nur as Assistant Province Chief of Kontum. Y- Bham Enuol was appointed Assistant Province Chief of Daklak. These were measures to pacify Dega aspirations and to prevent another potential uprising. However, the military government of South Vietnam continued to oppress the Dega people.

May 4, 1967: To avoid international criticism, South Vietnam’s government agreed to a meeting between BAJARAKA leader Y-Bham Enuol with General Vinh Loc, a Vietnamese representative at Buon Ama Thuot (present day Banmethuot).

At the meeting Mr. Y-Bham-Enuol explained and asked the South Vietnamese government to accept the 8 points of the Dega people's aspirations:

1. To accord a special statute on a special constitution for the Dega people.
2. To settle the special commissioners for Dega affairs at Buon Ama Thuot, the capital of the Dega Republic PMS Plateaux Degas du Sud.
3. To permit the recruitment and organization of Dega Armed Force.
4. To return to the Central Highlands all Dega civil servants and military men on duty outside Dega territory.
5. To permit Dega people to receive aid directly from the USA or from other nations.
6. To raise the Dega flag at the same height as the Vietnamese flag.
7. The borders could be marked, provided that the Dega people could get back their autonomy.
8. To agree to the participation of the Dega people in the Geneva Conference or in other international conferences.

South Vietnam was uncooperative and did not accept any of the eight points. It gave false excuses to postpone responding to the Dega people's aspirations.

American soldiers, South Vietnamese soldiers, and CDIG Dega soldiers in a Dega village.
Source: Life Magazine

FLHPM-FULRO Uprising — 1964-1975
Y-Bham Enuol and other Dega leaders organized a new underground front called “Front de Liberation des Hauts-Plateaux Montagnard” (FLHPM) or the Montagnard (Dega) Highlands-Plateau Liberation Front. FLHPM’s objectives included freedom, autonomy, land ownership, and a separate highland nation.

August 1, 1964: The Front Unifie De Lutte De La Races Opprimee or Liberation Front for the Oppressed Races (FULRO) was organized by Les Kosem (Cham Cambodia) and Um Sawud (Kampuchea Khmer Krom) both with the Cambodian Army.

The purpose of this united front was to combine forces to defeat common enemies. Because of different political visions and aspirations, Dega leader Y-Bham Enuol was not ready to form the alliance at the time. Y-Dhon Adrong, a member of BAJARAKA and Dega teacher at the primary school at Quang-Duc Province, made secret contact with Les Kosem and Um Sawud. Y-Dhon Adrong agreed to BAJARAKA joining FULRO. This action was done without Y-Bham Enuol’s approval.

September 19, 1964: After meeting with Les Kosem and Um Sawud in Phnom-Penh, Cambodia, Y-Dhon Adrong returned to Vietnam and met Y-Tlur Eban who was a military interpreter at the Buon Sapa and Mega Special Forces Camps in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. He ordered Y-Tlur Eban, as the commander, to use force in a symbolic effort to demand South Vietnam and the Americans to address the suffering and urgent issues the Dega faced.

September 20, 1964: FULRO organized an uprising that took place in U.S. Special Forces camps in Buon Sapa, Mega and Quang Duc provinces under Y-Tlur Eban who was the acting Dega commander. FULRO occupied Buon Ama Thuot radio station.

Dega-FULRO leader Y-Bham Enuol with other FULRO leaders and an American military official.
Source: https://static01.nyt.com/images/2017/06/09/opinion/10chickeringWeb/10chickeringWeb-master675.jpg

After the uprising Y-Tlur Eban transported Y-Bham Enuol and his family to the FULRO Headquarters Camp of Roland near Mondulkiri, Cambodia for a meeting with Les Kosem and Y-Dhong Adrong and to ensure Y-Bham Enuol’s safety.

Y-Bham Enuol was very frustrated with the violence and the decision over the uprising. After months of conflict continued in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, Y-Bham Enuol accepted to be the chairman of FULRO.

1965: Fighting again broke out in Buon Brieng, Cheo Reo and Dak Nong provinces. South Vietnam sentenced four Dega FULRO members to death.

Y-Bham Enuol was the first to use the Rhade word “Dega” to collectively describe the Montagnard people of Montagnard Country in the Central Highlands at the Conference of Indochina Peoples at Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 1965.

At the Conference Y-Bham Enuol stated FULRO’s goals:

1. The Dega people must be recognized as the legal and true masters of the Central Highlands.
2. The Vietnamese administration of these lands must be dismantled and their military forces withdrawn.
3. The Dega people’s sovereignty and independence must be restored.

1966: The Ministry for Ethnic Minorities Development was organized to oversee social and economic programs for the Dega people. The government reported that, “Some progress was made, but the Vietnam War was spreading throughout the region, which made the South Vietnamese government’s goals unattainable.” They continued with false promises for improvements in order to gain Dega support for their war effort.

January 26, 1968: Viet Cong forces overran Buon Ama Thuot, Pleiku, Kontum and Dalat. The Vietnamese Communists used Dega villages as shields to cover their assault on the towns and thousands of Dega people were killed. In Hue City, Communist troops invaded and executed 82 Dega students who were living in a boarding school of the Ministry of Ethnic Minority Development.

July 15, 1968: Y-Bham Enuol decided to establish clear cut responsibilities and interests of different components of FULRO. He designated the Dega's responsibilities and interests with the ultimate goal of claiming the Central Highlands' sovereignty and integrity. This decision was made known clearly to the Saigon government at the same date. From then on the FULRO was composed of three Fronts:

1. The Liberation Front of the Central Highlands Dega (in French, Front de Liberation des Hauts-Plateaux Dega ( FLHPM-FULRO)

2. The Liberation Front of Khmer Krom (FLKK-FULRO)

3. The Liberation Front of Champa (FLC-FULRO)

The Dega Highlands Liberation Front (FLHPM) was now officially independent and only for the liberation of the Dega people and the Dega territory of the Central Highlands in struggle with South Vietnam.

Nguyen Van Thieu realized that South Vietnam needed to respond to Dega aspirations after Y-Bham clearly defined his political views and goals with international insistence.

August 15, 1968: After 4 years of cooperation with the common Front, Y-Bham Enuol discovered that the Kampuchea North and Champa Front took advantage of the situation by using the Dega people to claim the territory of the Central Highlands from Vietnam. Y-Bham Enuol decided to withdraw completely from the FULRO movement and made the announcement that the earlier Dega independence movement, FLHPM, the Front de Liberation des Hauts-Plateaux Montagnard, would continue its goal to restore Dega sovereignty. This decision was made known clearly to South Vietnam on that same day.

March 30, 1972: North Vietnam continued its sweeping offensive and attacked many Dega villages in the Central Highlands. As a result of the fighting, the wounded, homeless, malnourished and displaced Dega people died by the thousands.

October 20, 1973: Y Bham Enuol, living in exile in Cambodia, nominated Kpa Koi as the vice-president of the Dega Liberation Movement, FLHPM. He continued to demand that South Vietnam satisfy the eight point proposal for Dega self-governance and autonomy.

Source: 
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/db/4e/63/db4e6388d51707c40fe54cbaa18af08f.jpg

1973: U.S. Armed Forces withdrew from Vietnam following a cease-fire agreement with the North Vietnamese. All Dega Special Forces units were transformed into Vietnamese units and under Vietnamese commanders.

March 3-10, 1975: North Vietnamese forces overran Ban Me Thuot (Buon Ama Thuot), Pleiku, Kontum, Dak Nong and Dalat.

March 11, 1975: The South Vietnamese Government’s Air Force bombed Buon Pa Lam, killing 125 Degas and wounding 210. The entire village was burned to the ground and Dega villagers were forced to flee from their homes suffering terribly with no clothing, blankets, food or medical help.

April 4, 1975: Nay Luett, the Dega Minister for Ethnic Minority Development, and other Dega leaders met with George Jacobsen, Assistant the to the U.S. Ambassador, Colonel Lamar Prosser, and Edward Sprague. Nay Luett asked for protection for the Dega leaders and people because he knew genocide would be committed upon the Dega people. He also proposed to organize a 50,000 member strong Dega Force, with support from the United States, to defend the Dega people in the Central Highlands. Mr. Jacobsen and the South Vietnam government refused (See article: “A Debt Too Far”)

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/274438171014043413/

1975: The Khmer Rouge defeated the Lon Nol government in Cambodia. Y-Bham Enuol, his family and other Dega leaders were killed by the Khmer Rouge after the French Embassy in Phnom Penh refused to provide sanctuary or assistance.

March 24, 1975: President Thieu informed three high level American officials that he was withdrawing his forces from the Central Highlands. He requested that the U.S. Air Force consider the Central Highlands as a free bombing area.

May 1, 1975: The war ended on May 1 with the victory of the North Vietnamese, and the Dega people suffered the consequences. Many of the Dega leaders and people were executed because the new government of Vietnam accused us of being the eyes and ears of the U.S. Armed Forces during the war, and also for being members of the FULRO organization. They convicted us as traitors because we were fighting for the U.S. We cannot however, be traitors against the Hanoi government when firstly we are not Vietnamese people. Even today, there are untold numbers of Dega people are still in prison for this reason. In addition, those who are lucky enough to be released die, usually within a year, under mysterious circumstances. It is well known that when a Dega is released from prison, it is the same as a death sentence.

FHPML and FULRO Uprising After Vietnamese Civil War — 1975-1992

Over 12,000 Degas who escaped to the jungles of  Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand continued fighting the Vietnamese Communists for 17 years from 1975-1992 with FLHPM. The FLHPM was under the direction of Commander Y-Ghok Nie Krieng and Assistant Commander Rong Nay. The aim was to resist the Communists and to continue fighting for Dega freedom and independence. Over 8,000 died in the jungle because of starvation, disease, attack by tiger, and combat wounds. During 1975 – 1982 an estimated 60,000 Dega were killed.

1976: After the end of the war, our political and religious leaders, civil servants, former military personnel and students were mercilessly jailed, confined to re-education camps, tortured and executed. Dega women have been raped and forced into prostitution to soldiers of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The public health system has been allowed to deteriorate, and is generally unavailable to Dega families. Tribal law courts have been replaced by a harsh system of “justice”, which is biased against the Dega people.

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has closed all churches, and accused those Dega Christians of working for the CIA. Our children are excluded from higher education, and no schools are provided in areas far from the cities. Dega languages are prohibited in school. Even our graveyards have been desecrated and looted.

Private property and lands have been confiscated and distributed to ethnic Vietnamese. Forced labor and slavery have been imposed on all Dega people, regardless of age or gender. The Dega people have been forcibly evicted from their farmlands and moved to barren soil, which is poor and unsuitable for cultivation. They have been forced to work as slave laborers during the establishment of collective farms, which were then turned over to ethnic Vietnamese.

The “Ministry of Culture” of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam announced that it would be “necessary to eradicate all outmoded customs”, changing the culture of ethnic minorities. The program was called Dinh Canh Dinh Cu, which means, “fixed field, fixed residence”. In practice, it meant forcing the Dega population into small controlled areas of poor croplands so that large numbers of ethnic Vietnamese could be settled on the greater part of Dega lands.

1983: Nay Luett, the Dega Minister of Ethnic Minority Development, suffered terribly for 9 years of imprisonment and torture following the Communist take-over. Within two months after being released from prison, he died at home in his beloved village in the Central Highlands.

Doctors from Hanoi came to the home of Nay Luett shortly after he died, removed the body and took it to a local clinic where the brain was removed. The Hanoi medical team said they wanted the brain for analysis and research.

The family was warned not to reveal this horrific act of desecration to anyone, although several family members and witnesses testified after examining the body prior to burial.

Ksor Rot, the Dega Senator from South Vietnam was executed.

Paul Nur, the Former Minister of Ethnic Minority Development, was murdered in a Hanoi prison.

February 1986: The first group of FLHPM-FULRO decided to lay down arms to the Thai government and ask for political asylum in the U.S.

November 24, 1986: The first group of 212 Dega soldiers with all the former FLHPM leaders were resettled in North Carolina, U.S. as refugees. Before this small influx, there were only an estimated 30 Dega scattered around the United States.

December 1992: The second remaining group of 417 former soldiers and their families were airlifted from a remote northeastern territory in Cambodia, to Phnom Penh, and also came to North Carolina, USA.

The group contacted the U.N. peacekeeping forces in the Mondulkiri province of Cambodia. With no help from the outside world, they were forced to end their 17-year military struggle. They requested political asylum, handed over their weapons, and accepted resettlement in North Carolina. They were processed and resettled with very little advance notice in the three North Carolina cities. The group included 269 males, 24 females, and 80 children.

Post-War Dega Independence Movement — 1992-Present

1986-present: FLHPM-FULRO leaders in the U.S. focused on independence, rights to self-determination, and human rights violations by Vietnam.

Family members of FLHPM-FULRO leaders living in the Central Highlands were harassed, threatened, put under house arrest, and/or tortured.

Members and supporters of the FLHPM-FULRO organization living in Vietnam were imprisoned, tortured, poisoned, and murdered.

2001 and 2004: Dega people living in Vietnam held peaceful protests calling for Dega independence and the end to Vietnam's continued persecution of Dega people.

Dega demonstrators were met with brutal violence from Vietnamese police, military, and civilians. Thousands of Dega protesters were injured and murdered. Thousands of Dega people fled to surrounding countries to escape Vietnam's violent repression. Others were imprisoned, tortured, and poisoned. Dega activists were falsely accused of terrorism. Their sentences ranged from 2 months to 17 years. There are still Dega demonstrators in jail to this day.

2011: The Montagnard Support Group was formed to specifically address the Dega people's legal right to restore independence as a sovereign nation.