160 Vietnamese Christians flee to Cambodia

VIETNAM - 160 members of a Vietnamese ethnic minority that crossed the border illegally to escape violence in their home country were arrested and deported by the Cambodian police last week.

During the Easter weekend, an estimated 400 Christians were killed in brutal repression of peaceful and prayerful demonstrations by Montagnard Christians in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Up to 400,000 Vietnamese Christians, from the Degar people, gathered in several Vietnamese cities to demonstrate against the government's refusal to allow them to follow the Christian faith freely.

"The demonstrators in the cities, which included the Central Highland city of Buonmathuot, were attacked by soldiers, police and other Vietnamese civilians. The Christians were shot at, beaten with electric batons and bombarded with rocks and stones. Hundreds were killed (400 according to one report) and many others have suffered broken bones.

But the Mondulkiri police chief, Reach Samnang denied these claims, "It's a lie, it is not true. We have nothing to hide."

Three years ago, police crushed similar demonstrations in the area, prompting a mass exodus to Cambodia.

Police haven't yet caught all the Montagnards that entered Cambodia, an unidentified rights workers has said.

Vietnamese soldiers and police currently are still travelling freely on Cambodian soil, searching for these people.