Vietnam/Cambodia: No safety for Montagnard Christians

Radio Free Asia reported on 15 September 2015 that Cambodian authorities had declared that Montagnard Christians fleeing Vietnam do so for purely economic reasons.‚  Consequently the authorities are planning to repatriate these "illegal immigrants". Daniel, persecution analyst for World Watch Research, explains: "Cambodia apparently does not want to annoy its big, fellow-communist neighbor Vietnam. Hence the Cambodian authorities have announced that they will not allow any of the more than 200 Christians to stay who have sought refuge in Cambodia since last year. They will be sent back to Vietnam." According to UCA News (reporting on 14 September), even the thirteen Montagnards who were already granted asylum with the help of the local UNHCR office, will not be not allowed to stay in Cambodia. The UNHCR has been told to find another country willing to receive them. Daniel concludes: "This shows how great the pressure on Cambodia must be and how difficult the situation for Montagnard Christians has become." ‚