Vietnam Sentences 4 for Organizing Illegal Crossings into Cambodia
VOA News
28 Jan 2002 10:28 UTC
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A court in Vietnam's central highlands has given four men jail terms of up to 6.5 years for organizing illegal crossings into Cambodia.

The four members of the Jarai and Bana ethnic minority groups were convicted of leading more than 80 people into Cambodia in April and May.

They were suspected of having contacts with a U.S.-based exile group, the Montagnard Foundation. Hanoi has accused the group of instigating mass protests over land and religious rights by hill tribe people in Gia Lai and Daklak provinces a year ago.

Many Montagnards fought alongside American troops during the Vietnam war, and Hanoi remains wary of the U.S. connection.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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