17 Montagnards sentenced for undermining security

As reported by Asia News/AP, Nov. 23:

"A court in Vietnam's restive Central Highlands has sentenced 17 hill tribe people up to 10 years in jail for undermining national security and unity during an Easter weekend protest, an official said Monday. In three separate trials in Dak Nong province last week, the provincial People's Court handed down jail terms from three to 10 years for members of the Ede ethnic minority group, the court official said on condition of anonymity. They were convicted of forcing ethnic minority people, collectively called Montagnards, to flee to neighboring Cambodia, luring people to join protests causing national security and public disorder, and distorting the policies of the Communist Party and government, he said."

The primary cause of the protest was expropriation of their land and religious persecution, most of whom are protestant Christians.