Vietnam has designated two US-based Montagnard separatist groups as terrorist organizations, according to an announcement made last Thursday. The Montagnard refers to various highland minorities distinct from the majority Viet population. Now with the terrorist label applied to these groups, Vietnamese authorities are empowered to impose charges on anyone found to be involved with or aiding these organizations.
These groups comprise the Montagnard Support Group, founded in 2011 and led by Y Mut Mlo, and Montagnards for Justice – established in 2019 and under the leadership of Y Quynh Bdap. Allegations laid by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security suggest that these organizations were inciting ethnic minorities towards violence, terrorism, and armed revolts. It is also claimed that they have exploited propaganda and manipulation to train, finance, and organize weapons procurement for executing terrorist attacks.
Both groups allegedly orchestrated the fatal shootings at Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur in June 2023, as revealed by the Vietnamese government. These attacks resulted in the death of four police officers. The US embassy in Hanoi remains silent regarding these terrorist designations.
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam shares a strained relationship with the Montagnard. The group is known for its history of being trained and utilized by American forces during the Vietnam War to carry out unconventional warfare against the then-enemy government in Hanoi.
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