A delegation of the European Union (EU) led by Ambassador to Vietnam Fanz Jessen has visited the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak to gain a better understanding of the life of ethnic minorities, the Radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported. During the visit on Sept 19, the delegation worked with local authorities to learn about the locality’s socio-economics and to check the effectiveness of the EU-funded projects. The VOV said that the delegation’s members questioned the local government about preferential policies on social, economic development for ethnic groups, covering issues on religious freedom practice. Lives of refugees coming back from Cambodia also covered a significant part of the talks, the agency said. Dak Lak is one of five Vietnam’s central highlands provinces having the large number of ethnic people including those of groups with little population. Religious issues have been the main concern for foreign countries and international rights groups as local police have harassed practices of unrecognized religious sects like the Mennonite church. Vietnam recognizes only Buddhism and Christianity. The suppression of Catholics believers is attributed to some possible fear by the Vietnamese communists for the sharp rise of Mennonite community. In the past decade, the followers of the Mennonite church rise to roughly 600% as statistics by the Australia-based Montagnard Foundation (MF) showed recently. (http://vovworld.vn [1] Sept 19)
