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A Montagnard refugee who “voluntarily returned” to Việt Nam wrote a handwritten letter expressing his “deep gratitude” to the Đắk Lắk police. In the letter, he accused Boat People SOS (BPSOS) of “obstructing” and “threatening” Vietnamese refugees in Thailand from returning to Việt Nam. Meanwhile, BPSOS called the letter “fabricated.”

Latest Developments: On May 6, the People’s Public Security Newspaper (Báo Công an Nhân dân) published a handwritten “ thank you letter ” addressed to the Đắk Lắk Provincial Police. The letter, penned on lined notebook paper and beginning with Việt Nam’s national title and motto, was written by Hara Y Siêu, a Montagnard refugee from Sông Hinh Commune, Đắk Lắk Province, who had recently returned from Thailand.

In the letter, Hara claimed that after being “misled and incited by the bad actors” to flee to Thailand in 2019, his life became “unstable, anxious, insecure, and without a stable income.” Although he and his family had “many times” wanted to “return home," they were allegedly “prevented by certain members of the BPSOS organization.” These members supposedly threatened that “if they returned, they would be arrested and harassed by the authorities and police.”

However, “after much reflection and psychological struggle,” Hara learned of a letter from the Đắk Lắk police encouraging refugees to return. He then “boldly contacted” the authorities, noting that he “received very dedicated support and guidance” from provincial police officials.

He concluded by expressing his “deep gratitude” for the assistance, particularly toward the “domestic security division” of the Đắk Lắk Provincial Police, and wished the agencies “good health.”

The letter was posted on the Đắk Lắk police’s official Facebook page at 2:35 p.m. on May 6, which matches the date written on the document. Alongside the post, photos were published showing Hara Y Siêu writing the envelope and recipient section.

This update followed his arrival on April 29 at Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, where he and his family were welcomed by “police officers and local authorities” who had been waiting to present them with gifts, encouragement, and congratulations.

BPSOS’ Response: Speaking with Luật Khoa Magazine, Nguyễn Đình Thắng, executive director of BPSOS, dismissed the allegation that BPSOS had “prevented” Hara from returning to Việt Nam as “fabricated.” He added that either Hara made the claims on his own initiative or the Vietnamese state directed them.

Thắng explained that he first became acquainted with Hara Y Siêu’s family in February 2025 after Hara’s wife was arrested and held by Thai police at an Immigration Detention Center (IDC). At that time, his organization assisted Hara in contacting a mission in the United States to secure the financial support necessary to bail her out.

Although BPSOS was aware of the family’s intention to return to Việt Nam, Thắng noted that the organization “directly contacted” the family solely to ensure they informed “their guarantor and the IDC.” He stated they “had no further contact” because “the family did not ask us for assistance in applying for refugee status.”

Furthermore, Thắng argued that accusing BPSOS of obstructing Hara’s return demonstrated “a lack of understanding about the rules governing international organizations,” emphasizing that such groups “absolutely do not interfere in personal decisions.” He stressed that BPSOS deliberately avoids advising individuals on whether they should travel to Thailand to seek asylum, remain there, or return home.

According to the BPSOS director, the Vietnamese government’s accusations were designed to send a specific message: that “people leave to seek asylum because they are incited, not because of severe human rights repression, and that they remain in Thailand because they are prevented from returning, not because they fear persecution if they go back.”

Contextual Background: The People’s Court of Đắk Lắk Province tried Nguyễn Đình Thắng in absentia on April 28, 2026, sentencing him to 11 years in prison on terrorism charges under Article 299, Clause 2, Points a and b of the Penal Code.

Thắng was convicted for allegedly “directing, inciting, recruiting, and assisting Y Quỳnh B’Đắp” and for “directing the establishment, management, and operation” of Montagnards Stand for Justice (MSFJ). Authorities accuse this organization of orchestrating the attacks on government offices in Đắk Lắk on June 11, 2023.

As a U.S. citizen who currently resides in the United States, Thắng responded to the verdict by stating that the in absentia conviction was “not surprising at all.” He argued that the Vietnamese government “could not do otherwise.” Furthermore, he predicted that Vietnamese authorities might next submit a case file to Interpol to request his extradition.

Organization Profile: Established in the United States in 1980, Boat People SOS (BPSOS) states that its mission is to support victims of human rights abuses in Việt Nam, protect Vietnamese asylum seekers in neighboring countries, and rescue victims of human trafficking worldwide.

According to information Nguyễn Đình Thắng provided to Luật Khoa Magazine, the organization's activities in Thailand are primarily divided into protecting refugee rights and strengthening civil society. While both programs support refugees regardless of ethnicity or religion, BPSOS “has criteria for prioritizing cases.” According to Thắng, the situation of Hara Y Siêu did not fall within those priority categories.

Beyond its regional operations, BPSOS and MSFJ jointly submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in January 2024. This report detailed religious repression, political persecution, and land disputes involving indigenous Montagnards in Việt Nam’s Central Highlands.

The People’s Public Security Newspaper has regularly published articles criticizing BPSOS and its executive director, Nguyễn Đình Thắng. In March 2024, the publication accused BPSOS of “interfering in Việt Nam’s internal affairs” and “hiding behind the cover of a non-governmental organization” to “undermine Việt Nam’s national construction and defense efforts.”

The Vietnamese government officially listed BPSOS as an “organization related to terrorism” in February 2025.

Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on May 11, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights of the English translation.

BPSOS Rejects Allegations It Prevented Montagnard Refugees’ Return to Việt Nam

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