Vietnam rebel attacks: 98 put on trial for allegedly killing nine persons

Around 100 people are being tried in Vietnam for taking part in organized shootings at government offices that resulted in deaths.

Last year, some attacks happened in the Central Highlands and nine people died, including four police officers.

The events happened in a place where people from different cultural backgrounds live. They say the government treats them unfairly.

The lawyers say the attackers wanted to start their own country.

On June 11th, in the Cu Kuin district of Dak Lak province, a group on motorcycles attacked the local political headquarters and police offices using guns and other weapons. This happened about 300km north of Ho Chi Minh City.

Nine people died, which included four cops, two local leaders, and three regular people.

During the trial that started on Tuesday and will go on for 10 days, 98 people were accused of terrorism. One person was accused of hiding criminals and another of helping illegal immigration, according to the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper.

In Vietnam, people who commit terrorist acts can be punished with the death penalty. Amnesty International thinks that many people are executed in the country every year.

Six people who are accused of a crime are not at the trial and there are warrants for their arrest from other countries.

In Vietnam, people are not allowed to have guns and there are very few cases of gun violence.

“The situation was very serious. The terrorists were trying to take over the state and create a new state called Dega,” said H’Yim Kdoh, deputy chair of Dak Lak People’s Committee.

The Dega are a group of Christian people who live in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Some of them want to have more control over their own lives and not be controlled by the government.

The report says that H’Yim stated that the people being accused admitted to the crimes, but claimed they were pressured to do it.

The police took away 23 guns and rifles, two grenades, 1,199 bullets, and other dangerous devices after the attacks, which they said were very cruel and not human.

Minority groups in Vietnam have said for a long time that they are treated unfairly by the Communist Party, which is in control of the country’s government.