The Gia Lai provincial People’s Court on May 28 opened a mobile trial for eight defendants, who were earlier prosecuted for “sabotaging the policy on solidarity” in accordance with Article 87 of the Criminal Code.

The defendants include Runh (born in 1979), Jonh, also known as Chinh (1952), Byuk (1945), Dinh Hron (1981) and Dinh Lu (1976) from Gia Lai, and A Hyum, also known as Ba Kol (1940), A Tach, also known as Ba Hlol (1959) and Y Gyin (1942) from Kon Tum.

Y Gyin received the shortest of the eight jail terms with 3 years’ imprisonment, and A Tach, the longest with 11 years.

According to the indictment presented by the Gia Lai provincial People’s Procuracy, Y Gyin started a rumour in 2002 that the Virgin Mary, or Virgin Pluk, appeared in Ha Mon, where a hydroelectricity plant was set to be built.

Y Gyin wanted local people to gather and pray at Ha Mon, to hinder Kon Tum province’s plans to relocate local people to take the land to build the plant on. Among those following Y Gyin, A Tach and A Hyum assisted him most.

By 2008, the three defendants had enticed thousands of people from the two Central Highlands provinces to Ha Mon.

In 2008, A Hyum also contacted the FULRO reactionary organisation in exile the US led by Ksor Kok to ask for help. FULRO asked and guided Y Gyin and his accomplices to take full advantage of “nationality” and “religious” issues to entice people, prepare forces and conditions to establish a “private state” for ethnic minority people in Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Kon Tum and Lam Dong.

A Tach, A Hyum and Y Gyin went to Gia Lai many times to spread propaganda about the “Virgin Pluk” and “private state”.

Besides, A Tach and A Hyum assigned Runh, Jonh, Byuk, Dinh Hron and Dinh Lu to take the leadership of FULRO branches in Central Highlands provinces.-VNA