Some comments on national policy of the republic of Vietnam under control of ngo dinh diem (1954 – 1963) for ethnic group in central highlands

Abstract

Due to the Highlands’ strategic location in terms of politics and military, after the enthronement, President Ngo Dinh Diem implemented the policy of nationalization to annex Highlands into the Territory of Republic of Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diem Government carried out wrong policies regarding economy, depriving highland villages of the collective ownership of the land mass to perform settled agriculture and habitation, to build up strategic hamlets, all resulting in the unstabibility, disturbance and poverty of the minority communities. The government operated the policy of cultural assimilation in all aspects such as law, culture, education, etc.; at the same time, born the discrimination against public servants, officials, military officers in the Highlands leading to the conflict between the Highlands people, the government and even the Kinh people. The Department of Highlands Affairs, as an advisory body and national policy enforcer, didn’t fulfill its duty, but acting for formality. The consequences of the misguided policies of the Ngo Dinh Diem government was the mail reason leading to the struggling movement of Highlands peoples, making the Highlands’ issues of security and politics all the more unstable.