Montagnard Dega Association

Welcome to the new Montagnard Dega Association Home page !!!

Our Flag

Green: mountain and forest; White: peace and honesty; Red: blood and struggle; Gold and Circle: justice and friendship; Elephant: gentle and powerful

General Information

The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) was established in 1987 as a Non-Profit Corporation in North Carolina by Montagnard (French for mountain people) Leaders in the United States. The Montagnard Dega Association is A NON POLITICAL PARTISAN Organization

Our Goals

1/ To preserve the rich history and culture of the Montagnard people

2/ To unite and strengthen our fraternal ties between all people and to promote universally a better understanding and support for the Montagnard people

History

The Montagnard culture is an ancient culture. Like the American Indians in the United States, we have lived for centuries in the Southeast Asia, long before foreigners ever touched our shores. When the Vietnamese overran the coastline, we settled peacefully in the mountains known today as the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. Out of a population of approximately one million Montagnards (according to census of 1971), over 200,000 of our brothers and sisters died by the time the Vietnam war ended in 1975. In 1986, a little over 200 of us arrived as refugees in the United States, having spent over 10 years in the jungles of Southeast Asia fighting for preserving our Montagnard Rights. In late 1992 the second group of 400 Montagnards arrived in the United States. Since 1992 approximately 1,000 Montagnards have resettled in the United States. Some of these Montagnards are former prisoners having spent at least 3 years in Vietnam Re-education Camps or they are families who have Ameri-Asian children (children born with American blood). They arrived directly from Vietnam under the ODP (Orderly Departure Program). Today, the Montagnard population in the United States is approximately 3,000. Most live in one of three cities in North Carolina: Raleigh, Greensboro or Charlotte.

Montagnard Dega Association Activities

The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) Office is located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Since 1994, as a Non-Profit Agency, the MDA has been receiving funds from ORR (Office of Refugees Resettlement). The MDA is using these funds to pay for office space, office supplies and hiring 4 staff persons. The main activities of the MDA office are to provide Social Service Assistances to Montagnards, in particular to new Montagnard Refugees.

The following are services provided by the MDA office:

Translation; Transportation; ESL (English as Second Language) classes and US Citizentship Training Classes; Job Development Program; After School Program for Montagnard Children.

Beside those main services, the MDA office serves as A Communal House for Montagnard People. The MDA office keeps its relations with all Refugees Assistance Agencies, Churches, local and federal administrative offices, and with all American Montagnard Friends. The MDA office is also collaborating with several cultural research agencies in order to preserve Montagnard culture.

Future Plans

1/ A Montagnard Center will serve as a museum for Montagnard people

2/ Assistance Projects for Montagnards in Vietnam, this will include scholarships for Montagnard students in Vietnam, socio-economic development assistance for Montagnards in Vietnam and in Cambodia

Mondulkiri Project

In 2000 the MDA sent a fact finding mission team to Mondulkiri province, Cambodia to study the situation of Montagnard people and their needs. During this mission the MDA donated 14 black-boards and chalk to Mondulkiri schools. In summer 2001 the MDA again visited Cambodia and donated 3000 books,5000 pens, 5000 pencils, 100 boxes of chalk and 30 soccer balls to Mondulkiri schools. The MDA is now raising money to help Mondulkiri in these fields: education and agriculture to assist Montagnard people in Mondulkiri to develop their socio-economic system.

Dega News

Montagnard Demonstration: In February of this year (2001) more than 20 thousand Montagnards in the Central Highlands of Vietnam went on strike against Vietnamese government asking for religious freedom and right of land. To control the situation, Hanoi sent troups with tanks and arrested many Montagnard demonstrators. Hanoi also put in prison from 6 to 12 years more than 18 Montagnards. As a result of this crackdown, more than 800 Montagnards have fled to Cambodia and are now living in refugee camps in the provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratnatakiri, In Northeast Cambodia. Among these Montagnard Refugees, only 38 were granted asylum by US government and others are still waiting in Refugee camps.

New Montagnard Refugees: In 1998, 40 new Montagnard refugees from Vietnam have resettled in North Carolina. In December, 1998, three Montagnards and their families from Germany arrived as refugees in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Montagnard Church: The Montagnard christians of North Carolina have bought a new church, they named this first Montagnard church "International Montagnard Bible Church". The International Montagnard Bible Church's address is 1606 Ridgewood Street, Greensboro, NC 27405. This church was inaugurated on January 15, 1999.

Donation

Please send your support and donation to Montagnard Dega Association at the office address below.

Shopping

The following items are now available at the Montagnard Dega Association:Montagnard traditional jacket:$120.00/item; Montagnard Dega T-Shirt:$15.00/item. Montagnard Bracelet medium size: $20.00/item; Big Size: $30.00/item

Our new office address:

Montagnard Dega Association

611 Summit Avenue, Suite 10

Greensboro, North Carolina, 27405

Phone: 336-373-1812

fax: 336-373-1832

Email: mda-lbing@triad.rr.com

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This page created by Louis Ypen Bing

Last time updated:11-17-2001

Email: louisbing@angelfire.com

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