"On 9 September, the group of six Montagnards began their journey home after deciding they would rather return voluntarily to Viet Nam than be resettled to a third country," according to a press release from the UNHCR office on September 23. "The return of this Montagnard group was unique in that UNHCR representatives, for the first time, accompanied them throughout the entire three-day journey from Phnom Penh to their homes and families in the La Grai, Druc Co and A Yun Pa districts," the press release said.

"The Viet Nam government's willingness to let UNHCR officials accompany the returnees and to allow increasingly regular monitoring visits are seen by the agency as evidence of their commitment to successfully reintegrate the Montagnard returnees," said the release.

All six of the returnees are farmers and live on the edge of the district town, between the business centre and large state farms. UNHCR's Phnom Penh and Hanoi Representatives went to each of the six men's homes upon return.

"Their families were extremely happy with their return and grateful to UNHCR for assistance," said Thamrongsak Meechubot, UNHCR Representative from Phnom Penh. "We did not observe any fear or insecurity among the six refugees."

In addition to their six fellow travellers, Meechubot and UNHCR's Ha Noi representative, Vu Anh Son, also visited another seven earlier returnees. Vu Anh Son said the returnees reported "no problems" since returning home, and had received assistance from local authorities for their reintegration, according to the release.