(VOVworld) - The Gia Lai provincial People’s Court yesterday 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, Jonh, also known as Chinh, Byuk, Dinh Hron and Dinh Lu from Gia Lai, and A Hyum, also known as Ba Kol, A Tach, also known as Ba Hlol and Y Gyin 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 rumor 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 organization in exile in 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. The verdict, based on convincing evidence and in line with Vietnam’s law, has been applauded by people in Gia Lai and Kon Tum provinces.