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I've driven motorbikes through Dak Lak a few times. Really beautiful area. Just south of there is Da Lat and close by, there is one tiny coffeeshop run by some kids that live there that was my favorite... https://maps.app.goo.gl/PPy3c3T1oreRrDDR6

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One aspect of the story that is glossed over here is that there were very few Vietnamese people in Dak Lak prior to 1975. The OP is a story of forced displacement against the Ede and Mnong people.

There is a film called "Thung Lũng Hoang Vắng" (Desolated Valley) about teachers who got posted at one of these minor communities, set in Northern Vietnam. There were programs that aimed to improve literacy and integration of these communities into modern society and it's all good in intents but the film raised questions (at least to me) on how the communist government implemented them.

You brought up the people being displaced by settlements, but the film focuses on school teachers who get sent there against their will which completely changed the course of their lives. Back then almost everyone worked for the government and teachers, like soldiers, can be assigned to such outpost if they didn't have connections.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. That's really interesting to me and I'm going to check it out!

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