Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|
01HANOI2197 | 2001-09-06 10:07:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Hanoi |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. 2001HANOI02197 - UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ4789 PAGE 01 HANOI 02197 01 OF 02 070126Z ACTION EAP-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DINT-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EB-00 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 OPIC-01 CAEX-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 IRM-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-01 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /011W ------------------1BCEEF 070126Z /38 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3874 INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY ASEAN COLLECTIVE NSC WASHDC USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI |
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002197 |
1. (SBU) REFORM ACTIVIST NGUYEN THANH GIANG CONFIRMED TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02197 01 OF 02 070126Z POLOFF ON SEPTEMBER 6 THAT POLICE HAD VISITED FELLOW ACTIVISTS HOANG MINH CHINH AND PHAM QUE DUONG BETWEEN 7 AND 8 AM ON SEPTEMBER 5 AT THEIR HOMES. POLICE THEN "INVITED" THEM TO THE HANOI POLICE STATION AND QUESTIONED THEM SEPARATELY FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE RELEASING THEM. LATER THAT DAY, POLICE SIMILARLY "INVITED" FIVE OTHER ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING GIANG, HOANG TIEN, LE CHI QUANG, NGUYEN VU BINH, AND TRAN DUNG TIEN, AS WELL AS SOME FRIENDS OF CHINH'S DAUGHTER WHO HAPPENED TO BE VISITING HIS HOUSE, TO VARIOUS HANOI DISTRICT POLICE STATIONS FOR QUESTIONING BEFORE ULTIMATELY RELEASING THEM LATER THAT DAY AS WELL. 2. (SBU) ACCORDING TO GIANG, BOTH CHINH AND DUONG BEGAN HUNGER STRIKES WHILE UNDER QUESTIONING. BEFORE BEING RELEASED, POLICE "INVITED" THEM AGAIN TO REPORT TO THE POLICE STATION ON SEPTEMBER 6 FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING. EMBASSY DOES NOT YET HAVE INFORMATION ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT SESSION. 3. (SBU) GIANG SAID THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THESE TWO WERE QUESTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH A REQUEST SENT (BY UNSPECIFIED MEANS) ON SEPTEMBER 3 TO VIETNAMESE PARTY SECRETARY GENERAL NONG DUC MANH, VIETNAM PRESIDENT TRAN DUC LUONG, PRIME MINSTER PHAN VAN KHAI, AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAIRMAN NGUYEN VAN AN. THE REQUEST WAS SIGNED BY DUONG (DESCRIBED BY GIANG AS A RETIRED COLONEL IN THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE'S ARMY) AND TRAN KHUE (IDENTIFIED AS A HO CHI MINH RESIDENT, ABOUT WHOSE FATE GIANG DID NOT COMMENT). THEY EXPRESSED A WISH TO ESTABLISH AN ASSOCIATION TO "SUPPORT THE PARTY AND THE STATE FIGHT CORRUPTION." INFORMAL TRANSLATION FOLLOWS IN PARA 6. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02197 01 OF 02 070126Z 4. (SBU) GIANG ADDED THAT THE HOME PHONES OF THESE ACTIVISTS HAD ALL BEEN CUT OFF. HE PLEDGED TO VISIT THE TELEPHONE BUREAU AND, IF SERVICE IS NOT RESTORED, TO STAGE A HUNGER STRIKE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. 5. (U) EMBASSY WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WELL-BEING OF THESE ACTIVISTS AND REPORT FURTHER AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE. 6. (U) INFORMAL TRANSLATION BEGIN QUOTE SEPTEMBER 2, 2001 AN APPLICATION TO ESTABLISH THE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE PARTY AND STATE TO FIGHT CORRUPTION AT PRESENT, CORRUPTION HAS BECOME A NATIONAL CALAMITY THAT HAS ERODED THE TRUST OF PEOPLE TOWARD THE PARTY AND THE STATE AND OBSTRUCTS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. FORMER SECRETARY GENERAL LE KHA PHIEU HAS STATED "IF WE DON'T FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION THEN THE PARTY WILL LOSE ITS LEADING ROLE." SECRETARY GENERAL NONG DUC MANH HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED "WE MUST SIPDIS FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION MORE SERIOUSLY." AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAIRMAN NGUYEN VAN AN ALSO STATED "DEMOCRACY CAN'T BE SIMPLY REQUESTED, IT MUST BE FOUGHT FOR. FAIRNESS ALSO CAN'T BE SIMPLY REQUESTED, THERE MUST BE STRUGGLE BEFORE THERE IS FAIRNESS. CORRUPTION OF COURSE MUST BE FOUGHT AGAINST VERY SERIOUSLY." TO ANSWER THE PARTY'S AND THE STATE'S CALL, WE ARE ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO ESTABLISH THE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE PARTY AND STATE TO FIGHT CORRUPTION. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02197 01 OF 02 070126Z PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE ASSOCIATION: - TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROPAGANDA ABOU THE PARTY'S AND STATE'S POLICY ON AND ADVOCACY F FIGHTING CORRUPTION. - TO CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVNG THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STRUGGLE AGAINST CORUPTION OF THE PARTY AND THE STATE. SPECIFIC ACTVITIES OF THE ASSOCIATION: - REGULAR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SITUATION OF FIGHTING CORRUPTION TO THE PEOPLE AND STATE AGENCIES. - TO DENOUNCE CORRUPT PRACTICES THAT DAMAGE THE INTERESTS OF THE NATION AND THE PEOPLE. - TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCOERING AND INFORMING ABOUT CORRUPT PRACTICES. - O SUGGEST MEASURES TO PROSECUTE CORRUPT PRACTICES. - NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES. ORGANIZATION: - THE ASSOCIATION IS COMPRISED OF VIETNAMESE CITIZENS "LOYAL TO THE COUNTRY AND FAITHFUL WITH THE PEOPLE" WHO VOLUNTEER TO JOIN. - THE ASSOCIATION IS ORGANIZED NATIONWIDE WITH SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURE. - EVERY LEVEL WILL HAVE FULL-TIME STAFFS ELECTED FOR APPROPRIATE TERMS. - TO ISSUE AN "ANTI-CORRUPTION NEWSPAPER" (CONSISTENT WITH THE PRESS LAW.) TO COMMUNICATE INTERNALLY BY USING "LETTER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02197 02 OF 02 070126Z TO THE EDITOR" FORMAT WHILE WAITING FOR PERMIT. - THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH THE ASSOCIATION IS AS FOLLOWS: THE REPRESENTATIVE IN NORTHERN AREA IS MR. PHAM QUE DUONG, 37 LY NAM DE, HANOI, MOBILE TELEPHONE 0903252286. THE REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTHERN AREA IS MR. TRAN KHUE, 296 NGUYEN TRAI, QUAN 5, HO CHI MINH CITY, (TELEPHONE 8-363-825, E-MAIL TRANKHUE@HCM.FPT.VN). THE REPRESENTATIVES WILL WORK UNDER THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE ASSOCIATION. - THE OPERATING FUND DEPENDS ON VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MEMBERS AND OTHER DONORS INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE BUDGET WILL BE PUBLICLY REPORTED PERIODICALLY. - AFTER STABILIZING THE ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES, THE ASSOCIATION WILL APPLY TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE VN FATHERLAND FRONT. WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THE PARTY AND THE STATE FOR THE PERMISSION TO ESTABLISH THE PEOPLE'S ASSOCIATION TO SUPPORT THE PARTY AND STATE IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION. THANK YOU. (SIGNED) PHAM QUE DUONG TRAN KHUE END QUOTE PORTER UNCLASSIFIED |