PEACEFUL PROTEST OUTSIDE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

UNCLAS HANOI 003173 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PINS PHUM SOCI VM DPOL SUBJECT: PEACEFUL PROTEST OUTSIDE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ¶1. (U) A FEW DOZEN INDIVIDUALS TOOK TO THE STREETS OF HANOI FOR SEVERAL HOURS ON DECEMBER 3 FOR WHAT APPEARED TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 03173 031036Z BE A PEACEFUL PROTEST AIMED AT MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DURING ITS CURRENT SESSION. BECAUSE THE STREETS LEADING TO THE NA BUILDING HAVE BEEN BLOCKED SINCE THE NA OPENING, THE PROTESTERS CONGREGATED AS CLOSE AS THEY COULD, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE FOREIGN MINISTRY AND NEAR THE HO CHI MINH MAUSOLEUM. ¶2. (U) PROTESTERS CAME AT LEAST FROM KHANH HOA, KIEN GIANG, VINH LONG, AND DONG THAP PROVINCES, JUDGING FROM SIGNS AND BANNERS THEY HELD AS THEY SAT QUIETLY. SEVERAL SIGNS READ "SOS TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY." OTHER SIGNS VARIOUSLY COMPLAINED ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF FARMERS AND LAND SEIZURES, INSUFFICIENT DEMOCRACY IN VIETNAM, AND ILLEGAL SALES OF PUBLIC PROPERTY BY OFFICIALS. ¶3. (U) AT LEAST FORTY UNIFORMED POLICE OBSERVED THE PROTESTERS FROM NEARBY. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT POLICE MADE ANY ARRESTS OR TOOK PROTESTERS INTO DETENTION. THE PROTESTERS APPARENTLY DISPERSED ONCE THE DAILY NA SESSION CONCLUDED. IT IS NOT CLEAR WHETHER THE PROTESTERS HAD OBTAINED PRIOR PERMISSION FOR THE RALLY. ¶4. (U) COMMENT: THIS INCIDENT IS SIMILAR TO EVEN LARGER PEACEFUL PROTESTS, ALSO MOSTLY BY SOUTHERNERS, THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SESSION IN JUNE. IT IS NOTABLE THAT THE GVN HAS PERMITTED THESE EXPRESSIONS OF DISSATISFACTION AND HAS NOT RESPONDED WITH FORCE. IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE LOCAL MEDIA WILL COVER THESE EVENTS, OR THAT THE PROTESTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO GROW TOO LARGE OR TOO VOCAL. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 03173 031036Z PORTER UNCLASSIFIED