REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF REFUGEE

C O N F I D E N T I A L HANOI 002394 SIPDIS STATE FOR PRM/A (LEWIS) AND EAP/BCLTV (STROTZ) BANGKOK FOR INS (KAISER) AND RMA (ROCK) HQINS FOR IAO E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/03/07 TAGS: PREF PHUM PREL VM HUMANR SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION OF REFUGEE - PROCESSING FOR BUI DON DUONG REF: A. STATE 86409 B. HANOI 2392 ¶1. (U) CLASSIFIED BY A/DCM SCOTT BELLARD, REASON: 1.5 (D) ¶2. (C) IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF A INSTRUCTIONS, POST CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HANOI 02394 031009Z SEEKS DEPARTMENT APPROVAL FOR REFUGEE PROCESSING FOR VIETNAMESE NATIONAL BUI DON DUONG, DPOB 27 AUGUST 1957, VIETNAM. THE PRINCIPAL APPLICANT IS MARRIED TO VO, SANH THI, DPOB 15 JANUARY 1964, VIETNAM. THEY HAVE TWO CHILDREN: A DAUGHTER, BUI, LONG VO, DPOB 01 SEPTEMBER 1985, VIETNAM; AND, A 12 YEAR OLD SON WHOSE NAME AND DETAILED BIODATA ARE NOT AT PRESENT AVAILABLE TO POST. THE FAMILY WAS PREVIOUSLY THE BENEFICIARIES OF AN F-4 PETITION FILED BY BUI'S US CITIZEN SISTER -- BUI, TRUONG THI -- BUT THE FILE (ODP1996243091) WAS CLOSED AND PURGED IN 1999 DUE TO THE FAMILY'S FAILURE TO PURSUE THE CASE. ¶3. (C) AS DESCRIBED AT LENGTH IN REF B, BUI HAS RECENTLY FACED A SHRILL MEDIA CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIM PERSONALLY, MOSTLY FOR HIS ROLE IN THE US FILM "WE WERE SOLDIERS" BUT ALSO FOR EARLIER ROLES IN INTERNATIONAL FILMS "THREE SEASONS" AND "GREEN DRAGON." HE HAS BEEN ACCUSED INFORMALLY OF "BETRAYING THE FATHERLAND," A SERIOUS ACCUSATION IN VIETNAM, WHERE "PROTECTING NATIONAL SOLIDARITY" IS A CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT OF ALL CITIZENS. BUI'S PASSPORT HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM, HE APPARENTLY HAS ALREADY BEEN BARRED FROM BEGINNING A NEW FILM OVERSEAS IN NOVEMBER, AND THERE ARE EFFORTS TO BAN HIM FROM ACTING -- HIS SOLE LIVELIHOOD -- FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. HE HAS BEEN HARASSED BY NIGHTLY PHONE CALLS FROM SECURITY OFFICIALS, HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO SURVEILLANCE WHEN HE LEAVES HIS HOME, AND REPORTS INCREASING ISOLATION FROM HIS FORMER FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS. HE WAS QUESTIONED BY POLICE ON OCTOBER 2, AND HAS EXPRESSED FEAR OF IMMINENT DETENTION AND/OR CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HANOI 02394 031009Z ARREST, ALTHOUGH THE EXACT GROUNDS FOR ANY EVENTUAL CHARGES HAVE NOT BEEN MADE CLEAR TO HIM OTHER THAN THE ABOVE-MENTIONED REFERENCE. HE HAS BEEN CALLED A "TRAITOR" IN STATE- AND/OR COMMUNIST PARTY-RUN NEWSPAPERS. ¶4. (C) PLEASE ADVISE WHAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, IF ANY, IS NEEDED TO PROCEED WITH CONSIDERATION OF THIS APPLICATION. BURGHARDT CONFIDENTIAL