UPDATE FROM GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 002969 SIPDIS SENSITIVE C O R R E C T E D COPY (PARA 2 MARKING ADDED) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL VT VM HUMANR RELFREE SUBJECT: UPDATE FROM GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION REF: A. VATICAN 5803 B. HANOI 2862 - C. STATE 235694 D. HANOI 1885 UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02969 01 OF 02 300349Z - E. HCMC 1270 F. HANOI 2628 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. GVN OFFICIALS CLAIMED THAT THE RECENTLY CONCLUDED NATIONAL BUDDHIST CONFERENCE WAS ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT OF GOVERNMENT CONTROL, BUT ADMITTED THAT THE GVN MUST APPROVE ITS CONVOCATION AND HAD FINAL SAY ON ITS ELECTED NEW LEADERS AND ORDINATIONS (OR PROMOTIONS) OF MONKS AND NUNS. PLANS FOR ANOTHER CATHOLIC SEMINARY (NOW DESCRIBED AS A "BRANCH" OF THE HO CHI MINH CITY SEMINARY) SEEM TO BE ON HOLD AS CATHOLICS SEARCH FOR A NEW SITE. THE GVN HAS ALREADY APPROVED A SEMINARY FOR THE RECENTLY LEGAL SOUTHERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH OF VIETNAM (SECV) BUT THE SECV HAS NOT TAKEN STEPS TO SET ONE UP YET. NEITHER THE SECV NOR ITS NORTHERN COUNTERPART (ECVN) HAS ASKED THE CRA FOR PERMISSION TO RECEIVE NEW MEMBERS FROM ETHNIC MINORITY CHURCHES IN THE CENTRAL OR NORTHWEST HIGHLANDS, WHICH THEY SHOULD IN PRINCIPLE BE ABLE TO DO AS LONG AS THEY ARE "LEGAL CHURCHES," ACCORDING TO GVN OFFICIALS. THE ECVN IS WELCOME TO REQUEST PERMISSION TO HOLD ITS LONG-AWAITED NATIONAL CONFERENCE, BUT HAS NOT DONE SO, OFFICIALS CLAIMED. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) IN A MEETING WITH POL/C ON DECEMBER 11, NGUYEN THE DOANH, DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE ON RELIGION AFFAIRS (CRA),AND TRAN KHANH DU, THE CRA'S DIRECTOR OF BUDDHIST AFFAIRS, PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO BUDDHIST, CATHOLIC, AND PROTESTANT GROUPS IN VIETNAM. POL/C NOTED THAT THE USG WAS APPROACHING A DECISION ABOUT DESIGNATION OF "COUNTRIES OF PARTICULAR CONCERN" UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACT, AND HAD BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT NEGATIVE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02969 01 OF 02 300349Z REPORTS REGARDING VIETNAM (REF C),WHICH AMBASSADOR HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED WITH FOREIGN MINISTER NGUYEN DY NIEN (REF B) AND WHICH HE PLANNED TO RAISE SOON WITH CRA CHAIRMAN LE QUANG VINH. (NOTE: EMBASSY HAS PENDING REQUESTS TO MEET WITH BUDDHIST, CATHOLIC, AND PROTESTANT LEADERS SEPARATELY.) BUDDHISTS -------------- ¶3. (U) THE FIFTH NATIONAL BUDDHIST CONGRESS MET IN HANOI DECEMBER 4-5, ELECTING ITS NEW LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPING GOALS FOR THE UPCOMING FIVE YEARS, AS WELL AS ORDAINING AND/OR PROMOTING 967 MONKS AND NUNS. DU ADMITTED THAT THE BUDDHIST SANGHA OF VIETNAM WAS REQUIRED TO "REQUEST PERMISSION" FROM THE GVN -- BY A FORMAL LETTER TO PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI -- TO HOLD THESE CONGRESSES, BUT CLAIMED THAT PERMISSION WAS AUTOMATICALLY GIVEN, WITH THE CRA PROVIDING APPROPRIATE NOTIFICATION TO "LOCALITIES." THE GVN DID NOT PROVIDE ANY FINANCIAL SUPPORT, DU NOTED, AND EVEN CHARGED THE BUDDHISTS RENT FOR USE OF THE SOVIET-ERA HALL OF CULTURE IN DOWNTOWN HANOI, ONE OF THE FEW VENUES BIG ENOUGH FOR THE 1,000-PLUS ATTENDEES. ¶4. (U) DU STRESSED THAT, WHILE GVN OFFICIALS ATTENDED THE OPENING CEREMONY, THEY DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ENSUING DISCUSSIONS NOR HAVE ANY RIGHT TO VOTE ON LEADERSHIP AND OTHER ISSUES. HE SAID THAT THE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS FEATURED MORE CANDIDATES THAN SEATS, A DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT. IN RESPONSE TO PERSISTENT QUESTIONING, DU ADMITTED FINALLY THAT THE BUDDHISTS WERE OBLIGED TO SEND THE FINAL LISTS OF NEW LEADERS TO THE GVN FOR "APPROVAL," BUT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02969 01 OF 02 300349Z CLAIMED THAT THIS PROCESS WAS ALSO PRETTY MUCH AUTOMATIC. THE GVN HAD NOT VETOED ANY INDIVIDUALS FROM THIS CONGRESS' CHOICES, NOR COULD DU RECALL THE GVN HAVING DONE SO AT EARLIER CONGRESSES (ALTHOUGH DOANH ADMITTED THE GVN HAD DONE SO WITH EARLIER CATHOLIC CONGRESSES). ¶5. (U) DU CLARIFIED THAT MANY OF THE 967 ORDINATIONS INVOLVED CLERICAL PROMOTIONS, SUCH AS FROM "THE VENERABLE" TO "THE MOST VENERABLE." DU SAID THAT THESE DECISIONS, AS WELL AS ORDINATIONS OF NEW MONKS AND NUNS, WERE MADE BY THE BUDDHIST HIERARCHY, BUT CONFIRMED THAT THE CRA PLAYED A ROLE IN "ASKING THE OPINIONS OF LOCALITIES" ABOUT THE MERITS OF THESE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE PROVIDING THE GVN'S FORMAL BLESSING. HE SAID IT WAS "RARE" NOT TO APPROVE. CATHOLICS -------------- ¶6. (U) DOANH EXPRESSED THE GVN'S SATISFACTION WITH THE RECENT APPOINTMENT (REF A) OF A NEW BISHOP FOR HAIPHONG AND A COADJUTOR BISHOP IN CAN THO. (HE DID NOT MENTION THE APPOINTMENT OF A SUCCESSOR TO THE BISHOP OF KON TUM.) HE CONFIRMED THAT THE VATICAN HAD THE FULL AUTHORITY TO APPOINT BISHOPS, WHILE THE ROLE OF THE GVN WAS MERELY TO "OFFER OPINIONS." HE CLAIMED THAT THE DECISION ON THESE NEW UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2948 PAGE 01 HANOI 02969 02 OF 02 300350Z ACTION DRL-02 INFO LOG-00 COR-01 AID-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 EAP-00 EB-00 UTED-00 VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OIC-02 OMB-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 SS-00 STR-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 T-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 PRM-00 G-00 SAS-00 /008W -------------- 1DE54C 300350Z /30 R 130621Z DEC 02 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8341 INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH AMEMBASSY VATICAN AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HANOI 002969 SIPDIS SENSITIVE APPOINTMENTS HAD BEEN MADE BEFORE THE OCTOBER VISIT OF VATICAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINSTER CELESTINO MIGLIORE, NOT AS A RESULT OF HIS DISCUSSIONS HERE. DOANH ADDED THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME DISCUSSION WITH THE VATICAN ABOUT A SUCCESSOR TO UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02969 02 OF 02 300350Z AILING CARDINAL PAUL JOSEPH PHAM DINH TUNG (WHOSE STAFF HAS TOLD EMBASSY HE IS TOO ILL TO MEET WITH POL/C),BUT NO DECISION HAD BEEN MADE YET. ¶7. (U) DOANH REITERATED THE GVN'S DETERMINATION TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH THE VATICAN, AND NOTED GROWING "GOODWILL" ON BOTH SIDES. HE DESCRIBED THIS PROCESS AS PART OF THE GVN'S OVERALL EFFORTS TO BECOME "FRIENDS WITH EVERYONE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY," HOWEVER. ¶8. (U) WHEN ASKED ABOUT PROGRESS IN THE OPENING OF A SEVENTH CATHOLIC SEMINARY (WHICH GVN OFFICIALS TOLD EMBOFFS LAST YEAR HAD BEEN APPROVED AT THE CENTRAL LEVEL BUT FACED SOME RESISTANCE BY PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES),DOANH CLAIMED THAT THE PLANS WERE NOT FOR A SEPARATE NEW SEMINARY PER SE, BUT RATHER FOR A "BRANCH" OF THE EXISTING -- BUT OVERCROWDED -- SEMINARY IN HO CHI MINH CITY. INITIALLY, THE CATHOLICS HAD HOPED TO OPEN THE BRANCH IN DONG NAI PROVINCE (WHICH IS WHERE MANY OF THE 1954-ERA CATHOLICS FROM THE NORTH ARE CENTERED),BUT THESE PLANS HAVE NOW FALLEN THROUGH, DOANH CLAIMED, WITHOUT OFFERING A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHY OTHER THAN CITING "LOCAL DIFFICULTIES" OVER LAND. HE SAID THAT THE CATHOLICS HAD NOT YET OFFERED ANY NEW PROPOSAL ON A DIFFERENT SITE, BUT THE PROJECT IN PRINCIPLE CONTINUED TO HAVE GVN APPROVAL. PROTESTANTS -------------- ¶9. (U) DOANH ALSO CLAIMED THAT THE GVN HAD ALREADY APPROVED IN PRINCIPLE A PROPOSAL BY THE SECV TO OPEN A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02969 02 OF 02 300350Z SEMINARY FOR PASTORS IN HO CHI MINH CITY, BUT THAT THE SECV HAS NOT DONE SO YET. HE NOTED THAT THE SECV WAS STILL BUSY SETTING UP ITS OFFICES (NOTE: AFTER WINNING GVN RECOGNITION ONLY IN 2001 AND HOLDING ITS FIRST CONGRESS IN SUMMER 2002), AND PREDICTED THAT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEMINARY -- ESPECIALLY RECRUITMENT OF QUALIFIED FACULTY -- WOULD STILL TAKE TIME. HE MAINTAINED THAT THIS PROCESS WAS "NOW UP TO THE SECV." ¶10. (U) DOANH CLAIMED THAT THE ECVN HAD NOT YET ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO HOLD ITS NATIONAL CONGRESS (THE LAST WAS IN 1988),BUT ADDED THAT "THE GVN HAS NO REASON TO OPPOSE" IF IT RECEIVES SUCH AN APPLICATION. HE CLAIMED NOT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM BEHIND CONVENING THE ECVN'S CONGRESS AND ELECTING A NEW OFFICIAL ECVN LEADERSHIP. ¶11. (U) DOANH SAID THAT, AS FAR AS HE WAS AWARE, NEITHER THE SECV NOR THE ECVN HAD RECEIVED APPLICATIONS FROM ETHNIC MINORITY CHURCHES OR "ASSOCIATIONS" (CHI HOI) TO AFFILIATE WITH EITHER ORGANIZATION, NOR HAD THE SECV OR ECVN NOTIFIED THE CRA OF ANY SUCH DECISIONS. (NOTE: PER REFS E AND F, BOTH THE SECV AND ECVN ARE PROCESSING AND/OR HAVE ALREADY APPROVED SOME REQUESTS. END NOTE) HE SAID THAT "IN PRINCIPLE" SUCH EXPANSIONS WOULD NOT POSE A PROBLEM, AS LONG AS THE NEW MEMBERS WERE "LEGAL CHURCHES." HE STRESSED THAT ETHNIC MINORITIES WERE "EQUAL CITIZENS" AND HAD THE SAME RIGHTS AS OTHER VIETNAMESE, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGION. HE WAS VAGUE ABOUT HOW HOUSE CHURCHES COULD BECOME LEGAL CHURCHES ENTITLED TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE ECVN OR SEVN, OTHER THAN NOTING A REQUIREMENT FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEMBERS. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02969 02 OF 02 300350Z COMMENT -------------- ¶12. (SBU) WHILE TRUMPETING FREEDOM OF RELIGION, THE CRA TAKES ITS OVERSIGHT ROLE SERIOUSLY, AND REMAINS EXPLICITLY INVOLVED IN ALL MAJOR ORGANIZATIONAL ISSUES FOR THE MAIN RELIGIOUS GROUPINGS. THIS LIKELY REFLECTS LESS A DEEP- ROOTED DISTRUST OF RELIGION BY THE GVN OR COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) AS MUCH AS A FIRM LENINIST ORIENTATION ABOUT THE NEED TO REGULATE AND SUPERVISE ALL SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE INTEREST OF "NATIONAL SOLIDARITY" AND THE NEED TO MAINTAIN STRONG POLITICAL CONTROL. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED