IRF AMBASSADOR AT LARGE HANFORD MEETS WITH GVN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 000599

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND DRL/IRF

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KIRF PREL PGOV VM RELFREE HUMANR ETMIN
SUBJECT: IRF AMBASSADOR AT LARGE HANFORD MEETS WITH GVN
SECURITY OFFICIAL

Reftels: A) 03 Hanoi 2897; B) Hanoi 353


1. (SBU) Summary: Ambassador at Large for International
Religious Freedom John Hanford met March 6 with Vice
Minister for Public Security Nguyen Van Huong. Huong
objected to the designation of Vietnam as a Country of
Particular Concern (CPC) and said many in the GVN were
asking why they should cooperate with the USG on such issues
as MIA recovery activities when they are criticized on
religion. Huong said he expects all the churches in the
Central Highlands that have been closed will be allowed to
open, expanded opportunities for religious training and the
release of all religious prisoners "after one year." Huong
alleged that U.S. diplomats hold "secret meetings" with
political activists and had encouraged Buddhist leader Thich
Quang Do to test the restrictions placed upon him.
Ambassador Marine responded that diplomats regularly and
openly meet with political activists but only to gather
information. End Summary.


2. (SBU) Accompanied by the Ambassador, DRL/IRF officer
Matthew Schmolesky and Poloff, Ambassador Hanford began his
March 6 meeting with Deputy Minister for Public Security
Nguyen Van Huong by noting that many of the assurances on
improvements in religious freedom that Huong had made during
their previous meeting in October 2003 have been actualized
(Ref. A). Ambassador Hanford stated "I have a specific
purpose for this visit at this time," and referred to his
negotiations with the MFA. Vietnam has taken a number of
positive steps regarding religious freedom, and the USG
wants to find a way to resolve the CPC issue that does not
limit this momentum. It is also important to set a positive
atmosphere for the expected visits of Prime Minister Phan
Van Khai to Washington this summer and of President Bush to
the APEC meeting in Hanoi in the fall of 2006. One of the
USG's major concerns regarding religious freedom is that the
policies promulgated in Hanoi are not always enacted in
practice at the local level. The USG also has concerns
about certain prisoners in Vietnam, some of whom have been
incarcerated for many years. Ambassador Hanford also
covered ongoing concerns about the closure of churches,
forced renunciations of faith, the continued detentions of
religious prisoners, and the physical abuse of religious
believers. He specifically raised the case of imprisoned
Mennonite Le Thi Hong Lien, and asked she be released on
humanitarian grounds.


3. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong began his comments by noting
that when he and Ambassador Hanford had first met, Vietnam
was not designated as a CPC. Vietnam has made improvements
since then, but now is being chastised as a CPC. It is
frustrating to undertake these efforts and see no results.
Religious believers constitute a quarter of the population
of Vietnam. The number of Protestants in Vietnam at the end
of the war was quite small, but it has increased to as many
as 600,000 today, he stated. (Note: Other GVN officials
stated there as many as one million Protestants in Vietnam.
End note) This is a reflection of the GVN's policy to
respect religious freedom.


4. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong alleged that much of the
information that the USG uses to criticize Vietnam comes
from "distorted sources" or from "radicals opposed to the
GVN." Those Protestant believers whom the GVN has arrested
in the Central Highlands are "terrorists and members of
FULRO," and were not detained as a result of their faith.
Responding to Ambassador Hanford's inquiry, Vice Minister
Huong said that there was no police involvement in the 2003
death of Protestant believer Vang Seo Giao, but that Giao
had drowned because he attempted to cross a river while
intoxicated. Ambassador Hanford asked if Giao had drowned,
why had his brother been imprisoned for his involvement in
his death? Vice Minister Huong promised to provide the U.S.
Embassy with the "whole file" on this case and offered to
facilitate a visit by a Political Officer to investigate it
further. The GVN made a positive gesture by releasing
Buddhist monk Thich Tien Minh from prison on the occasion of
the Tet amnesty, but immediately afterward was criticized by
the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom.
Much attention is given to Mennonite Pastor Nguyen Hong
Quang. He is not a religious prisoner, but was arrested
because he beat a police official. "I strongly believe that
all the prisoners (that the USG has raised) will be free by
this time next year," Huong added. Huong promised to
provide the USG with the names of individuals before they
are released and to notify the USG if they are to be
arrested again as recidivists.


5. (SBU) Vietnam has successfully separated members of FULRO
from other Protestant followers, Huong asserted. As a
result, those churches in the Central Highlands that were
closed because of separatist activity can be allowed to
reopen. The GVN plans to assist in the registration of 36
new congregations in the Central Highlands. In some cases,
the GVN will provide land for the construction of new
churches, although they are doing this quietly so as not to
arouse the jealousy of other religious denominations. There
are currently 50 students at the Southern Evangelical Church
of Vietnam's (SECV) seminary in Ho Chi Minh City, and "I
would like this number to grow," Huong said. He added that
he could envision 600 seminarians in the future.


6. (SBU) The recent Prime Minister's Instruction on
Protestantism bans forced renunciations of faith and,
further, Vietnamese law stipulates that public officials who
abuse their position must provide compensation to their
victims (Ref. B). Provincial authorities will accurately
implement these laws, Huong promised.


7. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong claimed that Unified Buddhist
Church of Vietnam (UBCV) leaders Thich Huyen Quang and Thich
Quang Do have repeatedly taken hostile actions against the
Government after refusing to join the Vietnam Buddhist
Sangha along with the original leadership of the UBCV in

1981. "Since that time the UBCV is no longer legally
protected," Huong said. Since 2000 Thich Huyen Quang and
Thich Quang Do have been under no form of detention or
arrest, however. If Thich Huyen Quang were to wish to visit
the United States, he would be free to do so. In response
to Ambassador Marine's question, Vice Minister Huong
acknowledged that Thich Quang Do is under travel
restrictions as he remains under investigation for
possession of state secrets. This investigation continues
because Thich Quang Do has been unwilling to meet with
investigators to discuss the case. Vice Minister Huong
alleged that "Consulate General officials" had encouraged
Thich Quang Do to defy these restrictions and attempt to
visit Thich Huyen Quang, saying they promised to "give him
support." "I think Consulate General officials should not
meet him and encourage him so much," Huong commented. Huong
also promised not to take any action against the UBCV "on
religious grounds."


8. (SBU) Vice Minister Huong said he is "not satisfied" by
the designation of Vietnam as a CPC and added that the USG
should be careful that further bilateral cooperation is not
undermined by this issue. Any actions taken regarding
religious believers is thanks to the standing policies of
Vietnam, not because of pressure from the United States "We
have taken into consideration the U.S. - Vietnam
relationship" in making these changes, however. The GVN is
under pressure "from different directions" on this issue.
For example, members of the National Assembly have inquired
why the GVN cooperates with the USG on many issues, such as
MIA recovery activities, while the USG continues to
criticize the GVN. Any sanctions coming from CPC would have
a "negative impact" on relations, such as "on the MIA
issue." The GVN is waiting for the "good news" that the CPC
issue "is over."


9. (SBU) Specifically addressing Ambassador Marine, Vice
Minister Huong said that the MPS provides security to the
U.S. Mission and American diplomats operating in Vietnam.
There also has been a good exchange of information on
counterterrorism. A successful visit by the Prime Minister
to Washington may yield more results in this area. However,
the Ambassador should not meet secretly with "radicals" such
as Tran Khue in Ho Chi Minh City. Such actions make these
individuals believe they have the support of the USG. If
the USG seeks any information about these people, it should
make a request to the MPS for it. The GVN also would like
the USG to take action against "hostile" groups in the
United States, including Kok Ksor, Vo Van Ai, Nguyen Huu
Chanh and the Viet Tan party.


10. (SBU) Ambassador Hanford responded that he welcomed Vice
Minister Huong's promises that all churches closed in the
Central Highlands would be allowed to reopen and register as
they were shown not to belong to FULRO; that certain
congregations would be aided in acquiring property; that all
religious prisoners would be released within the next year;
and that opportunities for the training of clerics would be
expanded. To rebut Hung's claim that no prisoners have been
held for nearly two decades, Ambassador Hanford raised the
case of Catholic Priest Nguyen Thien Phung, imprisoned since

1987. Vice Minister Huong responded that Phung had incited
unrest against the local government and had even armed
himself. He is eligible for a reduction in sentence, but
has continued to violate regulations while in prison and
even fought against prison officials. As a result, "his
education must continue."


11. (SBU) Ambassador Marine noted that cooperation on MIA
recovery activities has long been a point of close
cooperation between the USG and GVN. The USG would
appreciate the support of the MPS in expanding its ability
to carry out these types of investigation and recovery
activities in the Central Highlands. The information that
Consulate General officials had encouraged Thich Quang Do to
break the law is incorrect. Similarly, Huong's reference to
secret meetings is unclear. U.S. diplomats seek to meet

SIPDIS
with these individuals simply to gather information, nothing
more. The FBI is investigating the activities of Nguyen Huu
Chanh and would appreciate any additional information that
the MPS could provide on him. If the GVN believes that the
Montagnard Foundation has committed illegal activities, it
should share specific details about these cases with the USG
so that we can investigate the claims. Under our political
system, while we cannot tell Kok Ksor that he should not
criticize Vietnam, we do express our beliefs to him that his
actions are not helpful.
MARINE