Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06HANOI1389
2006-06-06 10:15:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Hanoi
Cable title:
FURTHER VIETNAMESE NEW PARTY DISSIDENT
VZCZCXRO0587 PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM DE RUEHHI #1389/01 1571015 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 061015Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2276 INFO RUEHHM/AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY PRIORITY 1295 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEHZS/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001389
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: HUMANR PREL PGOV PHUM VM
SUBJECT: FURTHER VIETNAMESE NEW PARTY DISSIDENT
DEVELOPMENTS
REF: A) HANOI 1368; B) HCMC 607; C) HANOI 1338; D) HANOI
1320
HANOI 00001389 001.2 OF 002
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HANOI 001389
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: HUMANR PREL PGOV PHUM VM
SUBJECT: FURTHER VIETNAMESE NEW PARTY DISSIDENT
DEVELOPMENTS
REF: A) HANOI 1368; B) HCMC 607; C) HANOI 1338; D) HANOI
1320
HANOI 00001389 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary: On June 6, Poloff delivered a verbal
message to a representative of the Democracy Party of
Vietnam (DPV) representative that we will continue to meet
with dissidents, but this should not be misconstrued as
active support presaging intervention with the GVN. Police
harassment of DPV members continues as party organizers
finalize an action plan. Meanwhile, the GVN is considering
the DPV's fate entirely outside of the public's view. They
caution us in the strongest possible terms not to get
involved. We continue to tell the GVN that the United
States is interested but not involved in the DPV's actions,
and that we support freedom of expression and peaceful
political activity, and urge Vietnam to extend and expand
the political space for people like the members of the DPV.
Our current course, quietly counseling restraint on both
sides while remaining out of the fight, maximizes the
chances of averting a confrontation and, if that
confrontation occurs, preserving our ability to maintain
forward momentum in the relationship. End Summary.
Our message to the DPV
--------------
2. (SBU) On June 6, poloff met with DPV activist Lawyer Dai
Nguyen to deliver a verbal message (per Ref A) to the DPV
leadership that while the United States might want
Vietnamese law to change, until it does, the DPV and other
Vietnamese political dissidents are subject to severe
penalties for their political actions, and if they are
arrested, there will be little that the U.S. Government can
do about it. Dai acknowledged that he understood the
message and agreed that future meetings with Western
diplomats should be more discreet than the May 30 meeting
(Ref D) and on a one-on-one basis. He also agreed not to
actively publicize future meetings with Western diplomats.
3. (SBU) Dai reported that DPV leader Hoang Minh Chinh is
currently isolated in his home. The Ministry of Public
Security (MPS) has established two barriers preventing
anyone from entering or leaving Chinh's house. One
checkpoint blocks the alleyway leading to the home; the
other barrier blocks the actual door to Chinh's house.
Chinh and his family cannot be reached by phone or internet,
Dai added.
4. (SBU) Dai also stated that police observation of his
activities diminished over the weekend although his cell
phone and internet services were disconnected on Saturday.
Other DPV advocates have had members of their families
contacted by MPS officers "for informational purposes," and
one lawyer in training at Dai's office, Pham Sy Nguyen, was
"terrorized" (NFI) into cooperating with the police
investigation of Dai and the DPV on June 5. Nevertheless,
Dai reported that the DPV has finished drafting an action
plan and will publish it soon on an international website,
hopefully by June 30 which is the anniversary of the DPV's
founding in 1944.
Our Message to the GVN
--------------
5. (SBU) We have met several times with MPS and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to discuss this issue. Poloff
raised it with MFA (Americas Desk) June 5 and the General
Department of Security of MPS on June 6. The Ambassador
addressed the issue directly with Vice Foreign Minister Le
Van Bang at a private lunch on June 7 (septel). The message
we have delivered to the GVN is that the United States
supports freedom of expression and peaceful political
activity, and urges Vietnam to extend and expand the
political space for people like the members of the DPV.
Furthermore, the members of the DPV are a small group that
represents little threat to the regime. The GVN's reaction
to the DPV organizers will determine their significance;
arresting them will turn them into martyrs and an instant
global example of Vietnam's continuing intolerance of free
speech and political expression. The United States, the
Ambassador told VFM Bang, is interested, but not involved,
in the activities of the DPV. He warned Bang that arresting
the political dissidents would inflame opposition to Vietnam
HANOI 00001389 002.2 OF 002
and could slow down the PNTR vote process.
Comment
--------------
6. (SBU) The DPV's fate is a Vietnamese domestic drama
playing out almost entirely outside of the public's view.
Both sides are very interested in the United States' role.
Chinh and his group want the USG, and the Embassy, to
support them strongly and perhaps create an umbrella of
protection under which they can operate. For them,
publicizing any contact with the USG legitimized their
movement and, they believe, protects them against
retaliation by the GVN. MPS and MFA, however, caution us in
the strongest possible terms not to get involved. The
message we have received subtly but clearly is that the
DPV's activity is a political crisis that the authorities
are trying to manage, and that evidence of foreign
(especially American) involvement will force the GVN's hand
and force them to crack down on the dissidents. Normally
friendly and warm contacts ice over dramatically when this
subject comes up, an indication of its seriousness to the
GVN. Our current course, quietly counseling restraint on
both sides while remaining out of the fight, maximizes the
chances of averting a confrontation and, if that
confrontation occurs, preserving our ability to maintain
forward momentum in the relationship.
MARINE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: HUMANR PREL PGOV PHUM VM
SUBJECT: FURTHER VIETNAMESE NEW PARTY DISSIDENT
DEVELOPMENTS
REF: A) HANOI 1368; B) HCMC 607; C) HANOI 1338; D) HANOI
1320
HANOI 00001389 001.2 OF 002
1. (SBU) Summary: On June 6, Poloff delivered a verbal
message to a representative of the Democracy Party of
Vietnam (DPV) representative that we will continue to meet
with dissidents, but this should not be misconstrued as
active support presaging intervention with the GVN. Police
harassment of DPV members continues as party organizers
finalize an action plan. Meanwhile, the GVN is considering
the DPV's fate entirely outside of the public's view. They
caution us in the strongest possible terms not to get
involved. We continue to tell the GVN that the United
States is interested but not involved in the DPV's actions,
and that we support freedom of expression and peaceful
political activity, and urge Vietnam to extend and expand
the political space for people like the members of the DPV.
Our current course, quietly counseling restraint on both
sides while remaining out of the fight, maximizes the
chances of averting a confrontation and, if that
confrontation occurs, preserving our ability to maintain
forward momentum in the relationship. End Summary.
Our message to the DPV
--------------
2. (SBU) On June 6, poloff met with DPV activist Lawyer Dai
Nguyen to deliver a verbal message (per Ref A) to the DPV
leadership that while the United States might want
Vietnamese law to change, until it does, the DPV and other
Vietnamese political dissidents are subject to severe
penalties for their political actions, and if they are
arrested, there will be little that the U.S. Government can
do about it. Dai acknowledged that he understood the
message and agreed that future meetings with Western
diplomats should be more discreet than the May 30 meeting
(Ref D) and on a one-on-one basis. He also agreed not to
actively publicize future meetings with Western diplomats.
3. (SBU) Dai reported that DPV leader Hoang Minh Chinh is
currently isolated in his home. The Ministry of Public
Security (MPS) has established two barriers preventing
anyone from entering or leaving Chinh's house. One
checkpoint blocks the alleyway leading to the home; the
other barrier blocks the actual door to Chinh's house.
Chinh and his family cannot be reached by phone or internet,
Dai added.
4. (SBU) Dai also stated that police observation of his
activities diminished over the weekend although his cell
phone and internet services were disconnected on Saturday.
Other DPV advocates have had members of their families
contacted by MPS officers "for informational purposes," and
one lawyer in training at Dai's office, Pham Sy Nguyen, was
"terrorized" (NFI) into cooperating with the police
investigation of Dai and the DPV on June 5. Nevertheless,
Dai reported that the DPV has finished drafting an action
plan and will publish it soon on an international website,
hopefully by June 30 which is the anniversary of the DPV's
founding in 1944.
Our Message to the GVN
--------------
5. (SBU) We have met several times with MPS and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to discuss this issue. Poloff
raised it with MFA (Americas Desk) June 5 and the General
Department of Security of MPS on June 6. The Ambassador
addressed the issue directly with Vice Foreign Minister Le
Van Bang at a private lunch on June 7 (septel). The message
we have delivered to the GVN is that the United States
supports freedom of expression and peaceful political
activity, and urges Vietnam to extend and expand the
political space for people like the members of the DPV.
Furthermore, the members of the DPV are a small group that
represents little threat to the regime. The GVN's reaction
to the DPV organizers will determine their significance;
arresting them will turn them into martyrs and an instant
global example of Vietnam's continuing intolerance of free
speech and political expression. The United States, the
Ambassador told VFM Bang, is interested, but not involved,
in the activities of the DPV. He warned Bang that arresting
the political dissidents would inflame opposition to Vietnam
HANOI 00001389 002.2 OF 002
and could slow down the PNTR vote process.
Comment
--------------
6. (SBU) The DPV's fate is a Vietnamese domestic drama
playing out almost entirely outside of the public's view.
Both sides are very interested in the United States' role.
Chinh and his group want the USG, and the Embassy, to
support them strongly and perhaps create an umbrella of
protection under which they can operate. For them,
publicizing any contact with the USG legitimized their
movement and, they believe, protects them against
retaliation by the GVN. MPS and MFA, however, caution us in
the strongest possible terms not to get involved. The
message we have received subtly but clearly is that the
DPV's activity is a political crisis that the authorities
are trying to manage, and that evidence of foreign
(especially American) involvement will force the GVN's hand
and force them to crack down on the dissidents. Normally
friendly and warm contacts ice over dramatically when this
subject comes up, an indication of its seriousness to the
GVN. Our current course, quietly counseling restraint on
both sides while remaining out of the fight, maximizes the
chances of averting a confrontation and, if that
confrontation occurs, preserving our ability to maintain
forward momentum in the relationship.
MARINE